The New York herald., 1921-04-18
Deception Latest
Imported Film, Has
Lavish Settings
Romance Of Anne Boleyn and
Henry VIII. Dramatically
Shown on Screen.

Deception" the latest German impor-
tation. being presented by Adolph Zukor
at the Rivoli this week, has many OF the
and so might be summarized after the
manner OF the Creates. Show on Earth !:
See the Great Royal Biuebeard.
Henry VIII. of England! Eats Wives
Scenes. Sensational Act When Henry
Defies the Papal Messenger Because
He's Gotta Have New Wife, Great
Feats of Legerdemaia by Henry in Jug
Cling Pretty Girls A Tournament with
a Dozen Knights Courting Death in
Mortal Combat MAGNIFICENT Corona
ton of Anne Boleyn N Westminster Alb
bey. Unparalleled on the Screen. with a
Big Fight on the Side See the Sup
porters of Catherine OF Aragon Get
Their Noses Flattenel by the Kings
Troops Splendid Production. Made ct a
Cost Of Millions. but Obtainabe by Any
One for Thirty Cents -
All of which would be truer than the
ordinary press agent blurb. Deception"
Is gorgeous, glamorously snowy with its
costumes and lavish Tudor settings and
yet engrossingly vital. so that II never
falls down under a weight of scenery.
Produced by Ernest Lubitsch, the direc-
tor OF Passion" its story is somewhat
more familiar than the latter, with its
dramatic intrigues OF Henry in tossing
off Catherine on the ground that she
had not presented him with an heir, get
ting rid of Anne, he successor, for the
same reason and, all III all, changing
his lazy loves more lightly than he
changed his costume for the latter was
an important matter and required four
servants
The outstanding figure of the photo
play Is the King. and Emil Jannings.
who played Louis XIV. In Passion"
stamps himself in this role again as a
royal flush. Modelling his makeup with
striking fidelity on Holbeins picture of
the portly monarch, he Is by turns glut-
tonous, lustful. strong willed, courageous,
tender. gallant and treacherous. vir-
tually representative Of the roast beef
Of Old England at its imperial best and
worst. With an excellently expressive
facial play, he makes the hard riding
and hard living monarch a powerfully
dominating figure. but a man hardly fit
to be any ones grandfather
Miss Henny Porten appears less re-
sourceful as the i'll fated Anne, playing
Negr commanded in the earlier Lu-
bitsch picture and generally taking her
troubles too hard. Despite this over
emphasis of the tragic atmosphere OF
Henrys second wife, Miss Porten, cele-
brated as one of Germany's leading film
actresses, was always queenly and hand
some, sure of the spectators sympathy.
and in her final exit to that baneful
courtyard with the headsman's block.
she had a moment of superb tragic
stateliness that was like spotlight
turned on Anne's character.
The actual scheming elements In
Anne's personality have been oblterated
by the director. and her love affair with
Sir Henry Norris has been made as In
nocent as though the censorship board
had been kept in mind. History has
been broadly handled in other respects.
Henry's wedding TO Jane Seymour being
hurried a bit to contrast II with Ahne's
execution But despite a title that hard
ly Ats, though 1t covers a multitude OF
sins, one forgets minor details in view
ing the spectacular settings OF actual
castles, fascinating vistas OF green
swards, with lords and ladies playing
battledore, a stirring tournament, bril-
liant royal professions. picturesque
spring carnival on the water ten times
more attractive than any announced al
a vaudeville house. and graphic scenes
of crowds being given the grand bounce
by men-at-arrns The players are all OF
high order and with n finished
mineling OF the dramatic and the pic
torial despite occasional flaws In light
ing. Deception" Is the latest word IN
movies.
The whole supporting programme al
the Rivoli il saturated with its spirit.
with q vocal prologue. The Hunt i
Irp." reminiscent OF the times. and the
introduction Of contemporaneous ballads
OF the period. while one can hardly move
about In the lobby without humping into
a suit OF armor or an archaic cabinet.