Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1915-05-10

| W III manager Mace Ol lHS
Arizona Theater, be permitted to
show "Hypocritesi the wonderful
! four part Paramount picture, in which
| Margaret Edwards appears in the
! nude as Naked Truth picture that
was placed under police ban in
Chicago and Columbus. Ohio. and
came near the same fate in Los An.
geles? "Hypocrites" is billed for the
| Arizona for three days beginning next
! Sunday This is the first formal men,
ton of the engagement of this film,
but for several DAYS there have been
/ those with whom Manager Mace has
conferred who have strongly advised
| against the venture. There are those
who have even told Mace they would
90 10 almost any end in their efforts
to prevent "Hypocrites' being shown
here.
Probab bly, no picture in years has
created such diversity of discus
sion or been more widely condemned
in one breath and praised in another.
Lois Weber wrote and produced the
play. Perhaps the first idea. came
from Faugeron's painting THE Truth"
| but he that as it may, there is in
the photoplay that which seems to
tend toward a healthy view of the
construction OF All vices, HN DOCIiSN-
Some of the details in the construc-
ton of the play may be open 10
question on the score of good taste or
of intruding unnecessarily into opin-
ions of people on certain lofty themes
which have nothing to do with the
lesson to be conveyed, nor with
yruth.
Briefly, the story of the play is
this:
Gabriel. an ascetic monk of olden
time. labOrs to perfect an image of
Truth. consecrating himself with fast
ing and prayer, and keeping his work
secret One monk. holder than the
rest, spies upon him, but is blinded
ty the light of Truth and can see
nothing.
The unwilling of the statue is made
Il Fete day, and all gather to listen to
the address of the Abbot, who himself
consents to unveil Ciabriel's gift. The
covering is pulled aside. and there
stands a figure of Truth, naked. I'm
able to see with the eyes of the
spirit, the people. with one accord,
rush upon Gabriel and kill him. Only
two can look upon Truth unflinch
ingly. a little child and the woman
who loves Gabriel a Magdalene looks
upon the statue and falls PROSTATE.
weeping bitterly The woman who
loves him covers the dead Gabriel
with her veil, which turns from white
to black as she bends over him.
Nearby the Magdelene crouches.
This forms the prologue of the
story. which. told in a reverent and
deeply religious vein. makes an in
deIfble impression. and prepares the
spectator for the modern scenes which
are the main theme.
We see Gabriel as the minister of
n present day church, frail and i'll.
hut fired with divine inspiration. In
the congregation are the same people
who. in the prologue. stoned the
monk to death. Now they are bored
or shocked by his denunciation of
hypocrisy. Only the woman who
loved him now a singer in his choir
anG the Magdalene who kneels in
prayer after the others have left.
understand The spying monk is now
a choir boy surreptitiously reading
newspaper during service.
LET: alone after service. the minister
finds the newspaper, with its repro
duction of Faugeron's famous paint
ing. The Truth. and vague memories
stir. He sinks into dream. His
DOuN III lHt lOIIl vi Nfcibi Ni' AiiN
ascetic. leaves his present-day body,
and accompanied scenes of the story,
showing him in this wondrous mirror
of hers the real actions of the charac-
tiers.
Society and civic leaders in Los
Angeles were divided in opinion as
to whether "Hypocrites' was fit
play to be seen. Mrs. Fl. H Rose, |
wife of Mayor Rose of Los Angeles |
said ITO the pure all things are
pure is a saying that has been APP |
piled more to the nude in art than |
probably anything else. In 'Hypo-
critics only those seeking evil can !
find it. To me The Truth was what
it was meant TO be. purely SYMBOL |
cal and only those who seek to ma |
terialize the vision of Truth can con- !
ceive of indecency or immortality IN !
the picture If we were to take the
standpoint of the censors seriously !
we would have to close up our art
galleries and cover up the statues in |
our museums. ! can see nothing in
the picture to condemn.
Then Mrs Russell r. Hallett a |
member of the board of censors OF |
Los Angeles. who voted against the |