The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-03-07
"1HoR, LORD OF
THE JUNGLE" ---Se|ig

In Thor, Lord of the Jungle.
the Selig wild animal series hav,
reached an emInence not hitheyt,
attained. Indeed, the term s.wit
animal" is not truly expressive o
the range and values of this re
markable three reel finn subject
Ia which "A mighty lion figures
prominently and thrillIngly. Close
analysis will reveal bat the story
does not depend on the lord Of thu
jungle as its mainstay. The ami
NAL is only factor in the equa
tlon, IN which love, jealousy, ras
cality and adventure are strongly
and Intimately combined.
James Oliver Curwood is tn,
author of the scenario. He hai
written The story SO that the hu
man element holds the prevailing
interest, while here and there tht
brute element forms big exclama
ton points during the story's nn
raveang, aud also appeals to u,
with that peculiar pathos born o.
the instinct which teaches us tina;
all forms Of life are related to oui
own
The contrasting of the fate OF
Thor, imprisoned for the frsl
time in an iron cage, with that OF
Jan Karl-the young African
farmland, suffering for the first
time from despalriUg love-under
the subtitle "Two strong hearts
are broken really startles one by
the sympathy aroused. And this
sympathy for wild animal life
grows stronger as the story adj
vances. Gene Brant, friendless
In far off America, to which she
has been Iured by the promise of
being circus queen, finds conso-
lation beside the cage Of Thor,
like herself consumed by long
Ing for the veldts and jungles of
Central Africa.
The climax of this strange feel.
ing comes when Gene returns
home, bringing back 1hor on the
same ship and transporting hing
across the plains to his native
haunts. What feeling of ella.
tion and satisfaction fills our
hearts when Gene, biimful Of
happines. as she stands beside
Jan on her wedding day, opens
the door OF the cage and Thor
hounds forth into freedom and
his OVID! Surely there is educa.
ton of the right kind in these
Ghree reeIs-the creation of a SYM
pathy for the wild beasts of the
forest, which are fulfilling their
destiny as we are fulfilling ours
The killing instinct. merely for
the sake of killing. must have
boon considered disgraceful by
our ancestors OF The stone age!
Miss Kathlyn Williams, who is
gifted in rare way with the art
of gaining the friendship of wild
animals, is an attractive and
striking personality IN this fine
subject. She has given us, in
Gene Brent, one of her best char
acterlzatiOns. She has succeed.
ing in getting outside of civiIIza.
ton and ID giving Us girl of the
African -unsophisticated,
with fitfnl temper and seeming ar
tlficlality, but always true to the
core when the occasion calls for
all that is best in her latent make.
up. Miss Williams looks younger
aud more sylph-like than ever;
and, still better, is so in the part
of winsome Gene Brent.
Charles Clary gives a virile i'm.
personation Of Henry Barlum, the
young American circus owner and
hunter. One of the best evi.
dences of his strength in the part
is suggested by the hostility IN
consciously created in the mind of
the spectator. Thomas Santschi,
as Jan Karl; Lafayette Mckee, as
John Brant (farher Of Gene), and
William Holland, as "Billie," the
hanch back of the circus, all merit
praise that space fOrbids express
ing.
EIks Theatre, Wednesday,
NJ roh 1lfh