Agency: FBI
Originator: CIT
From: LAWSON
To: LEYDA
Document date: 01/31/1967
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

5/13/201

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-90143-10430

RECORD SERIES :

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 100-370750-333

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: CIT

FROM:

[Restricted]

TO :

[Restricted]

TITLE:

DATE: 01/31/1967

'PAGES:

5

SUBJECTS :

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Confidential

RESTRICTIONS: 1B

CURRENT STATUS : Withhold

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 01/21/1999

OPENING CRITERIA: APPROVAL OF USA

COMMENTS: LET, ENV

v9.1

DocId: 32339012 Page 1

5

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## Page 2

Hereased

DATE

WARNING NOT

SENSITIVE SOURCES

AND METHODS INVOLVED

Kennedy

cords Collection Act. of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note).

13213

FEB. 1967

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

948 ELYRIA DRIVE

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. 90065

January 31, 1967

Dear Jay:

Your letter makes me feel that I did not

read your manuscript with as

much insight or sensitivity

should have brought to it. The fault may be in

part in the manuscript itself,

but I feel that I

cannot be altogether absolved from blame for not under-

standing the intent, the inner drive of the thing,

even if this purpose is not fully realized. I feel it

is not realized, yet I believe it is there, wrapped

though it may be in detail.

The concept of broadening the study of film,

it (as yous say) as a

lens for the study of a

country's history and character, is necessary and I

am sure you are well equipped for the task.

The horrib-

ly. low level of film history or criticism in the U. S.,

resting as it does on a phoney aesthetic, has been

evident to me (perhaps with some subjective over-

emphasis) in the treatment of my FILM: THE CREATIVE

PROCESS-- not merely that so many critics

it, but that they attacked it without the faintest

suspicion of what it is about.

I feel that your letter states some of the

problems, but also states certain limitations (as I

in your approach.

Let me make three points:

first, you speak of'aesthetics" and "sociology:"

"sociology is probably dominant". I feel

is a danger in this,

because

it suggests a sep-

aration of the two approaches, and I feel that we

must achieve an integral approach.

Marxist thought has

in the cultural field from the separa-

tion, and a rather stuffy certainty that sociology

primary: art in the real sense,

the creative realization

is primary, and I think this

of human potentialities, its misuse and degradation in

view of art (along with

societies which are not creative) is the basis for a

richer approach.

Second point: the theme of "treatment of

women," which you mention could, I think, be infinitely

revealing, and more realized in terms of film--

and through the lens of film, the whole social situation.

Third point: Chronology!You are right that

have more freedom-- forward and backward, but

somahow the frame of reference,

the reality of time,

must determine the movement back and forward. The

question of time is, I think, a central factor in

cinema art-- and it must be so

in your nook.

All these problems face me in somewhat

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## Page 3

Kennedy.

RATES

WARNING

SENSITIVE SOURCES

AND METHODS

INVOLVED

Ton Regórds Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote) .

13413

FEB. 19671

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

948 ELYRIA DRIVE

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. 90065

2

different,

but related forms, in my autobiography.

I have withdrawn it,

after some mixed and very stimulating

comments from friends,

scholars and theatre people, and am

reorganizing, cutting

savagely, and carrying it through to

the thirties.

expect to be at this revision

months and months and months. Eventually, I shall want

and

ask four advice.

I wonder if you heard of Jerome's death--

almost a year

ago.

I was not aware of the photo. of Processional in

Steichen's autobiography, and shall look it up.

sue joins in love to you both.

phili

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED' AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR: 5200.10:

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## Page 4

SENSITIVE SOURCES

AND METHODS INVOLVED

3

FEB. 1967

2020 HQ "Van"

TON R

gords Collection Actsof 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote) .

13113

AIR MAL

PAR AVION

JAN:

1967

AIR MAIL

Jay Leyda,

CARE OF Filmarchiv,

Kronenstrasse

10,

Berlin

108,

German Democratic Republic

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200:10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

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## Page 5

CAlL Kennety

SENSITIVE SOURCES

AND METHODS

INVOLVED

sords Collection Act of 1992 (11 USc 2107 Hotey:

13113

FEB. 1967

JOHN HOWARD LAWSON

948 ELYRIA DRIVE

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. 90065

CONFIDENTIAL

"NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200:10

CONFIDENTIAL

DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS

NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED

DOD DIR 5200.10.

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## Page 6

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CLASTIED INFORMATION ENCLOSED

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5668-528/Md 10/24/92 554)

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