Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-19
Belasco.

"a Daughter Of the Gods the screen
fantasy, with Annette Kellermann in
the title role. was presented at the
Belasco last night. The production is
said to have cost a million dollars
Reckoned by the appreciation Of a snow
defying audience it was worth the
money. Miss Kellermann was given
whirlpools, cascades. rock toothed
breakers and plain ocean to swim in;
sultan to dance before, a fairyland to
play in and an army to lead to war. To
ma terialize environments in keeDinp
with the activities of this superwoman
OF the screen the Fox million waved its
golden wand and a city of Moorish
splendor rose on the shores of King
ston, with the tropic loneliness of all
less sea billowing from beach to sky
| line.
The magic of the same wand created
queer, happy world. inhabited by APP
parent thousands of tiny. white beard
ed gnomes. and yet another sea king
dom, where forever happy mermafds
breasted pillows and danced in foamy
Spray.
There is a prologue, in which a bird
escapes from cage--its earthly prison
and becomes Anita. daughter of
the gods. The story is told in two parts
and many scenes, and everything hap
pened long time ago in a country not
on the map. The land is ruled by
through grief for long lost son. who
was lost In the sea. The Witch Of Bad
ness, jealous Of the power of the Fairy
or Goodness, who guards Anita. prom
ises to restore the prince from his sea
grave If the sultan will put the maid to
death.
stolen by desert thieves, she has AL
ready been sold to the royal harem.
and dances before the ruler, who offers
her Jewels and caresses She snurps
II. no. l6lr e
restored prince. The sultan, Jealous on
MS own account, imprisons Anita in a
formidably high tower. and she dives
from a window into the sea Chased
by scores of slaves, she is captured.
bound and thrown to the crocodiIes
The instant the girl touches the water
her good fairy changes the huge. wide
1awed creatures into swans. Fearing
the sultan's wrath, the eXecutioners
open the water gates, and Anita is
swept over a cascade into the whirl-
pool below. There is no screen decep-
tiveness in the sensational exhibit.
MISS heliermann, bound from neck to
ankles, is spun around In the frothy
undercurrent, dashed against rocks, and
finally sWims out to sea Her friends.
the mermaids, direct her to the friendly
gnomes, and Anita is happy among
them until the fairy calls on her to
lead the little people against the sui
tan in defense of the prince, who has
been bound to seq rock to die. The
larry citaESeS the d~aTlS INTO SpleEGlu-
ly vigorous crusaders, with Anita at
their head.
There is the clash OF cross and cres-
cent: the scaling of the city.s walls
the terrified fight OF harem women,
slaves and dancing girls: the destruc-
ton of the city by fire, and supreme
moment when Prince Omar. freed to
defend his fathers realm against the
enemy. meets Anita, each with visor
lowered. and the daughter Of the gods
IL slain by the lover she had fought to
save.
The prince dies and the two are hap
PLY reunited in "the land of the Great
Beyond" katherine Lee as the little
girl who pinned to death for her be-
loved bird and is transformed into a
coral-crowned mermaid excels even
her remarkable work with Miss Keller
mann in The Daughter OF Neptune"
and her baby sister. Jane Lee, was
wonderfully cunning as mfnnowl
norman who on earth was the little
prince who was lost In the sea- While
the production primarily demonstrates
the spectacular power of the screen.
one persistent idea threads the iri-