Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (1950-1954)

gives biographical sketches of the people professionally associated with Chaplin; another appendix indexes thoroughly all the films: the Keystones in 1914, the Essanay Films of 1915-16, Mutual Films in 1916-17, the First National releases of 1918-22, and the seven released by United Artists in 1925-1947. Casts, release dates, length of films and other data are given. There is considerable text which will varyingly inform or interest readers. Not only is the production of each film described but also there is given a frame of timely reference of general and film business conditions, international and domestic political factors, and, without being unnecessarily scandalous about it, an adequate notice of what was happening in the personal lives of those on or off the sets. If this is not a thoroughly knit and compact picture of the individual Chaplin, perhaps we can forgive the biographer at this time when it is doubtful if such could be accomplished even autobiographically. On one point, however, the author is clear: the artist Chaplin has ever been striving wholly and honestly to accomplish more and more with the film, to make each film somehow a greater accomplishment than the preceding one. That Chaplin's success has been continual and consistent may properly be doubted by biographer and reader according to his own artistic taste. This book gives a solid basis for our understanding the peculiar qualities of Chaplin and his use of the film medium which led George Bernard Shaw to call Chaplin "the only genius in motion pictures." — V.A. The Little Fellow The Life and Work of Charlie Chaplin By Peter Cotes and Thelma Niklaus. Published (1951) by Philosophical Library, 15 E. 40th St., New York 16. 160 pp. incl. 32 pp. illus. 5| X 8f. Price $3.75. There is less about motion pictures in this book than in the book briefly reviewed above. There is much more of an effort by the coauthors to accomplish a psychological analysis of Chaplin's background, development and work. There is a deal of detail beginning generally with Chaplin's efforts to earn his way at the age of eight, then on through his growing artistic and financial successes. At the age of 11 he successfully achieved the part of Billy in Sherlock Holmes only by having his mother drill him with the script, for he had not yet learned to read or write. The authors seem fairly occupied in setting consistently right the considerable record of matrimonial matters, of which the public may have an undue aftertaste from many doses of strong headlines and lurid inks. The explanations of why Chaplin's first three marriages were ill fated and his present one apparently the contrary are plausible and interesting enough; but the authors do not quite explain how anyone, genius or otherwise, could often create such unbelievably bad working conditions for himself and then accomplish the almost superhuman in completing the motion picture he wanted — but at other times to be the effective genius from the start in training and directing as in The Kid. — V.A. Acoustical Terminology is American Standard Z24.1-1951 sponsored by the Acoustical Society of America in cooperation with The Institute of Radio Engineers. This latest edition was approved July 31, 1951, and is now available at $1.50 from the American Standards Assn., 70 E. 45th St., New York 17. A number of special committees worked to revise this standard since the first edition was published in 1942. The section on speech and hearing has been thoroughly revised to bring it into agreement with the most recent experimental results. Twelve sections, including six tables, and a thorough index make up this 50-page standard. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is revising its mailing lists and would appreciate receiving a postal with the proper address and an indication of your interest in scientific, technical or business books. Address: Miss Clotilda Lowell, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Fourth Ave., New York 16. 78