The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-03-29

II 'Oiseleur.......... Tully Marshall.
Gaspard. .........................La Larry Peyton.
and many others.
\ Terrible in its realism, magnificent
in its investiture, costuming and d.
rection; acted throughout with per-
feet art-'Joan the Woman" which
opened 1t engagement at the 44th
Street theatre Christmas night, is
perhaps the most dramatic and
wholly commendable screen offering
OF decade. 1t is difficult to see
how an advance is to be made on this
production and it should have the
effect of absolutely silencing those
critics of the motion pictures who
affect to regard them as unworthy
of serious consideration.
The spirit of France, which all the
world, even that portion which is in
imical, is disposed to admire and APP
plaud, shines through the screen, en-
visioned in the uplifted face of Ger
aldine Farrar as the martyred maid
of Orleans; reflected in the forest of
I lances and the FURNISHED armor of
the knights.
The days of chivalry, the times
when men rode forth gaily to GER
tain doom, worshipfully to win wor-
ship, plumes waving, penons flung
to the breeze-the days when valor
counted for more than life-are made
to live again for us on the enchanted
screen.
The cruelest thing the world has
knows is religious intolerance and
worthy second thereto has been the
ingratitude of kings; the most beau
tiful and the Dravest story that rings
down the corridors of time is that Of
Joan of Arc. who suffered from both
these causes, but whose spirit, it has
been truthfully said. can never die.
We get this story in Joan the
Woman'-a picture that stirs our
blood and rings our hearts.
Never have battle scenes been bet
ter shown than these dipicting the
deliverance of old Orleans by Joan's
army. The first epoch of the story
is record of valor and achievement.
The second epoch Is freighted with
the horror of dungeons and torture
and in the end the blazing faggots--
and the stake.
The cumulative effect of the arm
ored legions and the quivering lances,
the storming of the towers and the
final victory is nothing short of tre-
mendous. Equally moving, in a diff
ferent way. is the tragic ending.
Geraldine Farrar can scarcely hope
to surpass the Characterization Of
Joan. 1t is work of supreme art.
No less excellent is the interpreta-
ton Of Eric by Wallace Reid. The
same may be said for Raymond Hat
, ton. Hobart Bosworth. Theodore Rob-
erts. and others.
The direction is mastery, the pho
Biography fine; the double exposures
by which Joan's famous visions are
shown. admirable. The costuming
is beyond reproach. Indeed. we can
see no point open to criticism. The
musical score by VIM. Furst, with
its constantly recurring theme of the
"Marseilles." is fully adequate.
The story follows with considera-
I BILE accuracy the historical record,
hut the author has linked the past
with the present by suggestion of
the reincarnation theory, whereby
young British soldier "somewhere
in France" about to volunteer for
duty which means death, sees
Joan's spirit, and hears her say that
| the time has come for him to eXpl-
| ate the wrong he did her in ancient
years Then the story of Joan passes
1
| before his mental vision and we find
| him as the original Eric, who repaid
her generously by betraying her to
the Duke of Burgundy He strives
| to save her, but fails, and as she dies
at the stake, he awakens in the
twentieth century, goes forth and
meets his death before trench, his
| glazing eyes beholding again the
shadowy figure of the Maid Militant,
| with her hand extended in welcome.
The weakness OF the besotted
Charles VII; the wickedness of the
arch fiend Cauchon. and the gentle
love story, so soon turned to tragedy,