New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-07
David Griffith Picks Up
Well Known City
Which Fell.
INTOLERANCE" HAS
MANY WONDERS
Huge Picture Is a Success
in Spite of Some
AbSurdities.
By HAYWOOD BROUN.


David ". Griffith is an immature
philosopher. Z wrongheaded sociologist,
a hazy theologian, famboyant his
torian. put a great movie man. As q
picture Intolerance" is quite the most
marvellous thing which has been Dut
On the screen. but as g theory OF life
It is trite without being true. NJ.
Griffith ought 20 know that "laissez
faire" is the battle cry OF lost cause
and that mild wines and beer is
slogan which no longer thrills. Il is
pity that a man with this producers
power should 90 out Of his way 70 at
tack such a usetu. institution. FOR in
stance, as the juvenile court; and
whatever the defects Of organized
charity It no way merits the abuse
heaped upon it by intolerance"
As a matter Of fact, the scheme OF
Griffith is not logical. The piece IS
called "a sun play Of the ages which
doesn't mean anything a. all, but N
the course OF the picture i is made
clear that the author believes the fa.l
of Babylon, the crucihXion. the
Huguenot massacre and social reform
of to-day were al animated BY the
same spirit. which is that Of persecu-
ton or intolerance In other words,
Mr.. Griffith would have US believe that
Catherine de Medici was a former in
Caruatou OF Carrie Nation and that
Cyrus was the spiritual ancestor OF
Robert Fulton Cutting. The philosophy
Of intolerance really doesn't make
any ciferancc and viii not deJract
from anybody's enjoyment OF the
picture. but II merits consideration
since the producer evidently sets great
store by IL.
Grifith's history is much more en-
tertaini1S than his philosophy. II is
as vivid as hacu.ay and about as ac-
curate. The master OF the screen
seems 70 have discovered history in
his maturity. As such Il is not a dull
memory Of school study. but some
thing fresh and alive; something 70
get excited about, like Maurice Nc
LoUghlin or the Giants or Theodore
Roosevelt.
Griffith is tickled 70 death 70 learn
that there was once town called
Babylon full Of folk who loved and
laughed and fought, with never
thought that they we're ancients. He
thrills 20 the poets Nv hen ! was
king in Babylon and YOU were slap
stuck slave" and puts slave, slapstick
and king into the picture.
Il may be remembered that Augustus
Thomas once discovered science late in
life and manifested symptoms OF en-
thusiasm similar 10 those which Grif-
fth is now showing.
Paris Of the late sixteenth century
and Palestine az the time OF Christ in
terest Griffith greatly. but Babylon is
more 20 him than California 20 q ma
tive son. While u may be true tina.
Babylon has fallen. Griffith has caught
il on the first bounce. Up 60 the walls
again and the great temples and the
m gnty gates and the palaces.
A greas rccorstructor IS Grifth.
We haven't a doubt that ne could put
Humpty Dumpty together again. But
then the king with a. ms horses ana
men never mustered such an army as
Griffith has modified 20 capture
Babylon. One view ~ particular gives
the impression Of thousands upon
thousands OF men marching. From the
effect the producer has gained u MI ht
be the never ending gray army which
Richard Harding Davis saw flowing
through Brussels. The battle before.
on and over the walls is quite the
finest achievement Of moving picture
art. l. is a wall wide enough for two
chariots 20 drive abreast OF each
other. and they do. Great towers top
pie and fame and the ar IS dark with
md
Griffith is sometimes BIT TOO literal
in his slaughter. Upon az least one
occasion he permits a warrior 20 start
4 sword slash on one side OF an OPP
ponents neck and finish or the other.
OF course. we don't doubt that u was
a property head which rolled of, and
vet we mourned rs loss.
Not only is Babylon the most i'm
pressive Pretoria, portion Of the Grif-
nth film, but il is the scene Of the
best OF the four stories. As a matter
Of fact. there are only three stories,
and that Of the French period is slight
~ developed. Not a great deal OF time
is spent In Palestine. where occasional
glimpses are furnished OF tn life Of
Christ These pictures are beautiful,