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PLETHORA OP NEW PLAYS AND MUSICAL COMEDIES DURING THE WEEK OF CHRIST3MIA&
r !
Wty I Go" to tke Picture
Sliow By One Who Knows
V t 1
Art, Travel, History, Romance, Science, Comedy, All
for TSlo More Than the Tariff on a Good Cigar"
The Metro's Press Agent Waxes Dithyrambic
By ARTHUR JAME3
rpHBItB are n great many rensons why 1
X fro to the rrtollon-plbluro hhort. To "begin
with, I can nit nt enno In a comfortable
seat ana sce before my eyes tho whole
great world pnss In review. I can sco His
Tilrk at hi niosaue,' with his arms stretched
toward Mecca',' tha explorer battling
gAtntt tho mrRlit df lea And uno-v, the
Arab on the burtllrtr Hands of tho Sahata
tho mlghly trees of California, Die hlnck
skinned natives: of tho tropics gntherlng
coconuutn and fruits, tho beasts of over
jungle and forest nnd plain, tho fish of
nit tho Waters nf tho world, tho marvel
of nature, tho wonders ot 'savagery nnd
clvitltatiun.
I Bo to tho motlon-plcturo show becnuso,
tin a common man, I can learn morn of
fsclenco than from tho reading of count
)M books, or by month of tritvol, or from
courses ot lectures delivered by whispered
Baranta whoso technicalities conftiso rather
than inform.
I bo to the motlon-plcturo nlipw becnusn
It repeats for mo tho Rrcnt eventn In
history. I can Hvo In tho tlmcn When tho
cruclnt scenon woro enacted and escape
centuries of commonplacei. I can sco
Wntylort totter to Ita fall, I can bo ono
'With tho kings of Ksypt, nnd vntch tho
btilldlnB of the Pyramids. 1 can march
with Caesar and his Itoninn hosts, nnd bo
a. spoctntor with the throng nt tho Circus
Mdxlmus, I can follow tho Ikm-henrtcd
ltlchard against tho Snracons: I can sco
Alexander In his greatness, Nnpoloon In
his pctnp arid In his oxllo. I can bo nt
Hunker Hill nnd nt Mrtntla Hay,-nt Tort
Arthur and at Portsmouth, nnd with the
mooter frngmcntn of tho world's events I
can construct a. living history that will bo
with Ino forover,
I go to tho motlon-plcturo show because
It brings to mo from ovory land nnd ovary
people In tho world tho things that are
trcmondousty Interesting; tho vital things
that maks for progress, the plcturcsaim,
tho bizarre, tha unlmio( tho strange, the
benutlful. so that I enn nnjdy tho ripened
fruits of energy, onthualnHin, ability, wealth
and art.
I go to tho motlon-plcturo show because
I can sco tlj master dramas ot nil time
dono bettor than their million! dreamed,
r can sco tho great fictions brought to Ufa
nnd onaoted rather than told. I can ex
perience tho tremendous nnd nppenllng
griefs, mourning with tho stricken nn'il sor
rowing with tho bereaved to my soul better
ment. I go to tho motlon-plcturo show because
I can Inugh at tho comodlcs old and now,
tho hurly-burly and tho gracious, tho slap
stick nnd tho subtle, until I nm refreshed
and mado nnow and better for It.
I go to tho motlon-plcturo show becnuso
t Is a ercnt magician whosa wand makes
How Popular Is Opera?
F CHAMBER MUSIC is tho
I1
nent American composer thought, opera certainly is its roast
beef. Talk all you like of "bastard art" ; inveigh against the
unreality of wio-s and costumes,
tachment of absolute music most people like opera bettor than
the recondite forms of expression.
Now comes the question, with special bearing on Philadel
phia: How much do people like opera, and why? Is it just a
question df Caruso in any old thing, of an expensive novelty, of
Hammorsteinian scenery? In another phrase, does the old, re
liable, standard-gauge repertory
question for personal reasons, but
delphia Graml Opera Company's somewhat more concrete utter
ance of tho query. Whether its venture at tho Academy a ven
ture begun last week is 'going to succeed financiallyi is really a
matter of some moment.
