"HEARTS OF THE WORLD."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12506, 19 December 1918, Page 4

"HEARTS OF THE WORLD."

A MAMMOTH PRODUCTION,

During the unravelling of the love story of “Hearts of the 'World,” which is to be presented by tho J. C. Williamson, Ltd., at the Theatre Koval on Thursday afternoon, December 26 (Boxing .Day), for ft brief season, the onlookers are taken to tho battlefields of Prance, whore the depicted a million fighting meat in rotion, 30,000 horses, miles of artillery, squdrons of aeroplanes,_ fleets ox zeppelins, the destruction of cities and a determined charge hy a large number of tanks. “Hearts of the World” is regarded ns the most important atiraeotlom the J. C. Williamson. Ltd., management has sent to Hew Zeeland for many a day, fairly staggering to the public, by reason of its almost incredible magnificence of N«w York. London and Prance. In Sydney and Melbourne, during its three weeks’ run in each of those cities, it broke nil known records in tbo moving picture history of Australia. Mr D. W. Griffith is said to have expended over a million ddlars on tho production of “(Hearts of the World.” The whole of America had, it is said, to be scoured for tho types necessary for the characters in the great war picture, and these were all personally selected bv Mr Griffith himself; consequently each part is perfectly portrayed As tho little Disturber, Miss Dorothy Gish has a chioved her best triumph. In the comedv scones sheds nsp'd to bo superb. Lillian Gish as the heroine has excelled all her previous triumphs. “Her really fine and natural acting," stys a New York critic, ‘“entitles her to rank with the yerv beat actresses the screen has produced. Robert Harron, &s tbe Kero, lias scored an emphatic success, and Mr George Seigmann, as the brutal German Secret Service agent, has further added to his fame as a picture artist. Others in the cast who hjiw®, assisted in making “Hearts of the World tho best of D. W. Griffith’s productions are Miss Josephine Crowell, Robert Anderson, George Fawcett, Kate Bruce and Master Ben Anderson. Tho J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management will provide a full operatic orchestra to play the specially written music. The latest D. W. Griffith, production excels in every respect his other two mastenvorks, "The Birth of a Nation” and “ Intolerance.’’ “ Hearts of tho World ” is described by Mr Griffith us a lovo story of tlie war, and it is safe to remark, fudging by rcuorts from those cities where tho picture Ims already been presented, that tho producer has succeeded in producing the essence of the great struggle, and has very probably accomplished the feat better than anyone else could havo done. " Certainly " said a New York critic, " there lias been nothing staged dealing with the world war which can bo compared with ‘ Hearts of the ‘' ll l.r fo ' din “ th<> s,or .V all the old Griffith artistry, says another critics “is revealed, and there are many little touches which indicate tho guiding hand of the great director. The charm of young Children and young animals j s not overlooked, and there are scenes early in the play in which three ugly ducklings play an important part; while later beautiful swans with their yiung are shown paddling in placid waters, in contrast to tho turmoil of war going on about them.” Over eighteen months was spent by Mir D W. Griffith and his principals on the battlefields of Franco, during which time limy were on many occasions under fire, but the only accident happened when Mr Griffith himself received a shrapnel _ wound on one of bis arms. Box plans will be opened at Milner and Thompson’s on Monday next.