The sun., 1916-12-25
FARRAR TRIUMPHS
AS MAID OF ORLEANS
Gives Picturesque Characteri-
cation Of "JOan the Woman"
in Movie Film.
SETTINGS IMPRESSIVE
Battle Scenes and Cellars Of
Rheims Prison Show
Realistic Details.

IN 4 series nj bea utiful pictures
shown at the Forty-fourth street The
atrc 10y Jesse Lasky Saturday after
noon Joan OF Arcs history was seen by
az audience hat found the cinema as Q
whole quito the most interesting and
spectacular ever seen In New York.
AiIrt from the technical beauty Of the
pictures. which is more or less to be
taken ~ a matter OF course In these
DAYS. thcr" was less Of the bad taste and
b~analiiy and the appeal to the lower
standards OF enjoyment common to
neaJy all Of these pictures. In fact
these characteristics OF the customary
evening filling cinema were nearly al.
together lacking.
Then in another respect Joan the
woman is altogether different n su-
pcrior 10 the average cinema. The In
terror scenes. whether they be In the
cathedral at Rheims or in tho cloisters
OF Archbishop C3uchon. were quite as
Impressive as the beautiful exteriors
which showed. among many others, the
Notifications OF Orleans during the VIC
torious battle OF the Maid and the Gel
lar Of the prison. Nothing could be
more realistic thar the scurryins vii
layers OF Domremy trying to protect
Their livc' and provender from the in
vad.ng B~urgundians.
Photon raphic Work Good.
The figure OF Joan OF Arc az Miss
Farrar plumply incarnated her. riding
through he forests will the figure OF
death floating ahea,. on horseback, was
an imaginative episode that frequently
REQUIRED. while an "A mere stunt OF
photography there WIS probably moth.
Ing superior to the occasional glimpse OF
the sword as II appeared to Joan when
the voices spoke.
Grandiose p~aSeantry marked the cere-
monies Of the coronation at Rheims.
which were conducted with n dignity and
distinction rarely seen under such condi-
tions. The draperies OF the dignitarIes
hung with the richness of genuinely costly
fabrics and the armor in the battle at
Orleans suggested n real transfer of
MEDIEVAL warfare to the California stu.
dos. This battle scene. with it's con.
stantly changing view of the conflict. Inc
struggles of the opposing forces for the
standard on the tower. the repulses and
victories or the two parties. was all set
iorth very thrillingly and In the fulles,
detail. Admirable the achievement was
from beginning tn end as a specimen OF
the cinema which departs from the mos,
obvious uses of the moving picture.
It's technical perfection is perhaps no,
~ surprising. since at this stage Of IL,
development the cinema must AWAY,
possess this quality. Imagination, taste
ana beauty. however. are not always &c
Dc found. They exist in such a high de.
gree IN the pictures at the Forty-fourtt
street Theatre. however. tina Il liz nos.
slhle TO forgive the intensely sentimental
treatment of the tale. In view Of II.
merits one may almost excuse its cxces.
sVe length AS well as the anti-clima,
caused by the tortures of Joan before he,
martyrdom.
Farrar's Work Powerful.
Tully Marshall's wickednes,
or expression is one OF the striking fea,
cures OF the actors work, While tn,
pulchritudinous Wallace Reds preemi
nenoe as the matinee dol of the screer
10 stu safe. Geraldine Farrar's facia
expression 10 sometimes potent in ex
plainlng the scene. But cinema actin
II not unlike interpretative dancing N
one respect. You pay your non an,
take your choice. Then youth an,
beauty are the most important posses
sionS OF the moving picture actor unles,
one he as distinctly blood curdling I,
look az as Mr.. Marshall.
william Furst has supplied an clio
ouent and moving musical accountant
ment. But why did he play the MAR
eeiIialse at the coronation of Charlie,
VII? ~