Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-06
RIALTO-''The Bells"

Lionel Barrymore gives a soul
stirring Interpretation of a most pa
| thetic figure as Matthias. the debt
tortured. conscience ridden miller. in
Erickmann-Chatrian's great play.
The Bells" the film version Of which
is featured at the Rialto this week.
The story centers around the am.
bition Of miller to become burgo-
| master, which leads him to extend
credit to his patrons in exchange for
their political support, thereby run
| ming himself into debt which he can.
| not pay. His daughter, in love with
the captain Of the gendarmes, is
sought by the man who holds the
mortgage on the miller's estate. but
her father refuses to listen to his
offers of cancellation in return for
, favoring his suit. Matthias is loyal to
his family even in his extremity. And
he Is generous. going shabby himself
that his wife and daughter may have
pretty ribbons and bonnets. But in
the hour of his greatest temptation.
coming in the form of rich traveller
with much gold in his belt. the ha-
raised miller creeps out into the night
with an AK after the wealthy one
had departed-and cap and some
bells are all that are found Of the
traveller in the morning.
But the payment of his debt and
the knowledge that his family will he
comforta BILE for the rest of their days
brings no peace to Matthias. whose
ears are constantly ringing with the
discordant notes of bels-bells jan
Cling through a stormy white night
made red with spilled blood.
Barrymore rises to exceptional
dramatic heights in his final scene Of
repentance and retribution.
The Henry Irving version Of the
masterpiece, which is followed on the
screen. gives plenty of opportunity
for dramatic intensity. that the IA
nous star does not neglect.
Excellent photography combined
with an adequate cast in strong
Of his tremendous powers as a ira
gedian. In The Bells" he is i'm
mense.
In the somewhat homogeneous sup
Elemental program. is offered rather
charming innovation in a musical pro-
logue featuring Miss Militia Domin-
suez. soprano, and Nicholas Vasilieff
tenor. in the characters of the Young
lovers In the play. who sing a group
of delightful songs. describing the
first meeting Of the sweethearts with
American beauties from twelve cities
en- route to Atlantic City to participate
in the annual beauty pageant. These
are introduced by Miss Marjorie
.Joesting, Miss Washington" who is
entertaining them here for three days
prior to their departure for the sea-
shore. The beauties will appear to-
day and tomorrow at 3, Z and 9
o'clock.
The program includes also a Uni.
versal film comedy, George the Win.
ner, and news events, and Mischa
Guterson has arranged an appropriate
orchestral overture.
WARDMAN PARK "The Cabinet
Of DIR. Caligari."
When THE Cabinet of DR.. Cali.
Carl" now being shown at Wardman
Park Theater, and the first UFA
production ever sent to this country,
was originally presented in America
the tastes of film audiences in the
Western Hemisphere were not pre-
pared for either the shock, or the art.
For the production Is artistic, despite
IT'S lack of realism. That 1t was not
popular is self-imposed shadow ION
the general run Of audiences.
The picture is infused with an emo
tion--it seems like heterogeneous
mas Of emotions at times-that Is
transferred directly to the audience.
1t is one Of those films which one
sees and then. as the house Is re-
lighted. returns to the reality of the
evening with a jerk, having been
totally oblivious of his surroundings,
wholly forgetting that he was in
theater and not doing off in a brain
bathing day dream.
Every means, fair and foul, Is taken
by the director to gain the effect. to
impart the impression he is seeking.
DR.. Caligari throughout his part as
mountebank does not wear the same
makeup. In some scenes, through
the way the lights are thrown on his
face and by the absence Of grease
paint, he has a suavity that makes
the audience ready to enter his tent
at the fair to see "Cesare, the Som
nambulist." At other times there is
a darkling mien about him that in
spires fear and the belief that as
hvpnotist he must be in league with
the devil.
Robert Weine, the director.
achieved an effect in pictures which
Wagner made prominent in opera:
the presence Of each chara cter. or his
absence. Is felt in every scene before
he Is visible or distinguishable from
the crowd. In the fair scene the i'm.
preston Of a big and cosmopolitan
crowd is obtained by the use OF three
persons in grotesque dress passing
by an organ grinder And two wry