ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 291, 1 May 1913, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

EMPIRE PICTURES. The star item at the Empire Picture Palace last night was a film "The Massacre," by the A.B. Company of America. The story illustrated incidents that were only too comtnon in Western America in the seventies and eighties of the last century. A squadron of United States cavalry under orders to exterminate all Indian bands they come across, make a sudden raid on an Indian Village in the San Fernando Valley. Men, women and 1 children are quickly slaughtered, but one Indian, the chieftain, escapes, vowing vengeance on all whites. A few weeks after, a party of emigrants camp in the same spot. A party of Indians, led by the chieftain, suddenly attack the camp. At once there is a panic. Men hurriedly build weak defences, and the non-combatants are placed out of the J way of bullets that fall thick around the doomed camp. After the first repulse the Indians ride round the camp in an' ever narrowing circle. A young scout, whose wife and child in the camp, hears the firing and rides for the nearest fort for help. Meanwhile the Indians keep. up a hot fire on the encampment and the ranks of the defenders pre rapidly depleted. One by one they fall dead. A l great friend of the young scouts protects the wife and child until he falls dead. Just as the Indians have com- 1 pleted their work of destruction, the avenging cavalry come upon the scene, and the tables are quickly turned. The Indians, hemmed in on all sides, are mercilessly shot or sabred, till all are dead. The young scout then begins to search amongst the piles of dead for the I bodies of his wife and child. At last he I finds the body of the scout, and when it is lifted, the wife and child are found underneath perfectly safe, though very frightened. Some very beautiful scenery is introduced into this film, one part showing some wild beasts of preyIn addition a very strong supporting programme was screened, "The Girl of the Grove" and "The Lady of Shalott," adapted from the poem of Tennyson's, being of a very interesting nature. There are two very interesting scenic films showing views of the Bermna railway and views in the ravine of the river Aave, a Swiss river, noted for its beauty. A number of scenes taken aboard the H.M.S. New Zealand was also very interesting, giving a first-class insight into the forking of the great vessel. A number of comic films by the best makers were also screened. THEATRE ROYAL PICTURES. To-night at the Theatre Royal an entirely new selection of the latest films; will be shown. The principal feature film is a gloriously colored Continental masterpiece entitled "The Money Lender." This film, over 3*550 feet in length, is a fascinating dramatic romance that rivets the attention from start to finish. There is an utter absence of any forcing of incidents, and the wholi sequence of events, so absorbing, exeitinj and tragic, possess that element of rationality which gives to the story a living power. "The Money Lender, will be supported by the latest topical, dramatic, comedy and scenic subjects, notable among which are "Pathe's Austra ,lian Gazette," "Jungle Pictures of Cochin China," "Una of the Sierras," Vitagraph comedy drama and many others. This programme will he shown j to-night and Saturday only. There will! be no pictures at the Theatre Royal tomorrow (Friday).