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BOOKS
By Calder M. Pickett
Associate Professor of Journalism
THE LIVELIEST ART, by Arthur Knight. Mentor, 50 cents.
There seem to be two kinds of histories of the movies. One is the gushy sort of thing which devotes most of its attention to Garbo, Mary Pickford, Valentino, and even Tab Hunter—gossipy, inexact, as perceptive as if Louella Parsons had written it. The other is technical, a book about directors, dwelling almost exclusively on "the film as art," isolating it from its social context.
Arthur Knight, the film critic of the Saturday Review, has tried to write a serious history of the movies that does not ignore social implications. For the most part he has not succeeded. His book, up to 1939, is a rewrite of Lewis Jacobs' "The Rise of the American Film." From then on it is almost entirely in the Jacobs vein—a book about "the film as art."
It would be a shallow person indeed who insisted that a history of the movies should not spend considerable time on "The Birth of a Nation," "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," and "Greed." These are the landmarks; from such pictures have been drawn the substance of films of today. But equally persuasive to many have been the pure boxoffice films," Hell's Angels," "Mutiny on the Bounty," "The Thin Man," and "Gone with the Wind."
In this paperback reprint of a 1957 book, which Knight has revised to include a few very recent films, may be found the familiar story of the early silent pictures—George Melies, Edwin S. Porter of "The Great Train Robbery," Griffith, Mack Sennett, Chaplin. There is little new here. Nor is the story of the 1920s new. The story of the rebellious Erich von Stroheim is a little tiresome. We'll admit it—he was a giant. But that kind of expensive genius can bankrupt any industry, and Knight's admiration for him and his wastefulness is provoking.
There is also the story of developments abroad, from Eisenstein and "Potemkin" in the twenties to the Japanese and "Gate of Hell." This is a valuable section, although Knight has spent a little too much time on the propaganda films the Germans and Italians were grinding out for Hitler and Mussolini in the 1930s.
"The Liveliest Art," is, however, another good source book for students of the film. But Knight fails to realize that the historica films, the westerns, the sea stories of the late 1930s, and since, have been more than escapist, that they have been affirmations of people who have evidenced a genuine interest in, and concern for, the past "Stagecoach" was an epocal Western, but it also was of historical importance, made, like "Gone with the Wind," in a time when America was tottering on the edge of war, when Americans were looking for positive values in a world falling about them.
THEY CAME TO CORDURA, by Glendon Swarthout. Signet, 50 cents.
This is a revolting, sickening book. One puts it down with a feeling of shock, of revulsion. Probably it is honest; certainly it attempts to be realistic. But it is based upon false premises, and it stretches credulity to the breaking point.
It deals with a major, during the 1916 campaign against Pancho Villa, who, after showing cowardice himself, is given the assignment of taking a woman prisoner and five Congressional Medal of Honor winners out of action, to a city some distance away, so that they may be given recognition.
Five winners out of one campaign—a lieutenant, one of those to be recognized, makes the point when he says this is incredible, that there could not be five. All five are venal, or villainous, or vicious. None of the five wants the award. Only the major, who reveals that he has more courage than any of the others, has sparks of decency. Only the major does not come through alive.
BLUE DENIM, by James Leo Herlihy and William Noble. Bantam, 35 cents.
The problems of teenagers—in fact, teenagers themselves, at least in novels, in movies, on broadway and on television—are becoming a bit tiresome. Anyone could tell from this title that "Blue Denim" is about teenagers; blue denim is the teenage badge, the symbol. This is a play that lasted a short time on Broadway but is likely to have wide audiences in movie theaters this summer, for "Blue Denim" is now a film. Our special concern here is a boy of 15, shut out by parents (naturally), in silent rebellion (what else?), who fathers the child of a next door girl (they are in love), makes it possible for her to have an abortion (he has a wise friend who knows about such things), and sits down with dad in the last act to have a talk about things (which our hero obviously knows about). Sweeping social significance, obviously. Let us pray that the text of this play will prove completely mystifying to readers of 50 years hence.—CMP
CITIZEN TOM PAINE, by Howard Fast. Bantam Classics, 50 cents.
