New-York tribune., 1920-08-15
Novels Adapted TO Screen
Not Ruined, but Helped,
Alice Duer Miller Replies

All this fuss about stories being
ruined when they are made into motion
pictures strikes me as silly"
Alice Duer Miller was speaking. 1t
was she who attracted attention some
years ago with her volume Are W omen
People" Since then good many
millions of persons have had Mrs.
Miller's ideas set before them on the
printed page, the screen and the stage
Her, story. The Charm School," is
now playing on Broadway and is being
made into a motion picture by Para
mount. Other of her stories have
been adapted to the screen. And
sometimes her WORKS actually have
been improved in the transition, she
says.
"Contrary to the things l have heard
others say about their literary products
being impaired by continuity writer's,
l believe that in my own case my sto-
rles actually have been improved upon"
she admits.
Even though this be heresy to the
literary clan, Mrs Miller sticks to that
view. And she will tell you why.
when l saw Wallace Reid on the
screen in Less Than Kin, she ex-
planned, 81 had a chance to see not
only the characters | created come to
life. but they gave me more details
and characteristics than I had endowed
upon them.
81 sat through the whole picture
twice, simply enraptured, watching
those familiar fiction children perform
before my eyes. | had no criticism
whatever to make at the way the adap-
tation was handled.
Come Out of the Kitchen | was more
enthusiastic about the motion picture
than | was about the spoken play made
from my story. although | will admit
that the play held no disappointment
for me.
"Regarding the subject of sub-titles,
which seems to have reused so many
authors resentment, l can quite un-
derstand how it is not always possible
to use the authors own words because
there are certain limitations in the
screen as we'll as on the stage, and
it is not always logical or ethical to
use exactly the words in the fiction
story, but on every occasion when it
was possible my own script was care
fully followed. [ noticed, too, that the
continuity writer did not go out of
his way to improvise or change my
story when it was possible to use it as
written.
Il believe authors should try to real
themselves, the words written by some
one else for a character to speak natu-
rally do not sound as familiar to the
author as his own conception of the
dialogue.
For instance, in the adaptation of
, The Charm School there are a few
titles l should like to rewrite myself,
but they are not seriously out of q
character, and surely nothing to worry
1o.,, y +,x-O
to make against motion pictures and
l have everything to say in their favor.
Ny material has been treated very,
very kindly"
Mrs. Miller admits she isn't as
touchy about her manuscripts as are
most writer's.
IF any one can make improvements
here and there | am perfectly open
minded about alterations" she said.
"Some authors are quite obdurate re-
garGing changes in their original man
uscripts, but | hope I'll never be like
that.
"The other day the editor of fan
magazine called me up and asked me
to write story regarding the way
my stories have been mutilated by
continuity writers and directors. | told
him | had no fault to find in that
direction, and he dropped the receiver
with a crestfallen goodby.' One reads
great deal on this subject in the
current publications, and l think 1t
must be vogue to wear an injured
air and fret about the terrible things
the movies do to ones cherished works.
Whatever may be the experiences of
others, I can say that in my case
am strong for the MOVIES and more
especially for the improvement toward
perfection which is transpiring every