ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1915, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE EMPIRE THEATRE, A great pictorial attraction was presented at the Empire Theatre on Saturday night, in "The Middleman,'' an industrial drama of tremendons power, written by Sir Henry Arthur Jones. When staged in London "The Middleman" met with a magnificent success, and it has lost nothing in its presentation by the kinema. One of the features of the film is the "star" part taken by Albert Chevalier, while the cast also includes Jane Gail, the talented emotional actress. The story of "Tlie Middleman" is drawn round the po: uM'y-making industry. Joseph Chandler, the sole owner of the vast Tatlow (Potteries, is on the verge of ruin, when one of his men, Cyrus Blinkarn (Albert Chevalier) discovers a new glaze. This Chandler purchases for £SO, and soon makes a big fortune out of it. He takes Blinkarn's daughter into his house as companion to his own daughter, and there Julian Chandler, the son, falls in love with the girl, and promise.? to marry her. The old man, however, has other views, and the son is sent off. to Africa. Mary Blinkarn, to hide her shame, leaves her father's home, and Blinkarn vows vengeance on the house of Chandler. Rash speculations again place Ohandler in financial difficulties, and Blinkarn discovers a new process, and buys up the pottery works and the Chandler's home. His vengeance gives him no peace, for he still longs for his daughter. It is at this stage that Chandler's son returns a hero from Africa, finds the girl in London, and brings her as his wife to the father. A happy reunion is the result. There are many stirring incidents in the play, and the powerful acting of Albert Chevalier makes the film a great success. Other pictures are: "Three Suitors and a Dog" (comedy). "European Gazette, "Western Norway in Snow" and "Forcing Dad's Consent" (oomedy). This programme will b" finally screened to-night.

"THE SPOILERS." Rex Beach's most successful novel, "The Spoilers," is to be screened at the Empire on Tuesday and Wednesday. P.ex Beaeh, after seeing the production, which was taken under his supervision, said that an author may feel proud in writing a successful book in 100,000 words or so, but when he sees the pith and marrow of it—including the characters, atmosphere and story—visualised in moving pictures, he cannot but feel the great superiority of motion pictures over the written word. It is said to have cost thousands of pounds to produce, and the rights for the Dominion alone are said to be the greatest sum yet paid for any one film. There will not be an advance in the popular prices. Box plan is now open at the Empire.