New-York tribune., 1919-05-05

Riesenfeld. 1t is a magnificent pro-
duction from the overture to the organ
solo and it is Chinese even to the in
cense. But never once was our heart
touched, although ones senses are ap-
pealed to via the eye, the ear and even
the nostrils. DR.. Riesenfeld happens
to know that perfumes are most po-
tent faction in inducing moods.
THE Red Lantern" is the feature
picture, with Nazimova in a double
role. that of Chinese girl and of
overture is THE Glow of the Lantern"
with John Wenger setting and very
pretentious ballet arranged by Adolf
Bolm.
Next comes Prizma picture of
China. Then Mary Ball sings the
"Chinese Lullaby" from EAST Is West"
IN Chinese costume in front of a Chi
nese setting.
Then comes the feature with Nax+-
nova as Mahlee, Chinese girl. From,
the first scene to the last the picture
is gorgeous. Never have we seen such
prodigal display of costumes, stiff with
Chlnese Gods, ivory images, vast
temples and lanterns everywhere
But for little Mahlee, herself
we care not a rapl We said tc
ourself: .'Nazimova's s art is great. She
is typlc;Nly Chinese and she is typi-
cally English"
No one would ever suspect that the
same actress was portraying the two
| characters. But further than that we
mad no interest in Mablee-whether she
won the love of Andrew Templeton or
whether she left it for Blanche. her
English half-sister.
And we thought of Norma Talmadge
IN The Forbidden City" and of how
we had cried real tears when she died.
The truth of the matter is that Nazi-
nova can startle you and make you
think, but She cannot make you feel.
Ihe story is of the Boxer uprising.
NOW, we are not a Bolshevik and we
shant be one unless they raise the rent
again, put we can see their side of the
question. However, it didn't seem as
though the Boxers had any side, and
yet they wanted to kill and take pos
session of everything and wear red
sashes
Mablee turns to the Christian faith
at the English mission, but when An
drew Iempleton, whom she loves, pre-
ters Blanche, she joins the Boxers and
becomes the goddess of the Red Ian
tern.
Later, when she learns that she is
'-''SN' .''iS Appeals W uer EnEIlSn
father to acknowledge the relationship
and when he refuses she goes back to
the Boxers. When they are overpow-
cred she poisons herself, and presum-
ably Blanche and Andrew live happy
ever after ~
AS Blanche, Nazimova is seen wear.
ing fair hair. She looks verv pretty
and not more than eighteen at the out.
side, but we should like to have seen
some scenes between the two sisters.
In the cast are Winter Hall. Noah
Berry who gives an excellent inter
probation of the willy Chinaman, San
Wing; Edward Connelly and Darrell
Foss, who is seen as Andrew.
The only thing on the programme
which was not Chinese was the com
edy Mutt and jeff" This was &C
companied by those delightfully."- sig
nlticant sounds from the orchestrs
which make a Rivoli cartoon differen-
from all other cartoons
AT the Strand Anita Stewart will bt
seen in "Mary Regain" This will be re
viewed tomorrow.
"The objectionable Sin" will con
tinue at the Broadway
Fires Of Faith," produced by tn.
Famous Players in cooperation with tn,
Salvation Army, will be given to-nigh
at the Harris Theatre. Catherine Cal
vert, Ruby de Remer and Eugen,
O'Brlen are seen in the production