AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1916, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

THE EMPIRE. A feature film that is expected to eclipse all previous records will be shown at the Empire Theatre for the first time to-night. This is the picturisation of Jack London's remarkable book, "The Sea Wolf," which is described as tingreatest picture of the year. It is said that the film conveys in a powerful manner the spirit of the author, and keeps close to the printed story. Those to whom the book is familiar realise the extraordinary vigor and unconventionally of London's best work, and in mo-tion-picture form the various characters live with a vividness not possible in the ,mere reading. The story of the rescue of Van Weyden, and later on of Maud Brewster, by the brutal captain of "The Ghost," Wolf Larson, and the subsequent adventures in the sealing vessel, and on

the desert island, is undoubtedly the most powerful in fiction, and that the film is also a great one is testified by its breaking all previous records for big business. The acting and production are said to be on a magnificent scale, many striking scenes and incidents being shown, notably the fight with the maneating shark under water. Interwoven in the stirring adventures with the halfmad "sea wolf" is one of the most beautiful romances in fiction. The film, which is over 7000 feet in length, will occupy the whole of the programme, and can only be shown for two nights in New Plymouth. Intending patrons are advised to book their scats early, as a big rush is anticipated.

Theatre royal. '•the master key"—a thrilling serial picture. On Thursday night the Theatre Royal .management will introduce a sensational serial picture, in fifteen episodes, entitled "The Master Key." This picture will lie a special added to the usual programme, and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the nest fifteen weeks an instalment of the story will be screened. "The Master Key" contains many startling examples of spectacularism, in the way of settings and photographic effects never 'before duplicated upon the sicreen. One case in point is where a crowd of cowboys encamp for the night with Tarn Gallon, accused of murder, a prisoner among them. All the scenes here, and those following, which show Gallon escaping, were photographed at night in the open forest. Other scenes which will impress the spectator as being unusually complete in detail and strongly characteristic of the West are those laid around "The MaF ter Key" mine and the village below. Not satisfied with simply showing a shaft and dump icar, the director, Bob Leonard, encouraged by the expresswillingness of the Trans-Atlantic Film Company to spend any amount of money to liavc the film drama far superior to anything done before, has had constructed a thriving mining camp. There are half-a-dozen or more sliafts sunk into the side of the mountain at various points, with car tracks issuing from their mouths and running on to the great dumping mounds. "The Master Key" commences its run at the Theatre Royal next Thursday.

There was a large attendance »t the Theatre Royal last night, when an interesting and varied programme of pictures was presented. The films were all unusually interesting and were highly appreciated by the audience. The first portion of the programme was devoted to a collection of scenic pictures, comics, and dramas, and each picture met with hearty approval. The feature of the programme was a splendid emotional drama, entitled, "The Unwelcome Mrs. Hatch," which provided an arresting narrative and was full of strong dramatic .episodes. T'flje story introduces Marian Lprimer, who palls upon her coarse-natured husband, and he turns his thoughts to Madge Crelghton. A baby girl comes to the Lorimera, and for a time unites husband and wife more closely, but soon Lorimer becomes again more entangled with the other woman. Jealous and angry, Marian listens to the false counsel of the husband's trusted friend, and consents to elope, telling Lorimer in a note that she has gone. At the gate Marian turns back, but Lorimer has already read the message of farewell, and refuses to admit her, On the strength of the fatal note Lorimer obtains a divorce, with the custody of the child, and marries the other woman. Marian goes West, taking the name of "Mrs. Hatch." Years pass, and one day she reads in the paper that her child is about to be married. The longing mother returns and begs her former husband for one glimpse of her daughter. She is denied, but, helped by the old Nurse, Agnes, Marian sees her child again. As a modiste, bearing the wedding gown of her daughter, Marian creeps into her old home, and sees her loved one without the latter's knowledge of their relationship. Her former husband and his wife discover her presence and learn her identity, and they threaten Marian, who steals away. How the other woman is justly punished, the cruel husband humbled, and mother and child at last united, is dramatically unfolded in this powerful photoplay. The programme will be repeated tonight.