Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1919 — D. W. GRIFFITH’S SUPREME TRIUMPH [ARTICLE]

D. W. GRIFFITH’S SUPREME TRIUMPH

“HEARTS OF THE WORLD.” ‘♦Hearts of the World” the supreme triumph of D. W. Griffith’s, to be presented at the Princess Monday, March 10, and twice daily during the remainder of the engagement, inaugurates a new era in the realm of screen drama. In New York, Boston and Chicago this new Griffith masterpiece has created a positive sensation, even eclipsing the master Birth of a Nation” and “Intolerance” In this, his latest achievement, Mr. Griffith did not attempt to create and stage gigantic battle scenes and pageantry but actually used the present, the greatest of all Wars as a background for the filming of a tremendous human interest, a story of love and sacrifice. ‘♦Hearts of the World” shows the happy peacesful life of the people of a small French village before the grim horror War reared its ugly head over the horizon. The cause that led up to the war are.shown; the meeting of the British Parliament on the eventful night when vote was cast for war; the session of the French Senate voting upon a declaration of war; the session of the cabinet awaiting the fatal hour when the ultimatum to scenes come as a prelude; then the great drama ibegins, the German hordes enter France.

In taking the battle pictures for “Hearts of the World” Mr. Griffith had the assistance and co-operation of bhe British and French War Offices and both he and bis company of players which Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Robt. Hamm, George Fawcett and Master Ben Alexander, were constantly within range of the German guns and often compelled to seek safety in British trenches on the Western front. It is the opinion of all who have seen “Hearts of the World” that Mr. Griffith has outdone his own best achievements and has established a new artistic record that will be difficult to equal, if indeed such a thing is possible.