Trinity College School - Record Yearbook (Port Hope, Ontario Canada)

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TRINITQ' gcoi.Lif:Gif: scnooi. mcconp ip THE TALKING FILM The talking film is now an accomplished fact. lt has shown itself a far greater success than most peo- ple would have expected five years ago and therc is every reason to expect that it will he better still. lt is, of course, the most important innovation that has oc- curred in the film world since its first beginning, and all sorts of speculations are being made about its ef- fect on films and stage plays. lVIr. Frederick Lonsdale. one of the newer English playwrights, sees in the talk- ing film the turning of the tables on America and the new chance for Britain to catch up. He gives four reasons for this optimistic view. To begin with, he says, we speak the orthodox English that the Ameri- cans themselves seem to prefer. Secondly, we have the best dramatists in the world and they will all find them- selves writing before long for the talking filrns. Third- ly we have more than our share ofthe best actors, and possibly. actresses. Lastly, we have, in addition to some of the most charming and exquisite scenery in the world, all sorts of historic architectural backgrounds which in America can only be reproduced unsatisfact- orily at enormous expense. Now we doubt very much whether lllr. Lonsdale knows what he is talking about. It is most unlikely that the mass of American movie fans do prefer the orthodox English. Americans might equally well assume from the popularity in London of Broadway and other American plays that the Eng'- lish preferred the American pronounciation to their own. They would be wrong of course. To a certain number of theatre goers the American language is a curiosity, but not to the movie-going masses. They can- not understand itg nor could the American movie fan understand the orthodox English. Probably there are few people outside Britain who would prefer a British film for this reason. Of the excellence of British dramatists l know nothing, but here again I think the ordinary movie go- er might disagree with Mr. Lonsdale about which dramatists are excellent. About actors and actresses, Mr. Lonsdale has more to say. The Hollywood beauty actors and actresses will soon be as dead as the third and fourth rate touring companies whomthe talking films will sup- plant. 'i 1' if The majority will find that a pretty profile and shapely legs no longer atone for a Bowery accent or a voice that simply does not get over at all. If Mr. Lonsdale really thinks this he knows nothing of human nature, and it is he, not Hollywood, who has the lesson to learn. He will find that with the masses a pretty profile and shapely legs will atone for anything. With regard to his fourth claim, for British super- iority in natural scenery and settings, we would not deny the truth of what he says so far as it goes. But there are some films, such as the ever-popular cowboy drama, in which American scenery is superior to ours. Besides, light is still as important a factor as it was be- fore, and in this America has a natural advantage which more than balances the advantages which Mr. Lonsdale quotes on our side. In fact the tendency is to overrate the advantages of the talking over the silent films. For many films, rnusic is a better accompaniment than words. The talk- ing has got to be very good to help the film along as well as a good orchestra helps it, and to some of us the great attraction of the movie is that it is a rest from the human voice, which we all hear too often. It would seem from this that the talking film may affect the stage more than the screen. It has certain obvious ad- vantages over the stage, though it is one degree less leal. lt is quite likely that nielodranla will tl'ansfer it- self entirely to the talking film, where llorsc-races, Illn- tor slnashes and fights can lie so well pre.-cntcd. Any play, on the other hand, in which the interest of the words outweighs that of the action and scenery, will still he better presented on the stage, and this may lead to lag improvements in the dialogue ol plays. Vtfe can hope that more plays will now he acted in the open, as this is one way in which they can resist the encroachment of the talking film. t'liangcalil-- weather is of course a bar to outdoor plays, hut. 'tak- ing into consideration the improvements in quick and easy transport, it is quite reasonable to expect that 'tht- theatre of the future will be run as follows. Instead of a hall in the centre ofa large city, let us imagine an en- closure some miles out with a house iust like the phea- tre of the present day and also a semicircular outdoor stadium enclosing a space about half the size of a football ground, or a little less. Such a theatre would be equipped for all weathers, and the spectators would have to take their chance whether they saw the per- formance out of doors or indoors. That would depend on the weather. The g1'eater expense of the outfit would be made up for by the fact that for such a site a theatre would not have to pay the enormous rent which most of them pay now for their central position. There is a certain type of play which must be acted in- doors, but we can rely on the great ingenuity of mod- e1'n producers to overcome small difficulties. This is only a suggestion of the lines which the future develop- ment of the theatre may follow. There have lately been many tentative efforts to restore the drama to its original setting, the open air. All such atteinpts as I have seen have been very successful and have convinc- ed me that the theatres could not make a better move to meet their present emergency. So let us hope that the arrival of the talking film will not ruin the people who have been trying to amuse us up to now, but urge them on to great improvements. We cannot share Mr. Lonsdale's apparent satisfaction at the prospect of so many people losing employment. Nor will most people be pleased to see actors and other people connected with the theatre suffering from the change. For they are a people mightily beloved as Sanco Panza has reminded us, and as they are merry fellows and give pleasure, all people favour them. -Polyphemus. WIT AND WISDOM. Did you ever notice that motion accounts for two-thirds of promotion '? Do right and fear no man : Don't write. and fear no woman. The 1'oad to success would have more travellers if so many were not lost attempting to find short cuts. You buy a man's labour, but must cultivate his good-will. A man will sometimes own himself wrong. but a woman never does-she is always mistaken. Honour thy Father and Mother, but not strangers' cheques.

