Reel Life (Sep 1913 - Mar 1914)

33 "Sixty Years a Queen" "Sixty Years a Queen" had its first representation Dec. 8, 1913, at the New Gallery Cinema, Regent street. It was a wonderful entertainment, lasting two hotirs, and showing the life pf the late Queen-Empress Victoria from the day when, as a girl of eighteen, she was called on to rule over Great Britain, to the hour when her great and noble life ended at Osborne. It is a truly marvellous reproduction of sixty years of the Empire's history, a panorama of fashions, a progress of inventiqns, a march of attainment in all that has added to the greatness of the mighty Dominion. The uniforms of the soldiers vary as the film continues; the gradual change in the style of garments is alone of deep interest; but soon all thought is centred in the reincarnation of the famous men and women of the early and the late Victorian times; statesmen, generals, admirals, diplomatists, writers, painters, sculptors. Some of these are shown in the youthful days, gradually acquiring years with their exalted mistress. Or else they are seen in the autumn of their days disappearing as their time comes, and giving place to other courtiers, other councilors. There is the picture of the shy, young girl on June 20, 1837. She is wearing a shawl over her nightdress, and Lord Conyngham is kneeling and hailing her as "Queen." Then she is in her Coronation robes surrounded by her Peers in Westminster Abbey. A year or two passes, and the girl has matured into the woman, and there is her marriage and the halcyon days of early happiness with her children. It is all so cleverly managed. The film of the Queen must have been represented by several women, for you seem' to see the years coming to 'her in a series of decades just as you watch the events that happen — the christening of the Prince of Wales (Edward VII.), the upgrowing of the Prince and his brothers and sisters; the opening of the first International Exhibition; the departure of the troops for the Crimea; the Indian Mutiny and its massacres; the first presentation of the Victoria Cross; and the Queen's terrible bereavement in the loss of her husband. From this time on the Prince if Wales is constantly with his mother, and we see his bethrothal and marriage. Then there is the Queen in her middle age meeting Livingstone, sending the first cable message to President Lincoln, leading the simple life in -her Highland castle, accepting a book from Charles Dickens, attending the thanksgiving service in St. Paul's for the Prince of Wales' recovery from typhoid fever, and in conference with Gladstone, Disraeli, or John Bright or Lord Salisbury. She is seen bidding farewell to Gordon, who is departing to his grave in the Sudan; and then we see her slowly ageing in various scenes, culminating with her Golden Jubilee in Westminster Abbey. More scenes follow, showing events in the ten years which bring the Diamond Jubilee, when the Queen made her last great progress among the people who adored her. Then the painful reminders of the South African war, and the final scenes of all — leaving her sleeping beside the husband she loved and mourned so dearly and so ifaithfuUy. It is a splendid and magnificent triumph of the cinema, and no Englishman can resist the emotion and reverence which must come to him as .he realizes, in the way these pictures enable him to realize, the mighty, gloriously majestic womaji who, for so long, was the guiding star of Britain's Empire. — London Standard. Irish Diplomacy A number of offenders had been disposed of by the magistrate when there was brought before him a son of the old sod. "Phwat name?" snapped the magistrate, as he looked at the prisoner. "Patrick Casey, sor." PIov ye ever been befure me befure?" "No, your honor-r. Oi-ve seen but wan face that looked like yourn, an' thot was the picture of an Oirish king." "Discharged," announced his honor. "Call the next case." — Harper's Mai^aciuc. Jessalyn Van Trump, Ernest Joy and William Nigh in "The Power of the Mind'' Majestic