The Washington times., 1914-03-31
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
Comparison of French
and American
Types OF
Films

- an opportunity this week to
compare the methods of the
American and European
producers at their best. "Germin-
al at Crandalrs, and In the
Bishops Carriage" or Tess Of the
dUrbervilles." at the Virginia Of
fer the finest sort of opportunity
for making comparisons for they
have been produced by the best
people in the two countries rep
resented and have been put on in
the finest possible manner. Mary
Pickford and Mrs Fiske represent
the highest art on the American
stage and the two people who tAke
the leading parts in 'GerminaF' are
members Of the famous Comedie
Franchise staff. The producing
FILM Company and the Pathe
Freres are seen pitted. one against
the other. These two concerns rep
resent the highest art in play pro-
duction in their respective coun-
tries.
The two American plays that are
OenS Ut are W oe, sno"H IL tho
Virginia-for Tess" does not be-
gin until tomorrow-are examples
Of the kinds Of plays that The
Times has been trying to empha-
size as containing all that IL best
in the film business. Mary Pickford
is at her cleverest and best as
Nance In the first named. An artist
TO her little finger tips. this young
woman realizes every subtlety OF
hA ~rrhflA aha
is called upon to represent on the
screen. She makes a delightful
creation of Nance which she sus-
tains throughout the long play.
The Fiske play Is Of an entirely
different character. Minnie Mad
dern Fiske is supposed to be at
her very best as Tess. She has lost
fer OF her play from the stage to
the screen. In fact, it would seem
that the intensity Of the piece
has been somewhat enhanced. In
the settings for the two plays the
Famous Players company has
struck what We might call mod
crn note. The scenes are what the
playgoer in America has been led
to expect from the very best pro-
turalness of the characters that
are delineated are emphasized.
There is a lack Of staginess. of
consciousness about the scenes.
Unfortunately this is not always
true Of some of the actors. Some
Of the American companies con-
tain lot Of players who seem still
do not seem to be able to get over
the fact that they are acting be-
fore the camera and try as they
might they can't keep their eyes
from the lense. The Famous Play
ers companies are freer from this
than most of the others. however.
t!e French drama is given fIll
swing. There isn't a biz Of camera
shyness about the foreign actors
or actresses. Yet in comparing
them with the American companies
il mast be admitted that viewing
'Germinal' emphasizes the fact
that the French take their theater
rather seriously and that whatever
thev pat on the screen there is al
ways an atmosphere Of it being =
play. The mechanics OF acting
have received much greater atten-
ton among the French. and the
fact is apparent The gestures. the
florid style of the leading people.
and the scencrY-so plainly seem
cry when interiors are used-are
foreign TO tn. STYLE Of the Ameri-
can protoplay and producer.
The photography is perfect in both
types of production. The French
man. who was the first to attain the
perfection Of the art. is the leader
no longer. The comparison Of the
two styles OF putting on shows is
interesting and instructive. Both
are fine. Both are good TO look at
They are SO truly the best repre-
sentatives of widely differing meth
DDS OF entertainment that to set one
against the other 10 almost impossi-
Bile. To people interested In the art
of photoplaying and producing there
have been no more interesting films
produced than those two examples
this week. Personally We like the
American style-the only quarrel
we have with kleine is that he
doesn't use more American subjects
and American actors and scenery in
his great productions. q. NJ.