International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

July, 1929 T h INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Nineteen THE PAGAN By Louis W. Physioc This paper has not been committed to the policy of re-reviewing pictures, but now and then something is presented that justifies a suspension of the strictest conservatism. We also excuse the present comments by ack n o w 1 e d ging that we are very free in condemning the bad pictures, but careless about praising the good. And what is worse, our prejudice is often developed to the point where we judge a few bad ones from certain quarters with the old saying, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" None the less common is the habit of being stingy with our praise where it is merited. "I admit it, though the words blister my tongue," sort of spirit. This spirit was reflected in certain remarks overheard among the crowds that milled from the showing of "The Pagan." "I wonder if they realize that they have a real picture," said one, who spoke as having authority. "Yes," answered his companion, "it is a real picture but why call it an all talking picture?" "Which latter expression suggests the substance of our comment. Mr. Vandyke has produced a charming picture. The story is simple, sweet, clean and wholesome, and for a South Sea Island idea, plausible and logical. Vandyke might have saved his concern a lot of money by placing some one before a michrophone to relate it all in lengthy, tedious dialogue, but he preferred to transport us to the island and show it in moving scenes of varied interests. He dipped his brush here and there, upon his palet, and used only what he needed, — nothing more, nothing less, — and mixed them with skill and artistry. His simple, but forceful cast stood out in dramatic stereoscopy, from a background of native life and settings. There was no straining after superficial production values. It was simple beauty, and Clyde DeVinna, the photographer, is just as surely an artist as if he wore a smock and a Tamoshanter. Donald Crisp was consummate, and we were almost glad that the sharks ate so tough a mortal. Novarro was delightful, the little girl, Dorothy Janis, was lovable, and we compassionated little Adoree in her sacrificial devotion. The propinquity of male and female was suggested in a sweet, pure love story, and broke through, with a crash, the sordid movie formula of "sex appeal." We read the subtitles without any conscious need of spoken dialogue, and listened to the extraneous sound accompaniment as a perfectly natural adjunct, and the music was pleasing and unobtrusive — we went away humming the plaintive melody that knitted together the elements of the story. But this was not a talking picture, it merely had a sound accompaniment. It is questionable whether it could have been made an "all talkie," and it is this fact that elicits our editorial comment. The word appears to have gone forth that there shall be no more silent pictures, which inspires the question, should such pictures as "The Pagan" pass? Should they pass as long as they can claim the patronage that this one seems to enjoy? We speculate as to whether the enthusiasm, among producers, for the dialogue pictures, is not developing more into a desire to feature this wonderful instrument itself, rather than employing it as a valuable addition to tools of the craft. These considerations lead us. to hope for the time when the extravagant exploitation of the mere instrument will be succeeded by a policy that will place it in the hands of artists capable of judging its abuse as well as its use. However we see no reason to worry, for we have seen many instances where a valuable device is at first a toy, and when the novelty wears away, it becomes a powerful implement of production. jipHHaHlHIHgMlH^^ ROY DAVIDGE FILM LABORATORIES An Exclusive "Daily Laboratory QUALITY AND SERVICE 6701-6715 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD H 0 llywood 1944 a SIEHISIHIIIISISS^^