But only, of course, when these
technical devices are abused by over-use. Mr. Sargent has pointed out
that the close-up of the silent drama is only another form of the
spot-light used on the regular stage, and, similarly, the cut-back
finds its duplicate in the "off-stage" sound-effects of the regular
drama. Instead of the "galloping horse" effects of the legitimate
stage, we get on the screen the actual scene of the horseman dashing
ahead. But anything overdone is bad, and cut-backs and other similar
devices are no exception to this rule. Not only is our attention
called to the fact that the writer or director is working a certain
technical trick to death, but in following the story its working out
is spoiled for us as a result of the very thing used with the
intention of heightening our interest.
"Even Griffith, in his big production, 'Hearts of the World,' taxes
suspense too far at one point," says Mr. Sargent. "So clever a
trickster as he (and, like Belasco, he is more the artistic trickster
than the artist) has failed to realize that suspense, carried too far,
becomes first tiresome and then amusing. This applies most directly to
the single situation, but it is almost equally applicable to a
situation strong in itself, but which is depended upon to yield
suspense out of proportion to its value.
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