Picture Show (Nov 1919-Apr 1920)

The Picture 5/(0 if, March 13th. 1920. (Special to " The Picture Show.") THE EXPRESSIONS OF DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS. DOUG. TALKS on tbe LANGUAGE OF THE SCREEN. WHEN the history of the screen comes to be written Douglas Fairbanks will figure prominently in its pages, for he is undoubtedly one of the silent dramas' finest artistes. Of course, he has won considerable renown, also, for his prowess in athletics, and although many of the "stunts" which be performs are astonishingly < lever, we must not lose sight of the fact that he is first and foremost an actor of great power and versatility. Douclas Fairbanks, indeed, takes motion-picture art very seriously. ■ That is why he threw in his lot with the United Artistes who have declared their determination to improve the standard of American films. " We miist contrive to advance with the progress of the times," said Douglas, when discussing the situation recently. " We must develop those authors who are now students in the profession, that sleep, oat and live films. They are the ones who, when visualising a situation will discount its dialogue possibilities, and only see a situation from an In spite of his smiles he takes the screen very seriously, and in this article throws an interesting light on the motion-picture art and its future as he sees it. absolutely screen perspective. Some day wo will havo a screen language. This is. of course, a matter of time. Look how many years it took the various forms of art to develop. " Not long ago, we thought that no subjects but those which lent themselves to nothing but the most vivid kind of pictorial exploitation could be used for screen purposes. Now we find, as we develop the screen language, that we are bringing the high comedy into use, previously tabooed because of the importance of dialogue." Human Spectacles. AS an example of the screen language, it may be explained that in one of his recent pictures there is a scene where Douglas sits at a table opposite another man for five minutes. The two do nothing but talk by gestures, the turning of a hand, the lifting of an eyebrow, the tense gaze, the act of half rising from a tablo in a threatening way, the clenching of a fist, the pointing to a door, or looking toward the window, and taking out a watch to denote expectancy. Douglas considers we are employing more and more the same gestures and grimaces, in fact, creating a screen language. It is also his opinion that the day will come when the producers will eliminate spectacular effects, and elaborate emotional acting, and instead give the public stories that are human spectacles, containing a laugh a tear, a thrill, in fact, a page from real life. Elaboration or Elimination ? IT seems," he declares, " that in film circles, at tho present time, almost everyone is striving for elaboration. I think, instead, it should be elimination. The simple things in life have proven to be the great successes. This applies to all forms of art. " I think soon the film profession will realise the advantage of eliminating big effects and extravagant screen acting. The players on the screen will act as they would in real life, and theyarethen bound to be more attractive to the audience. I think that the footage of pictures should not be sacrificed /for uniform projection time. The length of a film play ! should be consistent with the development of the plot." / With regard to educational films, Douglas Fairbanks ' says : . ' ' " Each day we see an increased amount of educational and topical films. I know of some theatres where the educational and topical films are being advertised as the headline attraction, with the dramatic picture listed as second on the programme. I firmly belie,ve_ that the dramatic picture will always be the chief attraction, but the race lias started, and I am going to bo an interested observer from a grand stand box." People He Meets. DOUGLAS prefers to portray comedy — dramatic characters— and does not favour playing tragic parts. Someone said that we really can't express an emotion until we have experienced it. This is one of his reasons for feeling that he is unadaptable to very serious characterisations. In all his life Douglas has never had cause to be anything but extremely cheerful. Motion pictures appeal to him because of what he terms his " wanderlust." " We travel great distances for the proper exterior settings." he explains, " and also meet wide variety of types in a film studio. In a film studio it is uncanny the distinctive and compelling people you have for associates. " Recently in a Los Angeles cafe, where we all lunched, at. our table was Curly Baldwin, who explained he had robbed four trains touring through Mexico, and showed mo five notches on his gun, which, in tho Western vernacular, means five murders. "Next to him sat a half-breed of the primitive variety who suggested the typical Bret llarto character you find in ' The Carquincz Wood.' Oh, 1 could go on for an hour describing these distinctive people to you." The Future of the Speaking Stage. WHAT will be tho future of tho speaking stage ? Douglas Fairbanks thinks it will soon eliminate dramatic situations, which can be done so successfully on the screen, and instead pay all attention to the development of brilliant dialogue. " The stage," he says, " cannot compete with the screen for the detailed treatment of dramatic situations. It is limited to three walls, to the regular time of a performance, and to theatrical conditions." l'ossibly picture-goers will shortly have an opportunity of witnessini; Douglas Fairbanks' lirst productions made for the United Artistes, entitled "When the Clouds Roll By." This is considered to be quite the best film ho has vet appeared in.