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CHAPTER V
THEME
The necessity for a better understanding of theme is continually being emphasized in the writing of photodrama. One often gropes in the dark for a thing he most needs. He knows it is there, but he has not enough light to help him find it. This has been true of theme.
What is theme? It is the photoplay's purpose, its incentive. If the play has no purpose it has no theme. And a purposeless thing stands small chance of achieving anything of particular worth. A purposeless individual, with no incentive, no aim in life, is not apt to accomplish much. He is blown about by every little breeze of suggestion, and drifts aimlessly. It is said of him that he has no character. So a photoplay may have no character : it may drift aimlessly here and there, catch at some bits of pretty photography, waste feet of film in trivialities, in inane misunderstandings which may and usually do, develop into a fist fight. Then it may stop to watch the antics of a dog, a cat, a monkey, or perhaps a lion swishing its tame tail. After which it visits an expensive cabaret, and drifts at last into the final kiss and embrace.
THEME, SIMPLE OR BIG
The theme, the element of purpose, gives character to a play. It is the force of some intention moving to a definite end. The theme may be simple or it may be big. The simple theme interests the spectator in one particular group of characters. The big theme centers his thoughts on some issue of more general human interest.
Those plays in which virtue triumphs over vice are the most common examples of the use of a simple theme. They are usually of the triangle type — a hero, a heroine and a villain. With new treatment the theme has been worked over in a way to give strength of purpose to many plays. "Way Down East"
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