Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-24

IJtilizing that epic period of his
tory and dramatic episodes attend
ant upon the building of the first
trans continental railway for It's
theme. THE Iron Horse" which is
the feature film showing at the Au-
gIIsta Opera House for the flrst hall
of the Thanksgiving week program,
is a wonderful appeal to men ana
women, and it is another motion PIC
ture which will convey it's graphic
delineation of a remarkable event IN
the history of America to the I'M
questionable child mind.
Two enraptured audiences witness
od the screening of the big William
roy feature at the Opera House on
,Jonday, and the musical score added
in no small measure to the enjoy
ment of the masterful presentation OF
tho yirile subject. John Ford estap-
fishes himself as director par-execl-
Ience with this great epic drama. IL
seems seems that he displayed most hap
nv FACULTY in combining just the
right proportions of his elements OF
comedy and pathos, PATRIOTISM anu
romance. The action never draSs
for minute and the interest is sus-
tanned to the very end. When the
Welding of the east and west is con-
s,Imated by the driving of the golden
spike on that eventful day in 1909.
George O'Brien and Madge Bel
lamy have the leading roles in the
story and their handling raises them
. to a high pinnacle among the stars
of the truly great cinema produc-
lions. Perhaps one of the most I'm
forgettable characterizations IN tne
whole great film is that of j. Farreli
tn, 0ho pf6r of Cor
moral Casey. 1t is because of such
nortrayals as his that there is not a
weak spot in the entire picture. and
another great American epic film mas
recorded and preserved an interesting
and momentous chapter in the story
of the young republic.
From the very first instant 1T ap-
pears on the screen and you see that
great character of great Nation
! Abe Lincoln, loved by the entire
world in memory, giving encourage
ment to the ambition of David
| Brandon, senior, the surveyor VINO
had the heroism to pioneer a path
wav through the wilderness of our
, great frontiers, giving his life IN the
| attempt. That great thought later
Incoming action when General Dodge
nut these thoughts into vibrant
nulsa ting reality by President Lin
coin signing that immortal industria
| document the authority for the I'm
! ion Pacific to wend its way westward
and the Central Pacific Railroad tc
forge to the east, where they flnallS
welded together completing tne
greatest commercial highway known
to humanity.
Words fall away when one at
tempts to do justice to these red
blooded pages of history being un'
folded before your very eyes as yot
sit watching these warriors of peace
time engaging in this pretentious
/ battle to lay pathway of stee
across our continent, menaced by tht
hostile Indians, constantly engaged
in death battles to permit of contin-
ued work, living on the product Of
this barren wilderness for bodily
nourishment.
The natural attractiveness of this
picture is so inspiring, one hardly
realizes. the love romance spendine
! it's way. it seems so much a part oil
| 1t all.
| Still the. compelling manner dis
played by that young player, George
O'Brien, as Dave Brandon. the nero
from the softer moments of his love-
making to the big physical encoun-
tiers with the dishonesty of those at
tempting to Illustrate and divert the
! route of the great iron horse, one
sees that this likable lad with his IN
| fictitious Celtic smile can go into &C
ton quite as. easily as he smiles.
1t is a pleasing romance, we'll told
! but the romance is. after all, only a
small part of very great picture
1t is the big historical significance
! underlying it which sends thrill to