UNIQUE EPISODE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 86, 6 January 1919, Page 7

UNIQUE EPISODE

':: •—» — : —— ~ , '•..LLOyD GTibfl.GTl IX PICTURES., ' A ;COMfi\ T G^TTKACTION. - Seldom if ever'lias.it. falleri .to the;-for : . tiinafe lot- of'a'nv American-aiul never ■ before, to 'a "movie".director; to b<v revived ' bv Jlavid T.lovd Genrge. Prime Minister'of JOiigland. duriim MlO war. unless. liis- mis-ion' .was stricll.v ri diplo'.matic one and accompanied bv numerous certificates ..Of '.nntbnritv a'nl national document. "And' vet tbis honour came An - David!'"'W ..{Mflil'lf.' .geniU«; of ;the .motioiV-pichire'-wnrld, in ...a .way., that was ac,..liiiniorons..hs'.it. w'fis exceptional... ■ Mr.- Griffith; 'iust.prior to departm? for the battlefields of France to.till,-e the • more important-scenes-for his latest pro-of-the .World." to be rcreeneli at: the -Grand O.ncrn on Satnrdov-niglit upxt, by. J.-0. Williamson .(i.ld,). visiKl. LoiTdbn m onler .to. interview Mr. ]). Uovd. George. Prime 1 -Minister of-Great- Britain.. who lind pro- • ■ niif.cd. Hi liehnlf of the British /invern- ; nient, the official , aid of .Great Britain's : army in taking, the niphr»s in tho firin,?- | lines in ■ Frniicc. ■ Mi'.- • Griffith was re- 1 reived by jrr.- Llovd George for more than an hour in the Cabinet rftoniß of the British Government in Downing Street, while, "many . prominent officio's : and .Arnw. and ean'-.officers waited in the : ante-room;' ' Griffith-row tolls .of. the incident laughinsl l '. -but., declares .that.'- at ■ the. timo lie. vTas"ftightened - through' and ; • through. ' ' ■ .When Mr. Griffith was about to leave . tiie, Downing, Strict lonms, Tiord. B,°av,er- ■ lu'coke, siitraected to .Miv I.l"yd • (iponro tint the best, way he could ~ officiel interP't in "Hearts' of the W«r!d" would be to have. tbo. oamera nifli mnviiiT TOctur" of himself. a"d-Mr. Griffith Pbakin" bnnds,. -Jfr. L'lovd Georire . aerreed: and.; tliro"?li the -nnrt of lio'lf nn hour. du< , '* , e wliich time, J r r; Griffith ivns .on tlie critinT +he . 1 camera man nnd his: apparatus to the .! scene, tlic 'Government officials rested .J fjinjr foe® in: the ante-room. "And tlio funniest nnrt of it is," says , M r . Griffith, "wln'le the picture vrnr lin•ing tnlcen hn admiral of the Nnvv. arrived, nyd Nad to. wait outside • until ,-we had -finished." The historio picture is now a part of the prologue of "Hearts of the World." ' When .Mr. Griffith was. about to N depart from. France ho..saw Mr. Lloyd George again,, and the great British statesman said:'"The,idea; back of, your splendid . story is a iriessnge to all civilisation that its fight Will 11pt.be in vain. Let me be.the first to. predict that when you have completed your hboiirs, you will have produced a-'masterpiece which will ■] carry a message nroiinu ' the world—a story which will inspire overy heart with pntriotisni, with love <f country, nnd ... lionie, witli the great cause for 'which the civilised nations are now fighting in' ~ France. This, Mr. Griffith, is the great- , est" and niost wonderful task you have . ever attempted. ■ God si'ecd you in jour great work and-grant that you may' ac- , complish' your desires." Throughout all of Mr. Griffith's work , on the battlefields of France, both the British, and the French Government offi- i cials gave him every aid and assistance, ■ many times going out of their way to help along in tho taking of some particularly historic scene. Mr. was 18 months incompleting his pic- '! ture, during which time lie was on three ! occasions Under boiribnrdment, one of which lasted four hours.—(Published by 1 arrangement.) 1