The Washington times., 1914-07-25

than Novelli or Linder would be to
act the same parts.
1t has been recognized for a long
time by theatrical managers that
European dramatic productions must
be Americanized before success at
tends production here. There are
some playwrights like Arthur Pr
nero, Henry Arthur Jones, Barrie,
Doyle, ETC., whose work is not nee
essarily changed to fit the taste OF
the American people. But the
average foreign play. be it a tragedy
or a comedy, must be changed to
enable the American audience to
properly understand and appreciate
it. In the same way American plays
are changed when they go to Europe
And some distinctly American plays,
like rip Van Wrinkle" for instance,
Europe won't havo under any con-
sideration.
The reason for this is the different
habits of mind of the people of diff
ferent parts OF the world. II Is not
possible for a Frenchman. or even
an Englishman, to grasp the Amerf-
can idea and counterfeit it on the
stage 1t is absolutely essential that
it shall be done by an American.
Anyone who has seen a European
attempt an American type can ap-
preciate what this means.
In the early days of the motion
picture industry there was some
reason to claim artistic superiority
for the foreign films. The Euro
pean took to 1t quicker than we did.
NJ. Gaumont, who set the pace for
his associates. achieved 4 triumph
In pictures before the American
Continent contained a single stock
producing company. And in all
parts of Europe and some parts of
Asia and Africa the Cinema Thea
ter of the present day was known
when Americans we're still going to
penny arcades and being astonished
by the peep show kaleidoscope ex-
hibitions OF forty or fifty feet of
film. With this much start the Eu-
roDeans were the first to see the
picture possibilities and improve
upon them.
But the American industry was
not slow in catching up. and 1t Is
now ahead of Europe in many par
ticulars. Where Europe has one or
two individual actors and actresses
who have attained international re-
nown, America has Mary Pickford.
King Baggot, Mary Fuller. Francis
Bushman, Arthur Johnson. Florence
Turner, Alice Joyce, Gertrude Nc
Coy, Marguerite Snow, the Gish girls.
Blanche Sweet, Pauline Bush, John
Bunny, Broncho Billy Anderson,
Gene Gauntier. Leah Baird. Warren
KerriSan, Carlyle Blackwell, and a
host of others who are as well
known in Europe as they are IN
America There is probably not a
country in the world where Bunny
and Anderson and Mary Pickford are
not known. There is scarcely a
corner Of the world to which their
pictures have not penetrated, and
where they do not represent to the
various audiences that see them the
most desired of all actors and ac-
. tresses. This cannot be said Of any
of the European actors with the
probable exception OF Under. who is
probably one OF the greatest S.niuses
the screen has produced anywhere,
for Max" is known where ever there
is such thing as projection ma
chine the world over.
4 It Is, therefore. not only unfair,
but untrue, to say that American
acting and American films do not
measure up in artistic value 10 the
European quality. AS a matter Of
fact they do. There are a number
of American films. of course. that
are far behind not only European
quality, but any standard of real
quality And many Of these films
have gone to Europe and haze been
cast aside. But the output of the
recognized companies of tho General,
Mutual or UNIVERSAL programs are
well received abroad. and ar" being
received in increasing quantities
every yaar The American Is no
more crude than the European actor
Is fiamboyant. The truth is the Ameri-
can is American. and the European
Is European-that's all. G. NJ.