The Use of Sound in Films in the 1920s and 1930s

This paper discusses the use of sound in films during the 1920s and 1930s, and the debates surrounding its introduction. It explores the arguments made by critics and the impact of sound on the film industry.

Running head: MUSIC
Music
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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The following paper will address the issue of the use of sound in the use of sound in the
films in the 1920s and 1930s. It is worth mentioning that the films made before that time were
without side and it was called the silent movie. During these years, the use of sounds and
dialogues became one of the major changes in the film industry. Primarily, this was called the
talkie. Many critics have given their opinions on this issue and they have brought out the facts
how the use of use of sound would damage the entire purpose of the movies.1 The dramatic
ambience of the movies would be ruined if the sounds were used in the films. Therefore, it has
always been a matter of great debate in this context. In this paper, the arguments will be made on
the kinds of debates that arose during this time regarding the use of sounds.
Critics like Arnheim have focused on this issue and provided his opinions how the use of
sound will completely damage the dramatic purpose of the movies. The use of pantomime has
been evident in the movies being made during those times. There are certain limitations in the
visual expressions if the dialogues are introduced. So, this use of the pure pantomime could be
helpful in addressing this situation properly. Through the use of pantomimes, the movement of
the human body would definitely be one of the most important weapons tpo showcase the
dramatic expressions through the plots. Arnheim has also raised the debate that the visual actions
can be done through the movements of the human body like dance.2
However, the use of the dialogues would completely ruin the visual action from different
point of views. He has argued in favor of the silent movies because he is of the opinion that the
human body can be used for the portrayal of the melodic forms along with creating the harmony.
1 Komatsu, Hiroshi. "The Foundation of Modernism: Japanese Cinema in the Year 1927." Film History (2005): 363-
375.
2 Arnheim, Rudolf. "A new Laocoön: artistic composites and the talking film." Film as Art (1938): 199-230

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On the contrary, the use of the pantomimes is also necessary because it has been evident that the
barriers or limitations of the human body will be unable to present all sorts of visual expressions.
Few critics have also pointed out the fact that the use of pantomimes would be helpful to bring
out the solutions to the silent films indeed.3 They also highlighted the fact that talking is an
important part of life. This is why this cannot be left out in the films. It is because the plots of the
films are regarded as the expressions of the real life.4
According to few critics, the importance of the image and dialogues is crucial because
talking and speech definitely cannot be attributed to the fact of the dialogues. However, it is not
at all suited for the silent films as well. The standpoints against the talking in the films can be
arranged in the following manner.5 The debate can be raised in the way that the talking of the
actors or the protagonists of the films would turn him into a meaningless and monotonous
character. This is why it has been a constant debate whether the use of speech and dialogues
should be introduced or not.6 However, the contrary points constitute of the fact that the
expressions of the actors in the films without sound or speech will make them immobile. It will
just be like the paintings or the images. In case of the operas, no debates were raised and no one
3 Mott, Robert L. Sound Effects: Radio, Television and Film. McFarland, 2014.
4 Seldes, Gilbert. "Talkies’ Progress." Harpers Magazine (1929): 454-61
5 Komatsu, Hiroshi. "The Foundation of Modernism: Japanese Cinema in the Year 1927." Film History (2005): 363-
375.
6 Telotte, J. P. "The sounds of Blackmail: Hitchcock and sound aesthetic." Journal of Popular Film and
Television 28, no. 4 (2001): 184-191.

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argued about the use of the speeches on the human actors. Very little animated virtues are used in
this context of the operas.7
The debates have been raised on the issue that the silent films before the 1920s and 1930s
were not at all proper silent films. The viewers of these films had been put in the position of the
listeners. This is why some situations had to be prepared where the viewers should be able to
listen to the unsaid things of the actors.8 Other than that, the use of piano or an orchestra was
there and those musicians would add their sound effects when the film was going on in the
theatres. In case of the Japanese cinemas during time, the voice of the lecturer or the benshi had
always been there when the film continued. Thus the entire film could be dominated by the
person with all his verbal interpretations.9 Thus, it becomes quite clear the use of the sound
became a very important part of the films as it would express the visual things.
Some critics have also highlighted the fact that the use of dialogues in the film would be
narrowing down the scope of the film. The movies had been regarded as the next to the theaters
by a few critics.10 In the films, the setting is just like the natural setting of the man’s life. So, it is
7 Mark Segal, "Sound and Silence" (book review), The Nation and the Athenaeum 47.21, August 23, (1930), pp.
652-3.
8 Dancyger, Ken. The technique of film and video editing: history, theory, and practice. Routledge, 2014.
9 Telotte, J. P. "The sounds of Blackmail: Hitchcock and sound aesthetic." Journal of Popular Film and
Television 28, no. 4 (2001): 184-191.
10 Eugene Walter, "Dialogue vital to talking films says playwright." Motion Picture Herald, Feb 20, (1932). pp. 12-
13.

