New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-26

It's the simplest thing
If you only sing
Oh. Oh! Oh. Oh. OH
Miss Anna Held is the headliner on
the bill at the Palace Theatre this
week. She sang several new songs
Yesterday. but could not leave the
stage until she had confessed; IL just
can't max, my eyes behave" Her
ability 70 make her eyes misbehave
has abated not one whit. She still
possesses fair face. a regular figure
and an irregular accent As the ship
news man said. anna Held has been
through fire." and there remains Anna
Held, the unchastened woman.
According to our programme, the
sixth performer on the bill was David
Sapirstein, "the Great Amer. can
Master Pianist" who was making his
debut in vaudeville. His first selec-
tor. said the programme, was Hun
garian rhapsody, by List. We were
a bit puzzled when he played IN
piano with one hand and kept time
with the other as he sang the verse,
and our doubt became downright sus'
picion as the chorus swung into
relation Of the virtues OF one Peace
ful Rafferty,"
We then discovered that the per
former was Ernest R. Ball. David
Sa5irstein. it seems. had made a de5u
right in front of US while We vainly
imagined that he was Ernest r. Ball.
the popuar composer, playing a selec-
ton OF his own successes
There was honor enough for both
pianists. Mr.. SaDirstein did his List
beautifully. and Ernes, Ball has a new
song I'm which he contreverts the doc
trines OF the lady who didn't raise he
bow TO be a soldier. According TO Mr.
Rail-. IL war comes, you'll be there"
The audience volunteered enthusiast
cally.
Other acts on the bill at the Palace
are Marie 10 ard company IN an eK-
tremely artistic posing act, Harry FOX
and Yancsi Dolly in familiar bu. anus
ing nonaense, Arnaut Brothers, pair
Of clever tumblcrs: Amelia Stone and
her company in one of those musical
comedies which is laid in a studio, and
y rather ingenious sketch called The
Cherry Tree" in which Harry Green Is
featured.
Probably nobody will dispute the fact
that David w. Griffith is the great god
of film battles. He has harnessed
Mars and compelled him 70 do tricks
9t a word of command. THE Martyrs
~ the Alamo" Is the most successful
campaign which has ever been waged
across n screen. This splendid war
nicture il the feature Of the Triangle
till at the Knickerbocker Theatre TINS
week.
As an historian Griffith chooses to
adort he method of Macaulay rather
than that OF Hume. The Triangle d.
rector is always seeking TO make the
hest possible case for his side. lie 10
not an impartial narrator. Mexico ana
,he Nexicans do not fare very well at
the hands of Griffith. The troubles
which led 10 the rebellion Of Texas,
seemingly, were all Of their making.
Mr.. Griffith undoubtedly would have
nreferred 10 have saved the heroic gar
rison Of tie Alamo with a cayalcade OF
galloping horsemen, but he yielded 70
history and let them die after each
man had killed his hundred Mexicans.
The men Of Santa Anna fell like leaves
in autumn; no, more than that. they
fell like comic characters in farce Dy
Mack Sennett
The handling OF the battle scenes IA
sunerb. Horsemen and footmen are
hurled against the old fort from every
angle. 4 particularly effective bit OF
the picture shows the Alamo at some
distance with a foreground fairly TEEN
ing with scurrying soldiers. OF course
the cavalry dashes are well done ana
there are a number OF amazing falls
which left the spectator half out Of his
seat and the rider wholly 80.
The story is told with speed and
skill. Speed is one OF the best quail
ties Of a Griffith picture. He Is much
more interested in action than in char
Gcteriza;ion and his people must make
their points in Il hurry and then move
on. Yet in spite Of the fact that &C
ton is always the FIRST consideration
in "The Martyrs OF the Alamo, Sam
De Grasse as Silent Smith, walter
Long "a Santa Anna. A. D. Sears as
David Crockett and Alfred Paget Is
James Bowie are all distinctly drawn.
The east is made up, we believe, en-
tirely If moving picture people as OPP
posed 20 carpet baggers from the regu-
lar stage. This possibly is one Of the
reasons Why the picture Is so extremely
we'll done.
The film does not leave the Alamo
unavenged. but shows how Texas was
vlrested from Mexico and the training
camp at Marlin won for the New York
Giants. Anybody who sees the Griffith
picture will not find il difficult 20
Remember the Alamo"
Thomas Ince chooses a familiar plot
and develops u in conventional manner
In "Ma.rimony" Julia Dean is wife
whose husband is beginning 10 grow
careless in his affection and so she
decides TO win him back by making him
Jealous OF course she succeeds. Julia
Dean does well as the wife.
OF the two comics II should suffice 10
say that one is called Pickle Fatty's
Fall" and that in the other the hero
is dropped out Of burning building
into water bucket and later assailed
with fire hose. Both pictures Created
much merriment. but we wish to record
Q minority opinion.