THE BIRTH OF A NATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11800, 11 September 1916, Page 3

THE BIRTH OF A NATION.

It is not sufficient to say that " Tho Birth of a Nation," presented at the Theatre. Royal on Saturday night, is the greatest picture production seen in Christehurch, since such a statement can convey not tho slightest idea of the grandeur of the work. - There are no standards of 'criticism big enough to hear application, and one is faced with the danger j of running away with a host of super- ; latives in an endeavour to express one's ; impressions. " The Birth of a Nation " marks an epoch in theatrical I history. Notwithstanding the lavishI ncss of the expenditure on such pictures as "Cabiria." film production did not really advance, because it roust bo remembered that the flowing out of money and the gathering together of people do not in themselves constitute wonders; but here the most ardent opponent of the screen and its most ~ti:ngent admirer begin to see what cr.n be done and some idea of what the future will bring. Statistics published in connection with "'Tho Birth of a Nation" give some idea of the numbers of people employed, but the grandeur of the massing is not enough to explain the picture's enormous success. One looks further, and finds it in the producer's work and amongst the actors. No picture has had the advantage of such magn-'ficent acting, and it is difficult to remember any stage production which could boast players who could more effectively seize and hold the attention of tho audience. Henry B. Walthall and Mao Marsh are two names which will ho remembered as long as "The Birth of a Nation," because with them rests a large measure of the o fleet of the " play. The absence of sp; ech is not noticed : they reach the hearts of the audience just as purely jib if they were possessed of voices of gold. When the Little Colonel, returning from a Northern hospital in rags, to fiud 1113 old home wrecked and his family iu the poverty their loyalty to the Southern cause had brought about, meets . the Pet Sister at the doorway of the old mansion one realises the sufferings of the South and the bravery of her people Nothing is overdone, hut nothing is left undone, and there were signs in the audience to show that the sadness of the situation was brought homo. Tearg, hard to invoke, are the sure (?ign in a British audience that the heart has been touched, and on more than one occasion at " The Birth of a Nation " on fJaitirday night even stolid men were thankful for the darkness. Tho terrorised flight of tho Pot Sister, atid her death rather than suffer dishonour. stamp Mae Marsh an an actress of realities, and one appreciates how anromie, or overcharged with method, is most of the acting on the stage and screen to-day. Mae Marsh, ,«oen in "The Birth of a Nation," is one of the great actresses of this period. Lillian Gish, as Elsie Stoneman, also attains great heights. especially in the scene m Lyn°h's office, when she is at the mercy of the mulatto Lieutenant-Governor of South Carolina.

This genuine realism is to he also found in the big scenes. The raiding guerillas, the burning of j Atlanta, and the marching of the 1 troops present/ pictures of grim ! warfare, and in the Battle cf Peters--1 burg it is made clear how the wonderful acting gives the final touch of realism to the stupendous grouping under the master-hand of David Wark Griffith, the greatest motion picture producer of this time. Much has been written about fighting in the present war, and there have been motion pictures cf what was said to he actual fighting. But, by way of paradox in this mimic world of thefilmp'ay. one sees the reel thing for the first time. The broad view of the battle of Petersburg. Lee's last stand, ■is stunning in <• fleet, hut it is <shen the Little Colonel, marl with the glory. _of battle, L--aps the barrier and heads the desperate charge on the Northern lines that one ce;s the picture of real fighting. Tf is that- one figure which convince? the spectator and makes the whole panorama aetral. T'i fact, one might sum up ''The Birth of a Nation "' in that one sentence: It is real. The screen vanish..-, the yo->.rs are dissipated, and one <s back in the bcxtios, when the Southern States are suffering for a lost ce:.:'C. '!be reality ef the big y-eem-s in : 'Tlie Birth ot a Nation'' is never questioned. fn the later .stages the fishtir.g of the lli.tck Terror with a White Terror forms th« subject of a powerful delineation of tin.- tervlbi" effects ef n tuition?.: revenue, following a war. The i: errors: arising ont oi the supreme an"iii'jrity given to the neprnes. unready 3or even a share of political power, iire painted grimly, and one gets, more citectivelc than in Thomas Dixon's book, " The Clansmen," the real need for the Ku Klux Kian, that M-onde.T----f army of white horsemen which struck terror into the hearts of the black people, a.nd protected the stricken South. That the clan degenerated after its work was done was not the fault of the upright men who started it on its noble mission. It is difficult "to remain unmoved when clan after clan of tho Ku Klux Khin gather to disarm the black soldiery. The long line of white horsemen, stretching to infinity, gives one the impression of tho presence of the 400,000 who actually joined the clan during those dark duvs.

it iv stotfxl that 140.000 feci of film wn.> vakt.-.! in the. pic-

tnre. and that to bring it within reasonable limits 128,000 feat wcre_ eliminated, and, knowing this, one's regreat after seoivr.: the JlbiiOO shewn to the public is thai it is . r.o: possible to pivuid the d;;V-; uer."r; • sary and see the whole work. Tne dictates of space forbid much more being said, with only half of what should bo said uttered, but it esu be repeated in conclusion that "The Birth, of a Nation '■' marks an epoch. It should be seen not once, but often, because in its big scenes the massing is !•""> stupendous and the detail so minute that the picture welcomes subr-equ.-n----visits. A word must bo said for th<> excellence of the orchestral work. The music is appropriate to the period, ?,r.d included many old American airs mid marching songs. It eviderr./y had been

specially arranged for the play, and it admirably fitted the action. Particuiarh- finowas the acoompamment to th« gf'nt haltle e/'^'ien. "To-night "The Birth of a Nation" tv-ill ho shown again. <