Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 17 of ours go round on its axis, action counts most. Acta non verba. It's what you do that counts ; not what you think, or say. I think it is Kipling who, in one of his finest poems, makes the celestial janitor say to the would-be entrant, "What have you done?" It is the doings in a picture that count in a major sense, not the thoughts. ^ rj; ^: nPHE moral of all this is that scenario writers, producers, film makers, should assure as far as possible that there is action of the best kind in their film plays. Some plays I have recently seen are deadly dull. They have relied too much upon atmosphere and sentiment for their effects. You must adjust the constituent elements of your theme as hinted above in order to produce a good play. You must never forget that the motion picture is or should be in one of its aspects an impressible agency. Impressible, that is, in respect of affecting the mind through the brain. It does not in the majority of cases appeal to the sense of color. The film is monochromatic as a rule. Therefore, to make up for this chromatic deficiency you need to be insistent in your action in order that the full effect may be made on the brain. A Kinemacolor picture may succeed in virtue of its colorificality — the story and the action being subordinated to the color effect. But from a black and white picture the color is absent, so in order to make up for this deficiency you gotta give 'em plenty o' punch. So punch, punch, brethren, and do not somnificulate, s'il vous plait. A VIVID VISUALIZATION OF A VIVID STORY "The Sea Wolf," by Jack London, Does Not Lose Force on the Screen JACK LONDON'S works are characterized by an absolute knowledge of his subject, a large consideration for details and good descriptive power. In this he outshines any contemporary. It is for these reasons that his novels are so easy to dramatize, and it seems that this will account greatly for the future success of the moving picture version in seven acts of "The Sea Wolf," produced by Bosworth, Inc. For it will be a success, it cannot very well be otherwise unless it be exhibited exclusively in homes for the blind. Its unescapable virility insures that. The interpretation of that character, "Wolf" Larsen, by Hobart Bosworth is so good that it really defies description. It is a hard character and it is doubtful if any other actor could render the emotional parts as well as does Mr. Bosworth. This character, "The Sea Wolf," is the dominant note of the story. In comparison with him the remainder of the cast sinks into insignificance. Try to imagine a man, rough and uncouth, a veritable beast at times, cruel to the last degree, a terrible bully and yet with all this a philosopher and student, and a constant reader of Browning and the Bible. Is such a type possible? Jack London made it so in his book and Bosworth does the same on the screen. The action tells of the ship "Ghost," commanded by Wolf Larsen, and known as a ''hell ship." Humphrey Van Weyden, a literatteur, is wrecked in the collision between two ferryboats, and after being in the water some time, is saved by the "Wolf" and put to work immediately as cabin-boy. Soon he learns to hate Larsen and hopes for relief. His troubles are numerous and supply much of the life of the picture. After the death of the mate, "Humph," the former art critic, is put in his place. Through mutinies and disaster he helps his chief, until the girl, Maud Brewster, gets in the "Wolf's" clutches in the same manner as Humphrey. "Wolf" quickly learns to love her in his cruel way, and "Humph" has much difficulty and joining his brother, "Death" Larsen. The "Ghost," now deserted save for Wolf, is washed ashore on Endeavor Island. Humphrey and Maude repair the ship and sail away. The last moments and death of Larsen are masterpieces of acting. The final scene shows Humphrey and Maude at SCENE FROM "THE SEA WOLF" in protecting her from insult. Finally, when the "Wolf" is in the throes of blindness, the malady which sometimes afflicts him, the two leave the ship, hoping to land in Japan, but are washed on a desert island. Larsen, now sightless, is powerless to prevent his crew deserting home, where they are starting the writing of their book. By far the strongest scene is the wreck in the San Francisco fog of the two boats. It is a dramatic wonder. It is very probable that the production would not lose in strength if cut {Continued on page 48)