Its success, or failure, ought to establish, once for all, tho
fate of any future attempt to give, people "Lucia," "II Trovatorc"
and "Pagliacci" nt $2 instead of $5 prices. Meanwhile, there is
at least no roason for artistic discouragement on tho part of the
backers.
For while opera abroad is primarily a popular-priced enter
tainment, it must be remembered that Philadelphia is notoriously
conservative in accepting any "new propositibn" and "fed up" on
tho article vended with such prodigality by Oscar, and afterward
by the now severed Gemini, Campanini and Dippel. Some famine
must follow tho feast.
Thero are three factors that promise well for Mr. Rosenbach :
He has (sweet thought 1) a central location. He has a markedly
creditable roster of professional, trained artists, in addition to
his laudably efficient and partially amateur chorus. And
ho has, I hopo, a certain amount of local pride among Phila
delphians to count on. Should that prido suffer a fall through
pro-holiday activity, casual neglect or ignorance, it will be a strong,
a very strong, indictment of the alleged' love of music here.
For the orchids of art cannot thrive unless the common soil
is Watered, And no art is larger than tho lowest step in its evo
lution. It takes a "Cavalleria" to illumine a "Rosencavalier."
B. D.
HrcilflllisMHwEP 1
' 93IkII9I1SMIMP ' vMk H
v ' vjHmHf if
; , -C'IhB If
MiK I
mmis BBR FORTE
At Imtt, ttJat is te title of Mrs.
Gsne ltvtgm'9 jkwteh, la which ha
""Wrw
I
J res ma Into llslnir facts, nnd facts Into
splendid fancies ( becnuso, while groater than
tho spoken drama, It Is not nt war with
It j whllo mightier than tho written story, It
does not encroach upon Its dominions.
I go to the mMlon-pleturo show because
It Is the greatest Work of man, great as
nn educator, as an Influence to belter
things; ha an entertainment beyond com
parison, as n wonderland of truth and
rtctjnn, of tragedy nhd mirth, nn nll-encom
pnsslng. International avenue wherein nil
peoples of all tongues may walk aldo by
tldo nnd understand.
I go to tho motion-picture show because
It constantly grown better In Its nrt, finer
In Its grasp ot Human Mings, gronior in
Its appeal to the heart nnd mind, mightier
In the splendor of lln themes nnd loftier In
its Ideals; becnuso It comprises tho sum
total of human achievement and brings It
nil where I can reach out nnd fool and
know It,
I go to the motlon-plcturo show because
It given mo science history, drama nnd
comedy; because It brings mo drowns ana
frtcls, nnd brings thorn to mo nllvo nn I sit
comfortably In n scat that coat no more
than" tho tariff on n good cigar.
HERE'S AN ACTOR
THAT WASN'T
"BORN"
Frank Craven, who plays tho leading rolo
of Jlmmlo Shannon In David Uolnscn's
comedy, "Seven Chances," which comes to tho
fiarrlck. Theatre Christmas Day, Is positive
that ho wasn't ono of thoso '"born uulnrs.'
It was not his fault, howover, for ho came
within thrco years of being one. At thli
small nno ho mado IiIh first ntngo appear
nnro with tho llostbn Thdatro Company In
"Tho Silver King' appearing In tho old
Sans Soucl Clardcfs In l'rovldonce.
After this engagement, Craven quit the
stage to go to school. "I would havo liked
school protty wcll'lf It hadn't been for tho
mnthomntlcs." Cravon iiuld tho other day.
"I novcr could get a flguro Into my bend
and I loft school for good ami nil when I
was fourteen."
When a Ilttlti chap Craven lived In Nod
ding. Mass., Just outslila of Uoston, and ho
used to mind n sawmill, which wns next
door. Ho fed tha saw. for llko most kids,
tho machinery fascinated him. Ho used
to fool about tho placo all day Sunday as
well as aftor school on tho other days.
At another tlmo young Crnvcn worked
In a. tnck factory. Ho known all about the
"cold veal" of melody, ns an emi
as contrasted with tho pure de
hold in 191G? I don't put the
merely as an echo of tho Phila
structure of a tnck of the thrco tiny pieces
that go to mako it up, head and all, A
mall clerkship in, a lloston renl estate and
Insurance office was Ms jtext Job.