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14 TRINITY COLLEGE 531,095 RECOIED passed. just missing ahead. The ship's course was main- tained. and not a sign shown of the danger she had just passed through. Even though the track had been noticed. it was not to be expected that. at that time. a tramp could know what :1 torpedo track looked like. It was a great test for the discipline of the crew, and they stood up to it well. All remained quiet and kept on smoking and lounging about. although. if a second torpedo were launched. it would be sure to hit. A minute or two later the I'-boat came to the surface about S00 yards off and fired across the Farnborough's bows as a signal to stop. And stop she did with the panic party doing its job properly. but before the boats could be lowered. the submarine was using her gun and came dangerously near hitting the magazine. In a second the collier replied with her salvo of three 12-pounders. a maxim and rities. while the White Ensign broke out. The To Be If-boat at 800 yards was a small target, considering the collier had no range-finders, but the shooting was good, and she was hit several times before she could submerge. Full speed was the order to the place where she had submerged. There was nothing to show she had been destroyed. although she had been hit several times, so two depth-charges were dropped with the collier steaming her best. The result was instantaneous. The U-boat, or what was left of it. had been trying to rise and now came up almost perpendicular, scraping the collier as she passed. The damage was plain: there was a gaping rent in her bows in addition to her periscope having been shot awayg but the after-gun took no chances, and poured a couple more rounds into her at point-blank range, finish- ing her off. Except for oil and fragments of wood, she left nothing on the surface. Continued. .IOYS OF YOUTH For the same sentiments as are contained in this poem. though somewhat differently expressed. we recom- mend the Song of David in Browning's Saul and The Great Lover. by Rupert Brooke. Paraphrase of Pascal Bonetti's S0rtir. It's wonderful! I am alive. strong. young and feel an unsatisfied craving for all the pleasures of this earth. It's wonderful! I love everything, want everything and am certain to taste of all the pleasure of this world and greedily snatch at all the golden treasures of this iieeting day: the fragile beauty of fiowers: the passing caress. now of the blazing sun. now of the sleepy shade. prisoned between the fiashes of its masterg the intoxica- tion of running. leaping. wrestling. breaking the untried horse. sailing one's first boat. driving full-speed along the road: the pride of rushing towards the clouds on a frame of metal and flax: and not least the joy of true friendship. It's wonderful! To look at life thro' the eyes of friendship and see our way lit up by all that a cherished companion brings to one's journey thro' this world. It's wonderful! What a splendid thing to be young. strong. self-willed. master of my fate and know that to-morrow I shall have the whole world before me and be starting off into the unknown. Our first start! Is there any start better than one which takes one nearer and nearer to the sun. Any future to be compared with that of Jason. Hercules. Ulysses. Moses or Caesar? A start which can compare with that of those who make a slave of Fortune and whose life is one great fight for greater knowledge. Their real start! What a wonder for Columbus and Vasco da Gama and all those driven hard by dreams, inspired by God. for the crusaders' burning to convert the inlidel: for the soldiers braving the ocean to bring support to the lovers of Liberty: for the poets. apostles, martyrs. and all who are winging upwards. My first start! Just give me a horse or a car or an untamed boat. or far better still a Moth, whose wings will carry me. right to Heavens high vault. My real start! That is before nie! What does it matter where I go? It must be new land! And it must show a way to what is finer! ' -S. G. THE SMALL TOWN It was about dusk when the train slowed down -suffi- ciently to allow a fellow passenger and myself to disem- bark. Anxious to see what the town was like, I stood on the platform and gazed inquiringly about me. and eventually managed to discover the town just behind the freight shed. A taxi of sorts was waiting. Into this I jumped. followed by the other new arrival. Not wishing to cause any unpleasantness I offered to call another con- veyance for myself, but immediately realized the indis- cretion of my remark. What I mean by indiscretion is this: By displaying my ignorance of the fact that this was the only means of