"THE BIRTH OF A NATION."

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14306, 8 January 1917, Page 7

"THE BIRTH OF A NATION."

At the Empire- Theatre to-morrow afternoon and evening, the firm of J. 0. Williamson. Ltd., will present the dramatic spectacle "The Birth of a Nation." Strictly speaking, the play begins at'the period when the States of America were feeling, with jealous alarm, the slow but lesistless growth of a new national spiri i within the body or the Federal Union The producer has achieved, a notable success, emphasised in every foot of the speaking jfilre. No "titles" are necessary to carry, the theme uninterruptedly through., hrs or more remarkable tiian anything else is the continuity of tlip simple but tolling story whicli moves rapidly over tho screen. The battle scenes, and particularly those- depicting night fighting, provide glorious but awesome, spectacular- displays,. since the wild fury of the fighting isrcaErie,d on with ferocious realism. 'A> recent [Australian press notice- says: "The bursting shells and the spluttering rifle fire impressed the audience with 'the awful ppssihih'ties of the struggle, and when the 'Little Corporal' in the mid-st of a perfect-hail of lead leapt across the parap.ei to give a dying soldier' from the Tanks-of the opposing army a. drink of water the 'pent-xrp feelings of the audience burst out in sustained, applause. One ,of the most sensational incidents- of the film is that whicli .shows the raid on a southern town and the subsequent swift retribution .-brought about by the Ku Klux Klan, a force . organised by1 the whites, as much as anything .else, for- the protection of their own women-iolk. The shooting of President Lincoln in~a box at Ford's Theatre on the night of April loth, 1865, was also a wonderfully realistic representation of the . tragic event that shocked the world." The box plan opened on ; Saturday morning. There will be no extra charge f<n' booking. The season will be limited,, to Tuesday night only;, and a. matin|e will be given that afternoon at 2.30. There are no early door charges.