The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-15
A Letter About
Daily ReVieWs
of Soviet Films
Editor, Daily Worker
SO East 18th st,
New York Citv

Editor Daily Worker
SO East 18th st.
New York City
Dear Comrade: In the Daily
Worker Of July q there is a letter
from Comrade Judith Knight pro-
testing against IS. BIS" unfavorable
criticism of THE Island of Doom"
The letter is important more as be-
ing the typical attitude of a great
many comrades and Daily Worker
readers. 1t has also been the atti-
tude Of the Daily Worker for some
time. That attitude is one Of taking
offense at any unfavorable criticism
Of the Soviet cinema. The Daily"
for example, had never published any
unfaVorable criticism of a Russian
film. 1t has accepted almost categori-
cally all Of them. Yet there have
been number that deserved severe
criticism. 1t was a good sign when
the Daily" published rs. BIS" re-
view
I also saw the film. Not once, but
several times; once in the original
Russian version. 1t will be rmpos-
sible, due to the lack Of space to go
into detailed analysis of the films
faults. 1t did, however, lack every
thing that has made the Soviet film
not only the most important and
stirring example Of Soviet culture, but
also has demanded the respect of
every bourgeois critic. That is, the
vitality, honesty, sincerity, and the
stark realism of the proletarian rev.
olution. And when a Soviet film
lacks all of those things it is our
duty as friends of the Soviet cinema
and as comrades to protest and criti-
CHE such movie. Even the Rus
sian workers refuse to accept their
own films categorically. Director
Timeshenko has been severely CEN
sured land that is putting it mildly
for both "Sniper," released here some
time ago, and for THE Island of
Doom" "Kino Gazette" the official
Kino newspaper of the Soviet Union,
went so far as to say that the Island
OF Doom" should be suppressed be-
cause "it was a desertion of reality"
Comrade knight makes serious
mistake in undertaking the American
audience when she accuses them of
being incapable of absorbing any
subject in the movies unless it is
through the medium of love story"
Even Hollywood producers now know
that this is not true. The capitalist
poison, diluted with love story inter-
est, is no longer sufficient. The audi
ence is demanding more realism,
films that are closer to their own
lives. And the Wall Street Wash
ington- controlled Hollywood is an
swering back with viciously deina-
gogic topical films The Soviet
cinema is one of the most important
means of counteracting all of the
Mayor of Hells," Heroes for Sale"
etc. And it is precisely for this
reason that bad Soviet films demand
our criticism when they are like the
Island of Doom" and our utmost
support when they are like Shame"
and the forthcoming THE Patriots"
should like to take this oppor-
tunity in extending to Comrade
Knight and to all other interested
Daily Worker readers an invitation
to attend the meetings and classes
of the Workers Film and Photo
League. where these problems are
discussed fully.
Comradely,
IRVING LERNER.
While there is great deal of
merit in the points raised in Com
rade Lerner's letter, it is neverthe-
less not correct to say that the
Daily Worker has been consistently
uncritical Of Soviet films.-Editor-