Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-21
BOOK BY POET PRAISES
MOVIES AS BIG FORCE
FOR SPREAD OF ART
Vachel Lindsay Writes First
Esthetic Philosophy of Screen
in THE Art of the
Moving Picture"
OTHER NEW NoNFICTIoN

ny ysehei Lindsay. Macmillan Company. New
The voice Of vachel Lindsay Is the nr,,
voice OF poet to be raised in apprecla.
tion OF the photoplay. Some would deny
MT Lindsay that honorable title hut thew
must be persons better acquainted with
his red bartender" than with The Ar,
OF the Moving Picture" (Macmiuan. Now
York;. Nothing less than the warmest an
proval Is possible toward the volume In
earnest interest. in just appraisal OF the
past and fine foresight. Il stands alone
IN current letters, It praises nobly Il con-
demns httlngly; and Il Is backed in praise
and condemnation by that thorough knowl.
edse OF subject which cannot be done with
out.
Properly enough. the book has for hero
David Griffith. Mr. Llndsay's brave Efforts
70 allot to this producer the role OF villain
are amusing. As he goes on and on he
realizes the futilty OF doing this and he
nnaly takes ID. w. q, as the archetype OF
the best In pictures. But before ne does
THIS he submits certain definitions OF va
rlous sorts OF photoplays. These he calls
uramas OF action, Intimacy and splendor.
which might be translated for the laity as
melodrama, psychology and pageantry.
Through pages and pages of swift-moving.
vivid, plangent writing he carries his reader
on to the heart OF cinematography. not the
mere indulgence In costly sets, nor yet the
iove OF rank excitement. nor again the
futile admiration OF certain male and fe-
male types among actors Because he has
vision, being poet. Mr.. Lindsay goes far
ther than this. II he does not prove that
the cinema can be made a thing of peer
less loveiiness, a lifted taper In the dusl<I
he at least proves that he believes that
II can. And that is all that really counts
his belief
In subdivision of subject he has worked
so nicely that his chapter headnRs-of
rarer suggestive power than any criticism
are given. In part. here. Some are
sculpture in Motion" Painting in Mo-
tion." Furniture, Trappings and Inven-
tlons in Motion" Architecture In Motion. e"
Thirty Differences Between the PhotopIay
and the Stage" 'Hisroglyphics" The Or
chestra, Conversation and Censorship" :"
Architects as Crusaders and The
Prophet wizard"
The latter theme probably was suggested
by Griffith, whose influence is palpable all
through the book. The Grlfiith production
"Avengng Conscience" Is described in a
concise bit OF prose not unworthy to rank
with that macabre masterpiece. and there
are analyses OF popular productions. such
as The Birth OF Nation" and The Spoil
ers," and OF unpretentious comedies like
those of Sidney Drew. To the feet OF Mary
Pickford. the little girl. he brings singing
rhapsodies that are not for Mary Pickford,
the keen business woman; and fngernaii
sketches OF old Biograph plays, THE Bat
tle." MANS Genesis" and others. form In
terudes to more weighty businesses.
Like all men who read books. as well as
write them, the author quite often finds
himself seeking an analogy In poems His
suggestions In this respect might be profit
ably read by all directors az they aver read
anything but scrpts) For the mere pic
ture-goer the ample discussions OF more
general interest are recommended.
Mr. Lindsay makes one or two errors of
Judgment As an instance. he dlsapproves
Of music as an accompaniment. He also
has some rather dim notions on communal
and civic pageantry that are not germane.
HIS most terrifying piece OF advocacy is
advice TO the imagists to put their works
on the screen. But his reputation Of the
censors. his demand for permitting quiet
| speech at the shows and. most OF all. his
splendid apocalypse. atone for these mis-
takes.
1T has come then" he concludes. this
new weapon of men. and the face OF the
whole earth changes. In after centuries
Its beginning will be indeed remembered.
II has come. this new weapon OF men. and
by faith and a study OF the signs we pro-
claim that II will go on and on In i'm
memorial wonder"