The theatre of science; a volume of progress and achievement in the motion picture industry (1914)

0 f ^ c i e n c e 107 well marvel as to where the limit line is to be drawn in the effort to outdo previous demonstrations of intrepidity that is now so characteristic of modern film productivity. Few of us believe even now that the amazing revelations on the screen are not mostly due to the tricks of the camera, and still fewer would accept as a truth the published statements of the hair-breadth escapes of players of both sexes on whom the director is wont to rely whenever the scenario calls for reckless daring, where the danger to be encountered is such that, but for the apparent viewpoint of the spectator as to the illusions of the camera, the suspense of an audience would be immeasurably greater than it is; but undoubtedly the actual "dare-devil" nature of several recent screen productions, if fully revealed to the average audience, and accepted by it on the principle that "the camera cannot lie," the wildest cravings for realism, even in this era of sensational productivity, would be satisfied. Nevertheless, there seems to be a certain magnetic influence surrounding the film studio that will induce men and women of the stage to risk their very lives that the achievements of the producer of photoplays may be greater than what has gone before. So true is this that I could name more than one player now famous for intrepid performances on the screen whose stage career was wholly barren of the slightest sensational incident; in fact, the most startling exploits as I am privileged to see them on the screen are participated in by players long identified with the stage along classic and dignified lines. If anything was characteristic of such actors it was suppression. Perhaps no photoplayer of to-day has had a more