Sooner or later some one is going to come out and say that the movies
are too low-brow. I can just see it coming. Maybe some one has said it
already, without its having been brought to my attention, as I have
been very busy for the past two weeks on my yearly accounts (my
accounts for the year 1920, I mean. What with one thing and another, I
am a bit behind in my budget system).
And whenever this denouncement of the movies takes place, the first
thing that is going to be specifically criticized is the type of story
which is now utilized for scenarios. How can a nation hope to inject
any culture in the minds of its people if it feeds them with
moving-picture stories dealing with elemental emotions like love,
hate, and a passion for evening-dress? Scenarios to-day have no
cultural background. That's the trouble with them. They have no
cultural background.
Now, if we are to make the movies count for anything in the mental
development of our people, we must build them of sterner stuff. We
must make them from stories and books which are of the mind rather
than of the body. The action should be cerebral, rather than physical,
and instead of thrilling at the sight of two horsemen galloping along
a cliff, we should be given the opportunity of seeing two opposing
minds doing a rough-and-tumble on the edge of a nice problem in
Dialectics or Metaphysics.
I would suggest as a book, from which a pretty little scenario might
be made, "The Education of Henry Adams." This volume has had a
remarkable success during the past year among the highly educated
classes. Public library records show that more people have lied about
having read it than any other book in a decade. It contains five
hundred pages of mental masochism, in which the author tortures
himself for not getting anywhere in his brain processes. He just
simply can't seem to get any further than the evolution of an
elementary Dynamic Theory of History or a dilettante dabbling with a
Law of Acceleration. And he came of a bright family, too.
I don't go in much for scenario writing myself, but I am willing to
help along the cause of better moving-pictures by offering herewith an
outline for a six-reel feature entitled "THE EDUCATION OF HENRY ADAMS;
or WHY MINDS GO WRONG."
_CAST OF CHARACTERS_
_Henry Adams._
_Left Frontal Brain Lobe._
_Right Frontal Brain Lobe._
_Manservant._
_Crowd of Villagers, Reflexes, Complexes, and Mental Processes._
The first scene is, according to the decorated caption: "IN THE
HARVARD COLLEGE STUDY OF HENRY ADAMS, SCION OF AN OLD NEW ENGLAND
FAMILY, THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BIG CEREBRAL FUNCTION OF HIS YOUNG
MANHOOD."
Henry Adams, a Junior, is discovered sitting at his desk in his room
in Holworthy Hall. He has a notebook on the Glacial Period and
Palæontology open in front of him. He is thinking of his Education.
(_Flash-back showing courses taken since Freshman year. Pianist plays
"Carry Me Back to Old Virginie."_) He bites his under lip and turns a
page of his notes.