At that t .no his father was playing In
a stock company in Ualtlmora and he
Joined him. "Thoy were putting on The
Sliver King. and my father said If I
liked I could havu tho part of an old man
In It. which I too gladly. Having been
'carried ou' not exactly, of course, for I
walked on myself and played Ned Denver
In the same piece at the tender age of
mroe, nniurany ren aa if I knew the play
from beginning to end.
"I wasn't exactly stogo manager In Hal.
tlmore, but J hung around Uie theatre all
the tlmp, and I was always ready to help
the stage manager out. Whep, they pro
duced 'Blue Jeans' I was the only one who
know how to manage the sawmill scene, I
had fed tha sawmill back home and the
tack business was an advantage to me In
helping around tho stage. I was the handy
man beoauie I was alwaya on tho job."
Craven Is pot only nn actor on the stage,
but on the street aa welL That is. he studies
humanity and makes use of what he finds
In real life In the .mako-belleve world be
hind the footlights,
'One needs to be abcervant In this busi
ness," he says "I romember that way back
at schools one of tho exercises think of
wan tha only one I used to shine in was
when, q lot ot us children were mkrshalod
past a window full ot a. let of things and
afterward required to write what we saw.
If 6ho had bton all like that I'd have
ktusH U eat.
"Anyway, J have kep the xerdse up.
When I ea a man coming up tha street
who, for some reason or othftr, attracts rax
fttUBtion. J Study him and. sea what It 1J
that has inula ma look at hlca. If lt'a his
, Mtyxe mat. remaps ifa the way
Im earrtwi hi cane. The ohaaees are that
thero a tutaethiug aWut the way he is I
IrWHIiil ttte Color Of hia clothe, (hat (. I
$' I
A Foretaste
iff i Tj'Kbj&W
Cyr
EPISODE IV
CAST OF CIIAItACTUHH
rerl Dnro I';1"' 'hlte
(Nilonul Unrti
v. l. nrnuuii
.Mnjnr ifreni
Iterthn Dunn
T. tJ Artiimn
,lhn'loro J rlbim
. ...Mirlo Wnn
.. ltulpll KolUrd
Silent Monaco
(Not A now tmrlo will In publlhed In
thl niwupopisr cn week Head It here, then
ico to tha motion picture thentru nhowlns "Pearl
of thn Army" nml eo how tho director rnrrled
out tha Inetructlona In this scenario In tho
photnnlty.)
Hulitltlc renrl Uoro nnd her fnlthful chauf
feur. Toko, hnvn dlacoered thnt 11 certain
myiterloua mini, T, o. Adaina, liolda tho atulali
Uefenaa plana of tho Panama Canal,
Aceno 1 Iicatlon on hlllaldn aa per prevlnua
enlaodo, I'nrily tcn dlaphritirm on foreground
or Adnnia rending plana. Oontlnuo foreground
to atiow Pearl nnd Tolto frazlnir nt him from be
hind ruck. 11111 net Pearl und Toko leap upon
the unauapectlna Adama. Pearl aelzlnjr tho plana.
nut Aiiama recovers tncm. in a turioua nam
Toko deal) him u Jujutau Mow. Adama (alia un
ronncloua. Pearl and Toku aearch thrnUEll
Adama'a rlothi'M In vain fur plana Mov to
edno of declivity nnd out of picture to hunt
Impor. Ilrenl eornea Into plrturs nnd dlacneera
Adama, who recovers (onaclounneaa. They both
exit In opposite direction.
Hieno i Tcitlon. bottom of cliff. Toko nnd
Pearl hunting for pinna Pearl sugireals that
Toko look In 1)01 h little, dlatnnce awny. lln
nods and leaves hunllmr. Pearl contlnuea
aearchlns. but slvea up In despair,
ticcno 3 Illllslda location na per 1, Around
the rncka, In a. dlllerent direction from thai
taken by dither Toku or Pearl, enmes tho Silent
Menace. I moves to apot where Adama fell
nnd from under rock brings forth plans, thrusts
them Into his pocket and cults. (
Hubtltle Two hours later Adama volunteers
for service In the eniclniurtng; corps.
