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112 TECHNIQUE OF THE PHOTOPLAY From this master plot 'have been written scores of photoplays in which the henpecked husband asserts himself in the last few scenes and a few in which the wife changes the situation. There is mild humor in the scenes in which the husband is bullied and a strong laugh at the finish. Much more can be gotten out of the idea with a proper development. Suppose that Mrs. Smith is not only the head of her house- hold, but shows a disposition to take charge of the affairs of the entire neighborhood. She gets into a quarrel with Jones. He cannot thrash Mrs. Smith and it would be a poor satisfaction to add to the sorrows of Smith himself. Jones conceives the plan of helping Smith to regain his rights and at the same time avenge the Jones' wrongs. He gets hold of Smith, coaxes him into the belief that he can run his household. To his surprise and delight Smith finds that he can. There we have the elements of a story that contains a larger idea than the original plot of Smith turn- ing in sheer desperation. There is more to think about and, if properly told, there is more to laugh at. But even more can be done with the story. Mrs. Smith knows that she has her enemy Jones to thank for the domestic upheaval. She sends for her mother; a mistress of strategy. Mother not only reduces Smith to proper subjection, but she persuades meek little Mrs. Jones that she has rights and in the end Jones and Smith are companions in misery. It requires no depth of insight to perceive that this idea is twice as amusing because there is twice as much idea. But in writing the plot of action be careful that the action itself is rightly planned. Do not, for instance, write: Street- Jones meets Smith and persuades him to defy his wife. Such a scene would merely show two men talking to each other. A leader might tell what the subject of the conversation was and thus supply the comedy of idea, but the comedy of action would still be lacking. It will be necessary to supply humorous action. Suppose that Jones arranges with a prize fighter to per- mit Smith to knock him out and so give Smith the moral courage he needs. This will add a trifle to the humor of the idea and very decidedly to the humor of the action. There would be more space required, a few more feet of film, but in return for that extra length we would gain in the action, Suppose it to be played something like this;