The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-03-12
Shorts
BY JOHN r. CHAPLIN

II BY JOHN r. CHAPLIN
The Academy Awards left glarine
gap in the list of honors: documen-
tary films, as usual, were ignored.
This year the omission is particular
ly striking, for three films, at least
deserved mention: the u. 8. govern
ment's Power and the Land, produced
by Joris Ivens for the Rural Electri-
ficatiOn Administration; the Soviet
Unions assemblage OF newsreels,
Mannerheim Line; and Land Of Lib
erty, Hollywood's recapitulation OF
American history as treated on the
screen.
Ivens, top documentary director OF
all time New Earth, Spanish Earth,
The 400, 0O0, 000), has taken the work
ings OF an electrical cooperative in
Ohio, and shown what it could do to
change life for the farmers to whom
it brought power This is an import
ant document in behalf Of government
in the power business. It is also a
stirring testimonial to what a planned
economy could mean in our land of
abundance. In quality, Power and the
Land Is unsurpassed as a documen-
tary. 1t is as good as anything ever
turned out of Hollywood sound
STAGE.
Ways are quipping that 1vens' Par
kinson Family are so sympathetic that
some studio might screen-test these
farmers, sign them, and make Par
kinson Family series That, however,
is hardly likely, as R.K.O., which is
distributing the government film, is
not doing very much to get 1t the
broad release it deserves. Strange
how our government (even like unto
Hollywood film producers themselves)
shows amazing honesty in filming
subject and then allows its distribu-
ton to be sabotaged Try asking
your local RKO. theater to book it.
On the subject of the Mannerheim
Line, which just reached Hollywood,
opinions are, of course, more divided
But it must not be forgot that the
film was brought over here at the
insistence OF the u s. Army, which
wanted to study the military tech
nique shown in it. The army is not
particularly sympathetic to the Soviet
Unions claim that it was merely car
rying out a defensive maneuver in
Finland Therefore, it must be as
sumed that the army believed in the
cinematic power of this film.
While it does not approach the tech
nical quality Of the American film,
Power and the Land, Mannerheim
Line is probably the greatest news
not attempt to deny that war, even
when waged by the Soviets, which it
extols, is horrible, destructive and the
greatest curse known to man. A
courageous film, and a remarkable
one.
We spoke at some length Of Land
of Liberty, a couple of years ago,
when Hollywood assembled it for
showing at the Worlds Fairs in New
York and San Francisco. AS we said
then, the film suffers badly from the
fact that certain aspects of American
history have not been adequately
treated on the screen. This film is
made up of cuts from past Hollywood
films So it perverts the truth about
the Reconstruction period, vilifies the
negro and ignores labor's role In his
tory. Taking that into consideration,
however, it is a stirring pageant OF
the great American tradition, and a
film to make you proud of your coun-
try-and stir you to unionize it so
that it may conform even more COM
pletely to your ideals.
The documentary film is great |
if Hollywood ignored it |
in the Academy Awards, it may well |
be because the industry is afraid of
it's achievements, afraid
Of what they will be when the tech
nique is used more widely and more
by the forces of progress.
THE CURRENT FILMS
Andy Hardy's Private Secretary
(MGM): AS good as any of the
f1dTuy IdIully SERIES. WOuiu NC O
Best Bet if the poor folks that Andy
befriends in it were really workers
instead Of, naturally, highly-educated
lpper-class people, down on their up
pers. Fine fun, anyway.
Golden Hoofs (20th-Fox): Trite rae
ng story with Jane Withers growing
Up and Buddy Rogers attempting a
comeback AS bad a film as you'll
,ver come across.
Trial OF Mary Dugan IN. G. ND:
routine murder mystery, that enter
aims in its new version as it did on ,
tage and screen the many other
lines it has been produced. Accepta- :
lie, but don't go out of your way !;
or it.
Mad Doctor (Par.): Strictly phony .
Psychological horror film. Ter ,
ible in all department. Miss it. .
Originally titled A Date with Des- :
lny.) =
RECENT BEST BETS: Flight from a
)estiny, Invisible Woman, Kitty a
'oyle, Keeping Company, High Sier- b
a, Fantasia, Strawberry Blonde. d
Yor cannot control what Won do not {;