The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-15
LATEST MOSCOW
film TRIUMPH OF
Art AND HUMOR
Experts Lavish Praises
On Technique
lspeeIaI to rhe DaIIy wOrkerl

| MO0COWY April IA new MIN
has just been shown here which has
proved, much to the surprise Of many
foreign correspondents, that the Com
munists> have a keen sense Of hui
NOR.
1t is entitled 1.-THE adventures Of
Mr.. West Among the Bolsheviki." The
idea of the picture is simple. An
American business man, Mr.. West, is
called to Moscow to look after the af-
fairs of Russo-American corpora
ton, and has read in America horri-
BILE stories about the Bolsheviki. He
brings with him copy Of an Ameri-
can weekly magazine which describes,
with Photographic illustrations, the
dreadful conditions supposed to pre-
vail in Russia.
On his arrival in Moscow he is met
by an automobile from his business
associates here, but small valise
containing the magazine is stolen by
member of gang Of robbers, whose
chief realizes the capital that can be
made from the Americans idea of
Russia.
He returns the valise to Mr.. West,
explaining that it was stolen by the
Bolshevist Secret Police, who, he says
"are now watching your every move
ment." Then he points out to the
American the members Of his own
gang sinking around Mr.. Vests no.
tel, adding: "See. they're on your
track already"
The Plot Thickens.
He induces Mr.. West to accompany
him to other quarters, pointing out to
him on the way my own place, stol-
en- by these scoundrels" (the place"
being the Museum of Natural His.
tory, and the ruins" of the Grand
Opero House and Moscow University
destroyed by criminal revolution
aries"
Once the American is In his new
quarters the robber arranges a fake
attack by "Bolshevist police" follow
ed by trial which comedies exactly
with the stories published by the
same widely circulated American ma
gazine. Hairy drunken blackguards
condemn to death Mr.. West and the
wife of the principal robber, who lat
er tells him: Fortunately these
wretches are easily bribed. Sign a
check for $1,000 and we shall be able
to escape"
Rescued by Soviet Police.
Then, at the moment when the
American, realizing the plot, gallant
ly faces overwhelming odds, the real
Moscow police, who at the request Of
his friends have tracked him with po-
lice dogs, burst in and save his life.
The final scenes show Mr.. West in
an automobile, accompanied by the
Chief of Police, driving thru Moscow
where he sees the Grand Opera House
and the University intact, to witness
review of the Red Army, 1.-THE real
Eolsheviki," marching in disciplined
thousands past a reviewing stand
where there are Trotzky and other
revolutionary leaders.
New technique.
Apart from its propaganda inter-
est, the film has real importance as
being the first example of the new
technique In Russia. Under the direc-
ton Of a young artist, Koolishef, the
players follow an arbitrary plan of
grouping for each scene, which gives
it its full value as a pictorial compo-
sition. Still more, they are trained
in rhetoric and co-ordinated in move
ment, so that every high light" in
the story is emphasized by the static
composition effect which completes
the essence of the dynamic idea. The
result is extraordinary successful.
The graphic art is so we'll concealed
that the spectator gets the effect OF
the utmost simplicity of action.
The heroine. Nine. KhakloYa, has
followed the new technique to the ut
most. Her very action is so clever
erly synchronized and yet so entirely
natural as to give an impression Of
novelty and spontaneity which foreign
experts claim surpasses everything
they have ever seen.