Montana labor news., 1944-11-09
HOLLYWOOD WAR
FILMS VIEWED AS
TRIVIAL BY SOVIETS

HOLLYWOOD FP)-HoW Hollywood
pictures look to Soviet eyes is somewhat
of a shock to Hollywood. OF 10 pic
lures submitted as representative ex-
amples of American movies only four
were deemed acceptable for Russia by
Soviet reviewers. These were Strike Up
The Band with Mickey Rooney, Action
In The North Atlantic, It Started With
Eve and My Gal sal.
The American Embassy in Mascow re-
ported to the Office of Wa Information
on Soviet reactions to the others. Holly
wood was much interested, in some cases
surprised and chagrined, at the COM
ments.
It was the attitude underlying some of
Hollywood's pictures that got adverse
Russian comment. For example, The
Human Comedy (another Mickey
Rooney was liked but runs counter to
Soviet philosophy in spots"
The Soviet viewers didn't care for the
attitude toward the japanese enemy in
Wake Island. They were simply flab-
bergasted by Stormy Weather, apparent
ly by the Jimcrow casting.
Hollywood's treatment Of wal sub
jeets is n barrier to Russia consump-
ton. The Moon Is Down dealt with
Nazi characters too tenderly. Five
Graves To Cairo shows a sort of war the
Russians can't believe. Assignment In
Brittany treats the wal too lightly. You
We're Never Loyelier gave insufficient
dignity to military sequences.
War angles in other Hollywood pictures
were Outdated for Russia.
Subject matter is itself a considerable
stumbling block between Hollywood and
the Soviet audiences. Yankee Doodle
Dandy is too indigenously American"
Hold Back The Dawn is unsuitable in
story theme. Here Comes Mr.. Jordan
was enioyed( but is too highbrow for
general consumption"
Suspicion ian Academy winner and
The Phantom OF The Opera are simply
"inconsequential."
In one case the Russians simply could
not get the story. Casablanca Qast years
Academy prize winner was acknowledge
ed excellent technically but incompre-
hensible in plot and dialog."
The USSR is producing some 25 pic
lures this year and will distribute 20
foreign films, The British are Holly
woods chief competitors for acceptance
to Soviet screens. {
MYSTERY. -Four Hollywood films
shown in Mexico City for every Mexican
picture. But the one Mexican pic I
draws five times as much money
into the box-offices as do four Holly Q
wood numbers. This news has Holly {
wood dumbfounded. S
However we're working on the pro-
1lem.
goth Century-Fox will send a produc-
to Mexico City in January to make a
at the Clasa studio for the Span
sh-American market. Bryan Foy. vet
IRAN young maestro of %loW-budget drama, a
S the producer. Tito GUITAR will head q
he cast. e
RKO is bringing Cantinflas, the COM W
dian who rolls them in the aisles n
throughout Latin America, to Holly m
wood to make a picture with George N N
as straight man. Both an English N
md a Spanish version will be made. III
Republics gesture for greater Latin Ia
american receptivity is a deal with
ames FITZPATRICK Cthe travelog pro- d,
.ucer who won al Aztec Eagle for MGM's -.
,ouis B.. Mayer to produce Song Of
Iexico as first Of a good neighbor SER
DOUBLE FIRST. Bessie Loo is Holly
first m assistant director. Az
is also H%ollywood's first Chinese W
assistant director. RKO engag- sa
4 her to handle Chinese thrones in ne
nina SKY. VI