The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-06-22
ART Of THE
L SILENT DRAMA


The motion picture, so aptly
termed the silent drama, il rapidly
advancing toward the topmost pin
nacle of dramatic art, and is, perhaps,
destined to supersede stagecraft in
the portrayal of human emotion, says
James Carroll, writing on Modern
Histrionics." The thrall of the mo-
ton picture lies in its realism; the
eprapt spectator lives and acts the
play with the actors, who stand forth
flesh and blood upon the pulsing
screen against a scenic background
so real that n puts forth a hand
to pluck a rose from its swaying bush,
or instinctively lodges before the
onrush of a speeding train, dashing
head on from the picture. No human
puppets are these actors, nor tin
selled marionettes to dance to the.
prompter's string; they rely not upon
tedious dialogue between principals
to explain the plot, but by virile &C.
ton and acting of the highest order,
make clear the most intricate plot to
the humblest auditor.
The plays from which the pictures
are made, are written and selected
with the greatest care, and are not
always written successfully by the
most eminent playwrights and auth
ors, as one would imagine. Like
genius and goodness, the talent is
born, not made. 1t took a Rostand
to write "Chantecler," but Rostand
perchance might not be able to Pen a
good picture play. The best of these
plays are written and produced in
this country, and the censorious care
IF the manufacturers guarantees pic
ture plays of the highest moral char
acter. Can as much be said of mod
ern drama? The American public Dr.
serves and demands the best, and
they get it.
The tremendous strides which the
Silent Drama has taken on the path
to perfection is exemplifed by the
play, "a Corner in Wheat" produced
by the Biograph people, which is prac-
tically a picture editorial, and teaches
4 lesson which cannot be found in
many a sermon, and which has made
thousands of people think. What q
power for good is this silent drama,
which instructs while it amuses, and
while it rests the tired mind, yet in
sidiously a train of thought
conductive to a better and higher
life. Ramona" Helen Hunt Jack
sons American classic, now in course
IF production by the same company.
and filmed at great expense in Old
California, right where the scenes Of
the book are laid, shows how superior
the present day productions are to the
earlier efforts of the foreign makers,
when motion pictures first took pop
ular fancy-the cut-and-run, SLAP
stick comedy, and gruesome tragedy
which was then the rule. And, with
true. modesty, the producers do not
call it a feature film, nor regard it as
an extraordinary achievement, yet
they spend thousands of dollars in
producing pictures of this sort, and
the poor man, who cannot afford to-
view the so-called high class DRAMA,
and who would not enjoy it as much
or be benefited to such an extent If
be could, is the beneficiary.
Comparing, then, the d%ecadence Of
the modern drama, and the CORE
spending uplift of the motion picture,
Its place in the hearts of the popu-
lace is easily understood, and it's fast
growing popularity readily accounted
for. 1t is to be hoped that it will con-
tinue in its upward progress, an arbi-
ter of elegance, and a moulder Of
good taste. There is little doubt but
what it will do so in the hands Of
it's present enterprising and aspiring
producers, and so that oft para
phrased saying may once again be
changed to read, II care not who
makes the nations laws, if I but
write its motion picture stories."