America (United Artists) (1924)

Specials ^very Newspaper Will Want Griffith Introduces Distinct President Calvin Coolidge Novelties in “America” Interested in “America” Master Producer Who Has Done Wonders for Pictures Has Added Despite the Fact That the Chief Executive is Not a Keen Picture Many New Things in His Latest Production Fan, He is Interested in Griffith’s Latest D. W. Griffith, responsible to a greater degree than anyone for inno¬ vations in the making of photoplays, and father of the motion pictures as a vehicle for art, has again made a radical departure from established custom in the filming of “America,” the titanic epic of Revolutionary days, which will be shown at. Theatre.... In fact, it may be rightly stated that “America” embodies more distinct novelties in motion picture produc¬ tion than even the masterpieces with which Griffith hitherto has revolution¬ ized the theatre world. Because of the fact that the produc¬ tion was undertaken at the instiga¬ tion of our most prominent patriotic organizations, representatives of which were present at the filming of the vari¬ ous scenes, and that through Secre¬ tary of War Weeks the United States Army co-operated, Mr. Griffith first sought to achieve the most meticulous accuracy from a romantic and histor¬ ical point of view. To this end he established a re¬ search bureau of experts to delve into the historical documents housed in public and private museums and col¬ lections throughout the country. This staff of experts, among whom are numbered the leading authorities on the Revolutionary period have been required to settle every mooted question in regard to the most minute details of the War of Independence. Such an apparently trivial, yet his¬ torically important, problem as the color of Paul Revere’s horse occu¬ pied the undivided attention of a corps of research workers for nearly a month. Aroused to a high pitch of enthusi¬ asm over Mr. Griffith’s aims in pro¬ ducing “America,” patriotic organiza¬ tions throughout the country not only volunteered their services to aid in the research work, but, defying cus¬ tom and tradition, to»k from the museum cases and private vaults which housed them for years invaluable relics of the Revolution and offered them to the famous director for use in his picture. Concord and Lexington, Mass., led in this wholesale temporary turning over of the most sacred relics of our battle for freedom, and Mr. Griffith has been able to use as properties for his scenes antiques from the shrines of the Revolution which have never be¬ fore been photographed, let alone by a movie camera. Instead of taking the scenes on one location, in order to take scenes on the battlefields where the action really took place, Mr. Griffith, accompanied by his large staff of experts, which includes historical, military and tech¬ nical advisers, and his entire company have been touring the country in special cars, staging the scenes for “America” on such widely separated points as Lexington Common, Wash¬ ington’s home at Mount Vernon, Val¬ ley Forge, and the old North Church in Boston. The famous ride of Paul Revere, for example, was actually filmed on the road over which he rode. Even in cases where the erectioh of monu¬ ments or modern improvements made the “shooting” of massive scenes im¬ possible, Mr. Griffith has included scenes of the actual sites, weaving them into the action of his story with a mastery of which he alone is capable. But perhaps of all the many inno¬ vations in the filming of “America,” the most unusual is the use of large units of the regular army of the United States in several battle scenes. Infantrymen and cavalrymen, clad in the garb of British grenadiers and in the buff and blue of Washington’s Continental Army sweep majestically through the action. It is the first time that units of the regular army have ever appeared in a dramatic film, or that Uncle Sam’s soldiery has ever donned costumes to appear before the motion picture camera. In staging the scenes in which the soldiers appear, Mr. Griffith had the advice of army officers on dis¬ puted points of the technique of stra¬ tegy and tactics as used during the Revolution. The major battles of the war from “the shot that was heard ’round the world,” on Lexington Green to the en¬ gagement which culminated in the sur¬ render of Cornwallis are to be shown in this extraordinary photoplay, and its dramatic episodes from Paul Revere’s ride to the signing of the Declaration of Independence will lend their inspir¬ ing atmosphere. As a member of the Lexington Min- utemen, descendants of the first armed patriots, who in their brilliant buff and blue uniforms took part in several scenes filmed in Lexington, Mass., re¬ marked “America” purely as an in¬ spiration to patriotism should prove more valuable than all the histories written or the clever slogan broad¬ casted throughout the land. For although through it like a thread of gold runs a charming romance of love, “America” is the first visualized history of our country, teaching her traditions so that he who runs may read and understand. GRIFFITH HONORED BY MILITARY MEN For his work in making “America,” which comes to. the.Theatre .... D. W. Griffith has been made an honorary member of the Minute Men of Lexington, the oldest military organization in this country. At the first showing of the film in Boston, the Minute Men were present to weigh the historical accuracy and dramatic truth of the pictured event. When convinced of the faithfulness and appeal of the scenes at the Com¬ mon when 77 Americans met 800 British regulars, the Minute Men voted the honorary membership. The famous bronze button of mem¬ bership, worn only by direct descend¬ ants of the men who fought in the battle, was presented by Capt. E. F. Breed of Lexington. In his presentation, Capt. Breed said: “With your film, ‘America,’ you have done the impossible, Mr. Grif¬ fith, in adding greater lustre to the memory of the Battle of Lexington.” President