FILMS: Puff of cotton candy
BY RICHARD GEARY
Assistant Arts & Reviews Editor
"The Reivers" is as irresistible as a puff of cotton candy. Who can argue with it? It has everything.
First, there is a tousle-haired boy, wide-eyed and ready for introduction to the lascivious world outside his small Mississippi town, and two raucous young men—one white, one black—to serves as his guides. Add to these a gruff but loving grandfather, a gaggle of good-hearted prostitutes, a drawing redneck sheriff, an exciting horse race, and top it all off with a shiny 1905 Winton Flyer, complete with a bud vase beside its steering wheel.
All ingredients are then carefully placed in that misty, pastel-colored period at the turn of the century, when nobody worried about anything and even sin was innocent.
Steve McQueen plays Boon, a sort of general handyman and rascal, who "borrows" the Flyer from his employer and lures the Boss's young grandson off to taste the wicked pleasures of Memphis, in particular a "cat house" whose most tempting offering happens to be Boon's current inamorata. With them comes another semi-profession reiver (rascal)—a fun-loving black played by Rupert Crosse—who, immediately upon arrival in Memphis, trades the prized car for a race horse. More complications ensue, of course, climaxed by a horse race photographed in delicious slow motion, but all is well in the end, and everyone is happy, including the audience.
The director and the writers can be forgiven for occasionally getting carried away with their own nostalgia, because, after all, that is partly the reason we came. Nostalgia has become an important element in many recent motion pictures. It is a new type of escapism, or at least a refined type: temporal rather than spatial. But even movies that provide good, solid escapism are rare, so while "The Reivers" is here, why not reel in it?
ISRAEL AND THE ARABS, by Maxime Rodinson (Pelican 95 cents)—An interpretation of the conflict in the Middle East that has erupted into war twice in two decades. The author of this work sees the Arab-Iraeli row in simple terms: "the struggle of an idigenous population against the occupation of part of its normal territory by foreigners." He demonstrates sympathy with the Arabs without going overboard
*****
RAT PACK SIX, by Steven N. Spetz (Gold Medal, 60 cents); THE TREMBLING EARTH CONTRACT, by Philip Atlee (Gold Medal, 60 cents)—Two for lighter moments. The Atlee book is another one about Joe Gall (a well-named hero), who this time dons an Afro wig, has a few injections, and becomes a black secret soldier. Now how about that? Wild. "Rat Pack Six" is about six young soldiers in Vietnam, and the view of war is not a cozy one, and not for the squeamish. Nor for those who love beautiful writing.
BOOKS
*****
A STORY TELLER'S STORY, by Sherwood Anderson (Viking Compass, $2.75) - Autobiographical writings by the famous short story writer and novelist. Anderson describes here a life that moved from middle class materialism to bohemianism, and he reflects on Midwestern life, American values, and literature
in his time. The book was published in 1924, and it has a preface by Walter B. Rideout.
THE CRIME OF PUNISHMENT, by Karl Menninger (Viking Compass, $1.95) — A widely praised work that appeared about a year ago, by the famous Kansan who is chairman of the board
of trustees of the Menninger Foundation in Topeka. Menninger, who is one of the wisest and warmest men in America, asks some searching questions about America and crime and violence, and focuses upon the penal system, which he sees as being responsible for much of the problem.
FAST BREAKFAST:
The Captain's Table specializes in quick breakfasts; Open at 7:00 with all your breakfast favorites. Breakfast is over at 10:00.
RECORDS
By MIKE SHEARER Editorial Page Editor
No one sings with tongue in cheek as well as Phil Ochs. "Phil Ochs' Greatest Hits" is Ochs' tribute to an era of music which he obviously both loves and understands. Including tribute to such stars of the pre-Beatles era as Elvis Presley and Jim Dean, this album gives us an array of songs ranging from the twangy "Gas Station Women" to the 50's sound in "My Kingdom for a Car."
This isn't exactly Phil Ochs as you've known him, but then neither is Phil Ochs. Never was.
Harry Nilsson, surely one of the brightest stars to emerge on the vocal skyline, is singing Randy Newman songs on "Nilsson Sings Newman." The two couldn't be more compatible.
With songwriter Newman at the piano, Nilsson weaves his way through "Yellow Man," "Cowboy," "The Beehive State," "Davton, Ohio, 1903" and "So Long, Dad."
As those who've heard his "Aerial Ballet" and "Harry" albums know, Nilsson's voice has just the right amount of nostalgia to carry off the type of songs Newman has here. While the new album may lack the variety of "Harry," it is singularly enjoyable, mellow and very, very Nilsson.
***
If you love Aretha Franklin, her newest album, "This Girl's in Love with You," is a must. She sings "Eleanor Rigby" with far more energy than the Beatles intended, and she does it wonderfully.
Maybe a little predictable, Aretha is still a big-voiced, enthralling singer, and her voice on such songs as "Son of a Preacher Man" and her own "Call Me" is successfully hot.
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***
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Not nearly enough acclaim has come to The Guess Who, the artists on RCA's "Wheatfield Soul," and intriguing new album. This is the group that won a silver record for its first big single, "Shakin' All Over."
Included in the new album is their hit "These Eyes."
Far too little variety is the biggest flaw of the Friends of Distinction on their new album, "Grazin.'" Not to be put down, however, is the sincerity of the well-blended voices on the album.
Feb. 10
1970 KANSAN 5