Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1912)

760 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD Bernhardt and Rejane in Pictures. Reviewed by W. Stephen Bush. IT may well be doubted whether money alone would have induced Sarah Bernhardt, the greatest of living actresses, to play "Camille" before a moving picture camera. To such a passionate lover of her art, it must have seemed glorious to defy the limitations of space and time and have the whole world as her audience. The cinematograph is indeed a monument, "acre perennius" — more enduring than brass and it is far more ornamental and useful as well. The immortality conferred by the motion picture is well worth having. It is not the smallest tribute to the genius of Sarah Bernhardt to say that her art loses nothing in its transmission to the little strips of celluloid. The gifts of other noted artists do not shine as well in the motion pictures as they do on the speaking stage, just as some talented singers please us in opera, but are heard to poor advantage in the graphophone. The splendor of Sarah Bernhardt art remains undimmed in the photoplay. "To paint the lily, or throw perfume on the violets" is no more of a "wasteful and ridiculous excess," than to pile up new adjectives in praise of the genius of Sarah Bernhardt. Of her it is true indeed, that "age cannot wither, nor custom stale her infinite variety." To body forth Dumas' conception of "Camille," an exuberance of youth is needed ; "Camille" first wins our sympathy and stirs our profoundest pity because her youth is "cast in endless shade," though, of course, her noble sacrifice deepens the feeling. She possesses all the gayety of her kind : the animal joy of living, but not untouched by a certain womanly grace and sweetness. Until she meets Armand her finer nature has lain dormant, she was a beauteous butterfly and the sins she committed were of the kind which Christian charity is most ready to forgive. Sarah Bernhardt by a splendid display of her genius makes us understand the profound change that came over Camille after Armand entered her life. With consummate art she shows the ennobling and sobering influence of a sincere love. We see how the careless and frivolous demimondaine of the better sort becomes a true woman, whose soul grows stronger as her body turns chaste, who patiently bears suff'ering and humiliation and sacrifices her happiness for the sake of others. It is, however, in the portrayal of the tragic element that the divine Sarah rises to the most dazzling heights of the mimic art. How subtle is the touch by which she gives us the first hint of the fatal nature of her malady, when the first reel has scarcely begun. This marvelous power in developing the tragic element is finely sustained throughout until it culminates in a veritable triumph of acting in the last scene. To see these two reels is to realize to the fullest extent the art and power of Sarah Bernhardt and no greater boon could be offered to the theater-goer of to-day. Every audience looking at these films will be stirred as deeply as they were, who have seen Sarah Bernhardt act in the flesh. It goes without saying that these pictures will gain new friends for the motion picture by the thousands and that directly or indirectly every branch of the motion picture industry will have its benefit therefrom. I only hope operators everywhere will be kind to the pictures and not try to run them at a Saturday-night-rate of speed. There is no room anywhere for efl^ects, but music of the right kind will be most acceptable. Pathos should be its dominant note. Rejane In "Sans Gene."* Madame Rejane is a good foil to Sarah Bernhardt, just as Madame Sans Gene is a good foil to Camille. Tho^h the comedy is the longer entertainment of the twcit ' would seem best to have it precede the Sarah Bernhiidt i films, else Shakespeare's warning against the lesser .le * ment "lagging superfluous" on the stage inight be is 1 regarded with the usual bad results. The play iiio ', Sardou's best style and is genuine, refined comedy as istinguished from the product of the same name, as defi>d " by scenario editors in their rules of instructions to eginners. Madame Rejane, who has played in this ccitry, thoroughly understands and enjoys her part. The plot is based on a very charming little story, w!:li it is claimed, does not lack its historic background. Wai Napoleon was a sub-lieutenant in the French army id had to subsist on his scanty pay, it was hard for hinto ■ meet his expenses. He was living in a poorly furnish garret when his laundress — called Madame Sans Che . by reason of her free and hearty way — came and le . sented her bill. It had been running for some mo:iis -: and when Madame Sans Gene, with all the delicac;:in ' the world, asked for the money. Napoleon was emrrassed and begged for time. He wrote on the bill at he was in straitened circumstances and had to look aer his mother and sisters. The good natured young wo: in was content with Napoleon's promise. She shortly ai ^wards married a companion in arms of Napoleon, rough and ready Lefebre. Lefebre followed Napoleis star and his fortunes rose with the fortunes of his c'ef ' until by his bravery and loyalty he had won for hiirJf the rank of a Marshall of France and had been madeine , Duke of Dantzig. Napoleon was now in the height oiiis glory and having married a daughter of the Hapsburis. he sought to dazzle the world by the splendor of his c n as he had dazzled it by the victory of his arms. Mad.it Sans Gene made a poor figure at the social functionof ;■ the Imperial Court — her manners still betrayed the qien ; of the washtub. The sisters of Napoleon finally becne offended at her continued presence in the social ciies ; of the court and they complained to their august broer : and asked to have the ex-washerwoman dismissed, -a-j poleon was furious at the outraged dignity of his cirt and summoned the ex-laundress before him. She refied to be impressed by his storming and fuming and ven • he finally, in a perfect frenzy of anger, sought to sender away she handed him the unpaid wash bill which she'ad treasured all the years as one of her most precious issessions. The Emperor was softened. Gently and ndestly Madame Sans Gene led his memory back to the 'ys when he was a struggling Lieutenant in Paris and ad been glad to accept her indulgence. This is the clia ": of the play and is rendered very finely. It is not cjte .. apparent to me why the Neipperg incident was ir^' porated into the photoplay. It complicates mat though, of course, it lengthens out the story. What picture needs above all is an explanatory lecture, ot wise much of the charm and considerable of the mea^g r. of the story will be lost upon the average audience. • Made by the Society Film d'Art, Paris. Presented by the Fit' American Film Co. CHILLICOTHE THEATER CHANGES HANDS. The Queen Theater, at Chillicothe, Ohio, has been _soll>y :■ Manager Lippsey, who has operated it for some timiW C. A. Smith, former manager of the Peerless Theater, irii' same city. The transfer took place February 15. Mr. St'' announces that he will make a number of alterations irf)* ' house, enlarging its seating capacity and redecorating wi" and without as soon as the weather will permit.