New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-28


censored as the opinions OF Mr.. Mann.
BY LOUIS MANN.
TNHERE can be no radio activity on
4 the screen. There is no soul In
the films. They are merely mechanical
and Photographic and never interpre-
tative. Therefore they are not art
Would you feed false and fallacious
pabulum to those who do not know?
1t is the contention of my critics that
not all the theatregoers can afford to
pay 50 TO see me act, and that the
motion picture theatres, where they
can 90 for a dime, is their only al
tentative. It is true that many are
not in possession of this worlds goods
TO warrant their paying 81, but that is
no reason why there should be thrust
upon them that which is pernicious
and banal.
It is equally true that majorities are
invariably wrong and must be led by
the discretionary minority. | am not
arrogating unto myself any superiority
either socially, artistically or even
mentally, save only that in my own
sphere | am able to see the wheels
go round and ought, after many years
association with those masters of the
drama, Booth, Barrett and many 9TH
ers, 10 be qualified to speak with au-
thority and understanding.
have been criticised for saying that
the proper place for motion pictures is
in the schoolhouse and not in the
theatre, and am preparing my answer
I do not forget the poor with their
dimes and pleasures. When I say that
the proper place for the motion pict-
ures is in the schoolhouse, not the
theatre, mean that the former has
tremendous didactic value, but only for
the display of that which Is educa-
tional, for the INSTALLATION OF current
events, studies of foreign countries I'M
atta;nable to the poor who might never
be able to see them and in a general
sense for that which is pictorial
No, let US not forget the poor and
their pleasures, but rather seek to
feed them with the solid and substan-
tial literature of the masters, such
literature as Lincoln, the rail-splitter,
and Garfield, the boy on The towpath,
devoured and which ultimately led
them to the White House.
II the material that is, TO use pedes-
trian English, chucked together by
this late crop OF motion picture seem
ario writer's shall prevail, then will
surely come the negation OF literature
and the decadence of nation.
Do you believe a Shakespeare, a
Goethe, a Sudermann or an Ibsen could
he born where there is no incentive TO
high ideals? Why waste a year and
sometimes two to build a legitimate
drama on truth, tearing ones heart out
ittingly 70 present all that is veritas
in the human emotions, when some
whipper-snapper unable to speak one
line Of good English and with no under
standing Of philosophy-which should
be the background and buttress Of all
plays-can in one hour toss together
the blase material that satisfies the
rabble that pays its dimes for pleas
ures?
wonder why the newspapers will
not give as much space TO exploiting
the graces OF good book as they do
10 the unreal motion picture plays.
+ That would, believe, make for prog
ress. It is true that for the same rea-
son that these screen players have
+ been exploited that number of play
ers have lent themselves to appear be-
fore the camera, but there are still a
rumble Of truly artistic souls who can
reyer be lured from their proper
sphere even by the merry. merry clink
OF gold. Among these honorables
/ have only 20 mention such names as
I Maude Adams, Julia Marlowe, George
". Cohan. David Warfeld, John Drew
J and. in all modesty, myself.