Evening star., 1951-11-04
The Passing Show
The Posing Show
The River Is RunninQ
F or 1851 Film Prizes
India and the Gonges Real Stors
Of Years Most Unusual Movie
By Joy Cormody

will be interesting see how "The River" fares when it
many strong candidates for Aim awards this
and the Venice festival winner which reached Washington
faced "9"'o' WAC ''''DS''' ''D'ps"''0A ~ HAS yet
Right promising chance at major honor is
oeeveo TO lie in the New York Critics Circle voting
Almost without exception River has enchanted the profe
cities in which has been released critics
picture since its first release has remained steadily the first
10 box ONCE attractions tabuaed weekly by Variety
And 1t Is Not on Art Picture
This testimony that the public professional
ambiguous stigma Of being merely art picture AS matter
OF TACT critics who once used this term have finally spun
as one OF the most outrageousy misunderstood cches
typewriters.
very simplicity "Ihe River" might ndee be described
as the most artess picture Of the year.
So much of its delight lies in this quality aimed
at the heart not the mind 1t aimed
its charm almost feeling
for its sweetness its comedy its sadnes-that
from the works 1t this which makes The River
an unusually good
French director who was chosen by Kenneth
McEowney producer for The River actually had thought Of
making it before the latter
Studio Disagreed on Setting
He had option Runner Godden's growing
up in India with the idea of finding studio producer Holly
for the charming producing
this country Where Renor and the studio differed where
the picture should be heno for India
promise the only possible atmosphere for picture about life
the banks Of the Gange The studio thought highly Of its
technical wzardy approve location
Both were forced to drop the idea Renor to pick up again
could the setting for THE River" be found.
The whole atmosphere of the final picture justihes this
assumption the film has is its setting, manknds
cradle Only time of it. could have produced the Ganges
valley,
stage which the utterly simple drama of THE River
is played which the picture with its exciting
single quality.
Lives Become as Large as All Life
The particular lives of Miss Goddens fascinating characters
her three small girls learning different phases love in the process
Of growing their special from their with
the DID, endless life around them.
Sensitive intense paheticaly little Harriet who
poets imagination life, acutey
herself but also all girls
She is both individual and symbol and Valerie little
older and ready for emotional experience So also Mane
the Indian halfEnglsh girl standing strangely and
such loneliness between the worlds of East and West
Films Hero Also Symbol
1t is the misfortune of these adoescen but the the
film that they have only whom exercise their
emotions Like the girls all the characters the picture
he takes the stature of symbol without of his personal
qualities.
OF all the prizes which might the seemingly most certain
in the of THE River that for the best photography
In this respect it sincomparabe the movies Of 1851 No
with and sustained beautiful
effect than Reno THE River There constant fascination
in the flow of in the film small
that which the catches clds kite dancing the
Indian sky.
There other which THE River will compete with
"A Street Car Named Desire "A Place the Sum- Detective
Story other films but this should win with less
petition than any other
could of the distinction of being
the years beautiful picture