The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-30
BY JOHN r. CHAPLIN

me press generally mas Deen uOuD
, full about Charlie Chaplins new pie
ture. The Great Dictator, which FED
Grated Press has enthusiastically rec
commended All the critics agree tina
comedy and they point out that in a
least Is spots the gags are as funn.
as anything that's ever been seen.
However, almost all reviewers hav,
carped about the fact that nazi per
secutions are no subject for comedy
Or that the film was not up to Chap
Inns standards. Or that one could no
tell how the public would take to it
What seems to throw them is thai
this is a true anti-war film, not mere.
ly one urging intervention on behalf
of Britain's crusade against Hitler
Chaplin's magnificent closing speech
is an appeal to soldiers not to fight
for men who make dupes out of them
lit is not a call to arms for any one
cause.
The public has shown that it is not
fooled by British propaganda any
more than by German propaganda. 1t
has broken all attendance records at
the first showings of the Chaplin film,
and has responded perfectly to the
true intent of the great picture .
Compare this film with the inces-
SAINT stream of prof. British propaganda
which we are getting on the radio
(as well as in many films) these
days. Only a week or so ago, Miss
Lynn Fontanne, Americas most dis
tinguished actress" gave the radio
audiences the supreme pleasure of
hearing her read Alice Duer Miller's
new verse-narrative, The White Cliffs.
1t is a story about an American wom-
an, beaten, battered and betrayed by
the school ties of England and the
playing fields of Elton. In the end she
declares how glorious it is to give her
husband and her son for Britain's
noble war aims
In Hollywood, actor Miles Mander
has broadcast called Mander's Mail
about the war from the British tory
viewpoint (his brother is a conserya-
tive member of parliament). Allen
Mowbray chairman of the British
War Relief Assn. of Southern Cali
fornia, heads program called Free
dom Speaks This is series of dra-
of the horrors of nazidom
Far be it from us to defend the nazis,
but at this time the program is really
more of an appeal for aid to Britain
than a real presentation of the prob
lens of freedom
1t is encouraging to note in con-
trast that there are still minds in
America, such as Charlie Chaplin's,
which are bucking the tide of hys-
terra.
The only other news that is not
dwarfed by the new Chaplin film is
the recent 6-month contract signed by
the producers with the Screen Writ
ers Guild affiliated with the Authors
League of America). The scenarists
won a signal victory in getting this
brief contract, rather than one that
bound them over a long term, as the
producers wished (hoping to freeze
working conditions against any better
nent for a period of seven or ten |
years).
They also gained complete demo
cratic control in the matter of screen
credits determination of which writ
srs should be credited with the auth
)rship of film, when many writer's
nave worked on it,, which is the
of a scenarist's career and
equation Their 7-year struggle for
| contract was the longest, bitterest
md most remarkable labor fight in
history. To SWG Pres. I
Sheridan Gibney, and the membership
If the guild, labor owes its plaudits
or fight which has advanced the
.ause of organization immeasurably
n the field of writer's.
THE NEW FILMS
Third Finger, Left Hand" (MGM)
| sophisticated comedy with Myrna
10y as a gal who invents mythical
husband to keep the wolves from her
and Melvyn Douglas as the
.uy who sees through it all. Unim-
ortant, but fun.
1.-THE Thief of Bagdad" (Korda-U.
-: Be sure to take the kids to this
ne. It's fantasy of the best type,
nd the most gorgeous technicolor
pectacle yet.
Down Argentine Way" (20th-Fox): |
. terrible musical, which explains
Thy Hollywood's hottest rumor is that
)arryl Zanuck may soon be looking
Or a new job. Even Don Ameche
nd Carmen Miranda can't make up
d. the hackneyed story and Betty
Irable
BEST BETS: Rhythm on the River,
)r. Kildare Goes Home, City for Con-
Ghrio in Ink