Show HOLLY HOLLYWOOD WO WOOD OD Television Film Future Futures Is s Reviewed By CECIL B. B DE MILLE l Guest Columnist for Sheilah Shellah Graham HOLLYWOOD Setting oneself up as ai a prophet is a thankless occupation pation I shall never forget my first scientific contretemps of that sort I confidently predicted to a roommate room- room mato mate of mine at Pennsylvania Military coUe college o that there would never be a horseless harmless carriage after ho he had injured his hand in trying to invent such a vehicle In viewing televisions television's possible effect upon the movies I shall shall try to be more circumspect New Distributor I shall shaU base my conclusions solely on my observations of the entertainment entertainment entertainment enter enter- field during the last 40 years All things considered I dont don't think that television can hope to compete seriously with the movies It can only hope to become a a. new method of distribution for them Tho Reason creason for this statement is that the perfection of a fine fino screen characterization is not attainable by direct broadcasting or televising Screen players have the privilege of retakes on every scene The finest actor in the world can make malce a slip of the tongue overplay or underplay underplay underplay under under- play an emotion and thus mar his performance But when he acts for or the camera his errors are corrected corrected cor- cor before the public sees the picture picture corrected corrected either by himself him him- sel self in retakes or by the film editor in n cutting The actor whose whoso every word and movement is being broadcast at the moment it registers on the televIsion television tele tele- vision apparatus will not be so for- for Which brings us to a problem that thatIs Is s bound to confront the television Shall they broadcast films or broadcast plays as they are being performed before the television transmitter If they choose the latter alter exclusively it is safe to say that the tho screen will continue to offer better entertainment and beter better bet bet- ter er performances than television pot because the screen Is a better medium nedium please note but because illas it il has las tho the advantage of retakes and editing And they are aro very conspicuous conspicuous con con- advantages indeed when it t comes to turning out a smooth unified artistic production Rehearsals Needed It took four days to get the requisite requisite site thrill in the scene of The Tho Crusades Crusades Crusades Cru Cru- that shows the Crusaders riding out of Windsor castlo castle II It took ook as long to film many of the majestic musical numbers in The Tho Great It will vill take months to o record on film the sweep of the white man across the American plains as we shall do it in This Breed of Men in which I am starring Gary Cooper as Wild Bill Bil Hickok Big scenes need working over filming and before proper I effects arc are obtained That's why I think that at least the major dra I matte malic and musical offerings o of of television will first bo be filmed fUmed and then broadcast though broadcast though I am sure that we shall have the tho treat of seeing seeing see see- I ing plays broadcast as they are being performed also i Please understand that tha I am completely corn com com I about television In fact I am quite eager cager for its perfection It will bo be a privilege to seo see good plays and pictures in the privacy acy of ones one's home through the miracle of this medium and I shall gladly pay a franchise franchiso to do so I Iam Iam am simply discussing some of the possible obstacles television may have havo to hurdle |