THE GENIUS OF GRIFFITH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1419, 5 July 1917, Page 30

THE GENIUS OF GRIFFITH.

“THE IRON MAN.” TOLERANCE V. INTOLERANCE. There is more in the name of Mr. A. L. Grey, of New York, than first meets the eye. A distinct personality in h’mself, he is the brother of that film genius of the world, D. W. Griffith, Grey being simply assumed for business purposes, and he is at present in Auckland representing Mr. Griffith’s Australasian interests. Mr. Grey took that other film masterpiece “The Birth of a Nation” to London for Mr. Griffith, and put it on at the Scala Theatre for seventeen weeks, and then at Drury Lane for thirteen weeks —the first picture, by the way, to be shown at Drury Lane. After that Mr. Arthur Collins (managing director), anxious to maintain the reputation of the theatre by having the greatest picture the world ever produced, cabled Mr. Griffith that he would make an opening at Drury Lane for “Intolerance” when it should be finished. Mr. Griffith him-

self went to London with it in April, where it created a sensation amongst the theatregoers of the metropolis, Mr. Collins considering that the picture, from an artistic and colossal point of view, had never been equalled in the history of the world. Mr. Griffith, by special permission, spent three weeks in the trenches in France, so his next picture will be a war one. Something worth while, as one may imagine. But nothing so stupendous as “Intolerance” will ever be seen again.

“Narrow-mindedness is the fundamental principle of ‘lntolerance,’ ” said Mr. Grey, “and Mr. Griffith conceived the story five years ago, turning it over in his mind until he evolved a mighty theme. It is four stories in one, uniting the ancient, the sacred, the medieval and modern times. A vivid glimpse of presentday intolerance, then, like a flash across one’s mind, is shown a parallel case as it would be in the years of long ago. And through it all one sees the cradle, endlessly rocking, symbol of all the ages. “It makes comparisons between now and 2000 years back, and shows that the disposition, desires and passions of the human race are practically the same as of old. It teaches us to curb our selfishness, or intolerance —they are close akin. “It shows how the city of Babylon was totally destroyed through, the jealousy of the Persians over their gods; it shows how Christ was treated by those who did not see eye to eye with him; it shows how Catherine de Medici instigated the massacre of the Huguenots to force home her religious views; and it shows, in an up-to-date plot, man’s inhuman’ty to man.

“It is the greatest sermon ever preached,” enthused Mr. Grey, “and to preach against it,” he added, recalling the vigorous denunciations by certain clerics in the South —“well, that seems to me the highest form of intolerance. However, I don’t want to be accused of being intolerant myself to other people’s views, so I’ll let it go at that!” “And how long was it in the making?” asked the “Review” representative.

“Two and a-half years, and there were 67,000 people on the pay roll! There are 16,700 scenes, and in some of them there are from 8000 to 10,000 people engaged. At one period Mr. Griffith, wired to his assistant to secure men for a certain scene. The man engaged 5000, half fearing he had overstepped the limit. Next day Mr. Griffith arrived. ‘l’ve got 5000 men,’ said his right-hand man. Is that all?’ was the rejoinder. ‘That won’t be enough. Get another 3000!’ “That is a sample of the colossal scale on which he works.” “And the atmosphere of ancient days?” “Oh, that inspired a wonderful study in research work. Fifty people were engaged in that alone, reading up the history and collecting facts. Mr. Griffith used to go over, personally, each one’s narrative and read it for h'mself, so that every detail would be reproduced in its historic accuracy.”

Mr. Griffith was the first man to ever use what is called the “close up” and “fade out” and “fade in” effect, and he was also the first to make use of the "switchback,” a procedure which is a distinguishing feature of “Intolerance.” Admittedly he is responsible for everything that makes for the advancement of the moving picture. “Yes, he is undoubtedly a wonderful man. He has genius and a soul. He’s a writer and a dreamer. And it takes

that to make a picture. They call him the ‘lron Man’ in America, and stand and look in wonderment at him. His brain never slacks. Day and night he is busy, studying and supervising. _ An actor himself, he directs all his principals, and has a way of getting the best out of them.”