Scono I Outaldu lieudauartern ut roncentra-
tlon cump. tuloncl Darn nn erandn. Toko
conies up with Pearl nnd tells her father ex.
clteuiy ol nor aaventura. pee
tutr. Daro tella Pearl and
-tees Adams approach
nd Toko to hldo In
iinuia aa Adama tiaura
Adama cornea up nnd
appllea for places IJuro makes appointment
wlih htm. Adama exlta. Toko cornea out and
Liro tens nim io tonow Auams. toku ixiis
Hubtltle llavlmt lost the packet nnd lock aho
was ordered by the Hllent Menaro to bear to
tho border. . lUrtha lloim returns to her Wash
ington hotel.
Hceno B Lobby of hotol In WarrhlnKton.
llertha comes up to hotel clerk's desk, Clerk'
r:reets hrr. llertha Hnds locket tontalnlns;
(rent's picture nnd promlsa at marrlni-n la still
In ssfa. Clerk lets her havo It, although she
has lost receipt,
Bubtltle -With nrent once more In her power,
llertha, norm returna that nlaht to the con
centration camp to tlnd that tha only accom
modations nre.ln nn emergency hoapttnl tont,
Hcene II Inside, tent. This ten! niled with,
cots for wreck victims, llertha cdmea In nml
Is kUen cot by huraa. llertha starts to ratlrsj
hcene 7 Outside of wreck victims' tent.
Moonlight effect. Show foreground ot Silent
tmxMiumm&is
Just a suggestion of tha fairy-tale woncjers yhl?h ttte Famous Players studio has put into
which corae3 to jfee jtan!ey Christmas week. 7
t
of Footligfht Feasts
Tho hollicd holidays arc here,
A torch of joyous dolor?
Why "foor"? At this tUno of year "
Tha Crooning Board insists on Cheer; t
Paulino's digestion's out of gear, "
Paul flaunts a pulsing molar.
,
Theatric tables, too, ara spread
With riches gastronomic.
Whilo greedy auditors aro sped A
from house to house, aglow, instead .
Of dark and shrouded as tho dead.
Their feasts aro grave and comic.
Upon tha Broad's once-silent boards
Tha Pcnnsy Dutch aro mixin',
A simple fnllt, unused to Fords,
Who habttAto tho Stale in hordes.
The star a lady of crisp words
"Proffered by S. F. Nixon."
Tho spire of jest, the wino of tvit,
Tha Forrest's dinner-menu.
Cohandsomcly tha dishes flit
From course to course, and not a bit
Tha management admits that it
Will bore, annoy or pain you.
In Wordsworth's vein, the Garrick now
Extends its chances seven.
Unruffled tho Shubertian brow;
Their impresario will "allow"
With no apologetic bow:
"Tho Lyric? Simply Heaven!"
Young Siegfried, crowned with courage,
Within the opera portal.
Ituy Bias returns to local lands,
Ana Cheerful Chaunccy bursts the bands
Of time, whilo Sarah countermands
Life's orders strange immortal!
i
Ah, yes, tho holidays aro here,
Arid you and all the neighbors
Consume the fowl, and sip tha brer "
Of things theatrical Dear, dcarl
Remember one who has no cheer:
Tha critic with his labors.
wPearl of the A
By GUY W. McCONNELL
Scenario by '
GEORGE BRACKETT SEITZ
Author of "The Iron Claw," "The Shlcldln
Shadow," etc.
PRODUCED BY PATHE
Monaco kneeling beside tent. With a raior he
L!f 1 ut .cjnvss. Full set Silent Menace
crawls through hois Into tent.
Scene S Inside tent aa per 0, llertha llonn
askep. "Nurao nodding nt table. Hllent Monara
cornea Into picture. Crawla oer to llerlha'a
cot, reachea for locket faatened on to chain
about her neck and tuga aantly. llertha llonn
nwakea and the Hllent Menaco slips out of hols
In tent, llertha nuiiled, sots out front of
tent.
hcene 0 Outside, tent. Other tents In Blcturs.
llertha cornea out looking anxiously about to
nnd her disturber. Silent Menace suddenly ap
pears at her side, srapplea with her In an at
tempt to wrench cnuln from about her neck,
llertha crlea for help, Hllent Menace nnatchee
chain nnd drop it as a squad ot guards and
2'n "f ,Vulno running on. Nurso romes out.
