The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-12-09

GranQ tneater IN Bemldjl Christmas,
The following is a, review of the play
by George Blaisdell in the Moving
Picture World.
Staged amid the crumbling monu-
ments of ancient Rome and the mag
nificent piles of the modern capital,
"The Eternal City, produced in
eight parts by the Famous Players,
will rank with the worlds best kline
photographic accomplishments. This
.adaption Of Hall Gaines famous book
is dramatic and spectacular
ttriumph. Entering into its making is
a combination of factors that is rare.
In the first place, it is directed by
Edwin S.. Porter and Hugh Ford, a
union of screen and stage authorities.
Then there is a story of dramatic
power, a human story, a story of the
heart. 1t touches the lives Of two
children, a boy and a girl, and it
follows these two into manhood and
womanhood. In it's course it comes
in contact with the humble and the
great, with the working forces of a.
nation and with the ruling forces:
with church dignitaries, surrounded
by all the panoply of exalted station
and also revealed as men with human
ties and animated by the same i'm
pulses as sway other men. Then
there are the remarkable backgrounds
the sacred and impressive reminders
of the glories of other ages and the
architectural wonders erected by
church and state of a later day.
"To Pauline Frederick has been
given the role of Dona Roma. Miss
Frederick shows in strong contrast
the two personalities butterfly,
the favorite of the ruling statesmen,
and the woman who falls under the
spell of man who loves her. If in
the beginning she fail to charm, if
we see only the heartless woman,
the known sinner against the conven-
tions of society publicly uncovered to
the sneers of the world and bent on
revenge, all the more surely and ef-
fectively do we later feel the influence
of the real woman when she finds
herself. True it is that this is Miss
Frederick's first appearance before
the camera, but we have no outward
indication of the fact. The superb
artist stands out, and at no time
more strongly than in the scene in
her studio where David sits as a
model for one of the apostles as he
believes, for Judas Iscariot as she
has told Bonelli. David is telling of
his childhood, and in the story there
enters child, a little girl, in whom
Roma gradually discovers herself.
And this is but one of many.
Thomas Holding is David Rossi.
Mr.. Holding gives fine, finished
performance. His Interpretation of
the well-born man who devotes his
life to the less fortunate is virile.
There is in it the tenderness that
goes with strength, the capacity for
action that lies in the dreamer reused.
1t may be only a coincidence, but it
it a noteworthy fact that the man
much resembles the child David,
which markedly does work that
stands out, as do also Fuller Mellish,
George Majeroni, John Clulow and ].
Albert Hall. There is an unusually
long cast, and it is a most competent
one. "
"In the first part we delve deep into
the heart of the story. Little David,
the victim of an unspeakable padrone,
in snowstorm falls asleep on the
doorstep Of DR.. Roselli. Under the
tattered coat is a squirrel, the only
object of affection possessed by the
child. The benevolent doctor takes
David into the house and brings back
the ebbing life. The squirrel is dead,
and David weeps. Little Roma puts
her hand on the ragamuffin's head
and tries to console him. We have
heart interest right here, and in
abundance. It holds throughout the
entire production.
"Wonderfully effective are the
scenes showing the Pope's jubilee
the great Plaza, the winding religious
PROFESSIONS, the crowd listening to
David Rossi, and the premier and his
mistress on the balcony looking on:
Most remarkable of all, however, are
the views of the great public meeting
in the Coliseum. One feels impelled
to inquire if at any time, anywhere,
has a dramatic subject been staged
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