“THE TALKIES”

Evening Star, Issue 20196, 8 June 1929, Page 22

“THE TALKIES”

HP, ST. JOHN ERVIHE'S EXPECTATIONS Air St. John Ervine, in the ‘ Spectator,’ writes on ‘The Talkies.’ In America the “talkies” have become a riot. Film manufacturers, when they are not totally dazed by the development of the “ talkie,” aty; announcing that they will produce no j oilier than sound pictures. Consterna- ! lion is rife in Hollywood. Stars of great magnitude feel themselves shooting into outer darkness, and ladies wiio have vamped the world tremble for their reputation when they shall be heard. It is said that the single flourishing occupation in California today is that of the voice producer. Elocutionists, a despised race, are everywhere packing up their traps and preparing to descend on the bewildered Him actors and actresses whose one cry now is. “Teach me to talk!” Actions, in this instance, do not speak louder than words. Words, indeed, are about to make actions ludicrous, and highly paid ladies and gentlemen, who formerly shrank from nothing, are afraid to open their mouths. One word from them, as they habitually speak, and they are mined! A lovely lady, famous throughout the illiterate world which delights iu movies, knows that even her illiterate admirers will howl with derisive laughter when she replies to improper suggestions: Vat vas yon ■sayin’ to me, eh? You was askin’ me dat, vas yon?” How can the handsome Wop who has thrilled the hearts of emotional .maidens on several continents hope to continue his conquests when he is heard murmuring; “I nota likea dat vay of talk-a, no! You love-a me, yes? I love-a you, no. Veil, rot the hella ! 1 no’ care-a von, danm-a, yes, no!” These, of course, are the small consternations of the “talkies,” and will not long continue to disturb the him world. It the half-educated or totally uneducated persons who now, in large numbers, predominate in the moving pictures are reduced to ruin nobody will seriously grieve about them, except themselves, and their immediate relations. Actors who can speak English in clear and intelligent tones will swiftly receive their reward, and it is interesting to note that film manufacturers are now offering very largesums of money to authors of repute merely to supervise the “dialogue” of the “talkies.” . . . The adverse

criticism, therefore, that has been passed upon the “ talkies seems to me to be shallow stuff, especially when J observe that crowds of people everywhere flock to the cinemas to see (or ought one to say hear?) them. Faults are easily discerned in the “talkies,” but there are fewer faults in them than there were in gramophones fifteen years ago when gramophones had been popular for a long period, yet who will deny that the modern gramophone

is a iine instrument, capable of quite delicate performances ? I prophesy that the “talkies” will be a widely popular and extremely effective form of entertainment in five years from now. Its influence on the world of drama and music nil! be immense and profound, . . . There is no reason on earth why the silent and the sound picture should not co-exist, although 1 imagine that spoken pictures will ultimately triumph over silent cues, just as the spoken drama has routed the pantomime. The fact that silent pictures arc universal, while sound pictures must, by the nature of their speech, be local in their appeal, will probably preserve the silent picture, from destruction, although it may be that some device will be found by which “talkies” can Ik; done in various languages; but even if Urn “talkie” continues to be more limited in its scope than the silent picture, tlie scope will be large enough to make operation within it profitable. I do not anticipate the performance of miracles as the result, of “talkies,” hut, I do anticipate that with the influx into the movie world of belter educated players than are now In be found there and the advent of authors with a sense of style and address, the quality of the pictures will improve. No one who frequents moving pictures even rarely can fail to be struck by tbe extraordinary disparity between the quality of the-picture, as a. piece of mechanics, and its quality as a piece of entertainment. A magnificent apparatus is employed for the production of puerile stories. Jhere can scarcely fail to he an increase in the mind of the pictures when they find tongues. Things that are too silly to be said can be sung, but things which are silly enough to be pantomimed are too silly to be spoken. And perhaps when some of our mumbling and “ ITatcfullyrc- ■ failed” actors and actresses have heard their voices reproduced from a screen, they frill feel a shame for themselves; that will compel them to learn to speak clearly. The “talkie” offers nothing but great opportunities to English players who have hitherto had less place in tbe moving picture world than they would seem to deserve, if they fail to seize them, they will have none but themselves to blame. In any event, though great results may not follow from the development of the “talkie,” I c; ■ see no barm coming from it. J can see much good.