AMUSEMENTS

Taihape Daily Times, 14 September 1918, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS

KING’S THEATRE. The setting and the theme of a picture drama have seldom been in such harmony as in the Selig masterpiece, ‘ ‘ The Garden of Allah, ’ ’ which will be screened to-night. This is a picturisation of Robert Hichen’s powerful novel of the same name, and the screen; contrived to reproduce the mysterious glamour of the Sahara desert even more that the hook itself does. The austere charm and the fiery fervour of Algerian days and nights have their counterpart in this passionate sfpry of a love that was forbidden and of the sacrifice which atoned for it. Helen Ware as Domini meets a strange man at Benimara. At first he flees at the mere sight of a woman, but there comes a time when his uncontrollable desire throws him into her arms. He begs her not to listen to what he said, but she replies, “You must say it, for I must hear it.” A terrific sandstorm occurs as they are beiitg married. It is almost as though an angry fate was giving them a last warning. An immense drama which grips from first to last.

The screening of “The Garden of Allah” will commence at 8.30. The supporting pictures are also of a particularly high standard.

EVERYBODY'S. There will be a double star programme act Everybody’s tonight, which, from its excellence and variety, (will form a landmark in picture projection in Taihape. The first star is “The Jaguar’s Claw,” featuring that remarkably versatile and clever Japanese actor Ses'sue Hayakawa, supported by Marjorie Daw and Mabel van Buren. The story is quite of unusual interest, and shows the Japanese actor in a new role, that of an American bandit, El. Jaguar, is a typical Mexican, fierce in his hates and loves. The story opens with the bandit’s swift swoop on a bridal party, his snatching up of the bride and shooting of the bridegroom. This was the characteristic way in which El Jaguar acted in the terrorised district in which he lived. Tiring of his stolen bride, the bandit fixed his eyes on Nancy Jordan, (Marjorie Daw), and from this on the story moves along with tremendous power and realism. Altogether “The Jaguar’s Claw,” s a picture that does not often come this way. The other star is a story of quite a different character. “Melissa of the Hills” is a charming story set in the hills of Tennessee. A hate feud, a love feud and a great battle scene appear in the picture. A pathetic figure is the pastor ■with a “past,” who sacrifices himself trying to bring peace to the warring factions, and just a vein of love running through it all makes it a Mary Mils Minter Masterpiece. The supporting pictures are varied, interesting, and humorous.