Title
"Sir Hall Caine's Biggest Story Made Into Gigantic Film Epic" [article]
Date
1917
Description
An article describing the large-scale presentation of "The Prodigal Son" at the Russell Theatre with an augmented orchestra and "a special musical accompaniment"
Inscription: Sir Hall Caine's Biggest Story Made Into Gigantic Film Epic | Powerful Ten-reel Version of "The Prodigal Son" Coming to the Russell Theatre For Four Days, Commencing Next Wednesday. | Beginning Wednesday, October 10, Ottawa will see the biggest English film to be released for some time, namely Stoll's "The Prodigal Son," directly adapted from Sill Hall Caine's powerful story. This film created a furore in the Old Country, where it was run in seventeen reels and played in two different parts, an admission of $2 begin obtained for each part. For Canada, however, the film has been re-edited and condensed to a powerful ten-reel version, and presents on of the biggest and most gripping motion pictures ever seen. | The locale of the story takes place in Iceland, England, Paris and Monte Carlo, and concerns the drama of two brothers, one Oscar Stephenson, the spectacular, reckless, daring son, who breaks all the laws of God and man, and yet withal retains the personality and redeeming quality that stamps him as a man and wins for him the sympathy of the half-million readers who have read the famous book and the million of photoplay fans who will see the picture. | The other brother, Magnus Stephenson, is the stolid, stoic elder son, a commonplace figure who suffers, endures, and sacrifices for the sake of his spectacular brother, and still this man after forty years in the paths of righteousness and service to God and man, suddenly bursts all bonds of continence and restraint, and steals in the dead of night to the room of the stranger with intent to rob and kill - which supplies one of the greatest climaxes that has ever been presented in motion pictures. | "The Prodigal Song" has been praised during its English runs as surpassing in power and interest "Over the Film," ""Way Down East," and "Hearts of the world," and is now at the very greatest pinnacle of its popularity in the old country. Furthermore, this film was exhibited at trade shows in New York and other American cities, and the American critics have been unstinted in their praise, classing this film as one of the greatest materpieces of all times, and the picture is now in the act of being bid for by all the biggest American producers for its American distribution. | "The Prodigal Son" will be shown twice daily for four days only, at popular prices. The Russell orchestra, greatly augmented for the occasion, will render a special musical accompaniment during the film presentation.
Source
"Sir Hall Caine's Biggest Story Made Into Gigantic Film Epic." Ottawa Journal. October 6, 1917: 16.
Microfilm from Ottawa Public Library