FILMS: Building bridges
By RICHARD GEARY Kansan Reviewer
If there's anything we do not need at this particular moment in history, it is another movie celebrating the heroism of men in war.
"The Bridge at Remagen" is exactly such a mindless Saturday matinee, and what makes it even worse is puny, half-hearted attempt at an anti-war statement amid the action.
The plot is infantile, and the characters are such that they are completely defined in their first minute on screen. During the closing days of World War II, a bridge over the Rhine at Remagen is of strategic importance to both the American and German armies; the Germans want to get their army across and blow it up, and the Americans want to capture it. Our side wins, of course, but not before almost two hours of tankfire, machine gun fire, flying bodies and collapsing buildings.
The U.S. contingent is headed by George Segal, a cynical and thoroughly dislikable lieutenant, who appears slightly insane and becomes more so as he watches his men drop like flies around him. In the end, though, he comes to his senses when the bridge is secured and everything looks rosy again. The Germans are led by dashing Robert Vaughn, a sensitive officer (You can tell he doesn't really like Hitler by the definite lack of enthusiasm in his "heil").
The carnage has affected him too: just before his execution at the end of the picture, he is told enemy planes are overhead, and he asks rhetorically, "Who is the enemy?" The scriptwriters, one would imagine.
Director John Guillermin ("The Blue Max") cannot handle actors too well, but he excels at the presentation of violent action. And this IS an exciting movie, though exciting in conventional ways, and perhaps too exciting. There is so much bloodshed that the silly "Was it all worth it?" theme is totally destroyed.
It is nearly impossible to make any kind of pacifist statement within the context of battle, since, on a movie screen, images all too easily overcome ideas.
Those who made "The Bridge at Remagen" don't seem to care about ideas anyway. They're having too much fun blasting the Krauts.
BOOKS
JOURNEYMAN, by Erskine Caldwell, and PLACE CALLED ESTHERVILLE, by Erskine Caldwell (Gold Medal, 60 cents each) Two by now ancient books by the man whose books were so steamy 30 years ago that they were denounced throughout the land. Now they seem old-fashioned; the sex of "Journeyman" is nothing alongside what you can see right there on the screen. Bear in mind that the sensational content frequently obscured the fact that Caldwell was an able, interesting, and valid commentator on the American Southland.
THE PATRIOT CHIEFS, by Alvin M. Josephy Jr. (Viking Compass, $1.95)—An excellent history that describes the Indian
Oct. 28 1969 KANSAN 5
resistance movements in America. The Indian chiefs whose lives are treated are Hiawatha, King Philip, Pope, Pontiac, Tecmsech, Osceola, Black Hawk, Crazy Horse and Chief Joseph, men whose careers were in widely different part of history. This is a book that should be of great fascination to students of the American Indian.
Vienna waltzes into KU
By GENELLE RICHARDS Kansan Staff Writer
The glitter of 19th century Vienna with masked balls and with champagne, waltzes into KU's University Theatre with "Die Fledermaus."
George Lawner, professor of orchestra, directs and conducts the musical aspects of the operetta by Johann Strauss, which opens Oct. 31 and runs Nov. 1, 2, 6 and 7. Strauss's masterpiece, first performed in 1874 includes the waltz, polka and dances for which he was most famous.
The plot revolves around a man and a masked ball which he and others, including his wife, attend in disguise. Among the incidents is his meeting and flirting with his disguised wife. A maid pretending to be an actress meets her master pretending to be a Marquis.
"It is the finest operetta and certainly the most admired. Performed in many opera houses, it is traditionally done in Vienna on New Year's Eve," said Lawner.
The following day everyone finds himself in prison and the operetta continues as feelings mend.
Perhaps the only difficulty with the operetta comes from combining the music and the action so that neither of them interfere with the other, Lawner said.
Comprised mostly of music students, the cast consists of 10 principle parts, with two of the solos
spotlight
Give the what way?
By MIKE SHEARER Arts & Reviews Editor
"Paranoia," a film about two women and a man and their exchange of passions in a rather less than traditional sexual sense, is playing at the local drive-in theater.
It is unfortunate that Peter, Paul and Mary, always a popular treat for Jayhawks, are booked in Kansas City Municipal Auditorium at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8, which is homecoming here at KU. But then there was a time when the choice wasn't between Peter, Paul and Mary and Steppenwolf, but rather between Andy Williams and staying home.
On the marquee, under "Paranoia" and under the beckoning Rated X" and "Must Show ID" is "Give the United Way." Yes.
Sandra Carson Jones, associate to her director husband John Bush Jones, assistant professor of English, certainly shouldn't have been omitted from my laudatory comments on last weekend's "Iolanthe."
If an arts and reviews editor gets excited about a play and in his excitement in writing up the review forgets to praise one of the directors, he should at least make sure the forgotten director is not the wife of the other director.
- * *
I do think this year's homecoming attraction is much more in tune with the entertainment tastes of college-aged entertainment seekers.
SATURDAY, NOV. 8
alternating, a chorus of 30 and six dancers.
ARENA 8:30 p.m.
Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Mo. TICKETS ON SALE NOW at Auditorium Box Office
42.50, 3, 5, 30, 4, 5
Mail On Line addressed
stamped-envelope with cashiers
check or money order to Aud.
Box Office.
Exclusively on Warner Brothers Records
SUA invites you to the 1969 Homecoming Concert featuring Steppenwolf and The Turtles on November 8 at Allen Field House
Tickets: 3.50 - 3:00 - 2.50
Available at:
SUA Office, Kansas Union
Richardson's Music Co.
The University Little Symphony, numbering 43, plays the music for the production. During the rest of the year, the orchestra performs under the direction of Thomas Gorton, Dean of the School of Fine Arts.
"I'm glad we can do the operetta here, I think it is worth doing. It was done once, many years ago," said Lawner.
Bell's The Sound Information Booth
BOOKS
Welcome to Marlowe Country!
"Philip" is Marlowe's Whiskey
IT MAKES COURAGE!
KING, QUEEN, KNAVE, by Vladimir Nabokov (Crest, 75 cents)—A triangular love story that is much more than that, Nabokov being a perceptive and witty writer who goes beyond mere routine. This one, though first published in this country only recently, was written in 1928.
"Philip" is Marlowe's Gun.
IT MAKES NOISE!
"Philip" is Marlowe's Friend. IT MAKES LOVE!
****
BREAK THE YOUNG LAND by Joshua Stark (Dell, 50 cents) —A western about a fellow who leads homesteaders from Wisconsin to Kansas and troubles erupt between the sodbusters and the cattlemen. Remember "Shane" This is one of the standard plots, and it will give you little trouble following the story.
Because of the unusual nature of the title, we suggest you consult your dictionary for the full meaning so that you will not be surprised by the sophisticated subject matter of this film.
This motion picture is rated adults only, naturally.