The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-11-12
Hearts of The World

Hearts of the World" D. w. Grit
fith's supreme triumph, is the attrac.
ton at the Walnut Street Theatre,
Philadelphia-the oldest and safest
playhouse in America.
This production comes to Philadel-
phia in the very height of its remark
able success and with the record of
rivaling Mr.. Griffith's 1.-THE Birth of a
Nation" and Intolerance, both OF
which established this dramatic genius
as the greatest producer of entertain
ments and spectacles. Daily at 2
O'Clock there is matinee and the night
performance at 8.
Hearts of the World" is not a war
play, although Mr.. Griffith spent
eighteen months on the battlefields of
Europe securing the war material en-
ployed in the latter part of his story.
The producer himself describes it as
The story of village; an old-fashion-
ed play with new fashioned theme. +"
W lille the present conflict in Europe is
shown in all its magnitude and reality
it served only as the background for a
happy story of the lives of verv simple
folk in a small village in France.
where lovers dream under the music of
moonlight on easement windows and
where the very air has stirred the
hearts of the greatest lovers in history
Hearts of the World" might be
more aptly styled romance of love
and war, with love first and foremost.
The fact. is that the stirring battle
scenes only emphasize the love ele-
ment, Just as the young people of the
play represent not only themselves, but
the hearts of fl,o v,arlI
Mr. Grlfhth's production has for its
locale small village in Flanders, that
ancient territory, partly in Belgium,
partly IN France. When the story
opens all is peace and the echo of the
lives OF two artist friends, Americans.
who have made France their homes
Tor years, is being heard in the lives of
their children, The Boy and The Girl.
Fate intervenes early in the acton of
the play. The girl gives up her con.
templated trip TO America to remain
In France with her French "beaupere"
ana grandmother, to comfort them in
their old age. Comes the boy, remain.
ing In France for arts sake, and thew
meet. 1t is case of love at first sight.
Each knows that there is no "other,"
each feels that the world would be
empty indeed without the other. And
SO all goes well-until war is declared.
The Boy who, although an American,
feels that the country that is good
enough to live in is good enough to
fight for, joins the French army.
The wedding day is deferred. The
brides trousseau is carefully laid
away. Grief at parting takes the place
70 De occupied by Joy at joining their
lives, and The Boy goes off to war.
Such in brief is the outline of the
story of Hearts of the World" but no
words could convey the beauty of
this idyl of young, pure love, just as
no words could describe the tremendous
events that followed, events that were
photographed by Mr.. Griffith at the
risk OF his own life and that bring
to the people of America a greater
realization of wars reality than anv.
thing thus far shown in this country.
The cast includes such wellknown
players as Lillian and Dorothy Gish,
Robert Harron, George Siegman,
Master Ben Alexander, George Faw-
cett, Josephine Crowell, Robert An
derson, Kate Bruce and others.
AS production, Hearts of the
World is declared to be Mr.. Griffith's
greatest triumph. A symphony or
chestra OF % musicians plays the sup
erb score that Eliminates the presen-
tation,