Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09
The Years Change in Motion Pictures
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Scarcely a year ago there was no
little diSmay in the various branches Of
the motion picture industry and many
pers involved were fearful that the
change from silent to sound pictures
would prove so great a strain on the
machinery of the business that there
would be a crash. The end of the year,
however, saw the industry coming
through with flying colorS. To be sure,
great many failures marked the year
and much money was lost. Moreover,
one OF the largest producers was forced
into a receivership and the Attorney
General of the United States moved
against certain groups as being combi-
nations in restraint of trade in violation
of the Sherman antitrust law, yet the
industry as a whole can regard 1929 as
banner year, not only from the point
of view of achievement, but Of profits.
1t is difficult for those not closely
connected with the industry to realize
what a drastic change the transition
| from the silent to the sound film meant.
Every department of the business was
affected. The producers were under
the necessity of installing the equip
ment necessary to record voices and
music properly. This required the hasty
training of q whole corps of new oper-
ativeS, and the earlier pictures some
times were clumsy, with many Screeches
and frequent lack Of experimentation
between sound and the action depicted,
which the sound was intended to &C
company.
Then, too, stars of the screen who
| formerly could be regarded as certain
hits with the public could no longer be
| used, as they possessed speaking voices
which did not record well. quite q
number were foreigners. Many of them
hastily learned English, but this was a
delay and a handicap. Many others
merely gave 1t up and went home to
Europe. The actors, too, had to be
trained in speaking to the microphone
In manner calculated to produce the
best results.
The scenarios had to be rewritten to
large extent. The whole scheme of
picture plays must needs be materially
changed. The sound devices confined
action perforce to studios for the
most part and therefore the whole type
Of play presented had to undergo alter
alton. 1t looked for q while as though
the day OF the great outdoor motion
picture spectacle was past.
Saving the Outdoor Pictures.
That situation, incidentally, has been
corrected. A tiny microphone has been
invented which will record the voice
anywhere-from the top of the Hima-
layas to Death Valley. 1t is worn like
a button decoration in the lapel but
tonhole OF man or similarly placed
on the garment Of a woman. It is in
visible to an audience save on the clos
est scrutiny. The speaking actor can 20
anywhere and what ne says will be
transmitted by this little device. Eman-
cipation from the studio is the result.
Finally, the exhibitors, owners Of the
motion picture houses, were required to
install the devices necessary to the dis
play Of sound pictures. The cheapest
Of these installations cost some 81 500
This meant that large numbers of the
smaller houses went precipitately out of
business. For time small independent
houses were being closed at the rate of
approximately 100 a week. This, of
course, meant diminished business for
the producers. Their market for Aims
was being drastically cut into.
In spite Of all these handicaps the
industry has won through in excellent
shape. The closing of so many small
independents resulted In the extension
OF the chains Of picture houses having
a central ownership. The largest chain
now has more than TOO theaters scat
tered from, coast to coast. These are.
to some extent, owned by the film pro-
ducers themselves, and It Is this grow
ing combination and concentration of
ownership in q few hands which has