To the Editor of the "NonrH-CHiA Dany NEWS"
Sir,.—It I remember correctly, the question of superimposed explanatory footnotes on films was made the subject of a controversy in your cor-Tespondence columns some time ago.
Since then, the idea seems to have died out somewhat, but where it was still_continued—notably in Fox and RKO pictures—the parties responsible were most assiduous in keeping them small, at the extreme lower end of the screen and limited to vital dialogue only.
The same cannot be said of "Madame X", (MGM.) It was something of a shock to see characters of proportions rivalling those of a Chinese pawnbroker's sign, splashed across almost the middle of the screen and at times not in one line, but two. Iam not aware if this new innovation is going to be repeated, but I would hope they emulate the worthy example set by their contemporaries in trade.
This is no complaint against characters. The Chinese have every right io know what is being said as much as we have. But I would think that while serving the requirements of one Section of an audience, this should not be done to the discomfort of the other. Let there be footnotes, but keep them neat, concise and at the bottom of the screen, when no cne could reasonably complain A Fum Fan Shanghai, Mar. 28,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.