Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1920)

The Stage and the Screen (Continued) Photoplay Magazine — Auvekiising Skction 93 'For the Defense' during the past season," says Mr. Parker, "will recall many 'motion picture effects' adapted to the stage in this melodrama by Elmer L. Rice, the same young man who, under the name of Elmer L. Reizcnstein, wrote 'On Trial' several years ago. "For instance, the sets were all shallow, or at least gave the appearance of shallowness, and were set in a plain strip of dark canvas frame, which looked like the border to a motion picture theater screen. A flatness of impression was given by the lighting, which, in the case of every set but one, came from the back. Too, as in the case of 'Sherlock Holmes,' the curtain went up and down at the opening and closing of each act in darkness, in the 'fade-in' and 'fade-out' effect that i.~ now quite common to the stage. "The chief bit of dramatic construction that linked the technique of this play with the technique of the popular motion picture drama was a 'cut-back' in the last act. In the judge's chambers, the woman who had committed the mysterious murder of the piece commenced to tell her story of the murder in order to save the woman unjustly accused of it. As she began, the stage lights snapped out, the scenery was hurriedly shifted, and the audience was transplanted back to the room where the murder took place, and her story was given in action. When the mystery was thus cleared up, there was again a moment of darkness while the stage hands brought back the judge's court room set, and the play ended there. " 'On Trial' was a much talked of play for the reason that Mr. Reizenstein 'wrote it backwards' as critics said. In other words, he began with the court room scene which was really the climax, and switched back to the action which had brought this trial about. "Of course this particular trick of dramatic novelty is not new. It was a feature of Israel Zangwill's play, 'The Moment of Death,' produced in New York in i8gg. 'Romance,' Doris Keene's stage success, starts out with a clergyman telling the story of the romance of a beautiful singer and a young clergyman to his grandson — and his tale is what makes the chief action of the play." "Irene," the musical comedy in which Edith Day has appeared all season, is very unique and entertaining because of its "iris" curtain. This curtain rolls away from the center in the form of an ever enlarging diamond — disclosing the fire escape of the Irish Edith's Ninth Avenue tenement home, and closes together again. It is decidedly a steal from the motion pictures. Mr. Parker himself borrowed and adapted from the stage in "Tlie Eyes of Youth," Clara Kimball Young's recent successful photodrama, which he directed. He used "curtains" throughout the picture. The "curtains" were momentary darkenings of the screen after all intensely dramatic or poignant moments. To many, these "curtains" might seem just ordinary "fadeouts." But what made them ''curtains" was the fact that they gave an end to impressions, they closed the action, for a few seconds. They were Hke the silences that follow tense moments on the spoken stage — or any like situations in real life. They emphasized and heightened effects. They gave the spectators a chance to dwell on an important scene or sub-title for a long enough time for it to sink in before they must turn their attention to something new. One of these ''curtains" was especially dramatic. It was after the court scene in \\-\.\ch the heroine was being tried on a X..-*. And ice cream tastes better, too, with Nabisco. The cool, creamy inner layer blends deliciously with the cream itself. One lump, or two lump>i? With or without cream? Whatever the fancy, a cup of tea is always better for being served with Nabisco. 'm'^^it' 4^ And, as tor beverages, from lemonade to punch, whoever would think of offering them without Nabisco, sugar wafers incomparable? Sold in the famous Jn-er-sfal Trade Mark package NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY When you write to adTertisera please mention PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE.