Book excerpt: Abel Gance's film, restored through the efforts of Kevin Brownlow, is discussed here by Nelly Kaplan, who was Gance's assistant and then, later, with such productions as 'The Pirate's Fiancee', a film director in her own right. Each volume in the 'BFI Film Classics' series contains a personal commentary on the film, a brief production history and a detailed filmography.