AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1916, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPIRE PICTURE PALACE. "The Strange Story of Sylvia Gray" is the chief attraction of the new programme at the Empire Picture Palace to-night, and it is a picture well worth seeing. In this particular film Miss Helen Gardner portrays three different characters. They are distinct in every particular, yet one is unable to know the actress in her different roles. Only an artist of exceptional ability could satisfactorily accomplish the feat, and Miss Gardner succeeds in doing this. The picture is a Vitagraph feature, and Miss Gardner takes the parts of Sylvia Gray (the young mother), the daughter, and the old mother—three in one. Briefly told, the story is as follows:—Henry Gray, a playwright, is at the, end of his resources when hi ß fascinating young wife desert 9 hini and pursues a life of gaiety with a rich young man named Lennox. The picture shows how, many years later, the daughter, now an artist's model, meets her parents at a spiritualistic seance. The drama lias a "surprise finish," which has to be seen to ue appreciated. Amongst the' supporting films are some interesting subjects, which include the Topical Gazette, containing all the latest happenings in other parts of the Empire, and pictures showing our Allies, the French, in the firing line. Two comic studies are also well wortli seeing—they aro entitled "A Quiet Game" (World Film) and "Never Despair." This programme will ho shown to-night and to-morrow only. THEATRE ROYAL PICTURES. The Famous Players' big drama, "The Governor's Lady," now showing as the star item of a' big bill at the Theatre Royal is a thrilling representation of Bclasco's play of that name. It is' a 5000 ft reel, and with its length it unrolls scenes pathetic, tender and sentimental of American home life. A strong supporting film is the "War in the Air." It shows aeroplanes and hydroplanes flying over the Dardanelles. The "Gaumont Graphic" is also replete with war scenes and current events within the countries of the Allies. Such amusing happenings as could take place in a cruising yacht are presented in the scries called "Cartoon 3 oh a Yacht," the irresistibly humorous character of this film provoking unceasing merriment. Other pictures combine with those tioned to make up a programme which will be finally presented to-night. THE JOHNSON-WILLARD FIGHT. The thrill that was caused by the news of Jack Johnson's defeat at the hands of Jess VVillard is recalled by the announcement that the great fight will be shown upon the screen at the Theatre Royal on Friday and Saturday. Wills rd fought Johnson for something more than the championship of the world. He entered the ring to prove that the white race could produce a better fighting man than the black race, and the knock-out blow that he delivered in the twentysixth round echoed over three continents. The big fight—the most famous fistic battle of recent times—is a thing of the past as far as events go, but every moment lias been tabulated, every hit as it was delivered, every stop recorded, from the sound of the first gong to the fatal count of "out," when Jess Willard, the great cow-punching ranger, whose early training for a strenuous life fitted him for the greatest contest of all, rewarded him with the coveted prize, the championship belt. The box plan for reserved seats i 3 now on view at Collier's, -"