ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 217, 1 February 1913, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL PICTURES: *' One of the finest dramatic'filmsJsltown locally is "The Father," an Edison flrania that will be on view this afternoon at the matinee and for the last occasion to-night. This powerfully appealing story is told with a simplicity and'delicacy of art seldom seen outside of ojur. big productions, and the splendid cast seems inspired with the same spirit, Henry Bent is the overworked head clerk in the office of Wm. Price, a contractor. He is a valuable man to xhe concern, but not being of an aggressive personality, has been kept on a small salary for many years. At the startiof the story the doctor tells him that »fe little daughter, who is almost an invalid, must be sent to the South if she is to live at all, or to have any hope of Regained health. On his low salary tljis is impossible, and he goes to his employer asking for a rise. This is promptly refused, although the latter cheerfully hands Ins daughter a large sum for an expensive dog collar. At this psychological period in Bent's career, a rival Jof [Mr. Price offers him a bribe, for information concerning a certain bid which.Price has made on a State contract. Being in terrible need he accepts the offer, goes to the office, copies the figures, carelessly losing a scrap of paper in so doingj with his own writing upon it, and after giving the competitor the figures, takes the money to send the child away. Of course, when Price finds that he is underbid, and discovers the scrap of paper, he puts two and two together and goes to Bent's house. There is a powerful scene, Bent telling him that he has been receiving less than half of what he. is worth to the firm, and denounces thft injustice under which he has been patient so long. Before he can reply the little girl is brought into the room, and 1 Price then learns that he is supposed by her to have loaned the money to her father. A simple letter of thanks is then handed to him, and makes him realise what the other man's daughter means to him. It requires but a few seconds' hesitation, and then the better man within him comes out, and he wishes her a pleasant journey, ancf looking jnto Bent's T eyes be bettet for him in the 'future -

EMPIRE PICTURE PALACE.

There will he a complete change of programme at the matinee this afternoon and the same seletcion will he shown again at 8 p.m. A glance.at the advertisement will convince picture pat•cms that the new selection is a frrstclass programme of the finest markers' production, with the leading playerVof the picture world. ' 0I