Motion Picture Classic (Jul-Dec 1930)

Gilding The Lily {Continued from page 57) Melody," memorable as the first fine talkie, was when Bessie Love shut out the cacophony of the stage, eliminated the strident, wrangling voices of Anita Page and Charlie King, and was left alone in silence. For an appreciable time, during which you might have heard a pin drop there wasn't a sound. The audience was fascinated, hypnotized. Then, low and throbbing, her sobs broke the spell. The most thrilling, spookiest moments in Harold Lloyd's "Welcome Danger" were those in which he and the comedy cop wandered about the Chinese den without a murmur. These incidents always came between sound factions and w^ere so carefully timed that they stressed the most amusing bits of business in the picture. Lloyd, himself, was quick to sense that silence is golden on the silver screen, and, as he will tell you, he has made the most of it. Gloria Swanson's record-breaker, "The Trespasser," was skilfully knit with a fine thread of silence running like a clear still brook through a forest of sound. The tragedies of the heroine she portrays were made more poignant because the deepest dramatic moments were filmed without the aid of the mike. And Gloria is so impressed with the effectiveness of such treatment that "What a Widow" was made with the value of silence in mind. It is, perhaps that the talking screen has given a new spark of naturalness, of reality, of life, to motion pictures — in bestowing upon it the ability to portray the contrasts between sound and silence that exist in all nature. The great moments of real life arc met in silence. Men and women do not vocalize under the influence of deep emotions. The mysteries of life and death are faced silently. The ecstasies of love transcend the possibilities of verbosity. Life's crises come shrouded in silence. Alice Joyce, intelligent interpreter of many roles in the silent drama, upon the stage, the talking screen, and, indeed, in life itself, believes silence is sound's greatest weapon. As to its realism, she cites a drama of her own life which found her small daughter close to death. Following a consultation of physicians, the chief of these advised her that the child's life hung by the proverbial thread. She greeted the announcement with silence, and not until the shadow was passed was her heart-stabbing emotion voiced. Among his souvenirs: Burton Holmes, now making short travel features for M-G-M, has won medals, globe-trotting Waist and Hips Quickly Reduced without dieting, drugs or exercises WAIST and hips 2 to 4 inches smaller — in 10 days. That's what the new Perfolastic Reducing Girdle has done for thousands of delighted women. We urge you to try it, too — at our risk. Made of finest quality, fresh, live Plantation Rubber by the famous Goodrich Rubber Co., Perfolastic reduces by automatic massage. With every breath you draw, every step you take, its continuous gentle pressure breaks up fat cells, moulds away flabby flesh as an expert masseuse would. Cool, comfortable, light — some models weigh as little as 9'.. ounces (garters included) — full of tiny holes to let skin breathe. FREE ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET gives full details about this marvelous girdle and particulars of our S-day trial offer with money-back guarantee that protects you from all risk. Send for it today. No obligation. Simply fill out coupon and mail t ) Perfolastic. Inc.. Dept. 1610. 41 East 42nd Street, NewYork City. I 1 I Perfolastic, Inc., Dept. 1610 • I 41 East 42nd Street, New York City I I Without obligation, ple.ige send mc FREE BOOKLET (loscril)iug ami | i illustrating the new Perfolastic Girdle, iilao particulars of your 5-day trial . offer. I Make His Heart Leap| M^^NEY FAR YAII ' AT H^ME " With \Uv beuitcliliii; fraKranr of Afuf^tir Lt/n\ the new and dilTrn'nl [>r-rfiMn< It ilMirat* f M it wi'Kvi-« t'mi)[H-ltiiii; chnriii 1 MYSTIC LURB WRITE TODAY ALVER^. II rnu.t try (hi* .■Iv lr-.jr>nc«. fVi.d V .'.Or (or tare* ilr ..f Vv>l,> Lun. il (or the ritrrt tr «u (c>lr> nfth). Ad<lr,-M YOU can earn good money in spare time at home making display cartjs. No selling or canvassing. We instruct you, furnish complete outHt and supply you with work. Write to-day for free booklet. The MENHENITT COMPANY, Limited 209 Dominion BIdg., Toronto, Ont. 7M Broadway, N«w York City. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ JLJUL 90