The Washington times., 1914-11-23
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
An Expert Opinion
On Relation OF
Book and Play
To the Film.

the relation of the photoplay to lit
erature and the stage during the
past few months. The increasing
number of weu-known actors and au-
thors who are seeking opportunity
with the screen play has centered
. attention upon the relation that
the stage and the book and the film
bear each other. Several times ref
erence has been made to this in this
column, and once or twice the state
ment has been made here that the
three branches of the art of lit
arv expression should progress side
by side in perfect harmony with
each other rather than at variance.
Some of the same ideas are
expressed by Louis Reeves Harrison
in a recent editorial in the Moving
Picture World. MIR. Harrison has
subject in which he goes into many
hitherto undiscussed phases. He
states. in part:
"A mere glance at past conditions
Is all that is necessary to make US
realize that moving pictures have
fought their own way against liter
ary skepticism and theatrical preju-
dice, have found their own way to
universal popularity in spite of the
fact that few writers ever gave
them support and that they were re-
garded with mingled envy and dis
dain by eXponents of the 'legiti-
mate 1t is now quite satisfying for
authors to have their works visual
lied, and gentlemen of the theater
are tumbling over one another to
convert comatose scripts into live
assets Some disputes have arisen
as TO ownership of these embalmed
products. Men who acquired
dramatic rights, at time when
that meant their oral exposition on
the stage in three or four acts, at
tempt ownership of silent visualiza-
ton in 200 scenes on the screen.
The stage offers one vehicle, the
book another, and screen represen-
tation another, each distinct from
the other. each unique in its way.
Consider few facts.
The structure of stage play diff
fers widely from that of the photo
story.
One depends largely upon vocal
utterance which is entirely absent
in the other.
zone is necessarily artificial and
nearly always arbitrary in form;
whereas the other may easily be
natural ana logical in its develop
ment.
These particular and distinctive
characters appear to give the young
tr art an individuality of its OWE,
though. like literature. It may pos
sess an intrinsic relationship to the
drama. 1t is certainly developed
and maintained as a separate art
The fact that it's interests and con-
Germs are those OF any vehicle OF
should not give rise to any
confusion. That Is kinship of
The art itself, the en-
ployment OF given means to effect
a purpose, has grown along entirely
new lines and reached its strong
! lace in the hearts of people through
the novelty of its presentation. That
its stories may go straight to the
minds of people without the inter
vention of words. places 1t beyond
classification under lit
erature or the drama.
In trapsposing from books or
stage plays. the author of a large
screen version may we'll keep in
mind that the book may be laid
aside and that there are intermis-
sions between acts at the theater.
the attention Of an audience
must be compelled for nearly two
hours in five-reel presentation.
The handful of main characters
should be clearly defined in the au-
thor's mind at the outset and in
tI Ioduced to the audience at the
EARLIEST possible moment On the
strength of this introduction hinges
attention. Now a uues-
hon arises as to how much they
ire to influence the course of events
a question OF their intelligence and
native power. and how much chance
md fa," are to influence them.
Along with the Introduction OF
these min characters, TO he gath
cred from two or more sources.
,omes the development Of incidents
which bring them together along a
rnEie lire Of interest leading I'D TO
climax. To introduce PRINCIPALS
ate In a story is dangerous. People
know there is to be a clash of some
tind, and exhibit a deeper interest
when enabled to range themselves
-or and against the opposing forces.
still, In rare cases. particularly those
involving fascinating central fig
1re, II is possible to conduct a series
of adventures toward a given end,
out such plays often peter out before
hat end is reached. do not be-
ieve, however. in imposing any
upon the author Of a five
eel photOdrama-the materials at
lis disposal are usually inadequate
nd often unsuited to the strong en-
orcement of an idea.
Because or tremendous demand
or good features, there are few mis-
rable failures where there has been
-deQuate treatment in the transpO-
iton. Beauty Of scene. delightful
of interpreters. fine
cientific work-all these offer COM
'ensation for medioCritv of play
tructure, but there has been no
triking or brilliant success ithout
BILE authorship in the background
here are quite as many fundamen-
ais TO be mastered and absorbed
n getting a play ready for visuali-
alton rs in preparing n novel for
aside from command of
4nCuage. Their" the novelist has an |
dvantage-the treatment Is his o~.n |
mere IS one note which cannot be
ounded too often. that Of sincerity.
inceritv OF authorship direction and
counts. and there Is
cry little artistic sincerity back OF
he desire to pick up little easv
loney. The man who puts his /
cart and soul into authorship at
his stage may not reap large re-
ards but he will build reputa-
ion bound to count heavily in the
nd >"