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COMMUNISM IN HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 3479 Mr. Tavenner. It seems that I am mistaken in saying in that Joshua Knnitz was the reviewer on the occasion I mentioned. It was Stanley Bnrnshaw. Were you acquainted with Stanley Bnrnshaw? Mr. Odets. I know that name. Mr. Tavenner. What is that? Mr. Odets. I say I know that name. Mr. Tavenner. Mr. Bnrnshaw had this to say: On January 5, when the curtain ran down on the first performance of Clifford Odets' Waiting for Lefty the audience cheered, whistled, and screamed with applause. In the course of his review, he stated that "Some persons referred to the play as a disjointed, structurally arbitrary piece of play- wright." In fact, that is about what John Howard Lawson had said about it; is that correct ? Mr. Odets. You have very good notes there. Mr. Tavenner. Isn't that right? Mr. Odets. I remember Jack Lawson. I don't remember what he said. Mr. Tavenner. It says: Yet a second seeing by the New Masses reviewer provides sufficient perspec- tive for discerning in the juxtaposition of scenes a clear logic, binding them into a solid dramatic role. The New Masses reviewer said there were some weak scenes in the play, but that the terrific emotional drive of the play as a unit is more than the total effectiveness of the eight scenes. So that was a commendation by the New Masses. Now, John How- ard Lawson, according to our study, was concerned in his criticism with the technique, as he referred to it, but he does not question your talent about which he says it is of "outstanding significance, his skill, vitality, and honesty rarely found in the current theater." Lawson states that while Lefty represents a tremendous advance over Awake and Sing, nevertheless there are structural flaws, which he referred to. And he predicts for you a great future. Well, that certainly is not a severe criticism of your work from the standpoint of the Communist Party. If up to this point there had been criticism, it has been with regard to what the reviewers referred to as structural flaws, or errors in technique. Mr. Odets. Well, may I say a few words about that? Mr. Tavenner. Yes. Mr. Odets. They may have interest. A Marxist believes that if you would straighten out your ideology in terms of Marxist orientation, that when you do that, you will no longer have structural flaws. So to say that something has structural flaws means that this young writer must attend more Marxian ideology and Marxian study. I happen to know from reading a book or two that John Howard Lawson very thoroughly believes that. I do not. I do not think that if you spoil your inner life by Marxian ideology that you will then have no struc- tural difficulties in writing a play. The essence of John Howard Lawson's meaning would be that. In fact, he has written two whole books about it. I have respect in many areas for Jack Lawson as, for instance, a once very, very gifted play- wright, but the part that I am discussing is, I think, arrant nonsense. Also, I may say something else. What was happening here was that they had a hot potato in their hands and one fellow would say "This