Films and The Studios

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 798, 19 October 1929, Page 25

Films and The Studios

TALK IP. VOICES— One of the problems that has come i>i the wake of talking pictures is that of accent. Throughout the English-speaking world picture goers arc complaining of the voices of many American stars , and campaigns for vocal purity have been proposed. It is necessary to consider the position from tico angles. First there i.s the Question of actual voice Quality and, secondly, that of forms and manners of speech. As time goes on, the chances arc the voice problem will right itself. As reproduction improves there will be less metallic distortion. At the same time players will he better trained for microphone work. Many poor screen voices arc bieng heard today because the host of silent film stars are being tested for talkies, but it will not be long before rasping accents cue weeded out. Style of speech is a separate question and, to be treated fairly, should be considered from an international standpoint. After all we could not expect Americans to like the Cockney

dialect any more than tee enjoy the language of the Bowery. If stories of American life are to be accepted in British countries, genuine American voices must go with them, otherwise the films will be inaccurate in “ atmosphere." The most that can be asked is that the voices be musical and the language reasonably pure. British talkies have proved already that poor film voices recorded at Elstrec can be as ugly as the more nasal mouthings of Hollywood and, although to British ears the general English standard is much higher, many pleasant American voices have been heard. The responsibility for style purity rests with scenarists rather than with the players, and it is reasonable to assume that in time they will realise the need for a universal and moderate standard of general expression. Therefore it may be predicted that the problem of talkie form and accent is a transient one, allied to other initial weaknesses of the talking screen.