Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-09-28
REHEARSED 127 TIMES

REHEARSAL w IiMEo
| Two Years Covered Time Spent in
Endeavorins to Catch Fleeing
Glimpse Of Expressions on Actors
in Wedding Compact Scene in
"Hearts Of the World" Griffith
Like Searcher Of Old for His Holy
| GraiI-Desired Effect Self Apparent
in Importance
| When Hearts Of the World" is
shown for the first time at the Au-
eusta Opera house Oct. there VIII
be few in the audience who will real
izc that one single scene of this mas
tcl. production was rehearsed exactly
IL times before David Wark Crit
Eth called Camera"
Many will think that a scene re-
curing so many rehearsals must be
quite magnificent, kind of piano.
ramic spectacle like the massive
groupings in che Birth Of a Nation,
on Intolerance" Griffith's two form
cr productions. Contrary to this, the
scene upon which so much time was
spent, is neither elaborate nor mag
nificent, and still every one VINO sees
il will realize why so much time was
consumed on it and why the great d.
rector attached so much Importance
to it.
| 1t is said on good authority that for
two years Mr.. Griffith planned to
get the particular expression ne
sought from the faces Of the talent
cd juvenile players, Lillian Gish and
Robert Harron. Untold or unwarned,
probably nobody would single out
this one scene as the work of nearly
two years. yet everybody VIII note
The expression of reverence IN the
faces of the two players as Mr.. Har-
ron slips the band of gold on the slim
finger # Miss Gish, and looking up
ward, says: IF we are taken. Goa
will know that we died man and
wife"
This scene was rehearsed two years
! ago; in fact, it was the first scene re-
hearsed and the last to be shot" In
| the interim, during all the long
weary months on the battleheids OF
| France, this scene was gone over
again and again. Miss Gish herself
| tells Of rehearsing it also in 2 Lon
don hotel, on the boat to france
on the battlefelds with shells
screaming overhead. on the way
back to America. in a New YORK
hotel, and on the train to LOS Ange-
! les. But like the searcher OF old Grl1-
| fifth did not find mis- Holy Grail until
| one day upon his return to his home
| in Pasadena, Cal, when the three
were again going over the wedding
T, compact, he caught just a dieting
glimpse Of the expression he want
/ ed.
He was like child with a new
| toy" says Miss Lillian Gish. new
| er have seen him happier than When'
on that afternoon, he sent for his
cameraman, and secured the scene
lust as he had wanted it."
| II would Of course be unfair TO say
that this one scene stands out among
all the rest in such a production as
"Hearts of the World" for the sim
ME reason that there are many hum
dreds Of equally painstakingly pre-
nared scenes, each one measured by
tho unerring and critical eye Of this
master producer. J.,
! David Wark Griffith. who IS ~ all
odds the David Belasco of the mo-
ton picture world, goes about his
work lust as an artist bent upon
| nainting a masterpiece, surveys each
fresh daub Of paint to get his eHect'
The aggregate effect determines the
masterpiece.
Is there a theatrical producer alive
| who ever spent IS months on one
| production? hardly. Yet this IS the
amount Of TING and concentrated
thought David w Griffith devoted to
the production of Hearts Of the
World" which Immediately was ac-
claimed his supreme triumph Of direc-
| ton. His background was the war
front in France. His characters were
humans in the midst Of an awful
| tragedy. yea he intermingled in al
the melee of gas attacks-fame
| waves-bombardme and aero
| plane fights a wonderful love story
| that no heart can resist.
Nobody knows how much it cost for
D. w. Griffith to film his supreme
| triumph, Hearts Of the World" and
nobody seems to care. Mr.. Griffith,
| hinse doesn't know. All he feels
! about it is that the greatest ambi-
| ton Of his life is realized. which is
| more to him than money.
D. w. Griffith. producer Of 1.-THE
| Birth Of a Nation" Intolerance"
and Hearts Of the World" is now in
Los Angeles arranging for several
| special features for the Aircraft
management. Lillian Gish, Dorothy
GiSh and Robert Harron PRINCIPALS