transportation in town I was branding myself as a stranger. If there is anythingil dislike it is to be mistaken for a stranger. Not that it is a rare occurrence, by any meansg for, invariably, within half an hour of arriving in any place for the first time, I am asked where the liquor store, or the Salvation Army Barracks is. In an abashed tone I am compelled to say! I am afraid I can't tell you. If they had had sufficient sense to wait only about fifteen minutes longer, I should have been able to tell them where one, at least, of these places was to be found. No, I do not like to be taken for a stranger. Briefly, it gives one a feeling of -, a feeling that t oh! well, not a really pleasant kind of feeling anyway. But this is beside the point. Only one thing annoys me more than to be mistaken for a stranger, and that is having to read something written by an individual who cannot stick to what he is writing about, if anything. I take it as a good indication that the Writer knows not the first thing about his subject. I am quite convinced on this last point, for, though there are few topics- upon which I am not qualified to say something, this is one in which I feel myself particularly qualified. I repeat, digression is indicative of ignorance. A person who knows his subject at all should be able to complete his discourse without turning up every by-path that comes in his way. Such a one is to be admired. The verbose writer who evades his subject should not be tolerated for a moment by the discriminating reader, and I for one will do my share in boycotting the works of this type of individual. ' But to return to the waiting taxi-I'm afraid it will have to keep on waiting, for the editor, who is really quite a decent sort, will allow me no more space, and I don't know much about small towns anyway. -HUGINN. . i 1 The reason why men who mind their own busi- ness succeed, is because they have so little competi- tion. It is all right occasionally to pat yourself upon the back. but don't get the notion that by so doing you are pushing yofurself forward. ,

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TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL RECORD 16 W f jiigtlinlugg glint Clllllnhcrns PERSEUS Whether or no our heroes of Greek legend deserved their translation to the heavens, we find most of them there today. More fortunate than Orpheus-who, you will remember, was not sufiiciently complete in his mem- bers to take such an exalted place. but was substituted by his lyre-more fortunate than Orpheus then, Perseus was raised entire to a prominent place among the con- stellations between Taurus and Cassiopeia. There you may see him any starry night by following the line of the pointers in the Great Bear. through the Pole Star and across the heavens to Cassiopeia. next to which is Perseus: not very precise. but that's near enough. Now what Perseus connotes to the highbrows and to me are very different things. Take your choice. In an encyclopaedia you may find opposite Perseus something like this: An ancient northern constellation, rich in astronomical interest .... In the head of Medusa tin the left hand of PJ is the well-known short period Algol or Beta Persei. Its changes from magnitude 2.3 to 3.5 are repeated regularly after a period of 2 days 20 hours and -19 minutes. Alpha Persei. the brightest of the constellation. is a star of the solar type. its magnitude being 1.9. et ainsi de suite. Now, do you like that? Personally, I can't rise to it. nor more than I can to the largest and brightest of the heavenly bodies. But this is what Perseus means to me: Our hero possibly got a special dispensation from Zeus in his translation to the heavens, as the latter felt it incumbent on him to do something for his son. In short. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. daughter of the King of Argos. whose name I have forgotten. Anyway. it doesn't matter as he appears only once again to lose life and name at the hands of his grandson. This evil king, in one of his fits of temper consigned Danae and her infant son. Perseus. to the open sea in a wooden chest. The sea rose and buffeted the hapless twain mercilessly. but they bore charmed lives. a fact which we may ascribe to the watchfulness of Zeus, and were eventually picked up by a well-to-do fisherman. Dictys. of Seriphos. I think. Here began a new life for Danae and her son in the Kingdom of Seriphos. ruled by the cruel. covetous Polydectes. Perseus thrived mentally and physically under the tutelage of Dictys. until he showed every promise of being a regular superman. And Danae all the time was losing none of her aforetime beauty, which from the beginning had fascinated