HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
The screening of Max Reinhardt's mystery play, "The Miracle," produced a "packed house at His Majesty's Theatre last night. The film is described as a. lyriscope play—that is, a combination of cinematography, real actors, with choirs and choruses, and special music synchronising with an action in the pictured story. The play is acted by a Continental cast, and therein lies one of its strongest features. Had the children who romped in the chapel of the Madonna been American youngsters and the fat robber chief John Bunny with a sprinkling of the most popular American picture "stars" appearing as nuns and prelates, the pictorial representation of the story would have lost a great deal of its charm. The photography is beyond reproach, and there are many very beautiful scenes. Tho story tells of the dream of Sister Megildis, who is lured into tho world by the music of the haunting minstrel. She holds the keys of the convent on tho Rhine, a sacred edifice famed for the possession of an image of the Madonna and child. The exuberance of youth leads to her being punished, and the form of her punishment is to have to spend a night alone in the chapel. It is from then, that a young knight takes her out into the world, and for her sin misfortune falls upon her. Her lover is killed, and she is the cause of many another violent death before a broken women—she staggers back to the chapel. Meanwhile, the Madonna, a sweet and gracious figure has come to life, and has carried out tho duties of the young nun. In the final scene, tho Madonna, knowing of the young nun's coming, resumes her place as the image, and the prodigal is welcomed and forgiven. The music by Humperdinck was sometimes hardly done justice to by tho orchestra, though there was still a great deal of merit in their work. Tlio choruses were very lino, and this new departure of ''tho movies" was greatly appreciated. ' Ihe Miracle' r will be screened for the second time this evening.
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Press, Volume L, Issue 14918, 17 March 1914, Page 5
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348HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Press, Volume L, Issue 14918, 17 March 1914, Page 5
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