The Film Daily (1918)

HAVE YOU A. By Pr7tpc///e WITH ALL, DUE RESPECT* to the eloquence of the fourminute, men, the "Kingdom of Grief" -at the Auditorium this week •will sell more Liberty bonds in Chicago-than 400 four-minute men talkingfor. four -hours at '."a stretch from now until the, end of the world!. -, If you haven't .seen ^'Belgium, the Kingdom of Grief, "^you don't know . anything abcut'the Germans, even if ypU"are ;oneJ..If, you have seen It you know far too. much. about them for your own peacteLof mind, "and y»u will open your heai-t cuiJ'your'pQ' lu'~ book and get behind t,he man behind the gun ,fof all ydix. are worth. The .. woman's :. committee of th9 Council of ^National Defense, Illinois division, brought this" picture to Chicago to make you believe a whole lot that. -ydii didn't believe. Dont think .'that you ' are going' to see a lot" of blood and thunder, '. or be. .shocked and scandalized or mortified to death. ."The Kingdom of Grief" shows yon in a**quiet, impressive manner just what * the Germans, did to Belgium, and as you. see the actual pictures of the invasion of Brussels and Antwerp, the scenes change .before the. eyes of your imagination and -you behold the Germans as they might have come marching Into America. "The first part of" the film, which is vastly : more.; than a lot of animated scenery", .shows the early day* of Belgium, the' peaceful, happy, picturesque. Belgium, "ruled by the beloved Albert, his sub.tects happy andcontented. The second part shows what thejr havft befiii through since the summer or 1914. and 'is the part with ^he punch. There are. not the 'usual" processions of beraggled peasants . with bundles .and baggage and babies, such as' one -usually finds in war films, andthard for. us to understand because . dbry'land "class" are all prosperous farmers and" .would be fleeing In Fords, but in these Veejs you meet the Well-to-do city dwel+ers who fled in> their good .clothes, but, alas! were a _ sorry 'lot before they, reached the Holland frontier. The first -showing of the film -was made laSf night at; trie Auditorium before a gathering, of' the. most fashionable folk in Chicago, WIto -were, all keen to see" this film'that the Germans have tried to suppress, but. which wiJ] ; j&\ways: be preserved div the Boyal/Muse^um of Brussels as testimony of , what the little country hag suffered. ,' Last, evening the benefit had its lighter moments, of course The young 'women of the Jlllnois. Motor Corps, iu their stunning new <ira6 gray uniforms, with the guni-metal buttons, held, you up for a program or secured, your signature to a Liberty bond,, and a dozen or more little" flower. girls sold corsage bouquets inany color you might choose. Mrs. Joseph T. Bowen, chairman, of the wpman s committee, made the opening address, and was followed by Clarence "Darrowv The soloists were Warren Proctor and Vittorio Arirndndi. Among those seen in the boxes throughout the house were: Mesdames— George M, Pullman Howard II. "lloyt T. B. -Blackstone ' Samuel Insull Kellogg B>airbank" Austin Niblack' Phillip Armour III. Mildred G. Bowen John Borden ' Harry P. Ja:dsou Walter Brewster Augustus Peabody Joseph T. Bowen Jacob Baur The Sympathy of the World Is With Belgium for the World Owes Her a Dept That Can Never Be Fully Repaid This sympathy makes BELGIUM THE KINGDOM OF GRIEF A Wonderful Box-office Attraction Not a War Picture but An Historic Pageant Do you want proof — READ THIS and then book this feature for your theatre. Twenty-four, eight and six sheets two threes and three one sheets, lithographs designed by a noted Belgian artist and printed in National colors. The National song, La Brabanncon, for souvenir. Also story in attractive book form. For further information M. L. Fulton Eastern Representative 59 West 44th Street Hotel Algonquin, New York City SOCIETY NIBBLES HARBTACK AT BELGIAN SHOW Movie of Devastated Land Given at Auditorium Theater. Society was treated to its first sample of real army rations last night at the .gala performance of the moving picture, " Belgium, the Kingdom of Grief," at the Auditorium theater. A camp kitchen was installed in the foy-< er and during; the intermission soldiensr from the Fortieth infantry served cofVj fee and hard tack to the men and wonvj 'en In evening attire who crowded! around, the kitchen, eager to be inlti&frs ed Into the myBteries of camp food. | A military atmosphere pervaded the J theater. The blue uniforms of the ma-j rlnes and Jackies, the khaki of the sol-! dlers and the g*ay of the high school cadets and of the Illinois motor corps members added to it. Gun Thunders Welcome Outside on the street a six pounder grim, mounted on a motor truck, thun« dered a welcome to the audience, and In the lobby, 1ft the trim uniforms of the motor corps, Mrs. Mark "Walton. Mies Edith Rosenfield, Miss Feilcite Reynolds, Miss Elizabeth , Greyy Miss $*riscilla Mcllvalne, Miss Margaret Hambleton, Miss Harmon Bailey, and Miss Harriet McLaughlin sold programs. Mrs, H. A. McTCee and Wrflv Joseph CarVy were in charge of the Liberty loan 'booth and before the perform* ance began dbtalned $35,000 in sub scriptions. Shows Belgium's History. The picture, which te being produced under the auspices of the woman's committee, Council of National Defense, to help the $100,000 fund which the committee Is raising, portrays the history of Belgium from 1830. up to the present One part of the film was taken at the time ot the coronation of King. Albert "in 1909 and, the last part shows the devastation of Belgium and ends with the arrival of the American troops. The costumes of the first part were loaned from the national archives of, Belgium or oopied from plates Jn their possession, and the men and women of the Brussels court posed as the historic characters. The pictures wore all taken at the exact locations where tha events occurred.