AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 30, 4 February 1913, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

BERNARD’S PICTURES. A splendid house greeted the change of programme at His Majesty’s 'theatre last night. The special attraction was “The Prisoner of War,” the great general Napoleon being the central figure. Speaking of him, an historian writes: “Nations yet to come will look back upon his history as to some grand and supernatural ; romance. The fiery energy of his youthful career, and the magnificent I regies,.. of his irresistible ambition, have invested his character with the mysterious grandeur of some heavenly appearance ; and when all the lessors tumults and lesser men of our age shall have passed away into the darkness of oblivion, history will still inscribe one mighty,era with the majestic name of Napoleon.” For interest in the subject and success in the delineation, the film is a veritable triumph, and keeps the audience deeply interested throughout. It dea.s with the latter years of Napoleon, who in 1804. was at tho height of his power and glory—Emperor of France, virtually ruler of Europe, and then, a few short years later, a gloomy and broken man, exiled on a barren rork a prisoner of war. From the time of his last farewell to France, on the deck of H.M.S. Rellerophon, to rl.e touching pathos of his lonely death in mid-Atlantic, this production portrays Napoleon’s life, his friends and counsellors, his guards, passionate anger, and his frenzied efforts to escape. The scenery in the film consists of the raging sea, the precipitous cliffs, the .lonely mountain passes—far from the scenes of political activity, where the hero of France had once conquered , and lost. Napoleon is seen dying, broken in body and spirit, yet uttering, as his last words “France,” “the Army,” and “U sef hine.” This remarkable pic ure - historical, human, and romantic—was supported by Selig’s society drama, “The Devil, the Servant and the Man,” and a number of other interesting films of travel, topical themes, and comedy. Enjoyable music was supplied by the orchestra.