The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-02-18

HEAD dudpbCu lIOIll Inc play Dy
Jean Bart, screen play by Samuel
Ornitz and Jean Bart. Universal
production, directed BY Edward
Ludwig.
Reviewed by
JULIAN ROFFMAN
COME few months ago, a govern
y mental inquiry into the NUM-
lions industry of the United States
made the front pages of newspapers
throughout the country. The stag
gering profits made by the NUM-
tons barons were emblszoned on
the pages Of the capitalist press
But no mention was made of the
seas of blood split or the lives Of
human beings ruthlessly crushed.
Hollywood, on the constant look
out for sensation whereby it can
pour more profits into the lap of
the Chase National Bank, immedi-
ately saw its chance to capitalize
on news which was daily attract
ing the attention of millions.
Straightway they selected a play
which dealt in trite, convention
ally melodramatic manner with
bourgeois pacifsm. Pacihsm of the
type exemplifed in that zenith"
Of pscifist films THE First World
War" wherein the dominant idea
is that peace can only be main
tanned by bigger and better prepara-
ton for war. The mouthpiece of
capitalism, to justify the huge ex-
penditure for arms, shouts the
slogan, "A nation invulnerable to
attack is a nation at peace"
The supposed primary reason for
the production of THE Man Who
Reclaimed His Head"-the munitions
expose, is allotted about five min
utes on the screen, wherein the
arms manufacturers of hostile coun-
tries make agreements and promises
to safeguard each others property
during war. More important in
formation diyulged in the news
papers, was not even suggested on
the screen.
The expose, coupled with pacifsm
and horror angle, was calculated
to prove irresistible to the movie
fan. This inflated presumption of
sure-f1re hit was sadly shattered
when the bourgeois film reviewers
casually declared this picture to be
nothing more than a hodge podge
Of confusion.
| AND rightly so. The chief claim
n to pacihsm the picture has is
that its central character is a bril-
liant, but abnormal, French jour-
nalist, who believes that through
writing the whole world can be
saved from war and terrible de-
struction. His wife's desire for
riches and luxury drives him to
accept position of ghost-writer to
a publisher who has political am
billions.
So ardent, so convincing are the
writer's denunciations that within
short space Of time the unscrupul-
GUS publisher becomes the idol of
the masses and hence figure of
importance in the political arena.
His position, politically, gives the
munitions makers good cause for
discomfort and they approach him
with enticing offers of further
wealth and fame. Human to a
fault, he accepts their propositions
and changes the policy of his paper
from disarmament to armed peace.
The gullible public Immediately
takes up the hue and cry for armed
peace and most naturally, war en-
sues.
Betrayed by his employer, the
journalist goes into battle, still a
staunch believer in pacifism. Fate
takes hand and enables him to
discover that his employer is phil
andering with his wife, while he is
away at the front fighting to keep
the home fires burning.
He deserts. takes a train bound
for Paris, and arrives home to find
his employer making fervid advances
to his wife. In demoniacal fury,
the soldier whips out his bayonet
and cuts off the betrayer'S head
thereby retaining his own, and
establishing the horror motive for
the picture.
DESPITE its innocuousness, the
picture insinuates its little mes
sage of hate and derision of the
masses. furthering Hearst's message
that the people have no mind of
their own. Throughout the picture.
they are depicted as empty headed
fools, ready to follow any betray-
ing leader, clamoring for war or
for peace as the leaders wish.
The entire blame for war, in the
picture. falls on the arms-makers
The producers would have us be-
lieve that the rulers of the country
know nothing about this horrible
thing-wsr. Whether or not Holly
wood tries, consciously, to shield the
ruling class from blame, when the
time for war comes and the film
industry begins to pour out its war;
propaganda, the masses will be
better prepared. Not so quickly
.,,sIf - /.