"THE BIRTH OF A NATION."

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2856, 22 August 1916, Page 3

"THE BIRTH OF A NATION."

"Tho Birth of a Nation," described' a.i D. NV. Griffith's maslcrpiccc ol film art, will bo screened at the 'J'own Hall, under the ,1. C. Williamson, Ltd., directum, commencing Tuesday next. August ~J. !l id a gigantic subject, handled in a big, way. i lie story runs clearly along—am. it is said to ba a powerfully-told am; convincing llicmo—wiili a background n, violent happenings. Civil war is per haps the most disastrous evil that cm afuict a. people, and I). W. Ciriliit. depicts it with terrible, directness, liu ■ t.o the average spectator the period o. reconstruction is oven more thrillinglj illustrated. Horc black and white an iu conflict, aud the blacks aro tlio dominating force. They have tho Legislature in their command. By an overwhelming' majority llicy can pass laws which makes tho whito man regarding them grit his teeth, even at this latt date. Une of tho Bills enacted was the legalising of marriage between blacks and wlnt.es; another, that tho whites should salubo negro officers in the streets. One generation removed from savagery, the power wielded by the uegrow went to their heads. organisation of tho Ku Klnx Clan, of Scottish origin, resulted, and D. NV. Griffith shows the heroic doings of this little body of whites 'banded together, assuming "tho white man's burden." The clansmen, headed by Colonel Cameron, a young Scot, march against tho negroes, who have instituted a reign of terror. Tho way tho clansmen clean up the lattor is said to bo one of the most inspiring sights ever shown on the screen. Thousands of horsemen, clad in ghostly garments, race fo tho dangerous rescue work, and vindicate the superiority of the white man over tho black. It is an historical fact that there were 400,000 Ku Klux clansmen. In "The Birth of a Nation" Griffith uses 4000 night - riders, and there is a thrill in thoir dashing horsemanship overy time they make their appearance. Tip abovo incident Tepresonts only one of the innomorable sensational and historical incidents in the production. Specially composed music will be played by a grand operatic orchestra. Tho picture is said to have cost over XIOO,OOO to produce. It ran for 862 performances in the Liberty Theatre, New York, with prices ranging from 9s. down. At tho Drury Lane Theatre, London, it is now in _ its eighth month of consecutive screening, wieth prices from 10s. Gd. down., In Sydney it ran for. 132 .perfonuanocp, and is .now payiiii* a return visit tliero. Tho prices rango from Gs. down. In Melbourne its success was such that it had to be transferred from the Theatre Royal to the Town Hall, and thence to the Auditorium, in each case the seasons proving too short. Notwithstanding the prices charged elsewhere, tho j. C. Williamson management have decided to dhargo popular prions here, which will range from 3s.' down. The box plans for the entire season will, be opened at tho Bristol on Friday morning.