Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-02-21
FHE PRODUCERS
GIGANTIC TASK
All the Resources of Modern Stage.
craft Mobilized Cor Taking of IRE.
mendous PrOjcct-llOw the Supcr
Film, "Cicopntra," Was Made.

All who viii see Thcdn Bnrn Ms
Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen. in
William FoX's spectacular film. will
realizc the tremendous difficulties of
such production. This was no, (,
case of finding fitting natural CO.
Vironment for the characters, and the
actors once chosen, letting them plny
the story realistically ngSinst the
background. In attempting TO carry
back the imagination of the nudicnrc
nineteen hundred years, William Fox
called tn his MD all the resources Of
the inventive stage carpenter and
painter i'll order to create the illusion
That thia mighty drama of historical
Significance required.
lie built temples and palacics. lic
studied ship construction 80 that the
Egyptian galleys md the Roman
trircmcs taking part in the bnttlcs of
Actium looked like ancient vessels IN
stead of tho ST. Lawrence skilrs. He
was ever careful of keeping riom his
picture MI reminders of the twentieth
century.
But even after the settings were
made historically correct the most try-
ing part of the work was still before
him. Wherever an ancient civilization
is rcanlmated, the producer deals with
large groups and not with individual
actors. The people Of Importance in
ancient times had to live very much
on the outside, with the turbulent.
pleasure loving, easily swaying pop
ulnnce, who were tho scource of their
power. The funeral of julius Caesar
Mt which Brutua and Antony present
their case 10 the people in the open
market place, is splendid example of
TINS fact. We have another great pub
lie scene at the banquet of Isis, which
~ not private dinner party for II Sc
loot Egyptian "four hundred" but n
great public semi-rcligious festival.
The meeting of Cleopatra and An
tony at Tarsus was Il social airnir
of no small dimension. The willy
Queen knew well what she Was do,
ing-hcr aim vas to impress, not only
the luxury loving Antony, hut to
dazzle the eyes of his large retinuc Of
generals anL to have reports of her
beauty, wealth and generosity freely
circulated among the soldiers OF the
Roman lcgions. She knew that II hun
dred togucs were better than one
when 1t was II question of spreading
the fame Of Egypt over the Mcdter-
ranean. Nowadays, we have news
papers which send the reporters to
witness the functions of the mighty.
Nineteen hundred years ago each man
was his own reporter, and il curious
us to what the eminent statesman said
or the celebrated society woman
wore, he went after the story him
self"
Tho producers Of CLEOPATRA" fully
aware of these facts, have used every
means available TO the skilled film
director in presenting the movement
and the participation of large gaBses
Of people in the dramatic action Peo
pie take part in the funeral in the
Roman Forum. The meeting at Tar
sus is an animated vivid picture of
popular life and the festivities Of the
splendorloving Cleopatra are so real
lstically presented that the spectator
feels himself one Of the multitude, II
participant in tho scenes in which his
tory was hoing made.
FOR SALE.
1916 Iiupmobile rondster, in good
condition. w. M. GilleBDie. TnzcwcIl