The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-10
THRILLING LoDRAMATIC PHOTOPLAY "TET
 sTEALERs WHICH IS PLAYING TO IMMENSE AUDIENCES AT THI
edly They were men who had spent their lives getting ready.

edly. They were men who had spent their lives getting ready.
 Lightning did not strike the tent of the minister of Sunnybrook, the hero of The Stealers," who had turned evangelist to blaspheme God, but it did strike his home, and the bolt which destroyed his property did not find him ready. It made him realize, too. during the days of blindness which ensued-for the lightning had de- stroyed his sight as well as his home that man cannot defy God and that faith in the unknown is after all the great up- lifting power of humanity.
 The story deals with the blasphemous COT duct of this minister of the gospel who turned crook to spite God for the sufferings he considered the Lord had visited upon him. His wife, stolen from him by former rival. he gives up his church and becomes wandering evan gelist, speaking wherever he is permitted to pitch his tent While he holds the eloquence, men and women confederates move among the worshippers, separating them from their cash and jewelry. The minister regarded his plan of re- venge as a great joke on God. How l he came to learn that to defy God was beyond the puny power of one Of his earthly vassals and how his faith was SNAAS--~'~r--~- l climax of the story, a climax never to be forgotten once it has been seen. l Because of its simple theme ard it's 1 forceful presentation through the medium l Of the novel situations and the excellent acting of the fine company Of aceors' | oThe Stealers" is one picture in thou- sand. It is a picture which VIII i've
 because it deals with the humanities, with
 love, honor, adventure and the perennial appeal of the infinite.
 l "The Steaers," as it's name implies. IS 1 crook play, but it is the most remark able play of it's sort. The central figure and the one around whom all of the virile faction of the piece revolves, IS clergy Iman who turns his calling into what ne 1 believes vast mockery of God through the use of Gods word as decoy for a band of travelling crooks of which he is 1 the head.
 ! The master thief, gifted with rare eio-
 quence, holds his audiences spellpounc while his confederates go among the en
 chanted auditors relieving them or money
 and jewelry. How this scoffer eventually
 repents of his wrongs and aeain ,urn' 1 to the God he had eschewed and pias. l phemed goes to make a climax unexceiiee l on the stage or screen for the sheer m l tensity of it's dramatic force.
 l One of the big scenes in The Stea4ers
 is the "storm," which is marvelouslI | .'photographed," hundreds and hunoreu' of people being pictured in the scene, th'
 most life-MSe and vivid lightning, the rair coming down in torrents. making ons feel that you can almost hear the thun der: the goose flesh fairly arises on you' l body as you see the flashes-threatening l oininous, portentous!
 i Again, nothing could have brought ou | the scintillating beauty of a glorlou'
 sunrise such as occurs near the openins 1 of the story, as well as does the color l ing of this scene, possibly done by hane l at great expense. One is carried away ps 1 the sheer, lovely beauty of 1t all, ou 1 what is more important, the exceiien artistry of the scene puts the observer 1 into the proper mood for the unfolding 1 of the story which follows. i The cast has been carefully and wisely ] chosen, William H. Tooker taking tn' part of the Rev. Robert Martin. His in ter rpretation is convincing. powerful ant 1 effective, while Ruth Dwyer as MarS 1 Forrest and Norma Shearer, as Juiis I Martin, prove themselves to be actresse' of the first calibre.
 l An especially attractive feature Of Tnt Stealers'' is the music beautifully played
 and appropriate to the "settings Tne
 chimes during the Lead, Kindly
 Light, strain, blend beautifully with the
 atmosphere of the picture at that partic'