the wily Poly- dectes. Somehow or other he had kidnapped Danae and was keeping her in durance vile. until Perseus, casting all care to the winds stormed the palace. freed his mother, bearded the lion in his den. and snatching up a log, as if it were a twig. was about to dash the Kings brains out. when Dictys fortunately intervened with a plea to the youth to hold his hand. as the King's death would only result in his own. A stormy scene ensued as Perseus told the cowering monarch a thing or two. which done, he carried his mother off to the safety of a temple, where she washed linen and did odd jobs about the sacred place. At any rate, now she was free of Polydectes. The King lay low for a space, but at any minute his smouldering wrath was likely to burst into iiame. His first gesture to humiliate poor Perseus. was to invite all the nobles and young men to attend a gathering at the palace. Then as now, you had to bring an offering of some sort to pay for your meal, but Perseus was too poor to bring a gift and was laughed to scorn by all the nobles and young men. Roused to anger he retorted furiously that he would go away and bring back a greater gift than any he had seen-the Gorgon's head. Laugh? You could have heard them umpteen stades away. Stung to the quick, Perseus sought the Seashore, where he lay down on the soft sand to meditate on his foolishness . . . . . The hiatus means a dream, and in this dream Perseus saw before him Pallas Athene, brightest of all the goddesses, making overtures. Like Barkis, our hero was willing, and in the ensuing colloquy, he learned he was not alone on the world. The Immortals were to be his faithful prop and stay and would aid him in the fulfilment of his rashly uttered vow. Awakening, he called on Athene with an all-consuming demand on his telepathic powers. They were successful. Out of a white speck of cloud. came Pallas with her attendant messenger, llfercury. of the winged heels. In a trice they were before him, and Perseus knew not what to say. But Pallas said it for him and gave him a description of Medusa, the Gorgon, and the means to slay her. The Gorgon, she said. was one of three sisters living far out on an island in the Cimmerian wastes of Water, the dark unshapen Land. Half-woman and half-dragon, she possessed a chill beauty of sorts, as far as features Went, but her hair was a coiled mass of vipers, and her eyes had the power to petrify any who looked on her. Pallas was equal to this. though. for she gave Perseus a sever- at-one-blow sword and a shining shield, which he was to use as a mirror, in which really all the fighting was to be done, to avoid the baleful, freezing glare of Medusa's eyes. Then Mercury came on with his little bit, the winged sandals. which were to carry Perseus over land and sea without rest in the fulfilment of his quest. They couldn't tell him where she was exactly, but they advised him to try the Grey Sisters, three old harpies, of the frozen north, who had but one eye among them. Distance was nothing to Perseus. so he hopped off a cliff and was soon borne along by Mercurys winged heels to the Grey Sisters. At first they vouchsafed him no help, but their curiosity to see the bold human gave Perseus his chance. for, as one was passing the eye, he seized it and threatened to toss it into the sea. if no help was forth- coming. Immediate capitulationg he was to travel south again to the abode of Atlas in North Africa, where his daughters the Hesperides would tell him the rest. So southward he flew and was a welcome guest in the garden of the Hesperides, who told him to give up his quest and languish there awhile. But the youth was not to be tempted, and they admired his doggedness, unlike the Thracian women in Orpheus' case. They kept him for seven days, while one of their number fetched a magic hat of darkness from Hades, and with this to render him invisible, he launched on the last lap. Horror! Three monster females with scaly wings and snaky tresses were below him. two asleep in unbecom- ing attitudes. while Medusa. the third, meditated, a cold beauty, until, sensing an enemy presence, the snakes came into play, and changed the lovely lady into a loath- some hag. Aided by the magic hat, sword and mirror, the dread deed was deftly done, and Medusa's head, with her eyes still alive, was wrapped in an impermeable goatskin. Then came a stern chase, and an anxious, for the ugly surviving sisters were soon a-wing. Fortune favoured the brave, and Perseus by nightfall had left his enemy behind. Yes, says the Edi or, enough: we like your idea of Perseus better than the encyclopaedia's and if you have any more to say about him, you will have to keep it till next year.