Silent Menace Ilees llertha tells them of in
rldnnt. All except nurse, so on to hunt Silent
Menace. Pearl comes up, nurae tells her of
theft. Pearl hunts about nnd discovers locket.
She la oxamlnlna It nnd turns to find Adsms at
her side, Adams demands locket, but llertha
comes back and claims. It. llrnt nlv) cornea
Into picture and says It Is his. Pearl perplexed,
slowly turns away and, moves into tent. Tho
rsst follow, dlanutlniT violently,
Scene 111 Inslda tent as tier 0. Pearl, llertha,
Adams, nurso nnd aoldlers come In. Stand
under arc lamp. Show foreground of tent pole.
Iwh hands nro seen manipulating ropes, plainly
preparing to tumble tent down. Pull not
foreground of llertha, llrent nml Adams attll
dlaputlng. Darn comes In. stops and stares
nt locket held by Pearl, recognltlna It as Psj
one .given to Payne, Ho demands It. Pearl
wonderlnaly reachea out her hand to clva locket
to her father ns tha tent begins to collapse
Hcene 11 Outside tent, , Tent falls. Show
foreground of several of the party atrurgltnir
In the, folds ot the tent. Pull set Peopls
struggling In, tent which, has been' set ablaxo
by u fallen lamp. '
Scene 1J Tent ablnie. Other tenia catch (Ire.
Camp fire department arrives, lleglns to carry
out Injurod, Colonel Dare and the others are
pulled out nf th, tent In whlrh they aro en
meshed, Show foreground of Dare, llrent.
Adams, Pearl and others In picture. Dare holds
out hta hand for locket. Pearl epeaks.
Spoken title "It la son", Homo one anatched
It when the tent fell." They all saze at each
other suspiciously.
Subtitle Possessing the Canal defenso plans
and llertha llnnn's locket, the Hllont Menace
summons the Foreign Alllanca to a conference
In Washlnaton
Rrarm 1:
"1 Hlttlnff
-Hitting room In private suits In
hntAl. b'nr
Foreign Alliance gathered around table
Silent Menace addressing them, bis back toward
uuMtciiie,
HERE'S THE KIDDIES' MERRY CHRISTMAS
nr !i
stands
1 1
ssssssftssfl
Mir m m I ijf.irfSkM
- I
rmy
J?,PJ".? I,,.'T"! ' hae made nrraneements to
n.ii.? "fedula now b.nj completed by the
fhV V1-' .'reparedntss. Committee, meeting In
Ji?n rnLl. rtSjnV. Wu" 'or m hera till f re
exus. nt ihnli': nnlahes speaking and
in?.nnn? 1ir-(0utj'l,1e rnllroirt station In Wash-rn..'-.,ano,,r
foreground , of Pearl emen-lns
from station, (lets into taxi nnd drlvea away,
S,c.c.n .,B OutsM hotel.) Hllent Menaco
-SKt.iPut aecomiianled by ona companion. Ihey
enter luxurious Ilmouslno and ilrlia away.
,Heen IB (Street corner.) Pearl'a tail comes
whlsxlnir through toward side street. Silent
Menace's limousine, cornea around aldo street.
Hath icsrs stop, barely imrtlnir collision Pearl
cu ches climpao of Silent Menace, nnd tells tail
Jlrher to follow his car. Taxi follows after
limousine.
Hcene IT tOutslde doorof Senate Building. Two
Senate watchmen on xuard.) Silent Monaco's
car drives up. Silent Menace gets out, moves
with companion to Seoato guards. Displays a
puss and both are adraittod. Penrl's taxi drives
up, Penrl arts out, runs up to guards, but,
hajlng no paoa. they refuse to allow her to
enter. She argues with them,
Hubtltlo Tho National Preparedness Com
mittee. ' Scene 18 (Committee room In Senate Dulld
Ink) national Preparedness Committee discuss
Inr plnns. On desk before chairman la achedule
aougnt by Hllent Menace. Chairman plcka It up
and reads Committee greatly Impressed and
la amaxed nt some of the expoaurea made.
