‘THE WHITE SISTER'

Evening Star, Issue 19273, 11 June 1926, Page 4

‘THE WHITE SISTER '

LILLIAN GISH'S TRIUMPH Coming to the Octagon and Empire Theatres next Friday is 1 The White Sister.’ The actors and actresses in whose keeping has been entrusted the interpretation of the various roles are all people who long ago earned popularity in the world of motion pictures. The atmosphere that has been caught by the producer and instilled into this remarkable film is unique. The immensity of the climax, the emotional appeal of the theme itself ; and a hundred other things are said to contribute towards the success of the picture. ‘ The White Sister ’ is a love romance, beautifully sad. It possesses a striking spiritual quality, which not only lends to the picture a pronounced and obvious distinction, but which also proves to he very effective in that it leaves sweet memories. Vividly, the great emotions in ‘ The White Sister ’ clash, and wonderful is the revelation of the two souls in conflict up to a climax. One sees the pleasant and fascinating Angela promise to love her nero for ever and ever on the eve of his fateful departure for Africa. And one sees her again, having recovered from the dreaded news of the death of her lover in the far-off desolate wild, loving the church where she found solitude and peace, entering into a marriage with it, and becoming for all time one of its pure, and faithful white sisters. But then, with dramatic suddenness, there comes back Angelo’s passionate lover, whom she had long since given up as dead, to claim her. And then it was that he learned that he was but a day too late —that his love who had so fervently promised to be his till death them" did part, had wedded the Holy Church, and was no longer his. Vainly he endeavored to tempt her to forsake her sacred vows, but she held fast to her beliefs and remained bound up with the church. The ending is too subtle to be betrayed in a review, but suffice it to say that up till within two minutes of the ending of ‘ The White Sister ’ not one person in the audience could- foretell the _ conclusion. The locale of the film is in Daly. Exciting and spectacular scenes include the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the rolling streams of molten lava pouring down the mountain side; the bursting of a huge dam, the flooding and overwhelming of the villages at the mountain’s foot, and the last mad ride of the lover of the White Sister. Lilian Gish is a world favorite, and has the unusual distinction of being universally admired, almost revered, by the entire moving picture world. Her interpretation of the difficult role of a nun and the manner in which she portrays the manifold emotions and passions that tear the human breast make ‘The White Sister’ a feature that will not be easily forgotten. Reserves for the Empire may be had at The Bristol, while the box plan for the Octagon is open at Begg’s.