THE WORLD’S WONDER PICTURE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1418, 28 June 1917, Page 31

THE WORLD’S WONDER PICTURE.

“INTOLERANCE.”

The making of a huge spectacle like D. W. Griffith’s “Intolerance,” to be presented at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, on Saturday, July 7, under the direction of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., is attended by many hazards. During the filming of the big battle scenes on the walls of Babylon and in the streets and palaces of that great city, it was necessary to have a full corps of surgeons and nurses and a large number of ambulances to look after the injuries received 'by those taking part in this mimic but realistic warfare. A field hospital was also erected near the scene of action. When it is remembered that much of this hand-to-hand fighting took place on walls 150 feet high, on which scores of chariots were driven madly through the contending throngs, it is indeed remarkable that only 67 people were injured, and none of them seriously. From the tops of these walls hundreds of gallons of liquid fire were poured on the besiegers below. Hundreds of men were in the interiors of huge siege towers that topped the battlement of the walls, and which afterwards were overthrown with a crash. In all of this fighting every implement of war known to the ancient world was brought into use. While directing these scenes, Mr. Griffith himself took as many chances of injury as did the humblest soldier, for while he directed much of the action from a balloon, in many other of the scenes he was in the midst of the fighting.