ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1922, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

EVERYBODY’S. A WONDERFUL MOTION PICTURE. “DISRAELI.” “Disraeli,” to be seen at Everybody's for the last time to-night, marks a welcome and highly important development in the movie world. It shows that clever producers and talented actors and actresses can make history as fascinating as the most imaginative flights of fiction. It combines studies of historical personages and of great events in his- ; tory with all the suspense and romance ; that attract people in thousands to the ! picture theatres. On the face of it. It j is a pretty and gripping story of love, i intrigue, ambition and empire; but be(hind it there is something more subI stantial, something worth while carryi ing away from the theatre as well as • enjoying while the pictures are on the | screen. That something is a lasting I impression of the amazing Jewish poliI tician, who fought one of the greatest I battles on record against derision and ; prejudice, who created on Empress, and i who gave to the Empire boundless pos- ■ sibilities. Mr. Arliss studied Disraeli i in order to represent him on the stage, i It was the next step for Mr. Arliss to appear in the character in front of - the camera. He shows a fragile, bent man. certainly not handsome, hut shrewd, alert, self-seorificing. undaunted and courageous. The single incident in Disraeli’s political career made use of for screen purposes, the purchase of the Suez Canal shares, is worked up to throw those qualities into prominenceTie s shown as a man with no misgivings, confident, but not easilv “taken in": more than a match for the craftiest enemies, with a way out of every difficulty. Onee. and only once, when the Jew from whom he borrows the money for the shares is bankrupt and lhe money-lender’s draft is worthless, the Disraeli of the pictures breaks down under the thought that lie has dishonored the Empire: but it is onlv for a few minutes. The reluctant Governor nf the Bank of Eng K '”d b called in, and the Prime Minister outwardlv calm and : confident, issuing threats no Prime Min- ■ ister. ever could carrv out, bluffed the . bank into honoring the draft. Tn addi- 1 lion to the love scenes between Disraeli and T.ady Beaconsfield, another ?ove slory has been introduced, the principals being two young English people, who are associated with him in his scheme lb secure the canal and extend the Empire. The film has other values and other features that make it well worth an hour and a half of anybody’s time. Seats for the final screening to-night can be reserved at Collier’s any time during the day.

THE PEOPLE’S. LAST NIGHT OF “THE UNKNOWN.” Those who were fortunate enough to witness “The Unknown,” Richard Tab madge’s latest picture, which screened last''night at the People’s Theatre, departed with the feeling of satisfaction that they had seen by far the most thrilling picture ever shown on the screen. As “The Unknown.” masked champion of the people, Dick’s exploits in exposing carloads of hoarded foodstuffs and his many hairbreadth escapes form a score of detectives hired Io catch him furnishes Dick a world of opportunity to display 'his ability as the most agile, active, daredevil exponent of thrilling stunts in the country. For those who want something snappv. romantic. full of tense action, thrills, daredevil stunts, bubbling over with romance. here it is. Tim final screening is announced for to-night at the usual prices of admission.