Evening journal., 1921-09-13
SUPER-PICTURE
AT PLAYHOUSE
-Four Horsemen of Apo
alypse" Abounds in Tense
Situations
TWELVE THOUSAND
TOOK PART IN 1T

What is possibly the most elabor-
ate and wost pretentious motion
picture OF the year. and one that has
won the admiration OF ex-service
men for its realistic war scenes. had
its initial showing at the Playhouse
last night. 'yrhe -Four Horsemen OF
the Apocalypse" Is the title OF this
super-picture.
The scenario is adapted from the
book The Four Horsemen OF the
Apocalypse, written by Ibanez. the
Spanish novelist. Throughout the
pictures there is a something"
which holds the onlooker no matter
how much OF a cynic he or she may
be regarding film plays.
Judging from the large gathering
which witnessed the first showing OF
the picture. Il Is destined 20 be view
ed by thousands OF movie" loving
folk Of Wilmington before Its run OF
week is up. What speaks more for
this production than anything else
Is the tribute former World War
veterans-who have been "over
there" give II. Veterans who have
seen the picture say IL gives them a
Thrill such as they have not had since
the stirring days OF 1917 and IS.
Mayor Harvey was present as a guest
OF the theatre management.
The play opens a year or two be-
fore the outbreak OF the World war
and the first scenes are laid In Ar
gentine, South America This
shows the home life and surround
ings of two families on their ranches
in the South American Republic.
Though these two families are re-
lated one Is OF French decent and
the other German.
After the death Of a rich relative.
the property Of whom is divided be-
tween the two families. they decided
TO visit Europe. and accordingly the
French family goes TO France and
the German family 70 Germany
where they are living at the out
break Of the war.
one OF the outstanding characters
OF the play IL Madariaga, the Cen
taur. who is impersonated by Pome-
roy Cannon. He visuaiizes the war as
he sees Il in st. Johns Revelations
and here IS where the four horsemer
come in. They are Conquest, War
Famine and Pestilence, and Death
The photography here is unusually
/ good. showing the four horsemer
riding out from the fiery mouth OF
the beast OF He'll lowering over al
the misery and hideousness Of th'
war are the four horsemen in a blaz'
OF FIRE. "Grim Death" the last o
the riders, is always in the back
ground.
The picture is alive with dramati
scenes and climaxes, There is a seen
Tor the two cousins Of South America
who have Joined the army, One d
the French, the other in the Germai
army. While crawling across N
Mans Land IN a pouring rain a
night. they meet as enemies and ar
both blown up by a shell. This is tn
lclimax OF the picture.
OF the thirty-two principals In tn
cast. all are stars. and 10000 personl
took part in the making Of the mas
terpiece.
The miniature symphony orches
ira. under the baton Of Thomas J
lGannon. musical director OF Loewl
Palace Theater orchestra at Wash
lington, d. c.. gave the play the efec
and sentiment that was necessary q
add to its success. Mr.. Cannon wa
chosen 70 direct the music for tn
-Four Horsemen OF the Apocalypse
because Of his first-hand knowledg'
OF war scenes in France. He is
veteran Of the World War.
A feature Of the musical progan
was the vocal solos OF Mrs Franci
De witte Babcock. weli-known singe
OF this city. Her rendition OF tn
Nfarseliaise in French brought fortl
much applause.