San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-11
BY JANIS w. DEAN.

~ DA@&h-Ns
New York, March 1O.-Can Shake
speare be screened? That is the
most frequent query among those in
terested in the possibilities of the
cinema art.
After seeing the German film YER
sion of "Othello' the answer is--Yes
and No. Shakespeare can be screened
so far as action and characterization
| and dramatic intensity are concerned.
But the magic of words is missing
and many believe that quality TO have
been Shakespeare's greatest forte.
This film proves again that litera-
ture cannot be screened. The NOV
ing silhouette must tell story COM
pletely in its own idiom.
However, it is hardly fair TO be-
come so searchingly analytic in judg-
ing the "Othello' film. 1t is so far
superior to hundreds Of our claptrap
movies that a scarlet blush must
spread over one who believes that all
of the fine things of the screen are
done in Hollywood.
Two Talented Artists.
Emil Jannings is Othello and War
ner Kraus is Iago. 1t is wonderful
combination of talent. The screen
has seldom seen two players in one
film reach such artistic heights. They
always hold the eye. Every gesture,
every grimace is meaningful.
However, Jannings is not the Othel-
10 that is expected by one who has
seen the character on the stage. Nor
does Kraus do Iago in the accepted
manner.
Kraus sought to present 1ago as a
fiend reveling in his villainy, man
who could laugh as he tore the heart
out Of another. / believe that atti-
tude shows a deeper insight into hui
man nature than the usual picture
of grim, mirthless villainy that most
of our stage lagos have drawn. Even
a villain enjoys his work.
However. it seemed to me that
Kraus overdid the thing. The jester,
the buffoon almost completely sub
merges the rogue.
Jannings presents a very coarse
negroid Moor. Shakespeare painted
Othello as half Egyptian, half Span
ish, a man who had arisen to a place
4 VI DONtE st'
man of extreme senstiyeness. II
was this sensitiveness, this gentility
of manner. that made the plot logical
1t seemed entirely within the realm
of probability that the gentle Des
demona would have fallen in love
with such a man. Such character
captures the sympathy Of the audi
| ence or the reader.
The Othello of Jannings, lacking
any spiritual quality, does not enlist
the sympathy. He does nothing that
makes him worthy Of Desdemona's
love.
Another dizzy Blonde"
If Jannipgs and krause have rur
amiss of the characters intended by
Shakespeare, they have retained the
psychology of the story. The specta
Gle of one man working the destruc
ton Of another through his magma
ton, constantly kindling his jealousy
is so forcibly presented that the spec
tator never once doubts the truth o.
the picture. The oppressive antici
patton of Othello's doom is Away!
present. His disintegration is a
clear, a process as, the melting of {
snowflake.
lea pronounced "Itza") Lenkeffy
plays Desdemona. She was choser
for the role, SO the story goes, be
cause she was the most beautiful
woman in Europe. A native of Buda
pest. she is claimed as screen ant
stage favorite by Vienna. She dupli
Gates the measurements of the Venus
de Milo and has luxuriant blond
hair. So far as i could perceive sh'
was only another dizzy blonde" Sht
was in the picture and that was all
She certainly wasn't worth the bother
of choking to death.
"Othello" on the screen has on
virtue which is not possessed by on
photoplay in a thousand. 1t incite'
discussion. 1t gives rise to difference
of opinion in the matter Of character
zation and story development. How
many photoplays do. you see in
month Of Sundays worth discussing
after you leave the theater?