Life, 1919-08-07 · page 27 of 44
Life — August 7, 1919 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical sketch mocks the chaos of movie theater etiquette during the silent film era. A man makes an offhand remark ("Next Tuesday") about a geological formation on screen, which a woman in front misinterprets as directed at her. What follows is escalating miscommunication: she thinks he's being rude, he's confused about what he said, the picture keeps changing (making her claims unverifiable), and she smells of alcohol/dentist's work—which the usher misattributes to intoxication. The joke hinges on how silent films created absurd social friction: viewers couldn't hear dialogue clearly, misunderstandings multiplied, and theater staff made snap judgments. The woman is ejected after the man's final quip, "How about next Tuesday?"—which finally *was* directed at her as mockery. The bottom timeline shows automobile evolution (1916-1920), possibly commenting on modern progress amid social chaos.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LLP E: The Silent Drama As logical Sketch of Conflicting Passions (Scene: Two aisle seats in a moving-picture theatre.) T! 2 MAN: ——. His Friexp: ———. (4 woman and her friend sit down in the aisle seats in front of the men.) Tue Woman: Her Frienp: (The picture shows an interesting bit of geological re- search, the so-called “ balancing-stone” of Poonjabi, India.) Tur Woman (tensely, as if imparting a secret): Some day that’s going to fall over. Tur Man: Next Tuesday. Tue Woman (turning around) please confine your remarks to yourself? Tur Man: Why, what did I say? Tue Woman: Oh, J heard you. You said, “‘ Next Tues- day.” Tie Man: What if I did? Tue Woman: What if you did? / was looking at the picture. é Tux Man: What picture? Tne Woman: The picture of the rock. 2. . Tue Man: What rock? Tur Woman: Oh, you know what I'm talking about (She turns to verify her statement. The picture has changed to “ A Bit of the Mojave Desert.”) Tur MAN (to his friend): Why shouldn't I say, “ Next Tuesday "? Tue Woman (turning around again): If you persist in annoying me I shall call the usher. Tue Voices or Severat Movie Fans: Oh, shut up! Tue Usuer: Here, wassa trouble? Tue We This man has been annoying me. Tue Usuer: Have you been annoyin’ this lady? Tur Woman: Yes. 5 xt Tuesday.” Tue Usner: Well, why shouldn't he? Tue Woman: I was speaking to my friend about the tock, . . . Tue Usnex: What rock? Tue Woman: The rock in the picture, of course... . (The picture now displays the glorics of “ Sunset in Mid- occan.”) Tur Usnerx: Say, what tha—? Tue Man (confidentially): Intoxicated. . . . Tue Usuer (vith perfect comprehension): Oh (snif- fing), yeh, I do smell sumpin’ jazzy. 5 Tue Woman: You fool! I’ve just been to the dentist's Tue Usuer: ’S all ri’, mister. I'll put her out. Tue Max: No, no, Just have her change her seat Tue Usuer: Altri’. (He picks up her hat and parasol.) Come on, lady Young man, will you He sai NINETY-FOUR IN THE SHADE, AND NO SILADE Tur Woman (furiously, as she follows her hat and para sol): Young man, /'ll see you again! Tur Man: Surely. How about next Tuesday? (Curtain, ) Heury William Haneman THe flag is now made up of thirteen stripes, forty-eight stars and one eclipse—the eighteenth amendment comicbooks.com