Back in 1943, before Howard Fast had become known as (1) a pretty fuzzy native Communist, or, (2) a vocal anti-Communist, this vastly entertaining biography of Tom Paine appeared. So popular did it become that it acquired status even in the Modern Library, and Fast became a kind of popular expert on the great propagandist of the American Revolution. "Citizen Tom Paine" has new status, in the Bantam Classics series. Though a historical novel, it likely will tell the story of Tom Paine better than many works of more substantial nature. It is fast-moving, propaganda-loaded, and worth reading. Paine to some still might be, as Theodore Roosevelt said, "a dirty little atheist," but he was a great and persuasive writer who helped to shape the revolution, and histories will continue to accord him space alongside Jefferson and Sam Adams, unless the revisionists decide in a few years that Paine's role in the Revolution, after all, was a meager one.—CMP
4 to Participate At AEJ Session
Four members of the faculty of the William Allen White School of Journalism will participate in sessions of the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism at Eugene, Ore., Aug. 25-29.
Dean Burton W. Marvin will appear on a panel of journalism administrators. As chairman of the accrediting committee of the American Council on Education for Journalism he will report to AEJ on the accreditation program. He also will preside at a meeting of the accrediting committee Aug. 25 and will represent the School of Journalism at the annual meeting of the American Assn. of Schools and Departments of Journalism.
Calder M. Pickett, associate professor of journalism, will present a paper in the historical research session on the impact of technology upon six New York newspapers.
George Link, assistant professor of journalism, will present a paper on findings of a survey of education for advertising made by him and James E. Dykes, associate professor.
Elmer F, Beth, professor of journalism, will make annual reports in his capacity as secretary-treasurer of both AEJ and AASDJ.
Speakers at the convention will include Allan Nevins, historian and retired professor of history at Columbia University; Sen. Richard Neuberger (D-Ore), and Dr. Frank Stanton, president of the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Thursday. July 30,1950 Summer Session Kansan
Weekly Newspapers Of Payton Are Sold
The Citizen Publishing Co., which publishes weekly newspapers at Overbrook, Carbondale and Scranton, has been sold to Frank Boyd of Topeka, former newspaperman and printer. Boyd will assume ownership Aug. 1.
The company has been owned by Dwight Payton, president of the William Allen White Foundation. Mr. Payton recently became an editorial writer on the Oklahoma City Daily Oklahoma. His son, Marick Payton, has been operating the newspapers since May 1. The Paytons took over the Overbrook Citizen in 1941.
A zebu has never been known to run across a lawn screaming, "Look mom, no cavities."
MacRaes in Rehearsal For 'Bells Are Ringing'
The biggest stars in Starlight Theatre history, Gordon and Sheila MacRae, are in rehearsal this week at the outdoor theater for the opening Monday, Aug. 3 of their 2-week stand in "Bells Are Ringing."
The MacRaes will be making their first musical comedy appearance in the nation in the hilarious musical that ran three years on Broadway. It concerns the antics of a befuddled young lady at a telephone answering service who becomes personally involved in the problems of her clients. Sheila MacRae takes the role of the telephone operator and Gordon MacRae portrays a playwright who lacks confidence in his ability.
MacRae has been at the top of the motion picture and recording industries for the past 10 years. His movies with Doris Day grossed millions of dollars, and his starring roles of Curly in the cinemascope version of "Oklahoma!" and Billy Bigelow in "Carousel" were top box office attractions. His albums of the sound track have been great sellers.
Sheila MaeRae is a bouncy, blonde.
former actress and comedienne who retired shortly after her marriage to take over the household chores. Recently the two decided to team up for night club engagements, and their act has been touted as one of the best in the field. A New York critic saw their performance at one of the plush supper clubs there and called them "the greatest team to hit New York since the Yankees!"
The theater has made the highest percentage contract with the MacRae of any stars appearing there during the nine-year life of the outdoor theater. It was one of the smartest moves they've made, in the opinion of producer Richard H. Berger. The opening night performance Aug. 3, has been sold out for several days.
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