The Film Spectator (Mar-Dec 1928)

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Page Eight THE FILM SPECTATOR December 1, 1928 on the charge of murder. She says there are those present in the room who can round out her story; she names them, and they surround her while she gives her evidence. When the recital reaches a scene in which she did not appear, we presume it is being carried on by those who were a party to it. Korda uses the camera in the trial scene in a highly effective manner. It might be the eye of a spectator that roves all over the room, resting for a moment on those whose connection with the case makes them interesting. First National has placed its gorgeous Billie in an impressive setting in this picture, providing a production of both pictorial and dramatic value, and Korda fills it with clever touches. We have a shot of Paul Lukas listening to something, and superimposed on the shot is a scene showing what he hears — his wife leaving him and closing the door behind her. That Korda understands the use of groups instead of close-ups as aids to drama, is apparent throughout the picture. Another good touch is the omission to tell the audience the verdict reached by the court-martial. We see Lukas being congratulated by his friends and we know all about it. Miss Dove, Lukas, Nicholas Soussanin and Donald Reed contribute excellent performances to what is altogether an exceedingly satisfactory picture. * * • AN interesting method is resorted to by Erich Pommer, who produced the Ufa picture Homecoming, to add impressiveness to the sacrifice made in the last sequence when the husband goes to sea and leaves his wife to his friend, with whom she fell in love when the husband was a prisoner of war. An early title acquainted us with the fact that the husband relinquished the sea to please his wife. Now he is going back to it, still loving his wife. We see the officer on the bridge order the lines cast off; we see Lars Hansen, the husband, repeat the order to men on the dock; we see the lines cast off — and we continue to see each of the score of things that are done when a liner is pulling out. With each bit of action the finality of the sacrifice of the husband becomes impressed upon us more. It is a display of picture intelligence that we could expect from Pommer. Homecoming was directed by Joe May, but bears the unmistakable mark of Pommer all the way through. * * » TT 7 HEN sound is applied generally to pictures there '•^ will be no age limit for screen lovers. Heretofore the screen has been trying to make us believe that romances were the exclusive possessions of people in their early twenties, and this in spite of the fact that precious few people of that tender age have any ability to act part of a romance convincingly. When our players talk, however, we are going to be permitted to learn that occasionally older people fall in love, and when the older people enact their love scenes we should have some that realize all the tenderness, sweetness and romance that such scenes must have to make them true to life — that is, we may obtain such results if directors can be persuaded to allow experienced players to enact them in their own way. I understand that Irene Rich and Richard Tucker are to carry the romance in a picture to be made shortly. Somehow or other I can't quite imagine them enacting a love scene in exactly the same way as Clara Bow and Jimmie Hall, say, would enact one, but I am sure their method of handling it will be a refreshing departure that will retain the sentimental quality that love scenes should possess. * * * A MONG the medals which The Spectator will offer for •^* worthy film accomplishments during 1928 probably will be a pair for every couple of screen people who become engaged or marry without supplying the papers with photographs of them kissing one another. GARNERED IN THE MAIL I congratulate you upon the able manner in which you accepted the producers' challenge to outline your method of instituting production reforms. You presented your case brilliantly, but have you taken into account, in advocating the preparation of stories one year in advance, that styles in stories change, and that a story prepared this year might not be the kind of story the public will be looking for next year? A. J. B. A good story made into a good picture is never out of date. The reason a given kind of story ceases to interest the public u'hen presented in a picture, is the poor manner in which it is liild. Producers create a vogue for a certain kind of picture, and kill the vogue by the many inferior imitations of the picture that scored the first success. But it is good business for producers to foltoiv the current trend, ivhich makes A. J. B.'s question pertinent. However the trend ivould not change enough during the time that would elapse under my production plan hctwecn the preparation of a story and its production to affect .seriously its success as a picture. It takes a feiv years for the mind of the public to complete its turnover, and the vogue for one kind of screen entertainment dissolves slowly into the one tfiat is to succeed it. During the transition period a good picture along either line will have no box-office worries. But to my mind, the U'oy to make money producing pictures is to forget vogue, box-office and everything else except the particular picture in course of production at the moment. Any great picture zcill establish its oitm vogue. The directors who have given the best they have to motion pictures for years should be grateful to you for the manner in which you have criticized producers for bringing in stage directors from the East to take the jobs of those who brought the silent drama up to the place where sound found it. I, for one, thank you. A DIRECTOR. Directors had better restrain themselves when they feel any \cild urge to thank me. Taken by and large, directors have a lower mental average than the personnel of any other branch engaged in the making of pictures. Only a handful of them know what it is about. I think this correspondent zvould have come nearer the truth if he had said that our present directors ^ brought the silent drama down, instead of up, to the place where , sound found it. The advancement of any art has been brought PAT ROONEY and MARION BENT are among the highest salaried comedy entertainers — headline features on any bill. While active as a vaudeville author, it was my privilege to write two very successful acts for them. JAMES MADISON Originals — Adaptations — Titles — Dialogue 323 North Citrus Ave., Los Angeles ORegon 5G27