Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 21, 1922 Orphans of the Storm Griffith 's Greatest T N "Orphans of the Storm" D. W. Griffith has given the ■*■ world the greatest photoplay of his career. And this means that this is the greatest picture ever made in the United States. Many authorities on film matters do not hesitate to assert that "Orphans of the Storm" is the greatest picture yet given to the screen. It has been generally considered that in making costume plays European directors had reached the apex of art and had little to learn from the playmakers of America. Re-consideration of many of the big screen costume plays which have been brought to this country from Europe discloses no one of them which, in the matter of beauty, historical accuracy and detail, is the peer of the Griffith production. In magnitude and beauty of setting the picture is remarkable, one beautiful scene following another in such rapid sequence as to cause a bewildered wondering as to what wonderful thing is to come next. Interspersed through all this beauty are scenes of sordid squalor of the lives led by the poor of Paris — all shown so vividly that one wonders why the French Revolution did not take place at an earlier date. It would be hard to imagine a greater object lesson than Griffith has drawn in his pictured story of the great gulf between the masses and the nobles during the stirring times that produced a Danton and a Robespierre, and a Reign of Terror. The photoplay abounds in thrills and the rapid unfolding of the story keeps the audience on the alert to miss none of the many anticipatory sensations. The big thrill of all comes with the wild ride of a regiment of cavalry, led by the heroic Danton, to save one of the orphans from the guillotine. This is reminiscent of the famous ride of the \ Ku Klux Klan, which was one of the strong features of Griffith's "Birth of a Nation." The master director, however, has so improved on his own work that the former scene by comparison is but a tame affair after all. "Orphans of the Storm" is a classic in many ways, and not the least of these is in the adroit manner in which suspense is maintained in many of the critical situations. In the big chase scene, with Danton and his mounted guards racing to the rescue of Henriette, the latter portrayed by Lillian Gish, is shown strapped Lillian and Dorothy Gish as the two orphans in Griffith's "Orphans of the Storm." 1 •v Frank Losec scene from and Leslie King in a 'Orphans of the Storm." to the guillotine, the executioner's hand on the trigger which springs the fatal knife, and the signal partly given for the ending of the tragedy. From this the picture shifts to the line of rushing horsemen, overcoming obstacle after obstacle in their wild ride; and then back again to the guillotine, with such facility that even the most blase begins to forget that it is only a picture and gaspingly wonders if Danton will be in time. The maintained suspense is breath taking. Again Griffith proves his mastery of the art of maintaining suspense when Dorothy Gish, as the blind orphan, is heard singing in the street by her sister, who is prevented from reaching her side by the cold-hearted Count de Linierres and his guards. In this scene Lillian Gish does some wonderful acting. In casting the "Orphans of the Storm" Mr. Griffith again used the discernment which has helped to bring him fame. Lillian and Dorothy Gish are the two orphans and wonderful is but a mild word to use in describing the work of these little artists. Thoroughly established and loved by millions of theatre-goers they add much in the way of new luster by their brilliant work in this production. Dorothy Gish, as the blind orphan, portrays a difficult part with true artistry, The surprise in the cast is Monte Blue. Accustomed as we are to see him play bucolic parts, the excellence of his work as Danton is astonishing. While his conception— or rather Mr. Griffith's — is not the Danton we have pictured, no fault can be found. If Monte Blue gives a new Danton, he gives us a good one. Joseph Schildkraut takes the part of 1 hevalier dc Vaudrcy, the young aristocrat who falls in love with one of the orphans, and he proves himself a film actor of great possibilities. Leslie King, as Jacques Forget-Not, gives a splendid version of a member of the downtrodden masses, and is equally good later when elevated to the high position of head of the citizen's committee which deals life and death — usually the latter — to aristocrats or others who have offended the despicable Robespierre. Frank Losee, as the Count de Linieres, again proves his worth as a character actor by carrying off this difficult and unsympathetic role in a manner more than acceptable. Others in the cast are Catherine Emmett, Lucille La Verne, Kate Bruce, Morgan Walla-ce, Sheldon Lewis, Frank Puglia, Creighton Hale, Sidney Herbert, Leo Kolmeri and Adolphe I.estina. THE CAST Henriette Girard Lillian Gish Louise Dorothy Gish Chevalier De Vaudrey Joseph Schildkraut Countess de Linieres ...Catherine Emmett Count de Linieres Frank Losee Marquis de Presle Morgan Wallace Mother Frochard Lucile La Verne Jacques Frochard Sheldon Lewis Pierre Frochard Frank Puglia Picard Creighton Hale Jacqucs-Forget-Not Leslie King Danton Monte Blue Robespierre Sidney Herbert King Louis XVI Leo Kolmeri The Doctor Adolphe Lestina Sister Genevieve Kate Bruce To say that the "Orphans of the' Storm" is a great picture — or even :i great Griffith picture — is giving but mild praise to this wonderful photoplay. It is a living, moving, almost breathing triumph ot pictorial perfection, and gives to posterity a new historical viewpoint from which to study one of the most turbulent and trying times in the world's history -the French Reign of Terror. As a photoplay it is a masterpiece; as a box-office attraction it has few limitations. —John S. Sparco.