Chairman flnlahee reading. Indlcatea mrellnc la
oor. The committee, with tho exception of
chairman, rite and exit. As chairman site alone
reading report, door opena and Hllent Menace
with leveled revolver, and his companion s'ep In
Sceno ID (Outside Senate ilulldlnr as per
17.) Pearl arguing with guurds desperately. Hlio
makes a sudden rush and runs Into Senute
Dulldlnir. )
Sceno .20 (Committee room aa per IS.) Silent
Menaco hands revolver to companion, who keeps
chairman, covered, hllent Monaco plcka up
plana und starts for. door. Chairman leaps to
his feet, but Is struck down with revolver. He
rails back unconscious. Silent Menace and
companion exit hurriedly.
Hceno 21 tCorrldor outsldo commltteo room.)
Silent Menace and companion coming out of
doorway. Aa thoy do ao Pearl, followed by
iniards. c-.ms around corner, rushes to Silent
Menace ond seties him. The two cuanls. nt
slaht of masked men, rush to her uld. Terrllto
right ensues. Silent Menses's companion Is
struck down by guards, but Silent Menace
l.n.K.ui down Pearl und nets Poirl follonr.
tjcen" SV-'Tower room lns'd Hcnnte Itulld
Ins.) eilenl Monaco comes rushing up, followed
lil- Pearl. Tncy struggle. at tho window. Silent
Menace pushes Pearl through window. She
slides down sloping root tu ralnxutter, wliera
she manages to, catch herself. Hllont Menace
turns and hastily exits.
Scene ".'3 (Italngutter nnd roof.) Pearl, by
aid of a lightning rod ana telephone wires, man
ages to climb back. Crawls In through win
dow as guards comt up and tell her Silent
Menace has vanished Pads Into foreground of
the Hllent Menace. Dlsiohe into largo question
mark.
"Snow mite,"
Sarah of thei Golden Voice
Tells of
TJ 'A . ' -KT
ramoufl actress s Jtcmoirs
When Pfte piicitcrecl the Wounded
Ad in 1916
By SARAH
"Tora Bernhardt fio turntd htr tneofre
ovtr to tha auJnoi-Hte to tae o cl AcwpKal."
The cobttt In 1U repeat tha tcordj tent
over n lilt.
Forty-fovr yean ago, when "Tho DMno
8amh" tea only ttcentv-four vertrs of hpt
and htA aehttvtd her firit suocees at IAD
Orleon, tho ettabttshed a hotpUal in that
theatre, tn uhteh the herttlf terved, at
nurtt to the Mounded French toUtlert dut
Ino tho tteio of Parle in the Franco-Vru.
ttan tear. Her oxen account of thete day
a the pivtt In her "ilemolrt" U m o
dramatic incident.
I CANNOT rcnll those, terrible) dnrs with
out tho deepest emotion.
It vbb no longer tho country In diinper
thnt kept my nehe strunc up, hut tho
nufTerlnga ot all her children, Thero woro
nil those who woro flxhllnf;, those who
wero brought in to ua wounded or dying;,
the noblo women of the people who stood
for hours nnd hours In tho queue to not
the necessary dole ot bread, mctU nnd milk
for their poor little onen at home. Oh, thoso
poor women I I could eee them from the
theatre windows preealnc; up clonn to enoh
other, blue with cold and etnmplnn; their
feet on the ground to keep them from
freexlns;. for that winter wns the most
cruel ope wo had had for twenty years.
Oh, tho suffering1 they must have
endured, thoso heart-broken mothers, those
sisters and fiancees, in their terriblo drend I
How excusnblo their rebellion seems dur
ing the Communo, nnd oven their blood
thirsty mndness!
Kvery night we' uod to henr
tho dltmal cry of 'Ambulanca I Ambulation I'
underneath the windows of the Odeon. Wo
went down to meet the pitiful procession,
nnd ono, two or sometimes three convey
ances would bo thero full ot our poor
wounded soldiers. There would bo ten or
twolve rows of thctn, lying or sitting upon
(From 'Memories of My I.tfo." by Sarah
Hernhardt D. Applcton & Co., New York.)
