New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-30
ONCE MORE THE FILMS
A Reiteration of the Belief That Majority Are Poor
Entertainment-Theat Chatter.

unfolds its story with so little techni-
cal skill that we are occasionally
moved 70 cry out in pain at the ar
chaic dramatic devices. II is ridicu-
lous to insist that the technique Of
the spoken stage and that of the films
are tasically different The princi-
pies Of good dramatic construction
should be obeyed in a motion picture
just as faithfully as in a legitimate
drama; more faithfully, in fact, for
the spoken stage has its Shaws and
the Galsworthys, whose literary brill
lance compensates for their disregard
OF the dramatic rules. Literary skill,
however. goes for nothing in the
films; the story is everything.
A film shown at the Strand Thea
ire during the last week, entitled
"The Heart of Nora Flynn has met
with general praise for the manner
in which it developed its story. II,
was our notion that it was developed
in tie most amateurish Of fashions.
But we hearkened to the opinions Of
others. the consensus Of which was
that the picture furnished fine OK
ample of film technique as it stands
to-day. And it does that being the
basis Of our argument. Fearful that
VIC had missed the finer points OF the
stor., We saw the picture n second
! time, and are more firmly convinced
than ever that it is the mcrest junk.
"The Heart Of Nora Flynn" has as
IFS principals husband. wife, a
man in love with the wife, nurse
maid. chauffeur in love with the
maid The man who loves the wife
calls to see her, and is received first
by the maid. who tells him that her
mistress will soon be down, etc. Tho
man presses bill into her hand. and
as they stand hand IN hand the chauf-
fcur observes them and becomes sus-
picious. How did tho chauffeur hap
pen 90 enter the house? Oh, for the
most plausible Of reasons. According
10 fash on the screen, he needed
sOre tape 70 repair the automobile
aud thought that the maid might be
able TO lend him some. As YOU may
be aware. it Is always the maid Of the
household who has charge Of the tape
with which the automobile is re-
paired. Certainly the most obvious
thing in the world was that the chauf-
feur entered the house only because
/ the plot would have ceased to move
had ho not had occasion to become
jealous.
Left alone, the wife and her lover
kiss, and II Is just at that moment
that one, Of thousand that tho maid
chances 20 enter the room. BY that
accident she learns their secret. When
the man departs the maid accompanies
/ hin. 10 the door Framed i'm the door
way, they shake hands, and tho chauf-
/ four again sees them in friendly
pose. More cause for jealousy. A
/ little later the man telephones to the
wife that he will call for her that
+ evening. At that instant the maid
/ chances TO lift the telephone receiver
IN the nursery. and IN some motion
picture manner cuts IN on the line
and overhears the conversation.
Thercupon one sees husband and
/ chauffeur drive up TO n certain build
ing. and at that instant two mon
cm0ge from IL. Instead OF going
about their business, they stand in
front Of the building while ono Of
them remarks that Murray will be up
at ttc Stones that night, and he won
dcrs whether he is going 20 visit Mrs
Stone or the maid. Evidently the re
mark is made In q loud tone. for II
is overheard by Stone, standing be
side. tho automobile, and by the chauf-
four, seated IN IL. Strangely enough,
neither Of the conycrsing gentlemen
raw the automobile. although it stood
night In front OF them.
Had they seen the automobile they
would have seen Stone, and then they
WOULD not have talked as they did.
For they obviously knew Stone. hay-
ing made IL clear that they knew Mrs
Stone and tho maid Husband and
chauffeur race home, and the rest Of
the picture is really good drama. But
anybody BOO the world can bring about
good dramatic situation n be is A.
liberty 70 disregard all the rules Of
probability, and 70 cucumber his mar