ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 168, 15 January 1914, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"LE-S MISKI'AI'J.ES." A FIX 15 PltOllt'CTIOX. I Perodieally there is afforded to patrons of the moving picture theatre an opportunity of seeing something of the po-sibilities of Hie wonderful combination of photography and stage, craft. The dramatisation of some famous work of a master of literature, or the staging of production of some world-fani-j i,-::s playwright, is shown on the -civen j with astonishing force and leali-Mi. ! Such a picture, is "1.e.-; Aliserables," I which was presented for the, tirst. time Jto a New Plymouth audience at the j l-".r,ipil'e Picture, Palace, last night.

There hitve been many stories of ilie l-'r i;:-!i llcvulnliuii, l:'t from a ;w;.:i!ar point of view no work on this 'ubjcct has been -o attractive, or more \i\i.l. than the writings of Victor Hugo. And Victor Hugo lives on the picture screen v.hen "la's Miserables" is shown there. The slory of "Los Miserable.-" is ,-fairiy well known. If is of a- nature which lends itself to dramatisation by skilful artists. It ,is a study of tiie e.li'cct produced oil a- man, iirst, by rank injustice, and then by kindness and simple trust. The. fully developed character of Valjean, the ex-convict, of the 'Toulon galleys is one of great nobility and self-sacrifice. In his early life, the victim of a tyrannical and unjust law, bis nature is well nigh permanently soured. lie escapes from gaol and robs the first man who befriends him. Kindness, however, works a change, anil, during a. long and lonely life, be befriends many people, among Ihem :i. little girl called Cosetfc, whom he adopts. The end of his life is almost- licairt-hrciiking in its intense suffering. ■ Defrayed by a blackmailer, he tirst sees Cosette happily married, and transfers to her even- penny he posesses. making lie.r beiieve that he had held it in trust for her. The sublimity of his sacrilice is attested by his withholding from her the story of his life-long sull'ering, Valjean dies in Cosett'e's arms, happy in her happiness. The picture is realistically portrayed, anil the photography is a triumph of art. No picture-lover should miss the opportunity of-seeing it to-night, or .tomorrow night.