Omaha daily bee., 1917-09-30
Rewvol of Life at Theater;
War Klmdles Droma Amew;
Effect of Movies on Stage

be done by centering the lights on the
main picture. Photography has done
wonders. but it yet has its limitations,
and the projecting machine is the
cameras most memorable critic.
Against this may be set the capacity
of the camera for presenting action,
far beyond that possible to the stage,
and for the preservation of the locale
the Installation of scenes that must
be omitted from the procession of the
spoken drama, thus maintaining the
continuity of the tale as we'll as EN-
phasizing the lesson. And when the
dramatic story. frequently of great
power in itself, is enhanced by the
wonderful stage settings the camera
can furnish, the great world outdoors
being at its cali, and the actors are
shown in surroundings that are
natural, and with all the regular
course of life flowing around them,
the impression is immeasurably
heightened and the advantage of the
picture over the play itself is corre-
spondingly increased. This is well
shown in such plays as "The Barrier"
THE Tale of Two Cities" and long
list of fine dramas that have been
made over into films, and in this sense
greatly improved. For the produc-
tion of comedies and slapstick farce
the camera is far ahead of the stage.
Thousands have laughed at the witty
or humorous sayings of favorite
comedian on the stage, but millions
have roared over the antics of his pro-
totype on the screen.
Yet the picture lacks the essential
spark of life that would make it
whole. 1t is the shadow, and not
the substance. People watch it flick
er across the screen, and go away,
rested, perhaps, but with no more
than a passing content, no deeper
emotion stirred, no line of argument
established, and no mental effort
quickened to the consideration if not
the solution of a problem. The NOV
ing picture il. this regard is a sedative
rather than a stimulant. 1t lacks the
great impulse that comes with the
combination of the spoken word and
the animated gesture. and "sub-titles,"
be they ever so clsXsrly worded, can
not supply this omission. For Illus
tration, the spectator can sit and
watch the terrible outburst of wrath
with which David Maldonado turns
Iris Bellamy out of doors and wrecks
the furniture in the fat, but who can
understand the pathos of the plea
poor Iris makes in her effort to ex-
plain and justify the course which
she took and which had wrecked her
life? What conception can the spec
tator gain from watching the picture
of the progress of calamity that grew
so inexorably until it overwhelmed
her, or of the perplex'ties of Paula
Tanqueray, her yearning for just bit
of the sympathy that was denied her?
This comparison might be extended
indefinitely. Certain things are not
for the camera. and real drama is one
of them. Great spectacles, rough and
tumble farces, serial" stories, and
the like belong to its realm, but the
real art of the theater must remain
forever the possession of those who
have the genius and the soul to in
terpret its message and drive it home
to the multitude.
.
This discussion has wandered
slightly from the original purpose. 1t
was intended to call attention to the
fact that the theater in America is
undergoing a general revival this sea-
son. for whatever reason does not
particularly matter. Those who are
engaged in attending to its legitimate
business have plenty to do in that
1;na ,uh;le the rest Of the uunr1d is