Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
Flashes From the Screen
News and Comment of the Photop1aY
Bye. E. Nelson.
Bye. E. Nelson.

| tianly has never been a growth of
a new art as rapid as that or the
talking pictures since the tirst
crude lnouthings Of only q few
years back UP to the present time.
To me it is not 50 strange that
some of the pictures made today
fall somewhat short OF perfection,
as it is that some Of them at least
approach it. Oddly enough, the
construction trend Of this brand
new form of story telling is not
on toward something totally diff
ferent, but rather back toward the
construction method of the mas
ter dramatic story teller Of all
time-one William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare used q style Of
construction fundamentally ap-
proximate to that of the modern
talking picture, because he was
able, with the Elizabethan tradi-
ton, to make use of the eQuiva-
lent of the modern talking picture
cut dissolve and fade, by using
a page boy to step on the stage
and hang a placard stating that
the set, which a moment previ-
ously had been the throne room,
must now become q certain speci.
fed spot on q certain battlefield.
In other words, he was compare
lively free from the limitations OF
place by the tradition Of his time,
which permitted one set to be-
come the locale Of any scene de-
sired merely by the hanging Of a
card. Recall any of Shakespeare's
plays, with their vast number Of
short scenes here, there and the
other place, and then note the
modern talking picture, with its
similar array Of short scenes. You
will see the similarity Of the con-
struction methods. Within the
past two or three months I have
seen talking pictures as well done
as the best of the modern stage
plays. I will go further to say
that the worst I have ever seen
plumb no deeper depths of IMAM
ity and incredibility than the
worst of the stage plays produced
on Broadway within the past year.
/ believe that the average Of ex-
cellence In talking pictures today
compares favorably with the av-
erage Of the speaking stage. And
that, believe me, is something for
the progress Of a form Of story
telling which, both mechanically
and artistically, is not yet three
full years Of age. Figure the
growth to date and the growth to
come, and there is something
worth while to look forward TO-"
China, according to neDs
dispatches, is having more
1unpIdy than Chicago, but the
OrientnIs ind considerable
time to 90 to the mtovteS, says
the Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce. IN a re-
port issued last tDeek the
moUie theGters of China haze
more than doubled In mum
Der IN the past year or So
and 80 per cent of the pictures
preferred By the Chinese are
made IN America. IN nearly
all OF the ports sound equip
nlent has been Installed IN the
thenterS, but the interior
to,ons and cities are stu using
the StIents.
WHILE there is a decided move
~ nlent among the producers
to inaugurate special sound pic
lures which viii appeal to boys
and girls, the new Jackie Coogan
picture, tom Sawyer" will serve
as q guide for future production
along this line The picture, which
has been In the process Of max
ing for several months, viii In this
way attract q large amount Of
attention, and its box-offlce APP
peal be closely followed. In the
| event that 1t becomes q hit, watch
| for q flood Of kid pictures"
The moUfes haze created a
number OF freak Jobs out
around Hollywood. Not the
least OF these Is the "tDdr
cook" q chap tDho makes tDGT
fotDeYs and fruit to "dress"
+, set. The real fotCeYs tCtlt too
quickly under the powerful
lights. Another queer job Is
the spinning OF artificial cob
tDebs. And a bTtcknlGker Is
kept UeYy busy making thin
brick nails In plaster mods.
He casts them In large squares
that fit together, and then he
paints them.
MARGUERITE CHURCHILL will
~ give up her role opposite
George O'Brien In 1.-THE Seas Be-
MEATH" to be leading woman for
Warner Baxter in "The Spider"
Marion Leasing takes over the
role in the aforementioned pic
ture for the Fox company.
Yes, 1t is Ann Harding In 'The
Girl Of the Golden West" and
not Ruth Chatterton. have %
letters at hand, and I am sorry
about the slip-up. beg AIMS
pardon, Ruth'S pardon and your
pardon, all in one breath. But
| just will get those two sterling
actresses mixed UP.
Lowell Sherman directs and
plays a prominent role In "The
Queens Husband" Mary Astol
plays the part of princess.