Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 25 Adventures of a Camera Man with the Greek Army (From the Bioscope) MR. ROBERT, the well-known cinematographer, has just returned to Paris after having been with the Greek Army during the last part of the Balkan War. He has brought back with him 6,000 feet of battle pictures and war scenes, which, he claims, are absolutely unique. Amongst them is a graphic picture of the battle of Dshumaja. Every foot of film depicts the horror of modern warfare, and the havoc of bullets and shrapnel. Mr. Robert, in taking the pictures, selected his subjects expressly with the object of getting in motion pictures a sermon against war. He himself adm.ts that he is satisfied on that point. "If these pictures," he said, "do not have the effect of turning everyone who sees them against war, then I fear nothing ever will." Mr. Robert, as might be expected, has an exciting narrative to tell. From the time he left Salonika his hardships were uninterrupted. He speaks in high praise of the bravery and kindness of the Greek soldiers, as against the diabolical brutality of the Bulgars. He came across, in the Red Cross camp, two girls — Irish and English — who were the only women in the camp. For ten months they had been gallantly working with the ambulance corps. All the time he was with the army he never handled a firearm, and the only "weapon" he carried was a tiny silver knife, scarcely more than an inch long. The 3,000 francs he had in a purse sewed to his shirt were useless, but he could have obtained anything there was to be had in exchange for tobacco and cigarettes. Reflecting on his adventures, Mr. Robert likens his stay in Macedonia to a weird nightmare, so strange did it seem to be in the midst of all the fighting and carnage. Much worse than the bullets and shrapnel was cholera. Worse than the scenes in the firing line was the grief of the bereaved ones at home. Many are the tales Mr. Robert has to tell of the heartrending episodes he witnessed in the towns. I was enthralled as he read to me notes from his diary. It was on receipt of a telegram from the King of Greece that Mr. Robert left Paris for Salonika, taking with him a camera and 8,000 metres of negative. When he got to Salonika he found that the King had left for the front. He obtained the necessary papers, which included a document authorizing officers to aid him and allow him to do whatever and go wherever he liked. He and his companion were given a first-class compartment in a train bound for Demir Hissar. "The cushions of the carriage," said Mr. Robert, "were steeped in blood from the wounded that had been brought back. It was, however, impossible to find accommodations elsewhere, so we had to put up with it." This was a grim foretaste of what Mr. Robert was about to see in the near future. The train proceeded at. the rate of about three miles an hour. On each side of the track was a huge expanse of desolate, uncultivated land. On the rugged ground were strewn arms, cartridges, and the tattered remnants of uniforms. The journey took eleven hours instead of three. At Demir Hissar, Mr. Robert and his assistant were fortunate enough to come across a military motor van, in which to travel to Libounovo, headquarters of the Greek Army. "The ordeal of that ride," said Mr. Robert, "was inconceivable; over great boulders, bumping from side to side, we rushed on. We were hurled to and fro, and many a time the cinematographic apparatus pitched on top of us. Not one of the motor fleet could stand more than a day's work; after that time the machines were in the repairing shops for five days or so." The next morning Mr. Robert received permission from the King to proceed to the firing line. He went forward in an automobile with Dr. Anastasopoulos, who was in charge of the medical arrangements. After driving for about forty-six miles they were obliged to turn back. All the bridges had been blown up by the retreating Bulgarians, and the only road through the Struma Valley was choked with a seething mass of men, the advancing and retreating armies. "It was a sight," exclaimed Mr. Robert, "that I shall never forget. Picture the narrow valley, the river, the road, and the mountains on each side; thousands of men were pressing forward to fight, and thousands struggling back wounded and dying." Next morning the cinematographers made another attempt to get to the scene of action. They decided to accompany a battery of artillery which was going to the front. The new automobile, however, was so small that Mr. Robert had to decide whether he would leave his camera or himself behind. He decided to leave himself. Mr. Robert rode for eight hours. He had had nothing but a cup of tea. and had not been on horseback for twenty years, so that his suffering may well be imagined. At Simith he left for the frontier, accompanying the first division, under the command of General Manousojanakis. "The sounds of the cannon," he said, "grew louder and louder as we pushed forward, and as the Struma Valley was neared, shells exploded in all directions. It was war. Frankb', I admit that for the first hour under this hail of bullets I experienced fear. My whole body cringed for a time, but the sickening sensation soon wore off, and I witnessed the most horrible and revolting sights with utter indifference, possibly because I was so intent upon turning the handle. "Shells exploded within 50, 80, and 100 yards of us, shrapnel whizzed whistling through the air, and men were dying everywhere. The heat was terrific. Then, by sheer luck, I cinematographed a shell exploding and falling amongst a Greek battery, killing six men and injuring thirteen. You can imagine how nearly impossible it was," exclaimed Mr. Robert, "to film these bursting shells when they were falling in all directions. I just had to point my camera in the air at random, hoping for the best." One day a spy was brought into the camp, and, seeing Mr. Robert's apparatus, he instantly folded his arms and fell on his knees, thinking that he was about to be shot by a new type of gun. When a truce was declared, the Greeks sent two officers to the enemy's camp to decide upon a neutral ground. As the canopy was returning, Mr. Robert saw the Bulgarians fire nine shells in succession on the riders bearing the white flag. In the film you are shown the cavalry charging, the men rushing along, and the officers on horseback exposing themselves to the open fire. In a flash the fearfulness of war is brought home to the spectator. One impressive scene shows the soldiers before going to battle kissing a picture of the Holy Virgin held in the hand of an old priest. From beginning to end this true motion picture story grips. It is reality, and grim reality, all through. MOTION PICTURES WANTED FOR EGYPT Yannopoulos Cassaris & Co., B. P. 1220, Alexandria. Egypt, write to the Manufacturers' Record as follows: "We take the liberty of asking you to give names of firms making 'cinematigraphe' films. We would like to come in contact only with those of the very highest standing. If satisfactory arrangements can be made we are in a position to do a very good business, for we have a large clientele throughout the Orient and in Greece."