Theory of the film : (character and growth of a new art) (1952)

CLASS FACES 81 their acting which is natural — their nature is play-acting. The same can be observed in savages or primitives. The close-up often reveals unusual gestures and mimicry — unusual, that is, from the white man's viewpoint. If we understand them, they have a particularly fresh and immediately strong effect. But it often happens that we fail to understand them. Among the red Indians and Chinese for instance the expression of pain or deep sorrow often looks like a smile to our eyes. Not always and not immediately do we know what it is intended to convey. But if we recognize it for what it is, an expression of pain, it moves us deeply, precisely because it is unusual. GROUP PHYSIOGNOMIES There was no need of close-ups to show us the typical common traits of the great coloured races, the group physiognomies recognizable as Negro, Chinese, Eskimo, etc. On the contrary these exotic faces seemed all alike to us only because we knew them so superficially. Here the close-up was needed to show us the individual differences between one Chinese and the other, one Negro and the other. Nor was it a discovery to see characteristic English or French, Italian or German types in the films. We had known them well enough before. The film could at most improve our knowledge of the type by showing us new varieties. In any case, it is difficult to say which type of face is really representative of any nation or race. Is there an undisputed, generally accepted English face? If so, what is it like? And why should that particular face be the truly typical and not some other face? As there is a science of comparative linguistics, so there should be a comparative science of gesture and mimicry, with research into these in order to find the common fundamental forms of expressive movement. The film offers the means to establish such a science. CLASS FACES An important innovation introduced by the film was the 6