THE BIRTH OF A NATION.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1645, 2 December 1916, Page 2

THE BIRTH OF A NATION.”

TOWN HALL, TUESDAY NEXT,

On Tuesday next there will he shown at tlie Town Hall what can very well In* described as the greatest photo-play production (Imi has yet been screened in Xew Zealand, the renowned film based on Thomas Dixon’s story of “Tin* Clansman,"’ and entitled “The Rirth of a Xali-

mi." In Ibe space nt our disposal it would he impossible to convoy an adequate conception of this great work, )ju( some guarantee of its c;nalitv is assured iiv the fact that , tlu .■ renowned David W. Griliilhs was the responsible producer. (Iridilhs is a kino- among' phmo-play directors, and with him in this production arc all ihc well-known Biograph actors, such as Henry R, Wall hall, Spotl iswoodc Silken, Mae .Marsh, Gillian Gish, and so on, a, total in all of about 18,000 characters. The (heme of the play is set at the period of the American Civil War, and the stirring- occurrences of those limes are well defined in <-xlrente detail in live thousand scenes, and at an approximate cost of 500,000 dollars. Critfiths lias spared neither pains nor expense in the perfection of this masterpiece, and of the twelve thousand feet of him which was released for public exhibition, an additional 128,000 feet were exposed in the actual diming. Scenes were taken over many times in the attempts at perfection, and (he actor who took the part of Booth —Abe Lincoln’s assassin—had to leap from Lincoln’s box no less than fourteen times before Griffith was finally satis lied. Hie whole story carries with it a deep interest, and apart from the spectacular splendour of the great battle scenes, with their wonderful artillery duels, miles of trenches, thousands of lighters, real shells, and so on, there pervades the whole she great principle involved in the war for right, the greatness and goodness of President Lincoln, his tenderness of heart and simple, faith, and the general tenor and lone and spirit of his life. To the public will be afforded on this occasion the opportunity of witnessing probably the most soul-stirring and historic film that has yet been offered for their patronage. The prices of admission are 2s and Is,