The art of sound pictures (1930)

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84 THE ART OF SOUND PICTURES acters involved. That is a definition of an ideal plot. You will search far through literature and the movies for a perfect specimen of it. But every professional writer aims at this as his target, and is usually satisfied whenever he hits any ring on it, however far from the bull’s-eye. First, look at the climactic series of events. You have such a series whenever it serves to intensify the spectator’s interest progressively. This is not, strictly speaking, a definition; it is rather a method of testing. If the spectators show rising interest, you probably have your plot episodes moving toward a climax. But not necessarily so, for you may break down in the midst of the series. This is why, if you are to have a perfect climax, the rise of interest must be progressive up to the very end. We come closer to a genuine definition when we say that, in a climactic series of events, the characters become more and more deeply involved and, at the same time, act in such a manner as to express their personalities more profoundly. This can be best illustrated by reference to series of events which lack strong climax. Any ordinary collection of pictorial news shots lacks climax, as well as reciprocal determination. Here we have a mere jumble of episodes, each interesting in itself, perhaps, but having no bearing whatsoever upon any of the others. The lowest form of climactic series, familiar to movie fans, is the pursuit picture. The villain steals the heroine’s pearl necklace in the middle of the night, leaps to his bronco, and speeds across the mountains. The sheriff rouses his trusty band and thunders after the fleeing scoundrel. The villain’s horse stumbles on a bowlder in