New-York tribune., 1920-04-18
Are Motion Pictures
Or the Spoken Drama
Better Entertainment {?
Continued from preceding page

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Der Of persons. The screen Is essen
TALLY a democratic amusement. Not
only can we dramatize q greater num-
ting them over is infinite. We can
stage battle on land or in. the clouds
and simultaneously show what is trans
piring in a cottage. The result is
vivid contrast and limitless canvas
on which to project our story. The
absence of the spoken word is felt
less in the greater movement and cen
flict portrayed on the screen. OF
course with the classics the screen
cannot hope to compete. No visual
appeal can take the place Of the beauty
and philosophy of Shakespeares
thoughts We do not often attempt to
translate him to the screen, yet when
we do it is our power to make at
least the shadow of his genius ap-
parent to many who have never heard
his plays"
Maxwell Karger, Metro director gen.
eral: "The motion picture is undoubt-
edly superior to the stage play in en-
tertainment value for the reason that
its greater variety gives scope for an
appeal to every taste. Scenario writ
ers and directors invariably strive for
variety of incident in their work. The
screen permits of pleasurable stray
ing into bypaths Of character develop
ment and action which in no wise in
lures the unities of the drama, but
rather enhances the entertaining quail
tiles of the picture. The picturegoer,
besides witnessing the unfoldment OF
a carefully-knit story, obtains frequent
glimpses of life at close range that the
limits of the spoken play would not
permit of. So much for environment
and character development. On the
score of action, there is every argu-
ment in favor of the screen over the
stage. For in the silent drama, with
the universe as his background, the di-
rector is unrestricted in his effort to
reproduce the mightiest dramatic hap
penings that the human mind could
possibly devise"
John D. Williams, prominent among
the younger and more progressive pro-
ducers for the stage: "The public, after
all, is the sole judge of what is enter
tainment in the theatre. The motion
picture theatres would not be crowded
nightly nor the so-called spoken theatre
be so hugely patronized as 1t has been
the last year unless the public felt
assured that in each it was getting
good entertainment. believe the most
acute Judges Of the theater equally
enioy the best In both moving pictures
and the spoken drama. Meritorioui
work always will command widespread
recognition in the theater as else
where"
Lewis ]. selznick, president Select
Pictures: "Whether the motion picture
or the speaking stage provides the bet
ter entertainment is largely a matter
Of personal likes and dislikes. How
ever, the mere fact that over 100000
people pay their way into motion pic
ture houses every day in the year
seems to mo proof enough that the
screen drama is the better entertain.
ment- There Is probably no bigge,
argument in favor Of pictures. as com
pared to the stage. than the fact tina,
the screen offers such q wide field 70,
staging, whereas the stage production
10 naturally limited regarding scenery
and settings. Look at the wonderful
exteriors-trees, mountains, rivers
lakes, winding roads, railroad trains--
which We can secure to aid realism
and atmosphere and you will realiz,
why the screen offers moro to tn.
public than does the stage"
Samuel Goldwyn, president Goldwy,
Pictures Corporation: III all tn,
people, not just few, are taken int,
confederation there can be no questio,
a. 70 which provides the better onter
tainment. For the matter Of tina
there are many people for whom tn,
speaking stage provides no entertain
mont at all. Yet in villages too small
70 have even an old-fashioned .oper,
house there are motion picture thea
ters, and In those theaters the sam,
pictures which are seen on Broadwa,
are shown, not Ynakeshift affairs. Will
third and fourth rate actors, such al
the little towns OF the country Re,
when play at long intervals comes Il
them. And, OF course, everywhere thu
picturs play provides moro entertain.
nent for the money than the spoken
play"
Carl Laemmle, president Universal
Film Company~-"EaturaIly I think tho
motion picture provides the best en-
tsrtsiomsnt in the wbrid. find thou