Arizona republican., 1922-05-03
ADJUSTMENTS
WAY DOWN EAST At
THE RIALTO MONDAY
At POPULAR PRICES

D. w. Griffith's wonder picture.
Way Down East" inspired by the
celebrated stage play which has been
before the public for over 20 years,
is scheduled to start its engagement
at the Rialto next Monday, this pres
entation marking its first showing at
popular prices.
Griffith has indeed achieved a
wonderful thing in producing Way
Down East" During all the years
1t has enjoyed the popularity heaped
upon it by the theatergoer, it has
been known as "a rural drama
True it is, its appeal had received
an expression, but even in the elabo-
rate presentation William A. Brady
gave to it, it seemed that the real
worth of the story had been literally
lost.
This it remained for Griffith to
resurrect, and the result has been
that losing none of the charm OF the
original version, losing not an iota
of any incident that marked it for one
OF the grandest of all the American
plays, maintaining to an extent even
far in advance of that possible on the
stage the original atmosphere In
which Lottie Blair Parker wrote the
play, driving home every climax, per-
fecting every dramatic sequence, the
master director of them all has made
of Way Down East"-not the pro-
verbal rural drama''-but in reality
the drama of a woman's soul, told in
an unforgettable manner, telling,
while entertaining, of the evils or
mans inhumanity to man." The
tenderness of mother and babe, the
tragedy of unsophistication when
battling with the suave man OF the
world, the awfulness of betrayed
girlhood the irony Of the double
standard, the serpent bite of gossip,
the havoc of selfishness, the agony
of broken heart. the terror of con-
slant suspicion, and then in direct
contrast, the wonder of perfect love,
the influence of kindly words. the
sunshine of a happy smile. the in
spiration of energy expended in 9th
ers' behalf, the wholesomeness of
genuine affection. the mercy of for
giveneSs, and the glorification OF
exoneration. These are the elements
that it remained for D. w. Griffith
to find in Way Down East, and
these are the elements he has so adj
tion on which he has builded the
production which the critics to a
single man have agreed represents
the most perfect picture the screen
has ever known-truly the personlfa-
cation of the eighth art.
Nor has he overlooked the tremen-
dous climax, the climax which in the
most pretentious stage version could
only be limited at by dialogue and
limited effects. This climax is
reached in the tremendous blizzard
and the ice jam, the break. and the
rescue at the brink of the falls. No
wind machines no SNOW ma
chimes none of the commonplace
agencies used in stagecraft, but the
actual. New England, with the ele-
ments raging in the fury of winter.
This is what Griffith wanted, this is
what Griffith filmed, and the result
is the most wonderful scene ever pre-
sented within the four walls of any
auditorium. This sequence is some
thing that defies a worded descrip-
ton, and yet it involves action that
viii sway everyone in evers audience
as q reed before a hurricane. 1t is
the crowning evidence of realism, the
most spectacular sequence ever
caught by a camera.
Way Down East carries the ele-
ment OF perfection to every men,
Der of the cast. Lillian Gish, Richard
Barthelmess. Creighton Hale, Lowell
sherman. Vivian Ogden, Porter
Strong, Burr Mcintosh, in fact. in
not a single instance has Griffith
secured but the very finest talent in
the country, so that in the company
interpreting Way Down East the
reviewer viii be Witnessing the art OF
an all star cast, guided by the master
genius of the greatest director in
screenland.
The RiaIto is urging attendance
during tn matinees, as the engage
ment is positively limited to but three
days.