Arte e devozione (1912) Online

There are situations that depend on purely local peculiarities. The atmosphere of European life is in subtle ways, which it is hard to define, different from life here. We see pictures occasionally that we can't wholly understand. They are pictures dealing with family relationships usually; but pictures dealing with political situations or the relationship of a sovereign with his people, now and then, fall into this class. They assume in the spectator a knowledge that our experience hasn't furnished to us. They don't affect us deeply. We don't know why and the feeling has grown that foreign pictures are not so good for us as our own. But when any picture deals with what are called universal things, it makes no difference where they are made. Simple religion, with all things that spring from it; family affections, etc.; love when it is simply pictured; and patriotism; these are all universal things. The picture of these things will be understood all around the world. We take as much interest in the story of Ruth and Naomi as though it had been written in America. This picture is a love story in a universal atmosphere; it shows no earmarks of its foreign make. It is simple, graceful and pleasing as to Italians so to Americans. The hero is a playwright. He divides his honors with his sweetheart, who had completed his manuscript while he is sick and delirious, in order to get it in on time. The hero and heroine are very acceptable; the acting is natural throughout and the action clear and interesting. It makes a good offering. - The Moving Picture World, September 28, 1912