The Southerners

Both the battle of Chickamauga and the battle of Mobile Bay have place in this more than usually interesting story of the war between the states. We have seen much more thrilling battle scenes in pictures and even seen the story which the picture is telling carried across the smoke and explosions of battle with more convincing naturalness than does this picture in its Chickamauga scenes. But the naval engagement in Mobile Bay in this picture is, we think, as good as anything of its kind. It surely is exciting in spite of the many counter suggestions and artificialities in it. The best picture offers its human emotions brought out by the players and the touch of wisdom that humanizes it and keeps it from seeming to be commercial. It tells a simple love story pictured in the South without any girl spy or other banality. It is not a story of adventure; but an epic and, without being great, is distinctly above our mere war pictures. It was produced by Richard Ridgely assisted by John H. Collins. Mabel Trunnelle as the heroine deserves special mention in a picture well acted as a whole. - The Moving Picture World, June 6, 1914