Harrison's Reports (1928-1928)

144 HARRISON’S REPORTS every hundred of the picture-goers that will take tliis expression to mean other than pictures in which the characters talk. This condition must be altered, regardless of the situation that confronts the producer-distributors. No matter how great is the demand, they should treat the public fairly ; they should not attempt to take their money by misrepresentation. If they should continue to do so, the public is bound to revolt. And when it does, this new form of entertainment will suffer. * * * Not only must the producers stop faking; they must, as said last week, also study the psychological effect of particular sound applications. There are uses of sound that produce a desirable effect ; on the other hand, there are uses that disgust people. When “Tenderloin” was first shown, people laughed aloud, deridingly, in one of the situations. Warner Bros, had to cut this dialogue out. Dialogue writers must be developed. A writer may be able to write excellent dialogues for silent pictures and yet not be a successful writer of dialogues in talking pictures. As to sound effects, it is probable that in comedies such effects may enhance the laugh-provoking properties of the picture. It is also possible that a similar effect may be gained in the melodrama. On the other hand, the attempt to reproduce every sound may prove fatal. The reproduction of the yell of mobs, the sound of horses’ hoofs, of crying or of laughing, in dramatic productions seem to produce an undesirable effect. In the old days theatres that tried to imitate these sounds while the picture was shown were thought of as “dumps.” What has happened to change that feeling today ? * * * The first showings of talking pictures in New York City did not prove very much of a success, even though they were a novelty. The Vitaphone shows consisted of “acts,” singing mostly, by highgrade singers or vaudeville artists ; and of a feature, synchronized with music. No characters talked. For a year after the opening of talking pictures in this city, many installations were made throughout the country. The results were not uniform; in some spots they drew big crowds ; in some the results were indifferent ; while in others it hurt the business to such an extent that several of these exhibitors were compelled to throw the instruments out. I have had exhibitors either write to me or call on me to get an opinion as to how they could get rid of their instruments or how they could get a reduction in the weekly engineering services as well as in the price of the “acts.” The Vitaphone stock took a decided tumble, and kept declining until “The Jazz Singer” was shown in this city; then everything changed : wherever the picture was shown, with talk, it made a great success (but not without the talk). Every producer-distributor’s face showed a deep worry. This worry became deeper as they kept receiving the information that the profits of Warner Bros, kept piling up, and that this picture, which it will eventually take in several million dollars, saved that company from possible bankruptcy. The result was that every one of them jumped on the band wagon ; they rushed to sign up with Western Electric for a license to produce “talking pictures” under its patents, on terms that have virtually placed the entire industry in the clutches of one company (the terms under which September 8, 1928 they obtained such a license will be discussed in a forthcoming article). What made ‘‘The Jazz Singer” a success? It was certainly not the ‘‘acts,” tor Vitaphone acts were shown, for example, with “The Better ’Ole” ; but that did not make “The Better ’Ole” a success as a talking picture. It was the talk that A1 Jolson made here and there, and his singing of his “Mammy” song, chiefly the singing of “Mammy.” It was so successfully done that people were thrilled. The sight of Mr. Jolson singing to his mother, sitting in the orchestra, stirred the spectator’s emotions as they were stirred by few pictures ; it brought tears to the eyes of many spectators. The scenes that showed Mr. Jolson singing Kol Nidre while his father, a cantor, lay in bed at the point of death, too, moved people, Jews and Gentiles alike. So it was not really the “talk” that made talking pictures popular but the good quality of a talking picture. The lesson “The Jazz Singer” lias taught us, then, is that “talking pictures” will make a success— will become a permanent institution, if they have the quality. At present no one knows what turn the public mind will take in reference to talking pictures. Just now they draw ; the great advertising that has been given to them in newspaper and periodical write-ups is helping bring every picture-goer out ; and as there are but a few theatres fitted with talking picture instruments, the “showing” such pictures make is great. In the Bronx, this city, for example, there are only two theatres so fitted. Why shouldn’t they draw ? Bronx has more than a million population. But what will happen when every theatre installs such an instrument there ? The same holds true of Brooklyn, where there are over two million people, and two or three talking picture theatres to take care of them. Will these theatres draw the same crowds when every one of the nearly 250 theatres install an instrument and show talking pictures ? Even if talking pictures should increase the picture theatre attendance, the industry cannot stand the cost of production in accordance with the pace set just now ; it isn't in the “cards.” So a readjustment will have to be made ; unless it is made, few of the producers will be able to show a profit this year ; on the contrary, the losses will be great. It is doubtful if exhibition can absorb as many “talking picture” features as the producers have set for production, even if the industry had reached the saturation point of instrument installation. It is probable that, after the thirst of the public for talking pictures has been appeased, matters will settle down to this : there will probably be a certain number of theatres that will specialize in talking pictures, and the others will continue their regular grind of silent pictures, the small theatres improving their music by non-synchronous instruments. It is also possible that the taste of the public will show a trend towards short subjects, comedies as well as dramas. In such an event, the demand for talking pictures of feature length, in which the characters will talk all the way through, may be limited to a certain number a year, of the highest quality. An attempt on the part of exhibitors to feed the picture-going public talking pictures as a regular diet may prove a failure, for the reason that it will be many times more difficult for the pro(Continued Inside )