Evening star., 1936-09-03
OLD MAN RIVER
FILM IS SPROP0SED
Scenarios Depicting Prob.
lens Ready for TugWell's
Approval.
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

Ola Man River ana nlS tIlputdIlee
are about to become movie stars.
For the benefit of the American pic
ture fan the Resettlement Administra-
ton is all but ready to dramatize on
film the problems Of the Mississippi
Valley, just as last Fall 1t dramatized
the prairie in The Plow That Broke
the Plains"
Three tentative scenarios have been
prepared by Pare Lorentz, the guiding
genius OF r. AS Hollywood depart
t1ent, 1t was learned today, for SUBJ
mission to Dr. Rexford Tugwell, Re-
settlement head. when he returns from
the drought lands. Lorentz is ready
to shoot" as soon as Tugwell picks
the scenario he likes best and gives
the go-ahead signal.
As in THE Plow," this picture will
throb with the rhythms of Virgil
Thompson. In the opinion of many
critics, this composer contributed,
through his musical Interpretation of
the problem the film was presenting,
the most sensational feature of the
earlier picture, which now is playing
Its sixth week in Boston.
Tugwell Aides Optimistic.
,..S So successful has been the inde-
pendent distribution of THE Plow''
that Tugwell aides today are optimistic
that the professional cinema industry
might be willing to arrange bookings
for the Mississippi show. Hollywood
turned down the prairie epic.
Lorentz, a former movie critic
sought in vain for eight years before
he met Tugwell to sell his idea that
the drama of America solving its prob
lens was the greatest drama possible
In this country. Tugwell and Secre.
tary OF Agriculture Wallace listened
To understand the meaning of bet
ter land use in relation to the Missis.
slppi Valley, Lorentz for three months
mas been studying governmental re.
ports and surveys on conditions ano
developments in that vast region
which spreads from Pittsburgh ts
Butte, Mont, and from Leech Lake
Mimi, to the Delta.
When he goes into the Midwest with
MS camera men and his script and hi.
sound effects. Lorentz will be after 6
picture illustrating conclusion
reached by Morris Cooke, now head Of
the r. E. A, in the report of the Mis-.
slsslppi Valley Committee.
Life in the Mississippi Valley of the
future need not be poverty-s stricken
or precarious," Cooke wrote. "The
FORCES making for health and we'll.
being, once they are controlled are
greater than those which make for
disaster.
Future In Own Hands.
The quality Of life in the valley can
De enormously improved. 1t need not
go the way of the valley of the Nile.
the valleys OF the Tigris or Euphrates,
Where sands have drifted into old
irrigation bitches and the sites of
opulent gardens or the stripped valleys
VI Hhlna. a'n1W'
We have knowledge that the older
civilizations lacked. If we synthesize
that knowledge to make our plans, If
we put common purpose above local
Jealousies and conflicts of interest, the
future is in our own hands"
What form the movie Is to take is
unknown. But in outline, 1t will
picture the tragic waste of Improper
land use, with soil erosion, deforesta-
ton, overgrazing, floods. Lorentz NAV
go into Central Minnesota, where the
Father of Waters has its source, and
into North Dakota forest lands, along
the upper reaches of the Missouri. to
make his picture, as we'll as along the
levee-lined OLD Man River below the
mouth of the Ohio.
Through all this region are govern
mental projects-power, flood control
irrigation and navigation projects to
halter nature and resettlement prof.
ects to provide for the populace.
Forty Of the latter are in the i'm
mediate vicinity of the Mississippi
River alone. What they accomplish,
or seek to accomplish, will be the
climax Of this movie of mans battle
against nature and the mistakes of his
ancestors in dealing with nature.