AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1916, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

EMIGRE PICTURE PALACE. An interesting and varied programme will be shown for the first time tonight at the Empire Picture Palace. The ''feature" film is a comedy by the Vitagraph Company, entitled "C.0.D., or Three of a Kind." It is described as a clever, clean and novel story which breaks new ground. The vulgar and knock-about methods often adopted in American comedies are absent from this "star" picture, which is reported to have been a remarkable success wherever shown. The story of the three men who had formed a kind of C.O.D. club (their | initials being the same) and their stirring though extremely amusing adventures whilst on a vacation, aKi those of their respective wives who were, having a ''bachelor" holiday of their n.vn, is said to lie the best put out from a picture studio. A splendid military picture, for the taking of which special leave was granted, shows many interesting incidents in the life of King Albert of- Belgium, and there are included some striking scenes of the French and Belgian troops in action. The latest "Pathe Gazette'' also has ifumy interesting episodek from the war zone. A fine dramatic film, entitled ''A Girl's Grit"; a story of an unjust judge vividly told in '•The Man Who Could not Sleep"; a beautifully colored scenic of the coast of Holland, and a laughable comedy-car-toon "The Rooster's Nightmare," complete a strong programme.

THEATRE ROYAL PICTURE? George Sand's beautiful story, "Fanclion, the Cricket," loses none of its sweetness in its transformation >to a photo-play, and this picture, with Mary Pickford in the title role, heartily cornmended itself to a very large attendance of patrons at the Theatre Royal last night. It deals with the development of a girl who lived the wild, free life in the woods of France, homing at night with a witch-like grandmother, and roaming the sylvan glades and thickets throughout the day, shunned by the youths and maidens of the adjacent villages because of her raggedness and her sprite-like tricks. Despite the wilfulness of i".i unchecked child, Fanehoh has a natural sweet nature, which shows out in various incidents wherein she comes into conflict with the villagers, and eventually romance comes to her in the form of love for a youth who is betrothed to a village belle. Eventually she wins a return of her love for the lad, whose fiancee proves a vixen, and the romance ends happily. The picture abounds i'i pretty scenes and blithesome comedy of the kind which shows Mary Pickford at her very best as the interpreter of maideniy moods, and is full of an appealing sweetness, that is almost irresistible. As Fanchon, the cricket, full of impish tricks, and bent on startling the timid villagers by imitating the call of a bear, she (Mary Pickford) is delightfully natural, but in her mocking of the prudish airs of the village belle, and her tigerish defence of a half-witted boy from tin attack of a bully, she captures the fancy equally well, and again when the natural girl-love for affection and adornment send her out among the villagers in the fine clothes from the box of her dead mother, hopeful of being allowed to join in the May games, she is the very spirit of a self-willed but lovable maiden, with an adorable smile that more than compensates for her petulant mood.?. Rarely has Mary Pickford been seen to such advantage as in this play, which received a ><riiole-hearted welcome from last night's patrons. The supporting films are moat interesting and of a diversified character. The same programme will be repealed again tonight an-! to-morrow night. /

ANNETTE' KELLERMAN. A MODERN MERMAID. Mermaids have always had their own delightful place in the stories of imaginative writers and many a fascinating tale has been built around them. The charm of the mermaid is said to be vividly portrayed in the thrilling picture-play, "Neptune's Daughter," which will open at the Theatre Royal, New Plymouth, on Monday n-xt, February 7. In it Annette Kellerman, known as the "Perfect Woman," her measurements being almost identical with those of the famous Venus of Milo, enacts the role of the mermaid heroine. The vast ocean around the beautiful shores of Bermuda is the locale of the story and the scenic beauty of the picture is said to be remarkable. Of course, the bewitching Kellerman is the chief feature and she is shown in all her radiant Lc-auty and in many thrilling and daring feats, diving from cliffs 60ft. high, escaping from a fisherman's net and performing nets which would be simply impossible on the ordinary stage. This wonderful screen-production ran for ten months .it the Globe Theatre, New York City. Ths plan, where seats may be reserved will open at Collier's on Thursday morning nest.