The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-23
THE BIRTH OF A NATION

about, and probably the most sought
after, man in America. He learned
how to plan things, the making OF
the 5000 scenes of "The Birth OF a
Nation" or he would be lost. He
gallops through the myriad-and-one
business details of a theatrical sue
cess without turning a hair or de-
veloping the slightest case OF
"nerve." When the turmoil and the
tumult dies, and the hours wax
small, his refreshment is the dance
or friendly chat with round table
of chums.
It was said on the first night in
New York that only the son Of a
soldier could have conceived and
executed 1.-THE Birth Of Nation"
As a Kentucky lad, the son OF
Brieadier-General J. w. Griffith, he
drank in the Civil War narratives
greedily. As he grew up came the
poets vision of the entire struggle
and of Reconstruction days. In the
prime Of manhood awoke the genius
to make it a reality.
While planning the Battle OF
Petersburg, Griffith drilled the regi-
ments as faithfully as Kitchiner in
England or McClellen on the Poto-
mac. Like them, he had national
euardsmen to work with. They knew
the manual of arms, but had to &C
quire the grand tactics of picture
evolutions. After the drill was COM
pleted, the director took his thous-
ands Of militiamen on months
countryside campaign. Each squad
ron was commanded by a sub-dir-
ector.
Pioneers preceded the soldiers to
dig the long miles of trenches, to
throw up entertainments, and repro
duce the physical landmarks of the
battle. Among the noted Petersburg
landmarks was high tower. Griffith
made it serve a double purpose by
using it as q field headquarters.
From its lofty eminence, he COM
manded the whole range of mount
ain and valley. Right at hand was a
modern telephone switchboard.
From it field-wires ran to his var
ious sub-generals. Mostly these
wires were in conduits underground,
they had to be, or the camera would
have produced the anachronism of
field-telephones in Civil War time.
Thus completely equipped as a
modern Joffre or Won Hindenburg,
Griffith saw everything and tele-
phoned all his instructions. In the
artillery actions, real cannon were
used which discharged real shells.
All were Of the 1854 pattern. When
the infantry got busy, they used the
antique Springfield muskets with
the old-fashioned bayonets. As the
men charge, it is to be seen that
their uniforms are far form spick
and span. Many Of them the coat
less and hatless; the clothing of
others is tattered the flags, even
have the look Of battle-scarred rib
bons. For the first time the CRIME,
dirt, sordidness, as well as the glory
Of war, is accurately presented.
Plainly War, as Griffith makes it,
is not a days outing for small and
struggling crew Of picture takers. It
is hard, grueling continuous work.
Regiments, brigades, not companies
are employed. There's everything
from the far-flung panorama of the
general battle to the handgrips of
personal combat. Many hundreds of
separate and distinct scenes are TAX
en-. The amount of labor and detail
in the Battle Of Petersberg alone
would more than equal the combined
labors of actors and stage directors
in a dozen "indoor" productions.
This wonderful feature will be
shown at the Evangeline April End
and 3rd.