City in cinema, cinema in the city. Can you hear me?

The end of the era of silence was a truly loud affair. Maria Dąbrowska noted in her diary on 19 March 1930: "Yesterday we went to a fully talking film. It is very ugly." The writer and publicist Adolf Nowaczyński protested firmly in his article "Let Him Remain the 'Great Mute'" ("Kino dla Wszystkich" 1929, no. 81). The whole satisfaction lies in the fact that they move, love, spy, deceive, hate, thrash, beat, murder on the screen... but that they do all this quietly, silently, without chattering away, without babbling whatever comes to mind It was said that the talking film unnecessarily competed with the theatre. Cinema owners protested against the sound novelty, as they had to adapt their halls to the requirements of sound cinema. Tapers were also uncertain about their work. However, there was no turning back from the soundtrack. In Warsaw, the new era was inaugurated on 27 September 1929 with a screening of "The Singing Fool" starring Al Jolson at the Splendid cinema. The "Kurier Warszawski" of the time raved: "At last Warsaw will hear and see how the brilliant singer and actor, the sun of film America Al Jolson captivates with his wonderful voice." Sound changed not only films but also cinemas themselves. One of the first Warsaw cinemas designed with the new technology in mind was "Atlantic" at ulica Chmielna 33, opened in 1930. Source: Dom Spotkań z Historią