AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 34, 23 January 1912, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

There was scarcely standing room at Bernard’s last night, so great has been the attraction of “Rufus Dawes,” a dramatised version of “The Term of His Natural Life.” It is a great film, even as the story is one of the greatest of its kind. Rufus Dawes is the victim of a chain of circumstances, which brand him as a double murderer. For the first he is transported to the convict settlements of Australia, where the greater part of the drama is played. The convicts are an unruly gang, and Frere has peculiar ideas of prison discipline and now to enforce it. The scene in which he’ is attacked by each convict in turn and is at last overcome by Gabbet, only to be saved by Dawes, is a powerful one. The mutiny on board the “Osprey,” the marooning of Frere, Sylvia and her mother, and the Rev. Meekin, and t e shipwreck of the convicts in +he'stolen vessel, arc all fine scenes. Then follows a scene, gruesome and awful. The three convicts, among them Gabbett, mad with hunger and privation, draw lots to decide who is to die. Gabbett draws the longest straw, and for the next few minutes there is drama of v the “Blood-stained Putty Knife” order. A few minutes later the audience are in roars of laughter as they watch Gabbett chasing the Rev. Meekin over the sandhills. Tragedy follows comedy, and Sylvia’s mother is killed by 'Gabbett, circumstances again pointing to “Good Mr. Dawes” as the murcuier. In the picture Dawes wins through in the end, and if the ending is not such a powerful one as that winch concludes “The 'Term of His Natural life,” it is at least a happy one. The outstanding features of the film are the complete absence of flicker, the beauties of the scenery in which the story is played, and last, but not least, the magnificent acting of the principals. “Rufus Dawes” is a long way tbo best drama wo have yet seen on the “white sheet.” The first half of the programme is also exceptionally good, the picture showing “Dinner Time” among the animals being particularly interesting. The Victors’ Vaudeville Act and the Cultivation of Maniac (industrial) were both good pictures. Summed up, the programme presented by Bernard’s last night was satisfactory in every way. To-night, when the same bill will bo given, there ] should be a bumper house. j

On Wednesday ni«lit six now films will bo screened, and “.Rufus Dawes” will bo again shown.