The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-08
DAUGHTER OF Gods
Fox Masterpiece One of Screens
Greatest Productions.
Annette Kellermann at Her
Best i'm Big Pageant.

Modern photography, under guild
/ ance of master hands, has in the last
/ two years produced for the moving
picture world a premier triumvirate
which, for years to come, will set a
pace for the efforts of producers
David Wark Griffith produced the
first of the trio in THE Bi1th of
Nation" a stupendous thing of sim
plicity and power. Because of the
state censors it was shown only to
private audience in Topeka-several
months ago. Then came William Fox
with "A Daughter of the Gods" cost
! ing a million dollars, film OF ran
! tastic beauty, telling a story OF en-
chantment. Not to be outdone, GrlI-
! fifth made another supreme effort ana
placed before the world intolerance:
! the master reproduction OF Darparlc
spIendor and power, telling the SIM
pie but gripping story of loves strug-
| gle thru the ages. intolerance was
seen here last week.
! At the Grand this week, William
Pox's contribution to world master
pieces is being shown. True 10 ad-
vance notices it stands shoulder 10
shoulder with the results OF any otner
production. 1t tells story OF the
! long ago when fairies, snoihes, 1--WE
and witches ruled the world and NOR
tails were but things that obeyed their
will.
Made in Jamaica.
Scenes are photographed on the
Island of Jamaica and in the trans
parent blue waters surrounding FOX
in making his picture, chose Tor the
leading part Annette Kellermann, the
worlds most perfect woman; ana sur
rounded her with a countless cast ana
went to Jamaica where the cast was
further added to by thousands or ma
Il ct1sEa Z
south sea he builded an oriental CITY,
and placed therein more than sU'ooo
habitants, ruled by a sultan whose
harem was filled with beauties from
the four corners of the earth. 70 play
opposite Miss Kellermann, he selected
William Shay.
The first caption on the film asks
grown-upS to make believe they are
again children. First, of course, comes
the prologue woven around TWO pli as,
Anita, a captive and Blue blrd OF
the open. One meets a violent death,
the other throws itself into the sea
Then the gods take a hand and Anita
is turned into "A Daughter of the
Gods" borne by mermaids in a great
ivory shell. The Blue bird of the
open becomes the prince of the story
and thus begins the play.
Anita is Slave.
Anita is captured and sold on the
slave market into the harem of the
sultan where she again meets the
prince, and falls in love. Their af-
lection is championed by the good
fairies and opposed by the witches.
In scenes that ensue, Miss Kellermann
is afforded much opportunity to show
her swimming abilities. She is swept
thru rapids and angry seas with hands
and feet bound by rope. Another
time she dives from great tower
over a high cliff into the sea to es-
cape the sultan.
The Oriental city which Fox built
was erected to be destroyed. This
comes about in a battle between the
princes men and gnomes, changed by
FAIRIES into men of valor, and led by
Miss Kellermann. With ViSOrs down,
the two meet on the city wall and
Anita who believes she is fighting for
deliverance Of the prince, is hurled,
armor, horse and all into the sea. An
ambitious harem favorite kills the
prince after the city has been burned
and the gods again take a hand. Anita
and her prince are decreed immortals,
never again to part.
"A Daughter of the Gods" has no
particular aim, it teaches no lesson,
it has no moral, has no particular
theme. but simply is a three-hour film
of beauty and enchantment.
A special orchestra furnishes music
which is one of the features of the
picture H f, c.