Evening star., 1926-09-26

| w hdt Nv NJiOl at tilS L 49,
dent still held audience enthralled
as they watched seri-. of scenes
depicting the possibilities of camp
life in all phases. from the most
noble spirit of loyalty to the most
abject abandonment of personal
standards. 1t is strange play.
Also. contradicting one of the apho-
risms of New York's "Longacre
| Lane it has no true heart inter-
est" The burden of feminine re-
sponsibility is borne by one woman,
and if there is any sentimental in
terest at all it is that of the passion
ate patriotism which survives all or
deals, both moral and physical.
Like several other productions
freely denounced in terms difficult
to contradict. What Price?' is on
the dramatic map to stay. prosper
ing nightly at the expense of that
large element of theatergoers who
esteem it a moral duty to launch
their own contributions of anathema
and who wish. in all fairness. to be
sure Of the facts. The true reformer.
of course. cannot decline to inspect
the. monster Vice face to face.
Legal agitation over Al Jolson's
refusal to go on with a screen pro-
duction after getting one look at
himself in the films brings up the
old question of how far a popular
player should be required to go in
an enterprise which seems to jeop-
ardize his stock in trade (himself)
and his only trade mark. his name
A number of actors have gone into
ing nor helpful. If player decides
for himself that the films put him in
a position of basso trying to sing
high c he is very likely to rebel. at
least in words. if not in action. Then
he is inevitably accused of being
temperamental.
What is temperament?
For term so frequently employed
there should he effort from time to
time to secure an approximate def
milton.
AS generally used. the term con-
veys an idea Of unstable emo
tionality involving outbursts of un-
reasoning vehemence. These out
bursts are not as unreasonable as
they may seem to the plotlding man
ager or the super6cially observant
and highly sympathetic play backer.
The outbursts are seldom as unrea-
soning as they seem. They are fire.
quently stratagems in planning
campaign of vanity or mercenary
advantage. This is Temperament"
Of the type made possible because
tradition has somehow associated it
with whims of childlike egoism as
serted as the special privilege OF
Art"
This is not temperament. but in
tellectual distcmper. temperament
is the gift of delicate sense Of pro-
portion instinctively releasing emo
tional power with minute precision
so as to give perfect relationship
between the expression and the
thought. Temperament represents
coordination Of physical. intellec-
shuns discord. 1t is the magnificent
science of control, which only the
great artist can master-whether he
be participating in an orchestral
rendition or a poker game. Let us
not confuse temperament with tan
trum."
Ben -Hur" goes into the films. A
big. big novel resulted in big play.
TIL II {o.,, - a,,o1,,<,ot,
A play not backed by previous liter
airy achievement at the hands either
Of the fiction writer or the hi: Hrian
is likely to prove a nebulous crea-
tion whose chance of success is en-
hanced only as it approaches free
farce or the vaudeville. No theatric
production impressed attention with
more colossal splendor. both in
idea and execution. than the drama
tization of Lew Wallace's Ben
Hur." Generals are not necessarily
limited to achievement in councils
Of the camp or combat in the field
in their claims to the consideration
Of posterity. Gen. Wallace's Won
derful story has given him an even
higher place than Gen. Dawes ire
sistible melody. to which the WIZ
ardry Of kreisler's bow has lent far
more than the evanescent appeal of
the "lascivious lutte"
The withdrawal of Ben Hur"
from the speaking stage resulted
from one of those managerial quar-
rels in which the public took no in
terest-owing possibly to the fact
that they related to details of busi-
ness. with no relation to divorce or
other forms of heart interest" 1t
is to the motion picture spirit of
Napo,eonic force. shrewd as well as
powerful. that the public will owe
the privilege of seeing An American
drama whose simple greatness ohal-
lenges anything the world about us
has produced.