The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-03-27
NOTED ACTRESS
LIKES MOVIES
Mrs. Fisher: ardent Champion of
Motion Picture Drama

Hear the words of Mrs. Fiske by
many persons regarded the leading
American actress. She has done some
posing for the motion picture camera
and she is an ardent champion of mo-
ton picture drama. Persons who took
upon this new industry with n passive
regard, would do well to sean the ut
tcrances of Mrs. FisSe They follow:
Those who hold that the motion
picture is menace 10 the legitimate
theltre--and legitimate is used i'm its
ordinary and not it's real acccptation,
for the motion picture Is AS legitimate
per So as is that devoted 10 the most
classical productions-must do so on
grounds Of commercialism. for they
cannot do so either on grounds OF
art or OF value To the theater as an
institution.
AS soon as | began To work i'm the
movies, an astonishing thing happen
ed Almost Immediately | felt an alb
solbing sense of something new,
strange and wonderful. With all my
soul | disagree with Nine Bernhardt.
who has declared that there can be
but little art in the motion picture
play. The silent drama will not sup
plant the spoken play, but il will take
a place of its own as "A new and beau
tlful art--an art in some respects moo
ethereal and delicate than that of the
conventional drama can ever be. As ii
develops toward it's ultimate dignity
it will perhaps he more akin To music
and painting than TO acting as We
know it. 1t can be made to provide an
extraordinary stimulus to the imagi-
nation and to the poetry i'm our ma
lures.
When actors begin to understand
this new and wonderful art and it's
possibilities, they will become nobly
inspired with the beauty of its en-
yironment. and the reach Of it's OPP
portunities. They will find something
nobler, purer, simpler and loftier than
ANYTHING they ever can lind in the
artificial atmosphere Of the theater |
where there is dsillusionment on ev-
cry side
we are II w witnessing only the |
first crude manifestations of this new
ART but out of the-confusion and lack |
of real understanding, its great po-
tcntia beauties will emerge Some
days 1t should-and | believe 1t will
command the genius of such poets us
Maeterlnck
s'Frha n int 1
picture will open to the actor are in |
comparable. By watching the film !
productions he can learn more about
the neglected art Of pantummc than |
years &C regular stage education, |
would teach him, and i'm time he can
make Of the moving picture machines
as great an artistic adjunct To his
work as are the well known instru
mcnts of makeup. He will, In other
words. be- able to see his own imper-
sonation of role and improve upon
il accordingly.
In one direction the possibilities
are houndlcs5 and we-inspiring.
just think of the scenic possibilities
only by the resources of nature her
self. Ii the actor or director wants
Nigara for "a background, he can have
IT, II he seeks the sublimity of the
Grand Canon or the ranges of Rock
les, these, too are ready To his hand.
The beauties of California are his. the
ice-ribbed wastes Of Alaska. anything,
everything. Besides all these what
puny efforts seem those of the scene
painters brush!
And this communion with nature
will help UNNECESSARILY the actors art
for environment counts for much, lie
cannot fail to be inspired and give of
his best, better best by far than he
I'M nNer known hnfnrn As nrChiteC- |