Documentary News Letter (1942-1943)

DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER JANUARY 1942 NEW DOCUMENTARY FILMS (CmHwed) I he Russian voices are clubbed into English ; this is supposed to be essential for British audiences (though 1 doubt it), but here at any rate it is so badly done as to ruin the whole realism of the film. The voices are affected, the wording pompous and the lip-synching inaccurate. If it is really believed that audiences will not stand subtitles, it would be worth while to try leaving the original dialogue on the film with an English \oice giving the gist of it from time to time. Anyway it is quite certain that this sort of dubbing on a realistic film is a failure. Propaganda value. The film is very obviously addressed to Russian audiences, with its fierce fighting spirit and insistence on the sub-human brutality of the Germans. The main message that home audiences will draw is a very useful confidence in the seriousness, tenacity and decency of the Russians, with a small byproduct on the ethics of the medical profession. But it is for the M.O.I, to try and tie up the vivid front line danger of the Russian women soldiers with the activities of the A.T.S. By the way, it does not seem particularly useful to suggest in cheerful Charlie fashion, as is done in the opening shots of this film, that the Germans, if left to themselves, will happily exterminate each other. However, the more Russian stuff that gets on our screens, the better for everybody. Sowing and Planting. Production: Selwyn Films Limited. Direction: Jack Ellitt. Photography: .lack Parker. Commentary: Roy Hay. Distribution: M.O.I, for the Ministry of Agriculture. 10 minutes. Suhjei /. Sowing mid Planting is the second of the instructional gardening films for beginners and new allotment holders, the first being How to Dig. It covers the preparation of the ground, plantings shallots, sowing onions and parsnips, sowing the seed-bed and planting potatoes. Treatment. As in the first film it is extremely pleasant to see people at work who obviously know how to do their job, and the shooting and cutting emphasise wisely the rhythm and sureness of their actions. In a film of this length (10 minutes) it must be a problem to decide how much to cover, particularly as it is hopeless to try and squee/e too much information into a small space, but the film manages to give a good general idea of how to plant and sow. However, gardening is a religion where there are no orthodoxies and hundreds of heresies. As this series develops I can visualise more and more controversv arising among the various sects. I hope for instance that beginners with heavy clay soil alter seeing the film will not go straight out on a wet day and start treading their allotments, excellent though treading is for the light loam shown here. And for the same reason I don't much care for the business of shuffling in the newly sown rows with the feet. But a film like this must remain simple. Instructional Value. Within its limits, full marks It is extremely well made, clearly shot, neatly edited and simply commentated. No. 2 THE GOLDEN GOOSE THERE was a man who had three sons. The younge-i was called Dummling. and was on all occasions despised and ill-treated hv the whole lamilv . 1 1 happened that the eldest went one day into the wood to cut fuel: and his mother gave htm a delicious pa-tv and a hottle ot wine to take with him. As he went into the wood, a little old man hid him good-day. and said. "Give me a little piece of meat from your pasty, and a little wine out of your hottle: I'm very hungry and thirsty." But I his clever young man said. ''(,ive von mv meal and wine! No. I thank you; 1 should not have enough left tor mv self ": and awav he went. He soon began to cut down a tree; hut he had not worked long before he missed his stroke and cut himself. \e\l went out the second s,,M to work: and his mother gave him. too. a past} ami a hottle of wine. And the same little old man met him also, and asked him for something to eat and drink, thought himself vastly clever, and -aid. AN hatever you get. I shall lose: so go your roke that he aimed against a tree, hit him on the leg: -o that he too ua way!" The si forced to go home. Then Dummling Bui his fal her an aid. "lather. I should like to no and cut wood, too." tvered. 'A oil had heller -lav at Ik. me. for vou know nothing of the business." But Dummling aa v erv pressing, and at last his lather said. "Go vour wav : vou' 1 1 be u |s,i when you have suffered for your folly." \ ml his mother gav c him onlv some dry bread and a bottle of sour beer. But when he went into the wood, he too met the little old man. Dummling -aid. "I'v e onlv dry bread and sour beer: if that will suit vou. we will sit clou n and eat it together." So they sat down, and when the lad pulled out his bread it was turned into a tine pasty and his sour beer was delightful wine. They ale and drank heartily: and when the} had done, the little man said. " \s you have a kind heart, I will send a blessing upon you. There stands an old tree: cut it down and you will (ind something at the root." Dummling set to work, and cut down the tree: and when it fell, he found in the hollow under the roots a goose with feathers of pun gold. He took it up. and went on to an inn where he proposed to sleep for the night, "flic landlord and his three daughters when the} s,,w I lie e ,,,,., . were very curious to examine what this wonderful bird could be. \l lasi iheclde-t -aid. "I rnu-i and will have a feather." So she waited until his back was turned, and then seized the goose b\ the wing: to her great surprise there she stuck, for neither hand nor linger could she get auav again. Presently in came the second sister and thought to have a feather too: but the moment she touched her sister, there she too hung fast. A I last came the third, and wanted a feather: but the other two cried out. ••Keep auav ! for heaven's sake keep awav !" II owe v er. she did not understand what they meant. "If the} are there." thought she. ''I may a well be there too." So sh, went up tothem: but the moment she touched her sisters she stuck fast. \nd so thev kept companv with the goose all The next morning Dummling carried oil I he goose under his arm. and look no notice of the three girl-, but \ nil out with them sticking la-l behind. I n I he middle of a held I he parson met I hem: and when he s-,v. the I rain, he s.,id. " Vre you not ashamed of vou.--.clx e \ on hold girls, to run after the v ouug man in I ha I wax ox er I he held : Ithal proper be lax iourV" Then he look the youngest bj the hand to lead her awa}. but the moment he touched her he too hung fast, and followed in the train. Presently, Up came the clerk: and xvlien he sa ,\ hi master I lie parson running alter the three ::ir|s. he wondered greatly, and said. '-Hollo! hollo! your reverence! whither so lasi' I h,re i a christening today." Then he ran up, and look him hv the gown, and in a moiii.nl lie w.i l.i-l In... \ the live were thus trudging along, one he] I anolher. I hex met two labourers with then mattocks, coming from work: and the parson cried oui to them to set him free-. Bui -eaieeK had the) touched him, when they too fell into the rani s. .md so made sex en. all running after Dummling and hi » v \l last thev arrived al a eilx. where reijined a kin" who had an onlv daughter I he princess v, i ,,| ., r i..ii a I urn o| mini I I ha I no one could make I hi laiii;h: .im\ I he king had proclaimed to all the wo i Id. Ih 1 1 whoev . i . on Id ma k. hei I a u h -In add ha v c her for hi wile. \s ,,s she sm the seven ..II h . mini: I. met her. running about I read urn on each other' heel-, -he could not help biirsliii" into .. loic .tuti loud I.iul'Ii. linn Dummling claimed her for his wife: and he w aheir the km RE VLIST FILM UNIT IT OXFORD ST I. i; IT. \\ . I Telephone: GERR IRD 1958-9