User Reviews

The full title of this five-reel picture, made by the Ambrosio Company, is "Markia, or the Destruction of Carthage, an Incident of the Third Roman Punic War." It is not based on any known incident of history but is a purely sensational melodramatic story in a quasi-historical setting that allows of big thrilling effects, such as turbulent senate meetings, rebellious armies, wholesale massacres, battles both on land and sea, burning palaces and the destruction of a town. It is sure to find a welcome among photoplay fans and will be enthusiastically received, especially by those who have Latin blood in their veins and understand the fine points of Italian nature and acting. Markia's part is played by the actress who a couple of years ago played the part of Calypso in the Milano Company's "Odyssey of Homer," and will be gladly welcomed by all those who have seen the earlier play. In this picture, she has a much better chance and she has made the most of it, as the daughter of Hasdrubal, Governor of Carthage, who falls in love with the lieutenant of mercenaries who, after escaping the massacre in which Hasdrubal slays the embassy of the dissatisfied troops, carries the rebellious soldiers over to Scipio and the Roman side. He is afterwards captured by one of the Carthaginian scouting parties, taken into the city and saved from death by Markia, but is later condemned to the galleys at the instigation of Zamali. Markia's stepmother, whose professions of love for him he has rejected. After the capture of Carthage, Markia escapes to the galley in which he is confined and discovers him during the battle with the Roman fleet, which has pursued and overtaken the fleeing Carthaginian vessel. After capturing the vessel the Romans set it on fire and the picture ends with the thrilling escape of Markia and her sweetheart from the doomed galley. The burning of the galleys to the water's edge is a remarkably fine picture and another scene that calls for special mention is the dawn scene, which shows the sun rising over the Mediterranean sea and dispelling vast masses of fog and clouds. - The Moving Picture World, October 24, 1914