South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-30
BIRTH Of NATION
TREMENDOUS HIT'
Griffith'S Spectacle of Civil
War and After, Master
piece of Detail.

The Birth Of a Nation" hailed as
the biggest event in the moving pic
ture world. came TO the oliver last
night and conquered
This marvellous mass OF pictured
detail tells Of herOism and cOwaTdice,
OF love and lust. charity and greed;
Of the north and south, and all
throughout the emotions OF men and
women is the goal at which IL strikes.
The story begins with the days
when the abolitionist was at his
busiest II takes us into the Civil
war, with its battles and life OF those
who suffered although they were left
behind. II then relates the rebuild
ing period when offices were given
to those who were qualified through
leadership OF the tougher element
This is the foundation that ID. w.
Griffith had when he began building
his picture masterpiece. He added
a battle scene here. a mob scene
there. Intervene love story. and
retOld in pictures those stirring days
in American history.
Famous scenes Repeated.
Scenes and instances made famous
i'm American history are repeated.
The assassination Of Pres't Lincoln.
the surrender OF Lee and the first
session of the North Carolina legisla-
ture are shown.
But the success Of "The Birth of
a Nation" is due to the marvellous
war pictures. Sherman's march to
the sea, the flight from Atlanta and
the burning of the city. the charge
the battle at night and the departure
Of the troops to the front called for
men trained in the bearing Of arms.
and Griffith had them.
The Introduction of a large or
chestra that suited its music to the
picture; that played old southern
melodies. then melodies of home and
family, then swung into a martial
march. the rattle Of drums and the
tunes that bring forth mans deep
est emotion-the love for his country
helped materially. 1t was the
touch that was needed, and Griffith,
master that he is. did not overlook
this detail.
A love story runs throughout. 1t
deals with the love of a southern
man and woman with a northern
man and woman. They meet before
the war. then meet afterwards. Their
ideas are different. but eventually
cupid wins. and the finale sees them
united for life.
Wars horrors are not forgotten.
For two comrades. one of the blue
and one Of the gray, are reunited on
the battlefield only TO pass to the
great beyond after renewing their
and forgetting the cry of
blood that each experienced when
face to face he met the enemy of
his flag.
There is plenty of action in the
first act, then at the beginning of
the second act the play lags just
little. But for a climax the Ku Klux
Khan is introduced. and here is
where The Birth of a Nation"
scores.
ku kluX Khan Hit
Few prettier pictures have been
shown i'm any theater than the
charge of the Ku Klux Khan. CARRIED
in white, with their mounts almost
entirely covered with white, the khan.
apparently more than a thousand
strong, rode on its way TO remedy
wrongs. A red glow was cast over
the entire ensemble and man and
steed seemed inspired like the cru
saders of old Through dale and
over hill, through river and over
highway the mounted horssmen
sped They were i'm grim earnest,
for tneir business was TO disarm all
Negroes who had been armed by the
fortune-seek whites from the
north. who were using the Negroes
10 place themselves in power
Through the second act mulattO
who has been elected lieutenant gov
ernOr plays q prominent part. He is
the leader OF the carpet baggers and
is urged on by the northern leader
who disapproved of Lincoln's policy
TO treat the south as 1t had never
been gone" His plans all fail when
the Ku kluX Klan comes to the
rescue.
The Birth of Nation" is a series
of big spectacles. These spectacles
are what makes the show a success.
Then added To this is the fact that.
no matter how small a detail, il has
not been overlooked. The Birth Of
Nation" is the pinacle of the NOV
ing picture 1t may not be the eli
max. but it is far above all others
which have been shown in South
Bend
The parts in the play are we'll