PICTURE SHOWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1665, 4 February 1913, Page 8

PICTURE SHOWS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. It is doubtful if tho spectators at His Majesty's Theatre last evening fully appreciated tho excellent production of Homer's immortal odyssy, which was screened for' the first time. Tlio production is certainly;very fine, arid also tho photography—in fact tho manufacturers of tho film have carried out their part without a Haw. 'Maybe New Zealnnders are becoming too "advanced" to appreciate anything but sensational dramas; or, on tho other hand, they may lack tho education to' knotty when they sco it, the beautiful mythology "and. ethic of tho Greeks. Tho ethic is possibly just ns round in the 20th, century a.d. as it'was in the 20th century n.c. .The scene commences before the wnlls'of Troy, and tho spectator accompanies Ulysses and his men during all their weary wanderings before tho leader alone, reaches tho long-wished-for shores of Ithaca,'after ho has overcome the one-eyed giants, tlio cyclops, .with their snvogo cannibal king, Polyphemus, tho seven-headed monster Scylla, and tho roaring whirlpool Chnrybdis. The temptations .of tho . cruel but fascinating sirens afford an .opportunity for beautiful scenic effects which is not lost by-the producers. The grand finale shows the victory of Ulysses and his son,' with the aid of the Goddess.Minerva, over tho numerous suitors—who are . pressing hard tho hero's wife. The other items include a. variety of comic, scenic, and dramatic pictures that Tiolp to make !up an excellent programme.

THE KING'S THEATRE. This week's programme,- ■screened for the first time at tho King's Theatro last night, features one of the Mcsseler Company's dramas—"Gipsy Hate." A beautiful Gipsy girl refuses to marry tho man whom her father chooses for her; and thereby raises family disord. She meets a theatrical manager and his secretary, who are spending a day in the country, and makes up her mind to fly with them and accept the engagement which they offer her. Stealing one of her father s proceeds to execute this resolve. Sho is pursued by her father and angry lover. They overtake her while she is talking with her new friends. However, after a, sharp fight, she escapes with the manager in. his motor. In the. struggle she wounds her would-be. husband, and lie, swearing revenge,. follows her to the city. Making her debut at the Moulin Rouge, sho rapidly mounts the lnddor of success, and obtains an excellent music-hall engagement. Spurred on by desire for.revenge, her suitor and her lather, discover her whereabouts, and tho former, obtains work as\i scene-shifter at tho music-hall. Just after the Gipsy girl lias gained another success with her fire-dance, and is about to leave the stage, her rovengeftil lover presents ■ himself; Terrified at tho tight of him,; sho staggers back to the stage, and her flimsy dancing ekirt catches fire. Though quickly extinguished sho. does not recover from the shock, and is taken to her dressing-room, where,' shortly afterwards; . sho dies. "With'the Colours", is a first-class'mili- . tary picture of the recent manoeuvres in England. The other items, are exceptionally good, and complete a programme well up to the standard maintained at the King's Theatre, ', ' '

THE NEW THEATRE;.' ■ A new. programme was screened at the New Theatre yesterday. The star item is entitled "The Great Circus Catastrophe," tho synopsis of which is briefly, as follows:—Count vonEosa experiences.a revcrsalof fortune and becomes bankrupt., Ho meets at a hotel M. Wingo, a circus manager, and Mdlle. Dore, a champion circus rider. The Count and, Mdlle. Dore becomo mutually attracted. .Miss Evelyn, a circus ballet dancer, also falls m love with the Count.'' The'latter, who is a skilled rider, consents to perform at the circus on the occasion of Mdlle. Doros. benefit 1 night. Their liotel catches, fire, and Evelyn helps Mdlle. Dore to escape, but Evelyn and the Count are driven up to tho top of the : building by the flames. Evelyn attempts to clamber along the telephone wires to' a neighbouring building. She falls, however, but is. caught on a sheet held out to save-her. The .Courit''is" , s'avea, ! "bi!t a'tßhe circus'• performance'' that'hight his' horse leaps froin: a high' platform, and the Count is seriously injured. Evolyn nurses- him back to health, and in tho end it is evident that, t'hev have. found , true - happiness. Ihe supporting items are varied in' nature, and fully keep one's -interest from' sagginv before or after the important picture.

.. THE EMPRESS • THEATRE. ', One of the most magnificent photo-plays, ever shown before a local crowd .was horcened at tlio Empress Theatre \last night, when the large attendances proved that' something out of the ordinary was expected.- The film referred.'to was'.at the.head of the new .programme, and wasthe Selig Company's adaptation of AleXnudro Dumas' novel "The Count of Monte Cristo." ■'■•' Some three hundred performers are engaged in the piece, which is said to have cost Je«KH) m _ producing. Gorgeous scenery and beautiful costumes are features of the .picture,' The story itself-is peculiarly adapted to motionpicture ; interpretation,, and abounds in startling encounters, and tragic occurrenoes. It chiefly concerns the adyentuious career of a young French sailor, who i grows white in the confines of a dungeon. Edmund Dantes and Danglars, ore super-cargoes on a vessel, the captain of which dies, but who, during his last moments entrusts Dantes with the chargo of the ship, and with a secret. messagO; for Napolecn, exiled on Elba... Dantes delivers the message' and is given a reply, by Napoleon.' Danglars becomes violently jealous of Dantes, and with the aid of a suitor (Fernand) who is endeavouring to wiu Dantes's sweetheart (Mercedes) manages to trump up charges,'which resultjin the hero's arrest, and his removal; to the dungeons at the Chateau D'lf. i Years after Dantes learns from a .fellow prisoner that Fernand has married 'Mercedes and tWf. Danglars 1 and another enemy have reached high places in life. Later Dantes is informed of a great treasure hidden on the. island of Monte Cristo. He'makes a sensational escape* recovers the treasure, returns homo and .wreaks wholesale reverse'on his enemies. Among'other exclusive items, which help to form a very entertaining programme,, there may. bo mentioned the following:—"The Divorce (A.B. comedy drama), "Sammy's Escape" (Urban trick comedy), Gaumont Grhphio (topical), "For Love and Life" (drama), and Aladdin." The series will I be repeated to-day'and to-night when the usual prices will obtain.. •'

• SHORTTS' PICTURES. Largo attendances at Shortts* continuous picture show in 'Willis Street last night ■witnessed the new programmo. The leading film is a splendid'dramatic production bv the famous Anuila .Company, entitled "The Blacksmith." Supporting films aro: "Substitute Model," a superb item by tho Lnfcin Company;' "She Cried." an. amusing comedy by.the Vitagraph .Company; Australian Gazette (topical); "Vallev of Holland" (scirtiic); "Tho Serpent's Hole", (dramatic); and "When tho Tap' Went Dry" (comic)., Tho samo items will lib repeated to-day. ..

The Anglican ArchbishorTof Melbourne, prior to his departure for Europo recently, dedicated in St. Paul's Cathedral a marble font.forVadult baptism by immersion, a memorial to the late Bishop Goe, and a rood screen, tho only one in Austratralio, in memory of tho lato Mr. I\ S.' Grimwade. A motor bus, in Westbourno Grove, London, recently swerved in endeavouring to avoid a lady, and, mounting the pavement, crashed into a jeweller's shop. A largo plate-glass window was smashed and a quantity of jewellery was knocked on to the pavement. ' The front of tho shop was badly damaged, but nobody was' injured;