New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-11-30
let WITNESSES Be WITNESSES
Says Jeanne Macpherson,
Who Is a ScOtswOman

Scenario writing Is scarcely the sim
pie, get-rich-quick business great
many people suppose it to be. Take it
from Jeanne Macpherson, who did the
scenario for male and Female" and
forty-odd pictures besides, it is one Of
the hardest, most wearing games in the
world and also one of the most eXhila
rating, provided you succeed. She is the
living personification of success in
scenario writing-which is rather more
exciting, and certainly more unusual,
than being "movie" star. She arrived
from California last week in time to see
the new Cecil B. De Mile picture put on
at the Rivoli.
Jeanne Macpherson, as her name would
indicate, is Scotch. There is a dash of
French vivacity coming from her moth
er's side that makes her an.interesting
combination Of solidity and sparkle. She
grew up in Paris, but the sub-titles of
"Male and Female" her latest triumph,
are as plainly Celtic as they can be.
Incidentally, they are a material con-
tribution to the artistic fashioning of
the production. But then, picture titles
are one Of Miss Macpherson's pet hob
bies.
There are few people, when you come
to think Of It, who, deep down in their
hearts, don't believe they could make a
success of scenario writing. But to
listen to this slim, energetic, fairhaired
girl, as she tells the story of her days
work, is to realize the immensely Of the
Job and how hopelessly handicapped the
amateur is. Scenario writing is a field
I of endless discovery, with only the out
skirts touched, as yet. In Miss Macpher-
sons opinion, producers are just COM
mencing to put psychology into motion
pictures.
"Why, there Is no limit to the posi-
bilities Of the SCREEN" she declared en-
Enthusiastically. 'Do you realize that a
humans mind can actually be photo
graphed? AS watch an actor before
the camera I can read his Utmost
thoughts as one expression after an
other fits across his face. That is why
think there is such future in scenario
writing. Some of the colleges have al
ready started courses, and we are con-
stantly being asked for advice on see
mario writing"
Miss Macpherson had fairly thorough
schooling before she started to write
and adapt plays for tho motion pic
lures. She had written, directed and
played on her own account, so that she
was versed in much of the necessary
technique, and therefore avoided the
pitfalls that make much Of the ANA
tours work futile from the producers
point Of view.
81 would not take 100000 in ex-
change for the experience had them"
declared Miss Macpherson. Nothing
in the world has helped me more than
having had to produce from my own
script. learned the things that were
possible and the vastly greater num-
Der Of things that were impossible"
Four years ago she started 10 work
for MIR. De Mile, and since then has
done forty-four scenarios. the great
majority of them being entirely origi-
nal. Adaptations she finds consider
ably more difficult to handle than start
ing out with her own tools and build
ing a structure after her fancy. Some
Of her best known scenarios are "Joan
the Woman" "The Whispering Chorus"
The Woman God Forgot" and Till
Come Back to You"
when we adapt plays, IN nine cases
out Of ten the authors think we en-
tirely demolish their work, and people
who have read the book frequently
Nnu niue similarity 70 " IN the
screened version" declared Miss Mac
pherson. Personally. am rabid on
the subject Of preserving the spirit OF
the author as much rs possible. l. is
quite the most difficult thing we are up
against always feel impatient when
see an exquisite. whimsical thing
turned into heavy emotional drama
In the pictures. or when tragedy is
converted into comedy.
81 have never attempted anything
that proved as big a job as Male and