AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1925, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS.

MCLEAN’S PICTURES.

“ DISCONTENTED WIVES” —FRIDAY. An interesting study in hands will be presented in “Discontented Wives,” tlie Playgoers feature starring J. P. McGowan at the Princess Theatre on Friday night by McLean's* Pictures. Ruth Galord, as portrayed by Frifezi Brunette, contrasts the soft, well-mani-cured hands of Kirk Harding, whom sho might have married, with those of her husband, rough and toil-scarred from working to give her the luxuries that were iier right. The comparison was the final straw to her discontent, and she fled from the poverty, the loneliness and desolation of the little shack in the Californian hills to the beautiful home of her parents in New York. “ Discontented Wives ” is not a problem play, but an interesting drama of a woman who, taken from hei natural environment, found love overbalanced by the hardships of a primitive life and had to bring suffering to others before slie found herself. J. P., McGowan directed “Discontented Wives ” from the original story by Fred Windemerc. The cast in his support, besides Fritzi Brunette, includes Jean Perry, Andy Waldron, G. S. McGregor and little Jackie Condon. A two-reel comedy entitled “ Take Next Car,” a Pa the Review and Cartoon will complete a huge programme. McLean’s Orchestra will ,render tlie incidental selections and usual prices will prevail. Saturday—lrene Castles, America’s best dressed woman in “Slim Shoulders,” a magnificent 6-act picture drama.

MASTER PICTURES. “HALF-A-DOLLAII BILL”—FRIDAY. “Half a Dollar Bill” is one of the most gripping human documents that the motion picture industry has presented. It is filled with human interest and appeal with a thrilling story finely acted by an excellent cast and handled with care by the director. The resultant whole is a clean, wholesome, gripping and sensational story that will please the most blase of fans. “Half a Dollar Bill” is a picture that will make them. Inugu and cry, that will maks them grip tlie edge of the seat with tlie tense exciting moments and that will entertain with tlie surprising dramatic qualities of the picture. The story is as follows:—Captain MeTeague (William T. Carleton)- of the ship Grampus and his cook, Noodles (Raymond ITatton), find an abandoned boy, whom they name Half-a-Dollar Bill liecau.se there is a torn dollar hill pinned to his clothing and a note from a broken-hearted mother wlio kept the other half, hoping some day to regain her son.- Half-a-Dollar Bill (Frankie Darra) grows to the age of four. Returning on the Grampus from a voyage, the Captain gives his first officer, Mart Webber (George MacQuarric) a severe beating for bis slurs on Bill’s birth. But Webber lias found the torn hill and note the Captain preserved, and ho swears revenge on MeTeague. When the Grampus docks, little Bill prevents an unfortunate woman lrom throwing herself off the wharf, and the Captain and Noodles takes her to their homo. The woman (Anna Q. Nilsson) lives there as housekeeper, in spite of gossip. But the captain lias grown to love her. Webber, going there one day, is amazed to recognise tlie woman as his wife whom lie deserted. She confesses she gave up her baby that be might live, and shows him the birth certificate and torn Hill she kept, both of which he wrenches from her. A\ebber has enlisted ihc- aid of Papeete Joe (Mitchell Lewis). who hears a grudge against the Captain, and that night they kidnap Bill. The boy’s dog leads the Captain to a shack on the waterfront where Bill was taken, and in a terrific fight MeTeague rescues the boy. The Grampus sails at daylight, but Webber, Papeete Joe and a deputy sheriff come in a lunch with a writ to claim Bill. The woman learns Bill is her son. But they are on the high seas, where the captain is law. and in the ensuing excitement AYebbor is killed bv a knife flung bv Papeete Joe at the Captain, leaving the woman tree and MeTeague in possession of her son.