ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1579, 20 July 1916, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

FULLER’S PICTURES

A particularly attractive programme was screened at Fuller’s lasi night, featuring as a special item, “Esther Redeemed.” The redemption of Esther Seagar, the outcast child of criminal parents, by means of an operation upon the brain, performed by an eminent surgeon, is the (heme of a powerfully dramatic photoplay—a story based upon a theory held by many famous surgeons. It may be justly said that in this production .Miss Tittcll Bruno reaches the highest level of dramatic art yet attained by any actress appearing on the screen. The supporting pictures are of a particularly interesting nature, and constitute a splendid

programme. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

An outstanding feature of Friday’s change of programme i.s a magnificent rocrniling drama, “You! What are You Doing for Your Country?” The scone opens with an old veteran in his library. The portrait of Ids old comrade, FieldMarshall Farl Roberts, recalls (he days of the Afghan eampiagn, and he reverently salutes the great soldier. Recognising the great sacrifices that are required for (he welfare of the wounded soldiers, he writes to his son, intimating his intention of turning his country house into a hospital, and adds as a postscript ; “What arc you doing for your country?" The letter is openen )»y the son on the morning following it gay evening with the hoys, and his father’s laudatory offer does not lind favour anil he tears the letter up in disgust, that portion containing the query, “What are YOU doing for your country?” being carried by a gust of wind out of the window and alights on the breast of a coster, who has just refused the solicitations of a recruiting sergeant to enlist. The message to the coster see.ms supernatural, and he decides to “do his bit.” His wife lies the paper on the collar of a fashionable lady’s poodle flog, and the message is carried to the butler, who declares his intention of “doing his duly.” The lady of the house, whilst fondling the dog, also finds the paper, and decides to devote her spare time to Red Cross work. The piece of paper, once more cast to the winds, linds ils way into a munition factory, where the men are on the eve of a strike, and the all-important question it contains decides them to forget their differences, and turn to. We next see (lie itinerant scrap of paper pursued by the breezes, brought up in the gutter beside the old veteran’s son, who has been stopped by a recruiting official. “What!” the young man, replies, “me a common Tommy? Oh dear, no!” and he indignantly drives his slick into the mud, and the action impales the magic paper. In endeavouring to disengage it, he recognises the handwrifiig, and is so deeply impressed that he goes oil with the sergeant to register. The final scene depicts him in uniform receiving the congratulations of his father, who, with tears in his eves, expresses his profound ad-, miration.