The Washington herald., 1916-11-25
Moving Pictures
By JOHN ID. BARRY.

By JOHN ID. BARRY.
Very distinctly recall my exhilaration
on seeing for the first time a moving pic
ture. 1t seemed to me one OF the great
est feats OF science. II represented the
margin Of the sea. with high waves
breaking on the shore. One could almost
hear the pounding and catch a Whit Of
the salt air. Like most Of the earlier
moving pictures. It concerned itself with
the actual It was only a short time.
however. before there was the intrusion
Of human imaginations. crude. elemen-
tary and, in some ways. tresome.
The theatrical tendency I watched with
regret. II We could only keep to those
natural scenes. How much more inter-
esting they were than the invented situa-
tions, how much more human and thrill
ing.
For several years the moving pictures
were largely abandoned to those foolish
plays. Occasionally. It IL true, a great
event would capture the interest OF the
public. Meanwhile, however, there were
vague signs OF change. Perhaps the
public was firing Of the little plays. The
managers may have perceived a danger.
At any rate. more ambitious plays began
to be presented, scenes from the most
popular Shakespearean dramas, and the
successes of recent days and tho past.
Within four years there has been q no.
table development. II has partly resulted
through the exploitation of popular ac-
tors Now many Of the stage favorites
are earning large sums of money by ap-
pearing in the pictures. What a pity IL
Is that great artist, Henry Irving, died
Just a little too early to be captured,
and. in a sense. kept alive for all time.
His skill was so hne, SO many sided. that,
even without the aid of the voice. II
could reveal itself unmIstakably. He lived
his characters. Just to see him walk
across the stage in a drama was to
realize a Characterization.
The other night saw a Shakespearean
play In moving picture house with a
well-known actress in the chief part. She
was obviously chosen on account Of the
drawing power Of her name. Many years
ago she had grown too old to play the
character. And yet her art actually tri-
umphed over her physical dlsadvanta ges.
But a younger woman ought to have been
chosen instead, one that could give the
figure the charm of youth. As a matter
of fact, the pictures are bringing before
the public many new players not known
In the regular theater. Some Of them are
developing peculiar gifts for this kind of
"OTh- AInOhB InCIu several nave DcCOIue
established as favorites and are exploit
ed like the more popular stars and
paid large salaries. Often when they are
recognized in the streets they receive
the tributes Of admiring looks that used
to be paid to the matinee idols.
It is doubtful, however, II moving pic
lures will completely satisfy. The public
can hardly be expected to lose interest
t. -NYWn rN,~aT
pictures are. they cannot completely re-
produce this mystery. which alone can
explain why certain players, with in
different talent. achieve popular favor
while others. far more richly endowed.
make an appeal less strong or no appeal
at all.
On the other hand the moving pictures
have brought the theater close to the
people, to the millions. The 8 and 10
cent shows have brought pleasure to
vast numbers that otherwise might sell
dom or never see the inside NJ a the
ater. Though they have been severely
criticised. they have done far more good
than harm. The agitation In favor Of
pictures of good quality has had very
encourag ging results. Again the public is
becoming familiar with the classic stories
and plays through seeing them In action
on the films.
As yet We are scarcely able to realize
the vast educational services to be done
by moving pictures Think Of what they
mean in economy. Now the humblest
country school can see experiments work.
ed out with costly apparatus. in zool-
ogy, in botany. and in q multitude Of
other studies. Simply by looking at the
pictures the students can acquire a vast
amount of experience.
But such blessings, great as they are,
grow Insignificant in comparison with the
varied possibilities in the use OF the NOV
ing pictures. Only OF late have We be-
gun to see. Perhaps we have not fully
seen. unsupported developments may lie
In the future; but, for the present, in the
moving pictures we have marvellous serv-
Ice in the way Of education. They must
effect kind OF revolution in methods Of
teaching. Consider. for example, the
study OF geography. to many people unin-
terestins. commonplace. Now It becomes
luminous. 1t is travel, without the IA
ugue and the vexations. Even while
staying at home, We may roam over the
world, seeing people In their daily rou-
tine, actually hearing them tax There
viii be no excuse for our remaining pro-
vincial and conceited and narrow. In
spite of ourselves we shall have to be-
come aware that the conditions familiar
to US are pitifully unimportant, and that
there are people just as fine, or finer, who
live in other conditions. We shall see
ourselves as We are. a speck In the uni
verse. Of use only as we play our little
parts with generosity. and with courage,
and, above all. with humility.