AMUSEMENTS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1917, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS

POLLARD’S PICTURES.

To-night,,, atjfche. Princess Theatre, : Pollards will screen two most startling screen productions that have a • big reputation among picture lovers. ! The first • “The Girl Phillipa ” is a screen version of the great novel by Robert W. Chambers, directed by S. Rankin Drew, who also plays the principal male part, with Anita Stewart (the darling of millions) in the lead. Before describing the actual story, reference may be made to one piece of artistry in connection with it! War is declared, and the proclamation posted. Then the poster only appears, but behind it, and marching straight through it, come ghost-like the heroic French armies, carrying with them the thought of the song, “ The Deathless Army. It is a flue piece of cinema stagecraft —impressive, but cheering. The spirit of the past returns to animate the spirit of to-day. The story is bewilderingly beautiful, the love romance in itself being a problem passion, charmingly set and heartbreaking in intensity. Anita Stewart has a role which gives every scope for her captivating charm, and the rest of the cast is strong and good. The war scenes in it are terrific, grimly realistic, and nothing more awe-inspiring and appalling has been put on the screen than the bombardment of the quiet French village by the Huns. A woman’s beauty has long been recognised by secret service agents as the most dangerous snare for those whom they wish to entrap. The second star is a Vitagrapli Bine Ribbon Company drama. “ The Girl of Yesterday,” with the enchanting actress, Mary Pickford, and her brother Jack in the leading roles, both performers being capable of infusing action into this delightful play. Mary Pickford lias her first aei’oplane ride, and she describes it as “ The sky came down to call on us.” Her rival has bribed an aviator to take the seductive little girl of yesterday for a sky ride and drop her some-

where too late to go on a yachting cruise. Mary Piekford has lost none of her charm, as is witnessed by hexundisputed pride of place in every populaxity contest. PEERLESS PICTURES. TI'ESDAY.—MAIIGU-KRITB CLARK. One of the greatest pictures in which Marguerite Clark has yet appeared in will be shown at the Optra House by the Peerless Pictures on Tuesday evening entitled “The Fortunes of Fifi,” GOOD feet tin length. It is a splendid picture, magnificently staged, and ably acted. The girl of talent, beauty, expression, charm and disposition, whose femininity has won for her the title of “Queen of the Screen,’’ will he seen as “Fif'd” as a delightful little Pierrot in a little French provincial play that is a dismal failure, despite her every | effort to put life and ginger into the i rest of the east. But among the few | who comprised the last audience ,tVas old Cartouche, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, who had turned actor when his wounds' no longer allowed lvim to follow Ids General. Cartouche is captivated "by Fifi, and decides to try to get the little girl a position With the Imperial Theatre, in Paris, of which lie is a member. Through liig efforts Fifi is employed at the Imperial in a very small way, and the veteran takes

the youthful actress to his lodgings, | spreading his protective wing over her. I Through a marvellous stroke of luck 1 Fifi win s a fortune, and as soon as it i becomes known she has a lot of ad- ! mirers. I Do not miss Ids feature, as it is the greatest, most gorgeous and most glorious picture ever screened. It will wreathe your face with smiles. The supporting programme is of the best, while the music, as usual, will he a special feature of the evening entertainment. Koto. —Showing at Ross on Wednesday, Mary Miles Minter, in “Youth’s Endearing Charm,” one of the biggest attractions yet screened.