“GLORIOUS ADVENTURE”

Southland Times, Issue 19516, 16 May 1922, Page 6

“GLORIOUS ADVENTURE”

VERSATILE LADY DIANA. WATCHES HER OWN FILM PLAY. PICTURE TAKEN IN NATURAL COLOURS. Last night at Covent Garden Opera House, W.C., the first performance of the much-heralded film, “The Glorious Adventure,” was given before a very distinguished and enthusiastic audience, reminding one of other days when this historic house was the home of opera, writes Arthur Weigall, in the “Daily Mail” of January 23. There are many changes in the structure of the house of course, and the crescent of boxes has gone; moreover, smoking is permitted, and the stalls, which were once so expensive, are now to be secured at very democratic prices. Yet at this premiere there was a social brilliance and a kind of excitement in the air which carried tfie mind back to the old gala nights. “The Glorious Adventure,” produced in England last summer by Mr J. Stuart Blackton, is the first picture play to be made in natural colours by the Prizma process of colour-photography; and on this account alone it is of outstanding interest. Some of these colour effects are of great beauty, though obviously the process is still in its infancy. The play itself, by Felix Orman, tells the story of a certain Lady-Beatrice Fair, a beauty of the Court of Charles the Second, who goes through a marriage ceremony (which she believes to be merely formal) with a prisoner in gaol. But during the great fire of London he is released and claims his bride.

The part of the heroine is played by Lady Diana Duff-Cooper, whose acting shows nothing of the amateur except perhaps in the earlier scenes. In this colourphotography she looks very beautiful, and one may say with sincerity that she has scored a great success, which developed into something like a triumph in the later scenes. It was rather strange last night to see her sitting in the theatre gazing at her own acting—a form of excitement unknown before the kinema arrived to show us ourselves as others see us. Lady Diana ought to be well satisfied, for in the scenes between her and her gaol-bird husband during the fire her beauty and her dramatic power are astonishing. The acting of-> Miss Alice Crawford as the wicked woman of the piece is excellent; Mr Lennox Pawle as Samuel Pepys is so totally unlike the great diarist that one cannot say much about his work; the Hon. Lois Sturt as Nell Gwynne is delightful, as also is Miss Le Breton as Rosel»ary; while William Luff plays the King convincingly. But the honours of the performance fall to Lady and to Mr Victor McLaglan as her husband, Bulfinch, whose acting and facial expressions are masterly. I cannot get out of my mind as I write those scenes between these two, while the light of the flames glows in their faces. I confess I had thought the first half of the film, in spite of some fine movements, rather cheap and melodramatic; but this second half will draw all London to Covent Garden.

The musical accompaniment is not very good, but I understand that the rehearsals had to be somewhat rushed. The scene at the end of the performance was one of great enthusiasm, the vast audience applauding and. demanding speeches, until Mr Blackton at last responded.. The film shows every sign of being a great popular success. “It was magnificent, and far exceeded my expectations,” declared Lady'SDiana Duff-Cooper subsequently. “Of course, I have seen the play privately before, but everything was quite different in this huge Opera House to-night. I did not suffer from ‘kinema nerves,’ as I had anticipated I would, and it is really very thrilling to live again through the emotions that one has portrayed on the screen. “I think the slightly blurred or dim effect obtained in this film is admirably suitable. I have certainly learned many valuable lessons in the direction of technique which will be of a great future assist- > ance.” “The Glorious Adventure” attracted a most brilliant audience. Lady Diana Cooper was present and received congratulations from many friends. The Duchess of Sutherland was present with a party of friends. Lady Juliet Trevor and her husband, Sir John and Lady Lister-Kaye, Lady Alington and her daughter the Hon. Lois Sturt, who looked as attractive in a flamecoloured shawl dress as she did as Nell Gwynne on the film. Lord and Lady Howard de Walden came with Miss Phyllis Neilson-Terry and joined Miss Olga Lynn’s party in the stalls. Miss Teddy Gerard, in a sea-green brocaded dress with a wreath of green velvet leaves round her hair, was there, too. Lady (Milson) Rees, Miss Megan Lloyd George and her sister Mrs Carey Evans, Mr Ivor Novello, Lady Crutchley, and Lady Keith Cameron were among others present.