White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-09-19
WONDERFUL PICTURE
PROMISED MOVIE FANS

18th. Mrs. Faith Green of New York,
well-known reviewer of current
plays and motion pictures, who re-
Gently visited here at the home of her
brother, F. M. Wheeler, gave the
Spokesman the following interesting
review of the play:
Several weeks ago I stood in line
with agreat crowd of people waiting
to buy tickets for David Wark Grif-
fith's wonderful film, AMERICA,
but before my turn came the sign
Standing Room One Dollar was
hung out.
However, I was anxious to see the
film before I left New York, so
paid my dollar and climbed the
long, steep stairs to the top of the
theatre and looked out over the sea
of faces turned expectantly toward
the screen.
AS a member of the reviewing
committee of the National Board of
Review of Motion Pictures I have
seen many films but I have never
seen anything on the screen or stage
that gave me such a thrill of pride
in my own country as felt while
1 stood watching AMERICA, the
greatest story of the patriotism and
achievements of the men and women
of the Revolution ever filmed.
And when I learned that Mr..
Anderson has secured this remark
able picture to show in Hanford and
White Bluffs I could not resist the
opportunity to urge everybody, old
and young, down to the little child
rem, to see it, for it will add some
thing rich and precious to their lives
and remain for many years never
-be-forgotten memory.
This cast includes some of the
most famous actors on the stage or
screen. Ramon de Navarro, Lionel
Barrymore, Alice Terry, Lewis Stone
and other popular favorites.
The story begins with the efforts
of John and Sameul Adams, Benja-
min Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,
Benidict Arnold, George Washing
ton and other patriots to avert war
with England. But when the news
comes that their messenger to the
king has been insulted and their pc
tition torn to shreds, they swiftly
nobilized the militia and scanty
munitions to resist the British attack
at Lexington.
The ride of Paul Revere from Old
South Church, Boston, to rouse the
countryside to arms is one of the
classics of the screen. People rose in
their seats and cheered; they drown
ed out the orchestra with applause
as that old white horse leaped stone
walls, cleared hedges and splashed
through rivers and across fields as
the dauntless rider dashed up to
sleeping homesteads, summoned men
and women to the defense of liberty
Another messenger is sent post haste
to Virginia to ask help of that rich
and prosperous colony. Here the
love story between the intrepid mes
senger from Boston and the beauti-
full daughter of the planter begins. 1t
is one of the most charming romances
ever screened but it is full of tragedy
suffering and separation, for the girls
father dispises the traitors, who re-
sist the king and hurries his family
away from Virginia to seek protect
ion from his brother, the governor of
Canada.
Immediately the Commander of
the Royal Forces in Canada be-
comes infatuated with the lovely
Virginian, but when she repels his
coarse love making he plots revenge
by attacking the fort in which the
Tory family has taken refuge, and
incites the Indians to massacre the
refugees crowding into the fort.
Then all the bitter costs of the
Revolution is shown in the scenes
where the girl, accustomed to slaves
to crafty every wish, goes to the
fields to help save the grain for
the starving Continental army. Her
efforts are vain and the wagons
loaded with grain are burned in the
conhagration that destroys every
homes for miles about.
Other thrilling scenes flash on the
screen. At Valley Forge the frozen
and starving soldiers are dragging
cannon along the icy roads stained
with blood from their naked feet
while off yondcr George Washington
kneels in prayer, asking Divine
guidance in that dark hour.
During these scenes men and
women wept. 1 never heard an audi.
ence sob as when these pictures OF
the suffering and heroism were
flashed on the screen.
Pictures like AMERICA do more
to encourage patriotism and loyalty
and to promote good citizenship than
any book ever written or any sermon
ever preached. For no one can fail
to understand it and it is a Lesson
never to be forgotten.
In Seattle, before picture like
this comes to the city, the Women's
Clubs assisted by the teachers and
newspapers, begin a publicity cam
paign to put the picture over. A
series of talks and writeups about
the picture are given in the schools
and in the daily press. Prizes arc
offered for the best compositions
written about the picture and every
thing is done to bring out people
who do not usually go to the movies.
Many people say, I don't like mo-
ton pictures. This is very narrow
minded and insincere, for the people
who say this generally have never
seen fine picture like AMERICA
The Covered Wagon or The Sky
Pilot. Everybody should like motion
pictures because motion pictures are
to the mind what food is to the
body. They feed and stimulate the
imagination and deepen our emotions
and enrich our sympathy with pco-