The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-02-12
Hollywood Shorts
BY JOHN R. CHAPLIN

| Hollywood mas Often claimed that
new films were revolutionary or "a
new form of entertainment" In the
case of Walt Disney's Fantasia it is
true Every word of it.
Fantasia is no more nor less than
o 2-hour concert of classical music
illustrated with Disney cartoons. And
the public loves it. Proving that Hol-
| lywood's assay of the public mind at
a mental age of II is, as we have al
ways commended, gross insult to
America. Here is adult entertain
ment, and it is entirely successful.
From the abstract illustrations for
Bach's Toocato and Fugue, through
the whimsy of the Nutcracker Suite,
or the moralizing fable of The Sore
erer's Apprentice (played by Mickey
Mouse), to the story of evolution told
to the accompaniment of Stravinsky's
Rites of Spring, it is great work.
Children and adults alike cannot fail
to enjoy it: it is an evening longre-
membered for the music-lover, and a
splendid introduction to good music,
the easy way, for the uninitiated.
II If there is any fault with it, it is
that the Disney cartoons are SO per-
feet that some people feel the music
was written to accompany them rather
than vice versa: pictures attract at
tention more than sound, and the pub
lie may tend to think of the music
as only incidental. 1t only makes us
regret the more that Disney has never
developed a social consciousness
which would keep him from encour-
aging a company union at his plant,
and would turn his efforts at last
to the powerful social films he would
be capable of making. .
John Ford, who turned out Grapes
of Wrath and Long Voyage Home, last
years two top artistic pictures, says
he has yet made. He describes Jeeter
Lester and the other sharecroppers as
the descendants and natural outgrowth
of the Scarlet O'Haras and Rhett But
lers of Civil War days For that COM
ment (Which he incidentally says is
actually borne out by research he has
done), he deserves our plaudits even if
Tobacco Road doesn't top the Grapes,
which we can hardly expect it to do.
Movie columnists, like other mem
bers of the paid press, are whooping
it up for national defense. Hedda
Hopper has taken the lead in column
ing about how labor should sacrifice"
in this crisis. For which, a scallion
to her.
Western Union, announced as a
story of how the great telegraph line
was built, turns out to be simply a
western without union and, in fact,
anti-union. The picture is just plain
old cowboys-and-Injuns beautifully di-
rected by Fritz Lang, in magnificent
Technicolor (this German director
films): but it has the usual anti-In-
dian bias, and to top it off lot of
lines about you can't buck Western
Union! Western Union will beat you
in the end!" In these days when the
American Communications Assn. is
Jul " lin tnC w CotCih
Union management, such lines-how-
ever unintentionally - become open
shop propaganda.
Warfront bulletin: R.K.O. still says
It will release Orson Welles' Citizen
Kane on schedule. But the Hearst |
papers have lifted their ban on R.K.O. t
bodies no good Or
sons name, however, is still taboo in
he Hearstrags.
THE CURRENT FILMS
Keeping Company (M.G.M.): First
If a new family series, with Virginia
Neidler and Frank Morgan AS good
Is the best Judge Hardys or DR.. Kill
lares. See it.
Michael Shayne, Private Detective
20th-Fox): Routine mystery comedy,
nut Lloyd Nolan turns in a swell job |.
md promises to be top leading man.
Fair.
Romance of the Rio Grande Goth
Nox): Typical Cisco Kid adventure
With Cesar Romero excellent in dou-
lie role. Better than average.
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith R.K.O):
Ieavy handed comedy which succeeds
4 being the sexiest picture in long
ime, but not one of the funniest. For
et about it, unless Carole Lombard
nd Robert Montgomery can make you
yerlook the poverty of the material.
High Sierra (W.B.): Humphrey b.
art and Ida Lupino in a thrilling ac-
ion drama which proves that gangster ,
Inns have really come back into their
wn The high Sierras have nothing
} do with the story, but there's some
scenery. Worth seeing for
overture fans.
RECENT BEST BETS: Philadelphia y
tory, Victory, Four Mothers, Chad /
anna, Love Thy Neighbor, This +
hing Called Love, Flight from Des- +
ny, Invisible Woman, Kitty Foyle. d
'ated by the NAILS because the C
ranch urorkorc rnf1rcad to oOnfrih11ta g