Life, 1919-10-30 · page 10 of 36
Life — October 30, 1919 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main illustration shows a dramatic scene of a figure being tortured or executed, labeled "A Christian Martyr." Based on the accompanying text about a film series called "Birth of the Universe," this appears to be a still or promotional image from an early cinema production. The page primarily discusses this third film in the "Birth" series, describing its elaborate production—four mountains, thirty million cubic feet of pure air, nine clouds, and fourteen directors. The text details the film's cosmic plot involving characters named Force, Feldspar, and Gravity, with elaborate special effects depicting the creation of worlds. The illustration likely satirizes either the film's grandiose ambitions or serves as promotional material for what the text describes as an extraordinarily ambitious cinematic spectacle.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Anncuncement HE third of the — stupendous l “Birth” series of films is abozt to be released under the title, * The Pirtk of the Universe.” tis un- doubtedly the most co'<3sal, the most stupendous, the mc.i gigantic and the prettiest film saat the great director has ever turned out. Its production called for four mountains, thirty mil- lion cubic feet of pure air, nine clouds and fourteen directors, all wearing leather puttees. This production, although not lack- ing in heart interest, does not deal with but with the passions of those mighty cosmic forces which molded the universe long before Adam and Eve went fruit-ranching. The main plot deals with the effort of Force, the villain, to turn Feldspar, the heroine, into granite. This das- tardly plot is thwarted by Gravity, who manages by almost superhuman efforts to bring about a collision between Earth and Moon, and thereby saves Feldspar from her awful fate of be- coming granite. She becomes moon- stones instead. This is the climax of the play, and can justly be called the greatest scene ever produced in any indoor studio. Force is played by Fearless Dug- banks. He introduced juggling three of Jupiter's moons. Feldspar is played by Bessie Frivol, who will be remembered for her excellent work in “The Sin That Should Have Been Hers.” Although this part is some- what heavy, Miss Frivol imparts great sweetness to it. Roscoe Shoebuckle as Gravity will be one of the hits of the season, A beautiful little love story is inter- woven, called “H to O, or The Loves of the Molecules.” The story shows how Hydrogen and Oxygen, although enclosed within a million tons of rock, felt the dawning of that great love for one another which has furnished the theme for many a chemical lecture. As Paolo was to Francesca, as Romeo to Juliet. so is H to O. The film ends with the beginning of life upon earth in the form of the ameeba or one-celled creature. A real ameeba swimming in a drop of water is employed for this part, but by a very clever film device, consisting of two close-ups, an iris-in and four chemical human emotions, is “i gyi) SSS Ny 2 wh NA \ SS = = SS A CHRISTIAN MARTYR fade-outs, the amaba appears as a mermaid sitting on Plymouth Rock. This introduces the final episode, in which the mermaid foretells the world war and gives a chance for some battle-scenes which are among the bloodiest ever fought in Los Angeles. The next of the “ Birth” series will be even more stupendous, gigantic, colossal and pretty. It is to be called “The Birth of the Creator,” and it is rumored that the director himself will take the ‘itle réle. J. L. Schoolcraft. The Poor Poet "D rather be a poet, friend of mine, And live up five flights in a crazy garret Than gorge myself on husks among the swine, Or perch hig! parrot And say what other parrots said before. Five flights! Well, what's the odds— or six or seven? You and the Jews can have the whole * ground floor, For my sweet garret’s nearer heaven. in a cage—and be a five flights WH. A, Jn comicbooks.com@,