The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-01-04
About Movies
and Books
BY JAMES w. DEAN

New YORK, JAM al ne one pSlt'-
cular in which motion pictures ad-
vanced in 1923 was size. This APP
plies to length of film and to theme.
Otherwise the motion picture has
stood still as an art. During the
year there were no milestones SCI up
such as 1.-THE Birth of a Naticn,"
Broken Blossoms Passion and
"The Cabinet of DR.. Caligari."
Chaplin was the only one who at
tempted new technique. He only
accomplished what German film
makers accomplished several years
ago. Chaplin's fame as an actor
pretty generally dazzled reviewers
when they considered his work as
director in 1.-THE Woman of Paris"
The only appreciable Improvement
in the field. of comedy was made by
Hall Roach with his "Our Gang kid
comedies and his "Dippy Do-Dad"
comics in which trained ANIMALS
were his protagonists.
The art of the cinema has reached
its highest stage in Bruce's wild
erness Tales" but "By Lantern
Light" and others in the 1923 series
are no more artistic than his fast,
"And Women Must Weep made in
1929.
| Selecting the IL best pictures of
the year is an established custom
among film reviewers. This writer
is not so we'll QUALIFIED. TO Select Such
list as he was in former years be-
cause film reviewing ceased to be Il
part of his daily regimen in Septem-
Der. The following list is the COLA
boration of this writer and Maurice
Henle who has been reviewing pic
lures since then. The II best pic
lures of 1923 in the judgment of
Henle and this writer are:
The Covered Wagon.
BY Lantern Light.
Safety Last.
If Winter Comes.
The Ten Commandments.
Little Old New York.
Merry Go Round.
The Green Goddess.
ScaramOuchc.
Hollywood.
A Quiet Street.
The Hunchback Of NOtre Dame.
James Cruze stands as the most
talented director of the year He
directed "Thc Covered Wagon,
Hollywood" and "Ruggles of Red
Cap three excellent films of vary
ing theme and varying treatment.
Since film producers still believe
that the art of the cinema lies in
faithful translation of plays and
books to terms of the camera, "1f
place in the list. No more faithful
handling or original material has
been known in flmdom. ThOs. Incc
also did heroic work with "Anna
Christie" although the picture lack
ed the vitality Of the play.
| Books are lot like friends, after
all. i forgot some of my very best
friends when | sent out Christmas
cards Eyes, l do that silly thing)
and when l made up list of books
of 1928 which | liked best | omitted
Lady Into Fox,'' one of the finest
fantasies written in years.
AS rule Arthur Hammerste!n' s
musical comedies are as sprightly
as any. MARY Jane Mckane" falls
far below the standard of anything
in that line which has come from
Hammerstein heretofore.
This musical play suffers from too
much book and too little talent. Her.
bert Stothart and Vincent Youmans
have-devised some very catchy tunes
and an elaborate orchestration but
the music is horribly sung by Mary
Hay and Eva Clark. Neither COM
pletes a song, the songs ending in
by-play of one sort and another.
The one worthwhile thing in the
show is the song, "Toodle-oo." 1t
may prove as popular as "Ban,ha-
lna," written by Stothart and You
mans last season.
SCARF ON HAT