ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1198, 22 January 1914, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MUNICIPAL PICTURES,

Special holiday program mes have been secured by the above for showing during the next three days. The star 61m for to-night, “Two Battles,” is a strong Vitagraph masterpiece, telling how Gordon Frazier bids farewell to his Buancee, Gladys Harford. In Africa Gordon is rescued from death by a companion, who in England he thought was a rival. One day they each receive a different worded letter from Gladys. Gordon’s friend died from wounds received in battle, and asks Gordon to deliver letters and locket to Gladys in England. Gordon does so, and he upbraids her for acting so falsely to him. While at the club be receives a letter from her, stating why she broke off her engagement with him, and also telling him his late friend was her brother. Gordon hastens back to assure her that she is still the girl he loves. As will be seen from the advertising columns this programme is one calculated to draw a large audience, especially the race 51m, “A Ride for a Bride.” Another excellent programme will be screened to-morrow night, the star drama being, “The Plot that Failed,” briefly described as follows : The Governor of a prison has never forgot an insult of a former friend. The latter has a daughter who is worshipped afar by one of the convicts, tor the prison adjoins the girl’s garden. The Governor tells the convict he is his sou, and secures his escape. He is then introduced to the girl, whom he ultimately marries, without disclosing his former life. The Governor now tells his one-time f:iend of the revenge he has seemed, when he discovers that the ex-convict has confided all to his wi!e, and has flung himself out of the window. The other items of this programme as will be seen from advertisement are such as will he appreciated by all classes of the community, more especially all sports who will be able to view the famous English sporting event, “The Derby.” The programme for Saturday night, like the two above, are specially selected for the holidays and above the usual standard of merit. Besides the usual comics, scenics and topical films, among the latter being “Carnival week at Christchurch,” are two splendid star dramas, “The Parting of the Ways,” which is a Duske drama of rare and graphic strength, in two reels ; vigorous and powerful in the highest degree. Among the many incidents depicted in this picture is the rescue of a girl from the top of a burning lighthouse by a man iu au aeroplane ; and “The Substitute Engineer.” This tells how a young engineer, about to fill a responsible position, leaves a pocketbook, containing his credentials and a photo of himself, in a restaurant, where it is found by a patty of thieves, who waylay and maltreat him, and use his letters as a guarantee of the bona fides of one of their number, who becomes the substitute engineer, who, while really knowing nothing about engineering, starts the engine and loses control of it. The steam is seen rising higher and higher in the steam gauge, and just as the place and its inmates are about to be blown to eternity, the real engineer rushes iu, saves the catastrophe and denounced the villainous substitute. The whole of the above programmes can well be recommended to the patronage ot picture lovers.