ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 9, 6 October 1919, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

"DAMAGED GOODS"

"Damaged Goods," a picture based on Euge.no Brieux's famous drama of that name, opened its' Wellington season in the Town Hall on Saturday night with a screening for men only. It is appaient that any pictorial adaptation of tho jfiny is to "be' judged either upon its fidelity to the original, or (if the orißin'al does not seem to have been very closely followed) upon its siilutariness na a warning beacon to the unwary, and an indictment; of the conspiracy of silence l>y which society affects to ignore theprevalence of the "red , phigne." How lirieux was to he clouo into ti" ,-,- « nf the kincma was a problem that might have pu/zled greater men than the American responsible for this production. Chicago's revision of his work has brought confiidernble changes. For instance, we have Dupont contaminated hy a woman of tho streets; therein a point is missed that lirieux was careful to make—viz., that Dupont owed his, nrJwry not to one who' was branded already as a proo? able victim of the social • scourge. Moreover, wo see the woman "regenerated" later through the humanity and. ski'Jl of a physician, and transformed into a nurse! lirieux did not think of that—and not only, of that, but of one or two other litli'.e incidents—or his play, too, might hove been in seven parts instead of three. One of the principal omissions from the picture is that no indication is given of George's love for Henriettp befoTe hig marriage. That love is not the. least damning fact in the array of evidence that convicts Dupont of criminality when ho decides despite the doctor's warning, to marry his betrothed with but three months' delay. 'It is strange, too, that whereas Urieiix's doctor demands a delay of "three vears at least, if not four," tho doctor of the picture asks only for two years in which to establish finally whether his patient's affliction has been cured, or is fqrever incurable. However, putting aside all reference to Itrieux and the standard he Ret, the justice cf the claim that the picture, has social value must be admitted. It deals, however, differently in matter? of detail from "Les Avaries," with the Rii.ne terrible evil that menaces not only the innocent and the ignorant but even the half-in-formed. It rends a veil of 'secrecy that, unremoved, may mean the perpetration and perpetuation of horrors unspeakable. The lesson is jml'utnry, the administration of it at least unobjectionable. .Saturday night's attendance was large. "Damaged Goods" appeared to meet with general approval, but the house was imnatieiit during the s.creeniilr (before the big picture) of an irrelevant Colorado scenic, film. EMELTE rOLINI SEASON. The ,T. and N. Tail season will open at the Grand Opera .House this evening, when Miss TCmclie I'olini and the supporting company will lp ■seen in the first presentation here of Edwa ,- <1 Clark's play of thrills and mystery. "Do Luxe Annie." TV company arrived by the Mnheno on Friday afternoon, hut were held in quarantine until yesterday. The spell, hnwevoi;, enabled them to get their land legs, and as Hie scenery and effectswere already on hand, this evening's production will lie well on time, 'and patrons are requested to !>e in their seats by 8 o'clock. "De T.uxe Annie" is the story of a woman who, while struggling with a burglnr. receives a knock.on tho head, and entirely loses her memory. The events that occur during this lapse of memory, and - the action of her subconscious mind in dealing with many thrilling enisodes. form a most interesting piny. If is said to be full of niyeferv. and to retain the interest rif.ht from the rise of the curtain until its fall. Miss Polini's success in Australia has been remarkable. When Mr. Tail engaged her he had. of course, every knowledge of her brilliance, .but the'approbation ot his- selection bv Auslrnlian tVatvoiroers has proved vr-v grntifv ; ng. Following on a short season of "De Luxe Annie" nlayponrs hero wil' see the dramntie novelty, "Eyes of Youth." with its snift chnngi»g scenes, afld beauty of production. In this plav Miss Polivi will be seen in her original role of Oina Ashling. The box nI.T" Know nva>laW« it the Bristol for the first «u nights of the season' nnd for the cn<"'il Saturday matinee which is announced. Miss'Marv Butler jV •Drimot.imr an ontegument for'natriotio nnrp"s«. and it will to 1 --" nlnee in Concert Chamber, Fill, o" October 16 and 17. /Mr. T. Trcisj will act as stage manager, while the singe decorations will be arranged bv-- M' - . Fn.nrourt. Pevrnl tab. lean.v and musical seen. - " have 'been arm.nwi. nn<i i most entertaining evening is anticipatedj.

were approved :—"T'n>t the Government lie. ref'estcd to -n'llisTi tVe n-i™s of «h n »Tiskii"! .of vnrio'i* grades; that the hilmiee-'licts of dairv cominniM be stmidnvdisiA-! in Hie most *i*vi)i> foi'P' nnssiblp; l-h" 1- the he requested to tiV" '"to eo'iside-itio'' t 1 " 1 ironuirp"ip"t-- of 'j'-n lirrl^' - "* bo:i"'s of the fnrnm'ate a scheme for nbtniniig *"<\ en'iti , n I 'ini' tb" T"o----jiiinion -nnrp'i-"t!. l ' v feet- Hint '" the i"(■nvpot of iists of i?en7. - ""e nnd k"rosen" ! n,o Pn-iiiors' TJuioii (i'vlpqv"'ir. tlvnur'i flm f!nv>Tni"ftlt. to li-vo t'li on«o of pnMf.il I'ln-flliurr OH t'-" VP"'V|VS and trnnonort eennnnips tli"i>i .iceouiitiblp for lckn.'e." T| i? d'nng"' - fi'oi'i the nnrend nf gonf- - ' l - "" vis referred to i" e. rem't fro - " Hie T'oTt-o-br"'ieh. whinll livo-fifl r l,jit (lip PTPOUtI'V" p.all a ."»e f , ; "" of "" s'ti-'irs and nffecl°d '-v "oats' rim {n nnnsider l l '- mnfter "1 dn"li'"» iv ;|l ' Ws "oxioi"weed, o'e"!!"- unanimously apj..ivn,l . tho siifrrrrcl.ion.. At a meeting of the F-"m»r c ' TT- ! "'.- /•- ••-■• '-- , - "'--e "■• t' - - /-«»iM'ir« of f',p M«"t 'n r ,„t. Mr. T!nl-"ii .-.i---i fl.«l flip n"lv wpv l-i tret ovw *V.,1!«".. cnHv wic lo'hnvp tho me"t nil plnw'l ji,ui oonf Tome firoiigh n -- p "in™ t," l.» I,n f l his wnv -"t n nonnil of Vp, t 7."ilnnd nio'et '""oul-i lip int on tho Smi'b. «.1.l I- 1 . 'T' i- 1 -- 1 - bp ri.orp Anv butellers nt "on"' would lip il.'p to 1 wil- M ,v n ,l-.. Tl„,|. would keep the Meat Trust out of Ne« Zealand.