The art of sound pictures (1930)

20 THE ART OF SOUND PICTURES times the very opposite of that which another seeks. Unless, therefore, we keep clearly in mind the fact that, at any given time, there are dozens of different age groups, worker groups, social classes, and so on, each sighing for momentary delivery from troubles and weariness all its own, we shall end up in a mental muddle. It is the place, the time, and the man that determine the strongest appeal for that man at that time and that place. No matter how good a thing is, our liking of it is con , ditioned by what we have been doing in the preceding days and hours. An excellent example of the way in which the saturation point is reached in a good play is illustrated in Broadway. The stage play was an instant and tremendous success. It set a new vogue. The play ran for many months in New York City and was offered to the country at large by several stock companies during the same period. As usual, dozens of producers slavishly imitated it in the hope of grabbing some of the profits. Several imitations proved excellent. The country was deluged with plays about Broadway night life and gimmen. Then all Holl5wvood was sold down the river. Almost every picture producer became a slave to the Broadway habit. Dozens of pictures, many of which were shoddy steals from the play, were shown all over the world. So far as we can ascertain, all competent critics agree that, by all odds, Broadway remains to-day unsurpassed in its class. If every picture succeeded in direct proportion to the intensity and variety of its emotional appeals, it would follow that the screen version of Broadway would have to triumph over its rivals quite as much as the stage play