MCLEAN’S PICTURES.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1917, Page 1

MCLEAN’S PICTURES.

OPERA HOUSE FRIDAY

Tin* appearance of Ethel Barrymore in “The Awakening of Helena Richie” marks a new era in motion pictures, it is tin; era of a great star in a novel picturised in a .great way. In tbit; screen adaption of the hook are shown the quaint Village of Chester and the simple, strong-hearted characters that lived there. Amongst those people who know every detail of each others’ lives comes the beautiful Helena Richie. Her husband a victim of liquor, lias killed their infant in Paris. She has trusted in her old suitor Lloyd Pryor and, at his urgings, has chosen Old Chester in an effort to find peace and rest. At last when lier husband dies in Europe, Pryor tolls Helena, she must choose between him and little "•avid. She believes she' loves Pryor. She knows she loves the hoy. A great soul-storm takois place within her —■. the fire of Passion and the earthquake of Selfishness. And then, after the fire comes “the still small voice.” The soul of Helena Richie is “awakened.” How she deals with this great crisis is j beautifully told in the screen story, which has been powerfully interpreted by Aliss Barrymore and unfolded in a masterly manner by that greatest of directors, John AY. .Noble. The serial “Peg o’ the Ring will also ho continued in its interesting course. .

BATTLE OF THE ANCRE

MONDAY NIGHT

The daily reports from the front give no real idea of how modern warfare is carried on. Even the reading of many vivid descriptions leaves’much for the imagination, however much they may tell. But the kinematograpli recording not only form, but movement, catches the lacking quality and a great deal of the reality of the tremendous, springs vividly into the mind. A particularly fine series of war pictures, notable for the great variety of subjects brought under review is “The Battle of the Ancre” which is to be shown at the Princess Theatre on Monday next. The exhibitions are being cond cted by the Y.M.C.A. under arrangement with the N.Z. Government and the net proceeds are to be devoted to providing comforts for our fighting men in trench or camp, or wounded or convalescent in N.Z. or abroad, through various channels of patri otic funds. A quarter ot the proceeds are handed over to the Mayor of each city or town in which the picture is shown, thus each city or town receives portion of the receipts to be given to the Red Cross Fund as the Mayor may think fit. The pictures are all officially authorised, though there is 110 need of any such guarantee of their genuineness. They range from the quietly conducted organised transport work in the rear of the raging storm of battle, to the huge guns of the British Army in action, hurling their shells into the enemy lines: hosts of armed men, fresh for the great task of the offensive, and hailing from all quarters of the earth, inarch towards the scene of strife, No Man’s Land, and an expanse of tortured and barren soil, stretches ahead, at one moment bare, but soon being traversed by line after line of men, some to capture others to hold. Still more to make good again the enemy’s battered stronghold, The aftermath of this is shown in the return of the wounded, damaged but undismayed; and a host of prisoners comiug in to live under a regime new and perhaps less harsh than that of the Prussian system. The ‘‘ Tanks,” still almost as much of a mystery as ever, are shown in characteristically ungainly manoeuvres over ground broken up by shell craters and trenches. From beginning to end the “ Battle of the Ancre ” is of enthralling interest, and none should miss this, the only opportunity of seeing it. The box plan opeus at Mrs Browne’s to-mor-row. The prices for admission are dress circle 2s, stalls is, reserved seats 2s Gd, children half-price.