The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1950-03-22
ny Atic8 n. Dulul
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Ever since the beginning Of time
mankind has reached out for some
Divine power to guide him over
the obstacles and troubles which
confronted him in this life.
1t was the burdens and prosecu-
tions which the early American
Negroes had to bear under the
whip and shackles of slavery that
caused them to continuously seek
solece in the comforting idea Of a
bright and happy life in the great
beyond.
Out Of their hopes and dreams
expressed in rhythm grew Ameri-
cas- everlasting spirituals.
The world today still seeks
Divine guidance to lift 1t beyond
the realm of the unpredictable
cold war and the fear of destruc-
ton by the powerful A-bomb or
the more powerful H-bomb. 1t
was from the chaos and confusion
of Europe during the second World
War which left the country Turk
ing under the shadow of the Red
Sickle. that an idea was born
which will stir the soul Of all
Christdom.
The great dream which came
to George de la Grandiere', during
bitter travail and grief, was to
make motion picture on the
life of Jesus Christ.
This ascetic-looking young
French count had lived a life of
luxury before the war. but found
himself three times a prisoner of
Nazi Germany during World War
II. During the final months of his
incarceration he was detailed to
work with the vichy government,
where he served as spy for the
allies. While on this assignment
the count saw the plight of his
people and was inspired to try
co ifelp them IN some way. He
then proceeded to make a relig-
ious movie which he called Mon
sieur Vincent which portrayed
the life of st. Vincent de Paul.
He raised funds to make this pic
ture by travelling up and down
France and selling shares in the
picture at $40 each.
| The picture was a grea: success
and the 100000 poor people Of
France who bought stock in the
film received 800 percent returns
on their investment.
| Encouraged by the moral and
financial success of the picture
which won a Hollywood Oscar as
the finest foreign-language film
of 1913. the producer began to
dream about the production of a
picture showing the Life of Our
Lord.
This picture, called the Divine
Tragedy" is now well under way
and is expected to be released
around Easter. This picture may
turn out to be the most ambitious
movie ever filmed. It win attempt
not only to recapture the histori-
cal drama recorded in the Gospels
but will endeavor to portray the
resonant influence of Christ's
words and deeds" on the daily
lives of people around us. It viii
present, in simple reverent form,
the drama of Christ's Passions
against the tumultuous back
ground of our atomic era.
The great drama of Christ's
public life shows a tragic SINH
larity to life in these times with
the same type of good and evil.
The men and women of our Lords
time are the same as those of to-
day and tomorrow with their good
qualities, their shortcomings. and |
their weaknesses. The believers
and unbelievers are shown in both
periods, and the indifferent and
undecided, the pious and the pro-
fame. This parallelism grasses the
barrier of time and space.
A million of the necessary
81, 100000 required to produce the
picture, is being raised by public |
subscription in various countries. |
The S500.000 American quota is be-
ing raised in the same manner
as the European quota. by selling
shares of $40 each to the common
people of this country.