The Washington herald., 1920-11-21
by wINIFRED VAN DUZER.

ny h-hEN
-- NEW YORK. Nov. 90. Never
will there be time when the movie
play will supplant or really inter
fere with the legitimate drama"
While the cold November rain
pelted his window and while this
clty's Bohemia" rampaged outside
his door. Henry Arthur Jones. cele-
brated English playwright. lately
turned hlm author. made this state
ment.
In brief interview - during
which he gave his opinion upon
New York, American amusement,
Americans, England, France, Rus
sia, plays. and prohibition-he told
me. among other things, why the
films and the stage never will clash.
The Englishman came to superin-
tend the production of his first film
play He explained. with a twinkle,
that the name he gave IL was de-
clared out by the producing COM
pany. and that new one has not
yet been selected.
He also explained that another
play of English life. too big, he
said, for production in that country.
will be staged and photographed
here. He continued:
There is so much difference be-
tween the film drama here and at
home; as much difference as there
is between Americans and English.
You people are more alert, more
open, than We are. And there is
nothing in England to compare with
film drama here. The American pro-
ductiOn is more imaginative, run
ring to marvellous Photographic ef-
: tects. For instance l have seen
n6shing at home to compare with
the NekyIl and Hyde film in which
John barrymore starred.
American producers are more en-
terprisinS ;Nnglish films impress
one as being >Apited in expendi-
ture."
lit was then that / asked this
man, who is perhaps the greatest
playwright Great Britain has pro-
duced in modern times, and whose
'Silver King ranks as a classic,
what the future relation of the film
and spoken drama will be. He ex-
planned why the two will never
clash.
There never will be anything in
vented to take the place of the
spoken word.
The dramatist wins undying re-
nown by dialogue and by that alone.
It'll is that which established Ham
let and Macbeth and which
makes it possible for them to be
real 300 years after they were writ
ten.
Facial play. expression. gestures
are only companions of the voice,
for by the voice the actor achieves
enects most worthy Of all desired
upon the stage.
i must say that the present con-
.dition of the English theater is due,
Largely. to neglect OF voice cultiva-
,tion by English actors.
30 The film drama, on the other
Rand. makes possible a drama of
-srggastion impossible on the stage.
Imagine a scene where the faithful
-gife is shown dining sadly alone.
sxhile in the next flash is shown the
husband with a gay party. instead
II as she imagines him.
Then the film play evades difi-
culties of transportation. Scenes
leap a continent more swiftly than
Harconi's invention: audiences are
taken upon stranger excursions
man Cook ever conducted! The film
.theater is wide as the world itself
And what the film drama offers
70 actors Is a universal, II
immortal. fame. by displaying pho
in extraordinary Sttitudes
in every city in the civilized world;
Sometimes In 500 theaters on the
same night.
= Furthermore. star performers
command startles so times as great
-as that our English Minister Of Ed
ucation receives for educating our
working classes to avoid manual
labor.
. Usually persons who never would
venture inside a theater become
ardent movie goers. believe,
therefore, the ultimate effect of the
dim drama. with its quick change
and flashes of suggestion, will be a
quickening influence; a jogging of
the intellect of those who have an
intellect to jog!"
- He declared. with one of his in
fictitious laughs, that he hoped the
film play never will descend where
II may become a signpoSt pointing
The way to a moral.
.- 7 hate a play with a moral pur-
pose. / hate social reformers. and
hate to hear the word education
applied to drama. But I do believe