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quite clear that the demands of the people in favor of introducing the sounds were quite justified.
The normal life of the human beings cannot go on without sounds or speech. Similarly, it is very
evident that the films should also contain the speeches as well. The use of the sound and
speeches is definitely the fruit of the technological innovation.11 Therefore, it is quite crucial that
the introduction of the sounds will be important for the development of the film industry. This
was the initiative of the Motion Pictures Academy and this is definitely one of the best steps
taken to enhance the quality of the movies. Some filmmakers, theorists and critics were afraid
that their careers would be ruined with the beginning of this new type of technology.12 This was
probably another debate since it was one of the main features of the American films.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the rise of sound and speech came to be one of the most
dominating features in the movies and it took the entire film industry forward. Thus the
development of the films took place and the emergence of the talkies was an alert to the silent
filmmakers.13 The trace of the use of the sound during the 1920s was found in the radio and
photograph industry outside the American film industry. The viewpoint of Hitchcock should be
discussed in this section as well.14 His viewpoints raised some debates as well. The debate
regarding the use of the speech and sound and turning it into a talkie had been fuelled with the
11 Bell, Monta. "Movies and Talkies." The North American Review 226, no. 4 (1928): 429-435.
12 Mark Segal, "Sound and Silence" (book review), The Nation and the Athenaeum 47.21, August 23, (1930), pp.
652-3.
13 Potamkin, Harry Alan. "Phases of Cinema Unity: II.” 1929." Jacobs, The Compound Cinema: 21-28.
14 Jacobs, Lea. Film rhythm after sound: Technology, music, and performance. Univ of California Press, 2015.

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belief that movie making was a complete business and they should aim for the profit. Like all the
organizations, technological innovation and generation of profits go hand in hand. Likewise, the
movie industry also needed to go through this kind of change. 1927 was the year i.e. considered
as the apex period of the silent movies.15 The cinemas always used to highlight the events in the
lives of the human beings.
Therefore, it was very important that the reflections of the lives of the human beings
could be felt through the films. Throughout this year, several pamphlets and periodicals had been
published that proved the peak condition of the silent movies. Many theaters had alo published
their flyers every week as well. The Japanese films were showed in the theatres along with the
foreign films as well. The foreign films were not copied in Japan but many slots were reserved
for the foreign films as well.16 However, the introduction of sound came late in Japan because the
economic conditions of the Japanese film companies were not up to the mark during those times.
There were high debates on the introduction of sound film or talkie in the country. On the other
hand, Japan was always progressive in terms of technology and innovation. So, it was always
possible that the concept of the sound system had always been available in Japan. So, it became a
common notion afterwards.17 Still, the use of technology to adopt the use of sound could not be
implemented very immediately since their economic condition was weak. Most of the film
15 Komatsu, Hiroshi. "The Foundation of Modernism: Japanese Cinema in the Year 1927." Film History (2005):
363-375
16 Arnheim, Rudolf. "A new Laocoön: artistic composites and the talking film." Film as Art (1938): 199-230.
17 Jacobs, Lea. Film rhythm after sound: Technology, music, and performance. Univ of California Press, 2015.

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makers supported the view of introducing the sound system in Japan because it would definitely
add a new dimension to the film making in Japan as well as all over the world.18
On a concluding note, it can be said that the introduction of the sound system was a very
crucial fact for the development of the movies. Before the 1920s and 1930s, the silent movies
were the most popular ones. However, the introduction of the sound and speech became very
much popular with the innovation of new technologies. This system of introducing sounds after
pantomimes was quite costly so a country like Japan could not adopt this almost immediately.
Many debates were raised regarding the benefits of using the sounds, speech and dialogues
because this could reflect the lives of the common people. So, it was a very crucial innovation
for the evolution of films as an art.
18 Don Susano, “Sound Opinions,” Hollywood Spectator, 12.21, November 13 (1937), p. 15.

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References List
Arnheim, Rudolf. "A new Laocoön: artistic composites and the talking film." Film as Art (1938):
199-230.
Bell, Monta. "Movies and Talkies." The North American Review 226, no. 4 (1928): 429-435.
Dancyger, Ken. The technique of film and video editing: history, theory, and practice.
Routledge, 2014.
Don Susano, “Sound Opinions,” Hollywood Spectator, 12.21, November 13 (1937), p. 15.
Eugene Walter, "Dialogue vital to talking films says playwright." Motion Picture Herald, Feb 20,
(1932). pp. 12-13.
Jacobs, Lea. Film rhythm after sound: Technology, music, and performance. Univ of California
Press, 2015.
Komatsu, Hiroshi. "The Foundation of Modernism: Japanese Cinema in the Year 1927." Film
History (2005): 363-375.
Mark Segal, "Sound and Silence" (book review), The Nation and the Athenaeum 47.21, August
23, (1930), pp. 652-3.
Mott, Robert L. Sound Effects: Radio, Television and Film. McFarland, 2014.
Potamkin, Harry Alan. "Phases of Cinema Unity: II.” 1929." Jacobs, The Compound Cinema:
21-28.
Seldes, Gilbert. "Talkies’ Progress." Harpers Magazine (1929): 454-61.

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Telotte, J. P. "The sounds of Blackmail: Hitchcock and sound aesthetic." Journal of Popular
Film and Television 28, no. 4 (2001): 184-191.