Evening star., 1938-03-06

King Alexander, the Hindenburg dis
aster, the wars in Spain and in the
Far East. especially Universal's fa-
nous unedited No. 595 release, have
definite documentary importance
Pictorial journalism has advanced
step farther through the March of
Time and gives background, orients
developments, recreates ands -enacts
significant events of our time. But
this film, dramatic as it often is, does
not attempt too persuade; it does not
crusade.
After making ''Nanook" Flaherty
produced "Moana" and joined with
F. w. Murnau, one of the greatest
directors of our time, in producing
'Tabu." Important as these films are,
it is significant to note that the
Flaherty films benefited from the en-
chantment of far places and the nos
talgic romance of strange and exotic
people. He did not utilize pressing
contemporary American problems such
as hunger, unemployment, housing or
the struggle of the little man in the
great industrial city.
A FTER Flaherty, founder of docu-
mentary, came pictures with an
American milieu and American signifi-
canoe in The Covered Wagon" and
"The Iron Horse" These films had a
decidedly American and realistic as
pect; they portrayed struggles which
are part of the fiber of our own his
tory. But in the straight documentary
little of significance was done for
more than 10 years.
In the meantime, profiting from
Flaherty's pioneering, Europeans
turned from the art-for-art's-sake
approach to the film of reality. AL
berto Cavalcanti a Frenchman, in
1925 produced "Rien que les Heures."
depicting the passage of time in a
day in Paris. At about the same time
Walter Ruttmann, German, made
Berlin" a symphony of a city. These
films broke new ground and had con-
siderably influence on subsequent doc
umentary efforts the world over.
The U. S. S. r. found the docu-
mentary form made-to-order in
strument for propagandizing the five
year plan, the struggle to raise eco
nomic standards and the program Of
great public works. Today Russia
utitZes the documentary f1lm as an
effective tool in her popular educa-
tion program.
Dziga-Vertov did some exciting
work in editing and assembling news
reel footage to make films. His Three
Songs of Lenin" Q934 and THE
Eleventh Year." dramatizing a decade
of industrial and economic construc-
ton in the Ukraine, are representa-
tives of this type of film making.
Eisenstein and Pudovkin have to
their credit brilliant pieces of work.
The formers October" and "Potem-
Rim" ana the latters Mother" are
milestones in the modern cinema.
Victor Turin in 1928 made a power
full motion picture dramatizing and
teaching the Soviets the economic
importance of and the actual build
AkA6 Va VlAC ~ AuAACcedN.01UcI4h 4hkl ktAAe
way In "Turksib." This film advanced
the documentary method and was
drawn on freely by the British.
In 1882 Joris Ivens, q young Dutch
director, made "Komsomol" for the
Soviet League of Youth. He had al
ready made RAIN" ::'Zuiderzee" and
The Bridge" and since that time has
made ''The New Earth Now in this
country Ivens is receiving attention
for "The Spanish Earth" made this
year with Ernest Hemingway and
Archibald MacLeish.
Imaginative lm-makers in Great
Britain turned to the documentary
In 1929, when John Grierson made
"Drifters," picture of the herring
fisheries. Advanced under the auspices
of advertising and publicity the docu-
mentary has become an important
weapon for public education in Great
Britain. It's part in the Buy British"
movement Of the old Empire Market
ing Board and later q used BY the
general post ofice Is IN important one.