The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-21
WORKERS CHEER
FILMS WHICH
CRITICS ROAST
All Admit Pictures Are
Genuine and Realistic

The very successful showing of
1.-THE Beauty and the Bolshevik" in
Boston recently was accompanied by
an extraordinary amount OF free pub
licity in the daily capitalist papers.
While the big audience of workers
cheered the Red army love story from
first scene to last, the critics were not
so we'll pleased. This was no safe and
sane "Polikushka" whose suicide end.
ed his participation in the class strug.
gle, this was a picture of the new
order that restored the land to the
peasant and won the younger genera
ton, wholesale and retail, for the
Bolsheviks. ~
The critics did not like it. They
shifted at its propaganda" The act
ing was "traditionally Russian" After
our own slick Hollywood output, the
characters, costumes and setting look
unkempt, tasteless and ramshackle."
But even the critics felt compelled
to give some credit For all that" con-
cedes the writer for the Transcript,
who had been most bitter in denun-
citation, "the picture has a refresh
ing charm-refreshing and charming
perhaps because it is so distinctly un.
American in its light, casual handling
Of humorous bits, often made humor-
Gus in spite of themselves, and for the
devil-may-care attitude toward the
whole thing. The actors seem to be
thoroly enjoying themselves"
The Advertiser report was short
but friendly: "A large and appreciat
i've audience at Symphony hall saw
the Russian screen comedy, The
Beauty and the Bolshevik, a romance
of Red army commandant and an
enemy maid whose father had lots
of vodka and more rubles. The Soviet
army brigade, which was used in this
picture, showed excellent horseman
ship, winning frequent applause. The
picture, made. in Russia, is realistic in
its treatment of the love story"
The Christian Science Monitor
said the film is particularly notable,
in contrast with American films, for
the good will and simplicity of it's
humor and foTsits total disregard for
material splendor.. No hint of the star
system mars it. The actress who
plays the 'Beauty' is genuine and
frolicksome." ffse
Nor did the press neglect the COM
panion piece Russia in Overalls,
The Traveller reported, Russia in
Overalls,' combination of travelogue
and newsreel, put out by the Interna-
tional Workers. Aid was undeniably
interesting. Although this, too, was
case Of the Soviet putting its best
foot forward it was done success
fully. 1t left the impression of a live
ly industrial outlook for Russia" The
Monitor said that this film showed
those who have given money for
agricultural, mining and manufactur.
ing machinery what had been accom-
plished. The Aim gave views of lum.
bering in Siberia, of concentrating
in Moscow, of fishing on the volga,
and Of oil drilling and mining near
Baku."
Many cities have already seen
these films and many more are listed
to run shows. A list of current dates
is published in another column. But
there are hundreds of cities where
working class organizations, in one
way or another, could run this and
other film programs with certain sue
cess. Full information will be given
labor and liberal organizations in in
quiry to International Workers Aid,
IS s. Lincoln St., Chicago, Ill.