International photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

August, 1935 The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Nim The Young Child and The Motion Picture By Ann Harris Third Grade Teacher, Second Street School, Los Angeles Pioneers in the field of motion picture appreciation are apt to dismiss the young child by saying that he has no place in the motion picture theater. Be that as it may every Sunday, in our district, finds him there. The father is not able to provide him room to play — either inside or outside, but he can often provide a dime with which to send him to the Sunday show. What is to be done about it? First, one can lead him to an awareness of the other sources of enjoyment within his environment such as the newspaper, the radio, the library, and the park. Then he can be lead to exercise discrimination about the photo-plays that he does see. At first, he will be hazy as to the title, the star, and the continuity of he cinema he has atended. Gradually he realizes that blindly paying a dime into the box office and taking what comes — is as intelligent as asking for a dime's worth of candy and taking anything, when he knows very well that some kinds are better than others. Monday morning reviews of the Sunday shows had continued all last term until, on the twenty-first of February, we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity of viewing three comedies. Six reels of comedy for everyone gave us our first real chance to do something with motion picture appreciation. Usually, since not more than five saw the same picture, discussion was very difficult. If you could only have heard the laughter of those children. Not a move did Charlie Chaplin make, but the children caught it, understood, and laughed. Here in pantomime they found a common background of meanings sadly lacking in a group of eight, nine, and ten year olds composed of 1 American, 12 Mexicans, 2 Japanese, 6 Jews, 2 Armenians, 4 Russians, 1 Irish, and 8 Syrian. Laughter is as foreign to the daily lives of these children as they themselves are — to you. Current events bring out incidents such as the following: From Armenian Ben, age 10, "That was my uncle that jumped off the bridge yesterday. He hadn't been long from Armenia. Someone stole his truck. He couldn't work." From Russian Tanya, age 8 : "A Russian man killed his wife and her friend on the way to work this morning. Right down there — we saw them. They were dead." When tragedy walks by one's side, when one has not enough to eat or wear, — one must laugh — if one is to live. So it was that this was a gala day in our lives. After each child had written up the comedy that he had enjoyed the most, — he share his story with the group — seated around the tables. As each child read, we laughed together again in remembrance. A tally was kept as the stories were read. At the end, the score stood: Our Gang, 9; Charlie Chaplin, 12; and Harold Lloyd, 5. Now came the question as to what made a comedy good. 'A good comedy must be funny, but not silly," averred Marjorie, age 8. In explaining the difference between silly and funnyArmenian Charles asserted: "Silly is something they just make up. Funny is something that is real, and they act it funny." The championing of favorites began with Alvin: "Harold Lloyd is the best because he does good acts. When he slips, he slips good." FELSTEAD GOES ON ACTIVE DUTY Lieutenant Charles Felstead, who is our Associate Editor in charge of sound recording and reproduction, has again been ordered on a tour of active duty with the Army. Lieutenant Felstead will be stationed with the 63rd Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft ) Regiment at Ft. MacArthur, San Pedro, from July 11th to 24th. With other officers of his own regiment — the 977th Coast Artillery (AA) — he will assist in the instruction of the CMTC Cadets and of the candidate officers. Anti-aircraft machine gunnery and chemical warfare will be his special subjects of instruction, as well as Army communications. "Charlie Chaplin didn't have to have as many subtitles as Harold Lloyd, because Charlie Chaplin can show better what he means without subtitles." Rivah, age 8. "Speaking of subtitles," interrupted Shirley, "wasn't Harold Lloyd a talkie?" Then as the children laughed, she insisted, "Well, of course, Our Grang was — a talkie." That child hadn't missed sound at all. Then Armenian Charles summarized Charlie Chaplin's crede: "Charlie Chaplin can explain things silently." "Our Gang is best for children though," insisted Mexican Martha, "because it has so many children in it." "It isn't good for children because they want to do what they see. They shouldn't have taken up that sign," began Lorraine, age 8, and before she could finish, — there came a flood of condemnation of the Gang for the things they had done — that they shouldn't have done. "When you see one or two good children in a movie, it makes you want to be good," summarized Rivah. "The Gang doesn't make you want to be good — it makes you want to be mischievous." "Let's all go to the same movie this week-end," suggested Rivah. For the first time in six months — a child had seen the value for purposes of discussion — of everyone deciding on the best picture in the neighborhood and seeing it. Some had already chosen Eddie Cantor for this week-end. The succeeding week-end — it was Laurel and Hardy; and this week end, it is to be Silly Symphonies— that will form the basis for discussion. Thus we have been led into a thorough discussion of comedy in general, which is common to all movie programs. With 100% attendance at our special matinee of "David Copperfield" on April 8th, we can start on another type of photoplay. All of this has been related to prove again that if a child is old enough to go to a movie, — he is old enough to have developed within an appreciative awareness of the values to be found in fine photoplays. 35mm. Eastman or Dupont Fresh Qray Backed Negative Price 2V^c per Foot for AMATEURS or PROFESSIONALS KINEMA KRAFTS KOMPANY 6510 Selma Ave. Hollywood, Calif. GLadstone 0276 Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.