The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-11-07
DRAMAT|zAT|ON OF A CLASSIC
Interesting Presentment of Worlds Literary Master
piece in a Moving-pic Theater.-The Pub
lie Is an Uncertain Quantity.
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
It's hard to tell about the public

BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
It's hard to tell about the public.
Sometimes it seems entirely degen-
crate.
Again to have noble aspirations.
But if the critics of the moving-pic-
ture theatres had been out Monday
and Tuesday, they might have learned
a thing or two both about the public
and the theatres.
That is, if they had seen the drama
tization of Homer's odyssey" at the
Palace.
Here was the moving picture drama
at it's apogee.
In it's pictorial educational and the
atrical phases.
And that the public appreciated it
was indicated by the crowds that
thronged thither.
And at just double the admission
that is usually charged.
Here was the pictorial presentment
of one of the worlds greatest classics.
Which is supposed to appeal to the
cultured and the academician rather
than to the average.
But that the usual patrons of the
picture houses were interested, as we'll
as those who go out only on occasion,
was shown by the attendance of the
former.
What is the hold this great classic
has upon posterity?
hot toll Of
And tells it automatically.
For no melodrama was ever written
that is, in the sense that melodrama
is understood-which exceeded in
thrills the tale of Ulysses and his adj
ventures.
When you reduce the great literary
classics of the world to their last an
alyses you will find that, ten to one,
their interest lies in their storytelling
qualities.
It's the same with the most famous
of the worlds masterpieces in other of
the arts.
The greatest pictures tell story.
The greatest musical compositions
relate tale
The most celebrated pieces of sculp-
ture have that human interest without
which the most finished product of art
cannot make a universal appeal.
And unless it makes that same uni
versal appeal it cannot be ranked as a
classic.
For, in the end, the mass decides.
1t is the jury which sits in Judgment
upon the activities of humanity.
And its announcements, whether
right or wrong, just or unjust, are al
most always final.
And, paradoxically enough, oftener
than not, hit the bullseye.
And art must have it's seal and ap-
prevail.
Art cannot live without it.
1t is vital to arts existence.
And, in this, makes for a sort of
equilibrium which seems necessary to
the life of society.
If Art swings in its orbit unobstruct-
ed, it arrogantly ignores the humani-
ties.
If humanity beats it's way unmolest-
ed toward its mysterious goal, it bru-
| tally tramples down beauty.
one must nave the other.
Or neither can exist normally.
1t was interesting, therefore, to OBJ
serve the complexion of the crowds
which viewed the reproduction of the
story of the celebrated Greek poem
1t must be confessed that, now and
! then, the foreign film producers do a
thing a little bit better than it can be
done in this country.
The character of those enacting the
roles of the Odyssey, in instance.
| 1t is to be doubted if Ulysses
could be more realistically depicted
For he was, as the saying goes, ga
splendid figure of man"
! The Italians lend themselves to dra
matte presentation with a fluency
Americans are incapable of.
| And their goddesses and mythology
cal heroes were the more convincing
perhaps because they were posed by
representatives of this passionate race
Calypso" for example, was suffici
emily alluring to make anyone under
stand why she caused Ulysses to tarry
| for period of eight years.
After all, Ulysses had little kick
coming about Penelope's suitors
Ulysses was, however, typically
masculine.
| | will do it but you mustn't, he said
in effect to the woman.
I'll hang out eight years in the envir
rons of a beautiful woman, even if she
is a goddess. But these suitors are ar
abomination. To be sure you haven't
noticed 'em. Have been true to me fol
twenty years But, all the same
they're nuisance and must be clean
ed out.
The story stops most happily with
! Ulysses and Penelope in each others
arms.
When Penelope came to, and put
Ulysses through cross examination
Ulysses might have had some ado tc
explain that eight years hiatus with
Calypso.
Be that as it may, both these pic
ture actors were uncommonly good
and the whole dramatiZation admira
BILE.
| The landscape settings were ideal
And the costuming added to the yer
isimilitude.