The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-15
"House of Greed"
.PortrayS Decay in
Russia of the Car
Reviewed by
TOM BRANDON


THE tens of thousands of followers
1 of the Soviet Cinema in New
York and throughout the United
States will be glad to know that
another Soviet film has been re-
leased. House of Greed" based on
a section of the novel about the
decay Of a family Of feudal ex-
ploiters in old Czarist Russia, is
being presented in New York as the
first Of whole crop Of new Soviet
sound films, which viii come as an
oasis in the desert Of Hollywood
movie creations. First-day audi
ence at the Acme gave the film
and its magnificent cast a hearty
welcome.
House of Greed" follows in the
distinguished path of earlier Soviet
historical films Gear Ivan the
Terrible, Village of Sin, etc. with
the same fullness of characterize
ton, the same honest depletion of
historical relationships; reminding
movie-goers in the capitalist coun-
tries that only in a society owned
and run by the workers and farm
eTs can history be honestly, accu-
rately and vitality reereated. House
of Greed" with it's ruthless por-
trayal Of the life of whole gen
Grafton of decadent, feudal para
sites who lived by exploiting the
Russian peasantry, is in sharp con-
trast to the violence committed
against history in the capitalist
Queen Christina, House of Roth
child" etc. (How fitting would the
title House of Greed" have been
for a real portrayal of the House
of Rothchild"D
In the role Of Profiri Goloyleff,
the "bloodsueker," who expropri-
ates his relatives and drives them
to Siberia and suicide. V. R. Gardin
gives a memorable performance
that reminds you of his mastery
portrayal of the old non-Party
worker in "Shame"l One cannot
help feeling that his art and the
direction of his art stem basieally
from the fact that he can release
himself for a creative portrayal of
the ''bloodsucking" feudal exploiter
unhampered by 'Legions of De-
cency," VIII Hays or Wall st.
movie magnates; that such art as
his, like all other forms Of art, can
really flourish only In a land of
Soviets where the movie audience"
decides whether Or not it can take
it."
HINDER the direction of Ivanov-
u sky the film effectively pictures
decay and degeneration of feudal
family. The method, however, is
more descriptive than analytical.
Such dynamics as the film lacks are
due to insufficient use of the new
rising merchant and manufacture
ing class and neglect of the spo-
radio peasant uprisings Of the
period. 1t is by magnificent char
acter description that House of
Greed" succeeds in becoming a
vivid portrait of the Golovleff
family as symbol Of feudalism in
decline. To this end, the Soviet
conception Of film casting is adj
mirably realized: the cast is not
chosen as actors" in the Holly
wood sense, but as TYPES" who in
physical appearance, mannerisms
and in creative abilities can best
reveal the Characterization. That
is why the entire cast from Jardin
(the Soviet Emil Jannings) down
to the musicians, police, and din
ner party roues actually come to
life throughout the entire film.
House of Greed" unquestionably
merits and will receive enthusiastic
reception. Workers who have al
ready shown that there is great
mass audience in America for Soviet
movies should rescue their shop
mates and friends from the Holly
wood desert and bring them to the
House of Greed" forerunner to
Alexandrov's "Herdsman of Arau."
P u d ovkins' "Deserter," Ekk's
Nightingale" Gin colors) and to the
other coming films which will deal
with the new human relationships
in Soviet Russia today.
HOUSE OF GREED. A Soviet
sound film produced by Soyuz-
kino, in Leningrad, presented by
Amkino Corp. at the Acme
Theatre, Union Square, New York,
with English title. Directed by
A. v. Ivanovssy, scenario by X.
N. Derjavin and A. v. Ivanovsky,
musical score by A. F. Pas
cheko based on SaItykov- Shed
rims novel, "Gospodin GolovIeff. !"
STAGE orJ GOD EEN