ABSTRACT
A negative characteristic of the narrative film is simply this: It lacks the power of arbitrary recall or of impromptu timing. The viewer cannot stop the film at his pleasure to contemplate a reaction or savor a line, he cannot re-examine some earlier dialogue to clarify an ill-defined point. Nor can an actor time his performance by waiting out a possible laugh or gauge his audience’s response to a vital transition, since such responses will undoubtedly vary from neighborhood to neighborhood.