Calvin Coolidge is not noted as a theatre-goer. Even in the days when as Governor of Massa¬ chusetts, he occupied a modest room at the Adams House in the heart of Boston’s theatre section, he was seldom seen at a playhouse. But there is one motion picture in which he is interested, and that is “America,” the big romantic film made by D. W. Griffith of the American Revolution, which comes to the. Theatre, beginning... Newspaper correspondents at the White House relate that not only did President Coolidge confer with Grif¬ fith about the making of “America,” but that the austere and silent Chief Executive asked the producer for a number of still pictures of scenes from “America,” to show the home folks up in Vermont. Which betokens an un¬ precedented enthusiasm on the part of the President where motion pictures are concerned. When one learns, however, that “America,” was filmed under the guidance of a special corps of research experts and historians, including rep¬ resentatives of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution, The Lexington Historical Society, and similar organ¬ izations; that Secretary of War Weeks assisted by turning over various regu¬ lar army units, who appear in costume in the massive battle scenes; and that Griffith used historic houses, actual battle grounds and the shrines of American liberty for the scenes, descendants of the leading families of Revolutionary Days as extra people, and drums, pistols, flintlocks, and even uniforms which saw service in the War of Independence as prop¬ erties, the interest of even the Presi¬ dent becomes understandable. And even had the subject and the unusual manner of making the Jilm failed to make the average citizen enthusiastic, the fact that Griffith has broken all precedents by extending to every man, woman and child an invitation to come and see the mors massive scenes made, would give the general public a more personal inter¬ est in “America” than in any film pro¬ duction ever made in this country. For the public took Griffith at his word and turned out to the extent of more than 15,000 a day during the weeks the producer, his players, and United States regulars camped at Somers, New York, “shooting” battle scenes. The story of “America,” written by Robert W. Chambers, the novelist, whose earlier books dealt with the Revolutionary period, and who is re¬ garded in literary circles as an expert in the history of those days, is the story of the struggle of the colonies for liberty from Paul Revere’s ride until George Washington became President. All of dramatic incidents of the war, and its major battles figure in the film. Griffith established a special research bureau to settle the mooted points of American history, and pro¬ vide him with minute and authentic data. The selection of players was another process which took up much time, as Griffith and his advisory experts in¬ sisted upon getting types for the roles of Washington, John Adams, Han¬ cock, Quincy, Otis, Prescott, Warren, Gage, Howe and the other leading figures of American history. The monumental task was mate¬ rially lightened by patriotic and his¬ torical organizations which placed at the director’s disposal their collections of documents and relics, and gave their advice and aid. His offices were swamped with letters from every con¬ ceivable source offering assistance of every kind, from the loan of historic flintlocks, to the request by munici¬ palities of Revolutionary fame that he make scenes there, and use de¬ scendants of Revolutionary heroes as “supers.” The interest displayed in the com¬ munities where scenes have been taken, amounting to a revival of patriotic enthusiasm, has also served to make the undertaking rest more lightly on Griffith’s shoulders. The value of the assistance of the regular army cannot be lightly passed over, as it is a remarkable comment¬ ary on the lavish scale on which “America” is being made, as well as upon the attitude of official Washing¬ ton towards the project. Under instructions from Secretary Weeks, infantrymen from Forts Ham¬ ilton and Schuyler and from Gover¬ nors Island, accompanied by complete commissary and medical units and a band, camped for weeks “on loca¬ tion” with Griffith at Somers, N. Y. Regular army officers and special his¬ torical and technical advisers drilled the soldiers in the manual of arms in use during the Revolution. The tactics and strategy of the War of Independence, was studied and re¬ hearsed.. The battlefields of the Revolution were rebuilt under the guidance of Griffith’s special staff, and from a high platform on the side of a hill over¬ looking a beautiful valley, the director and his experts, through field tele¬ phones and mounted couriers, directed the manoeuvres. Stripping off their khaki, the regulars, garbed as British grenadiers of King George Third, and as members of the Continental Army, as Indians, and as Minutemen, refought the) leading engagements of the Revolution over and over again. Later the famous Third Cavalry, from Fort Meyers, Virginia, crack mounted outfit of the Army, restaged Morgan’s raid, with Major Wainright, aide to Secretary Weeks, costumed and made up as Morgan, leading the charges, and Colonel Hawkins, commandant of Fort Meyers, assisting Griffith in directing the charges. On every possible occasion Griffith used actual locales for “America.” This necessitated the chartering of a special train to convey the director, his big staff of research workers, historical advisers, representatives of patriotic organizations, technicians and players about the country, an expensive proceeding and a distinct innovation. In this way Griffith was able to stage scenes at Buckman Tavern and the Hancock-Clarke house in Lexington, at Concord Bridge, on Lexington Green, at Bunker Hill, Dorchester Heights, / in and around Washington, D. C., and throughout the state of Virginia. Prac¬ tically every shrine of American liberty was visited by this unique band of “tourists.”