EXTRA! CHARACTER
JUST RUNS AWAY
FROM AUTHOR
Every dramntlst nnd writer of fiction
tins had tho experience of Inventing a char
acter that refuses to keep within bounds,
that Insists upon dovoloplng itself out of
nil proportion to the other characters, nnd
tlmt haa no regard for tho plot ns original
ly mapped out by the creator of tho novel
or play. Such characters when dtccoverod
are worthy of tho nttontlon of the writer,
since they are apt to he far moro vltnl.
more human and moro original than any of
tho othoro of tho nuthor's Invention. In
deed, the very fact that they do Insist upon
running away Is proof posltlvo of their
nrtlstlc Importance. In tha drama It has
frequently happened that n minor char
acter, even nftcr tho rehearsaln of tho play
began, has Insisted upon developing Itself
Into n lending role. Such was the rase
with tho character of Baron Chevrlal In
History Awak;e at Last"
PHILADELPHIA has now seen all but ono of the great films'
inspired by the success of "The Birth of a Nation." Only tha
Clune-Crisn "Ramona" remains. We have seen Dixon's "The
.Fall of a Nation," Ince's ' "Civilization," the Brenon-Fox "A'i
Daughter of the Gods," and now Gnfiith's-"Intolerance," which
came to the Chestnut Street Opera House last night and whicK"
was reviewed in these columns at the time of its New York pro
duction. ' I
Griffith's work stands supreme. It displays almost every1
virtue of that genius of the screen. Critics may quarrel with
its fourfold stories told in. rapid alternation. But they cannot
find there the violent bathos of Dixon, the ethico-religious senti
mentality of Ihce, the confusion
lesser men achieve a certain distinction by tho divinely accidental
virtues of the film. Only Griffith fs complete master of himself
and his art.
It is ihis mastery which gives "Intolerance" the value as av
historical document which the others haven't got. They all pretend
to picture some distinctive age, but it is only "Intolerance' that,
grasps historical reality. Its attack on intolerance with a small'
"i" may not carry complete conviction, but its visions of Babylon,
Judea and Paris under the Medici unmistakably do. The rich
ness of their reality is superb. It demonstrates beyond all ques
tion the great and significant power of the screen as a recon
structor and humanizer of history.
Textbooks and tomes have never succeeded in making us
. 19 - j.i 3 1 si. e l film f-rtwian
oeneve in me evuryuuy iiuinitiuty oi miuuiur uku. i4u ouvwi.
makes tho past live again. Our
problems as concreto as our own.
nnce" in all its magnificance and
'the actual existence of its people
dead fable no moro.
"A Parisian Romance," and In fiction tho
cases ot tho same sort according to tho
confessions of various authors havo bton
quite too numerous to mention.
The most recent Instance of a character
that ran away la that of Juliet Miller In
Marian do Forest's comedy, "Erstwhile
Susan." which comedy Is founded upon
Helen U. Martin's novel entitled. vBarna.
betta." Mrs. Martin drew the character
originally from n woman who was em
ployed In her household frt Pennsylvania.
No sooner had tha authoress Introduced the
character Into her novel than it begaM to
grow In importance Quito beyond the limits
that ho had Intended, and she confesses
that It was only with the greatest effort
that she compelled Juliet to remain in any
thing like n, secondary place. When Misa
do Forett undertook the dramatlxatlpn of
the book jib did not know of Mra. Martin's
dimoultles with tho Insubordinate charac.
ter, but no sooner had she begun her task
than Julia asserted, herself, and gradually
through the many writings and rewrltlngs
that Miss da Forest made of the play, Juliet
MUler rose to the position of tha dominating"
character ot the story The play then began
the customary rounds of managers' otlices
and was finally read by Mrs. Flake. Tho in-
uomuama ana amouiuus wuuci umueiuuiefy 1
utpiursD 1119 me4-V9V wi lua uvirccu, turn
proceeded to run away with her as she had
already done, to a degree, vitth the novelist
nd dramatist.
"Olvo Jultot a, free rein," said Mrs. Fjske
to Miss de Forest, "and develop her accord
ing to her merits and I shall be very happy
to personify her on the stage."
With these Instructions in -mind. Miss
da forest set to work again upon tha play, '
spending mucq or we tuna in in company
of Mrs. Hake, and the character of Juliet
grew and grew and grew. The growth was
perfectly legitimate because of the fact that
the character in Itsajf was fundamentally
ao absolutely human. Given such a char
acter, especially one possessed of unoom
mon qualities, tho developoituit Is as natural
M the development of a living human biting.
