Evening star., 1952-03-26
The Passing Show
The Passing Show
st. Matthew Passion Gives
Little Film
By Jay Cormody

IVY
The last item In Robert J.
motion pictures was opened last
This is the "St. Matthew Pass
audience turned out to pay it and
honor.
Like "The Titan which it m
dictory work is unique. It is a.
blend Of the great works of paint
ing and sculpture and the i'm
mortal music Of John Sebastian
Bach's Oratorio, q consummate
combination for the reverent mar
ration of, mankind's most sacred
story.
It was Flaherty'S distinction as
one Of the great artists Of the
motion picture camera that his
every Aim should have it's special
inspiration and fascination. And
1t is hitting that this one should
represent his final act of devotion
even though it leaves the question
whether it is not better musically
than it is pictorially.
The question arises from the
fact that est. Matthew Passion"
is photographed in simple black
and white. This is a process that
diminisheS the warmth, luminosity
and life-likeness of the great
paintings and sculptures which
form the cinematic foundation Of
the work. The result is to leave
these somewhat less expressive
than in the original form while
Bach's music is magnified in mai
eSty and feeling on the sound
track.
Yet. even with this perhaps
cavilling point, "St. Matthew Pas
sion" is q work of reverence and
beauty. II provides the spectator
with 75 minutes of deeply felt
emotion. Of awareness that it is
the spectators fortune to see so
many virtuosi at work upon one
Of the great dramatic experiences
In human history.
The characters in Flaherty's
paintings are not the static fig
ures Of an art collection. He has
made q genius use of them as
actors. vivid performers in an
amazingly arresting script.
They act out the parts of Bach's
great musical which is played in
"St, Matthew Passion" by the
Vienna Philharmonic orchestra,
four brilliant instrumental soloists,
and sung by the Vienna Choir
and Vienna Choir Boys and a
brilliant group of solo performers.
They help make Flaherty's last
MIN q fitting memorial to his un-
failing genius.
Theater Week in Washington
under Board of Trade Committee
Chairman Robert Green, hit its
social high point with yesterdays
luncheon at the Mayflower.
Three hundred persons repre-
Senting every phrase of entertain
nnent in the Nations Capital
turned out for the affair. They
heard speakers including Vintor
Freedley. honorary president o1
the American National Theatel
and Academy; Mrs. Rosamone
Glider, chairman, UNESCO Com.
mission on Theatrical Arts; Loui.
Lotto. representing the new les,
sees Of the National Theater. ant
Representative Emanuel Celler o.
New YORK, author of the proposed
amendment to the child labor &C
provisions as they relate to th'
theater in Washington.
Selected for the Board O.
Trades first awards for outstand
ing contribution to the drama IL
Washington were Father Gilber
v. Hartke and DR.. Josephine Nc
Garry Callan, founders Of Cath
Olic University's now internation'
ally known school Of speech ant
drama.
Father Hartke, now in Japar
and Korea with the university
graduate player group entertain
ing servicemen, was represented a
the luncheon by Leo Brady Of tn
university drama faculty.
X \ \ \
New York City's Theater com
pany will add a flip to the Gay
ety's spring season with the pre-
sentation Of each Of Its thre
second semester plays.
The first will be James Thur
ber,s philosophically hilariou
The Male Animal" with Marth
Scott and Elliott Nugent in tn
principal roles-in Nugent's cas-
the one he created on Broadwa
several seasons ago. Second pla
Of the series, "Tovarich," will fol
low the week Of May 5 with Ut
Hagen. Luther Adler and HerbeI