>>If I remember correctly, Abel Gance's NAPOLEON had scenes which were
split
>>into three parts representing the French flag.

      bill henrdickson -- building on don larssons's
      reference to silent films -- is dead on . . . while
      not all of gance's NAPLOLEON uses all three
      screens, and someparts that do use all three
      screens use them to create a single enormous
      image, many sections of it do involve split
      screen effects, often configured so that the
      two side panels are  identical, and provide
      a harmony [or counterpoint] to the "main"
      panel in the middle . . . but what gance does
      not do that PILLOW TALKS does do is present
      on the screen two parts of the same action
      simultaneously

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