Juliet Miller, largely self-made, is certainly
one ot the moot ral characters to be fetwd
la rrit drmiatia lltsruturc
Hospital - Tkeatrel
T' 1 T!
j-ziscioee .Experiences in I870l
BERNHARDT
the straw.
TOllh .. . . , !
sergeant who nceompnnled the reX.0' !J
S..SnL'!.S oMhTuSoM
r.uum mini uuucuiiy d lifted ia, tfc"MfJl
row litter on which he. wai toiJ WiS'MLi4
to the hospital. " " m
Oh. nrhitf hmiwiiI ... ...
me when on lifting the patltnt-ii w5V
covered that It was geuing feiw.'A
heavy, nnd when bending over YtM Hi
', I '!' that there wS.'j'Srfl
breath. The sergeant would then rir. ,?1
order to take him bach, and Uu VtJSI WA
man was put back In his Pisco MdlLl
wounded mnn lifted out Th6 otwH"
men would then more back rKeSMftl
order not to profane the deal Oh! iVl
grief t wa wen tha sergcAnt sW I TdJI
to take ono or two moro In"' mvt
"Very well, I. win take two
woum any. nna then I wondered wh.Vi 1
should put them. We hMtortM,?
own beds, and in thla y lho Est ?5,!J
woro saved. .,,,, 3
wmh,.i.tho lnJu.8,J--' h Inramy of inrf
Will the much-dreamerlf i J"i "nu
when wars aro no lonr tu..-5.i!r r.10 ;
ssrt.L. -ru',ra
factor? Will 'tho" XT "A '
there Will be a cosmopolitan coundTr, l
tho wise man of every country liiVT.,T.:!I!
his nation! nnd where the rights of hum.. "S
Ity will bo discussed and VetedTfol
...i.njr men nun na 1 u0 r0 n...-
think as I do, nnd yet nothuig is""
- -'"" "iiions ot, pans oontlnutl 1
Ono night ho brothers from tha rSS 'i
Chrtfttdnno came to ask us for conveyance.
and help. In order to collect the dead I'l
tuo v.nn.iuion i-micaii, 1 lei Utu hy rjT
two conveyances, and I went with them is ' J
tho batllofleld. Oh. what a horrible ri! J1
nioinunwK-n it was uxo n BCtn frea
Dahtol It was an Icj- cold night and .
could scnrccly get along, Flnilly, br tha A
"'" " "' ui";o uuu lanterns WO SIT
that wo -had arrived. Wo had to nwri
slowly, as at every step wo trod nw,i iv.y
dying or t'..o dead. Wo Dassed nlenr .!
muring "Ambulancol Amhulancer Vfirai
wo ncn.ru n groan wo turnea our BUPs In Uh)1
direction whencA 1c nmn. Ah th n ...
I found this way I Ho was ha'f lyinj down,
his body supported by a heap of tha Am'X:
I rnlaed my lantern to look nt his face, sMl l
found thnt his car nnd part of hit ja?' jjrjl
nna neon mown on. ureal ciots of 0I004
conciliated by tho cold hung from his lower ;
jaw. i 10011 a wisp or ntraw, (lipped It la
my flask, drew up a few drops of brand
nnd blow them Into tho poor fellow's meets JS
iiolwcon ma teem, x repeated this three er
rour times, a uttio life then came back t
hlni and wo took him nway In one ot Ihl
vehicles.
Dnyltght grndually began to appesr, ft'
misty dull dawn. Tho lantern had burnni
out, but wo could now . dlttlngutih etch '
other, Thare wcro about pne hundred per
Uono thero: Sisters of Charity, military ,
nnd civil men, nurses, tho brothers frca
tho Ccole Chretlenne. other prlttU and aj
few Indies, who, llko myself, had cma;
themselves up heart and eouI to the service
of tho wounded.
and boredom of Brenon. Thest
forebears become real, their
Seo tho Babylon of "Intoler-
humanity and you feel at last
and its glories, History is a
' K. -M
y
1 .
2T T&
1 1
1 --'
r
"FENNA. DUTCH"
Thus GWyas Williams, s
Fiske in "Erstwhile Sow.
comj-H-Jy -wkkh ike brtogi V
Broaa 0dtiBi3 alttwaw
b.rii:
igi'M
mm