The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-04
"ouo vndIsr raIe. before .cnhlrln.-

"ouo Nndih" Pales Before "Cabirln."
Unless you care to wade courteously
through altogether Inadequate de-
scriptivc matter. do not bother TO read
beyond this paragraph. bu; 20 AZ once
AMI make arrangements 10 sec that
amazing picture AT the Bijou Theatre
- Ca biria.
Heretofore. theatregocr~-not merely
patrons Of the movies, but those who
frequent the highcr-priced theatres
have measured magnihcence OF produc-
ton by the standard set ~ QUO
Nadis." but. impaired with the almost
J incredible splendors of "Cabiria" even
that great photodrama rccedes into the
realm OF the 5-ccnt picture houses. The
! 'ilrncd version Of Sienkiewiczs novel
showed lone burning. temples falIi.f.
In ruins. the populace hurryinc through
the streets, the famous arena scene and
innumerablc spectaclcs Of absorbing in
tcrcst, but for every thrill in the po-
! liah novclists Tale Of the Christ
there are a dozen in GahrIelc Dan
nunzio's historical pageant drama or
the third century befote Christ.
The rcd-fire burning of Rome pales
| in memory before actual views of a
! volcano In active eruption, with terri
! ned people. driving before them their
cattle and sheep, rushing down the
steep slopes OF the glowing foreground:
ara the sight OF those about to die in
| he arena. thrown 10 the beasts by the
] order OF Nero. IS forgotten In the spec
taclc OF armies of men. equipped with
! antique weapons. storning the walls OF
/ an ancient city, and being hurled bach
ward from the battiements. upon which
are mounted Catapults pots OF BOILING.
tar, piled stones, and all the other en-
Sines and weapons OF war more than
! 1000 years ago
! burning Christians. torches 20 Uch,
Ncro's way, become mechanical fisurcs
10 Inc mind and eye of one VINO sc.a
writing children cast into the blazing
NAV OF Moloch. while hundreds OF
/ trate before the sacrifice Besides
these there are scores hundreds az
scencs--for the picture runs for TWO
ana ee-quarter hours-that surpass
AL that even the boundless capacity OF
[ the motion picture drama has hereto
fore offered
| Nor are they all scenes OF similar
character y Roman villa. overwhelm-
Ell by falling lava and so shaken bv
IN earthquake that huge cracks appear
.h "hat seems Il stone floor, is fol-
lowed BY view of the sea as IL beats
against a rocky shore. Across noun
tains covered with snow Hannibal
ietds MS army. men. horses even
elephants. all CARRIED and capa risoned
Tor war In the days 'or ever the
kh'sntiy years were passed." then
through the deep sand of the desert
against sky line almost violet in mo
wends long line of camels bearing
African allies OF the Romans. making
common cause against the Carthacin
ians. child romping in the grounds
OF Roman patrician's country seat.
where Horace might have written an
ode gives way to a veritahle C,leona
IRA ionoiing n leopard, and, later in
ducing her lover to forsake the stand
ard OF Rome and defy Scipio
FOR this picture is truly 'histori-
4 q
is no Nero, but there is Scipio. called
Africanus. who did defeat Hannibal
AT Hama and thereby ended the seco1d
Punic war; there Is Hannibal: there
is his brother. Hasdrubal. and there is
even Archimedes. who did live in Sv
racuse. where he was killed, because
he was too much engrossed in soma
geometrical problem to do moro than
try TO wave away those who sacked
, the city.
! And there are. apparently. thousands
! of servants. Romans. Africans, SOL
oiers ana slaves who serve as pic
turesdue and colorful--even In black
and white-back ground to the story
of the play. which lack OF space pro-
! hibits retailing. AS II is an Italian
| picture, II Is naturally superbly acted
! quite as we'll acted as was Les
Miserables"-while the men and wom-
| EN- are all types. The giant black, who
corresponds to the Ursus of Quo
| Vadis.' is the finest figure of man
! that i have ever seen, while the Scipio
is as impressive in his arrogance as
| the Nero was hdcous in his effem-
macy.
1t Is not readily conceivable that
such another picture will be made in
years. so be advised and do not fail
to SEQ it.
Douglas Gordon.
Lyric Sets Fast Pace.
After having tried various policies
under several manasements, with but
indifferent success, the Lyric Theatre
would seem at last To have struck the