Evening star., 1928-04-29
7 YASHINGTON is getting
real n1etronnlitan. in a


horse cars and cold Winters. 1t is
endeavoring to copy New York in
its entertainment. and is almost
tn danger of being as daring as
Chicago in its revelry. Gradually
( its temples of the drama have
been transformed into temples of
hodge podge, and their devoteeS
have had the temper taken out of
their taste. until the moSSbacS
who clingS TO memories Of the
past trembleS as he goes down for
the third time and gaSpS. WON
Ger If they're doing these things
in the hereafter?" Even the bur-
ieSoue lover with his cornAcoo
pipe turns reStleSSly in his seat
and grumhles. Things amt what
they used to be-"
WHEN the fiickering movie fist
w appeared upon the phantom
sheet, barely q generation ago,
hope revived in the heart of the
blaSe. and expectation ran high
with the startling developments
of its fast moving career. Many
damned 1t and more adored IT,
Here. at last, was entertainment,
which. if you shouldn't happen To
like it. you might quietly sleep
through for an hour or two. and
wake UP in time to leave in the
middle of the next show with
those that did. Cowboy drama
came with its rush and its thrill,
though without the accOmpani-
ment of the cracking rifle Of the
Wild West show. and this. in turn.
was followed by the underworld
drama. which everybody admitted
outdramaed all melodrama. Then
came the triangle pictures. and,
oh. how long was their run and
how popular they were So much
so. indeed, that it became possible
for the up-to-date miss of 12 to
tell you almost anything that you
didn't know. For a time we were
RECALLED with spectacle pictures
that made the eyes fairly ronlp
with delight. while the well or
ldered brain wl.irled with despair
I'm trying TO find out what they
were all about. Then we had the
history films, and these brought
with them the folk pictures deal
5jng with life among the noun
flanders and country places Ard
Nhens all of a sudden. we diScov-
leTedithat Dhotoulays weren't fill
ling. and We longed for something
else. And now, where are we?
TT REALLY seems incredible that
J. men in their sound senses, who
had the ability to shoot the me-
ton picture industry almost TO
the top of the great industries Of
the Nation, with untold wealth
rolling in in quick response to
their efforts, should be parties
seemingly eager and willing to
abandon 1t for something that In
its final analysis is nothing but
TEMPORARY diversion, and apt TO
quickly fade from popular favor
and leave them high and dry In
the end. Instead Of sincerely try
iflg to develop and TO perfect the
most popular entertainment IN
the world. what have they done?
And where viii the photoplay IN
dustry land eventually This Is
not progress? Rather 1t recalls
the ancient maxim that whom the
gods seek TO devour. they first
make mad Isn't 1t about time
that somebody did something to
stay the mad rush Of the photo
play to oblivion2
&MSs
HUHAT are the great authors, the
wv living noyelists, the best SELL
er writer's that have been drafted
by the movies done thus far 20
put the photoplay back in the
high esteem it occupied before
this madness for hodge -podge de-
veloped? Is there no originality
Jeff TO them, or are they. too, OBJ
sessed with the idea of getting
rich quick, though they effectively
kill at the same time the goose
that lays the golden egg? Even
80 great a director and father Of
the worthwhile movie as David
Wark Griffith seems 10 be floating
with the tide, for with a poor dis
tortion Of Dante's magnificent old
episode. Francesca di Rimini,"
which he calls Drums Of Love"
l1e. TOO. shoots at the box Office
with all his splendid art. The
truth seems To be that, with but
rare exceptions. those who pre-
tend 20 mold movie art today are
more deeply interested In "lnita-
tion" that will get by than IN
really building up something
great. something beautiful. that
VIII stand q chance Of surviving a
diseased public fancy. Fifty years
ago there used 10 be child's toy
rallied the kaleidoscope. II was a
hollow cylinder with bits Of brok-
IN colored glass that changed the
view with every move and peep
Through the other end Of IT. That
ss about what entertainment in
snotion picture houses seems 10 be
tSAtA sA&AE W eJ1a9 liltIE sGEtElG 10
be q mad rush 10 smash the old
picture art at every angle of con-
tact II is sought most earnestly
~ destroy the charm Of the silent
drama" With talking pictures. ~
initiate the stage. but they are
giving but little. II any. real con-
4rlb9tlOn even IN them In the way
~ well directed and we'll filmed
stories tnat will stand the chance
~ appealing ~ we'll ordered minds
The emotions. sadly iumbled with
whatever else that may be HANDY
seenl 20 be getting out of the pie
sure drama into lts makers brain
FDofn with the object in view ap-
lTarently " sinDiy getting thG
goGney quickly from those for
a Es a 4