ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1918, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

I . THE KM.PTR.Tg, LAST NIGHT OP "THE HOPPER." Triangle hai been responsible for "The Hopper," an entertaining featun shown at the Empire last night. "The Hopper" is the story of a priceless curio which seems to have had a most sinister influence upon whomsoever happened to possess it for the moment. It was stolen from its owners, and stolen again, and always it left its trail in sorrow behind. Homes were broken, lives were ruined. But yet through all this tragic story there is n romantic glamour, and near the end all the tragedy disappears. The tale itself as screened is highly Interesting, for there is abundant material for the story, and the scene changes often enough to keep the tale moving very fast. The settings have been arranged cleverly, and in following tlie mysterious precious thing through all its adventures, the producers of "The Hopper" have managed to secure some very effective contrasts in the different scenes. "The Hopper" shows again for the last time to-night and amongst the supporting pictures there will be the seventh I episode of "A Lass of the Lumberlands." COMING TO-MORROW. ETHEL BARRYMORE AS "EGYPT." The wonderful Metro seven •reel feature, "The Call of Her People," is the big attraction for to-morrow and Saturday. The picture is adapted from Edward Sheldon's famous story and the gifted Ethel Barymore stars in the title role. This picture has proved a most remarkable attraction in Australia and the etiief centres of the Dominion and should continue its wonderful success in New (Plymouth. EVERYBODY'S. THEDA BARA IN "THE DARLING OF PARIS" TO-NIGHT. "The Darling of Paris" is a film-tale adapted from the romance "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," a story by Victor Hugo that reflected in vivid but sombre fashion the customs and people of medieval France. But in this picture version the tale has been modernised to a certain extent, thougli most of the main incidents are reproduced exactly, and the drama is made to have a happy ending. Mits Theda Bara, famous actress in vampire parts for the Fox screen, has the part of Esmeralda, the dancing-girl heroine of this tale. There has seldom been a role that the wellknown actress has played better, and as for the mountings and costume effects of this latest Fox feature, they are a truly interesting replica of the period of which Hugo wrote. All the wealth of description has been visualised from the novel itself, and neither money nor effort has been spared to bring a real idea of these times before the people. Hugo himself, as one of the brilliant French writers, had leanings towards realism. That was, perhaps, why his novel was sombre. But the sordid in the original tale has been cut out, and there is left a drama that is intense, a storv that is strange, and a picture that is wholly beautiful. There will be found little but pleasure and profit in this picture, supported as it is by tuneful music, and by a well-selected programme of supports, including the eighth episode of the popular serial drama, "The Mystery of the Double Cross."