Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

154 DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER Guild Theatre. Friday, 2.30 and 8 Films from Australia, Denmark, Italy, Czechoslovakia and Br it am 1. Men Wanted (Australia. 15 mins.) Theme. Life in Australia and the opportunities offered for betterment by learning a skilled trade. Comment. As a film to encourage immigration this film would not seem very successful; well made, but it lacks the fire of conviction, and shows once again the difficulty of using a personal story to illustrate a general theme. This story of a British sailor, who settles in Australia and is persuaded by his girl friend to learn a skilled trade so that they can get married, never comes to life. 2. Health for Denmark (Denmark. 20 mins.) Theme. The organization of the Danish Sick Club system, and the hospital facilities it provides. Comment. A human and likeable film, which tells its story in a clear simple fashion. Notable for its touches of humour and sympathetic direction. J. The Church of St George (Czechoslovakia. 20 mins.) Theme. The Czech national shrine in the Church of St George, Prague. Comment. A good example of what can be done by lighting and camera work to reproduce the emotional effect of a static architectural subject. This is a film which, in spite of its excellencies, remains dull to an overseas audience, who do not possess the background of traditional interest. 4. Piazza San Marco (Italy. 15 mins.) Theme. A study of the art and architecture on the buildings in the Piazza San Marco in Florence. Comment. In lesser hands this would be just another travelogue. A superb use of camera and lighting succeeds in holding attention, and results in a film which is remembered. 5. The Water Garden (Czechoslovakia. 10 mins.) Theme. A nature study of pond flowers and the insects which visit them. Comment. Superb colour gives man) of the shots of this study a startling beauty. Unfortunately, designed presumably for children, it is made exasperating for adults by the silly and whimsical English commentary. 6. A Modem Guide to Health (Britain. 10 mins.) Theme. Simple health tips on posture, sensible clothing, exercise and sleep. Comment. An amusing and entertaining cartoon, which puts its points over well. 7. Bambini in Citta (Italy. 15 mins.) Theme. How the children of Italian cities live and play. Comment. A brilliant and delightful study. The film has no social message to offer, but it succeeds in capturing the spirit of childhood. These urchins watch the sights, play and get up to mischief, not only in the cities of Italy, but in every city of evety country in the world. (This programme was to have included the film Les Quatre Saisons from Belgium. Unfortunately by error the film sent from Belgium was an English one of the same name, sub-titled in French and Flemish.) On the same evening a showing of films was arranged by the Scottish Educational Film Association at the Central Hall, Tollcross. The programme comprised Air Mail and Documentary of Achievement from South Africa; Accidents Don't Happen and Vegetable Insects from Canada; Boundary Lines from the USA; and Latitude and Longitude from Britain. Some of these films were included in other programmes and are commented upon above. No comments are available on the others at the time of going to press. Guild Theatre. Saturday afternoon Films from Poland, Switzerland, the USA, Sweden, Denmark and Britain 1. Easter in Lowicz (Poland. 10 mins.) Theme. Easter customs in the town of Lowicz. Comment. This is a pleasant, simple film, which succeeds in catching something of the character of the people, and of the mixture of piety, superstition, and plain high spirits that are often found in peasant communities at a time of religious festival. 2. The Balance (Britain. 10 mins. Theme. Britain's overseas trade. The reason for need to balance imports and exports. Comment. An excellent short film for its purpose. Actuality and diagram are skilfully blended to give a clear and concise summary of the essential facts. 3. La Varappe (Switzerland. 10 mins.) Theme. Mountain climbing on Swiss peaks. Comment. This is an interesting and well made film, which explains the technique of mountaineering. Notable for a skilful use of the camera to heighten the climber's sense of isolation and suspense. 4. High Plain (USA. 15 mins.) Theme. The life of the primitive people, who live on the high plateaux of Bolivia. Comment. Factually the life of these people — a mixture of ancient Indian and Spanish — is interesting. But told in a happy travelogue vein, the picture presented is superficial and casual. One cannot believe in the kindness of the benevolent landlord, who, in such a poor and primitive land, exacts no money from his tenants — contenting himself only with his right to their work for just three days of the week. 5. Locomotive (Poland. 20 mins.) Theme. The devastation of the railways and rolling stock in Poland after the war, and the efforts being made to repair them. Comment. This was the best of the Polish films. Clearly designed both to stimulate railway workers to greater efforts and to inform the public of the reason why they have to put up, temporarily, with such shocking conditions of travel. For this purpose it would appear to be a very good film. Relying to a great extent on fast moving montage, the film achieves a considerable emotional effect, which can even surmount the difficulty of language and background. 6. What Will Happen (Sweden. 10 mins.) Theme. The training facilities available for Swedish youth when they leave school. Comment. An uninspired survey, which painstakingly examines a great variety of trades. No doubt of some value for its intended audience. 7. Good Mothers (Denmark. 15 mins.) Theme. The story of the Mother-Help Organization in Denmark, which cares particularly for unmarried mothers. Comment. A vivid and human film about one of the most ignored problems of our social system. The choice of a single illustrative case leaves us, however, with a feeling of an incomplete picture of the system as a whole. There are questions unanswered upon which we should have liked to know more. 8. Les Voyages de Jadis a Aujourd'hui (Switzerland. 20 mins.) Theme. The development of the Swiss railways from their early chaotic beginnings to nationalization and electrification. Comment. As a story of how a small country succeeded by popular vote in producing an efficient nationalized public setvice, this film is interesting. The material, however, is not such as to inspire a very high quality of film making. 9. Home and School (Britain. 22 mins.) Theme. A new approach to teaching and parenthood. By learning to understand their children and the why of their actions, parents can get the confidence and companionship of their children, and the teachers will find them more ready to learn. Comment. To deal with this theme the film tells a story of a small suburban family, who by good fortune have sent their children to a progressive school. The contrast between their behaviour at home and at school leads the parents to discover the key to a happy relationship with them. This is an impressive example of the acted story documentary, which develops its theme clearly and logically. The children are excellent, but are these middle-class people really typical of England Guild Theatre. Saturday evening Films from the USA, Italy, Britain, and Australia 1. Round Trip ( USA. 10 mins.) Theme. International trade. Its importance to America. Comment. The film tries to explain why protective tariffs are harmful to national interests. In fast moving sequences the film cross-questions and argues with people in different jobs, countries and positions of life. This is an all-out effort: eye and ear are assaulted continuously by every device of sound and camera. In the end, sad to say, the point gets lost in confusion. A pity, because this film has something important to say and tries hard to say it. Concerned primarily with American problems, it ia possible that to an American, steeped in isolationism, the point would be clearer. 2. The School (USA. 20 mills.) Theme. A day in the life of a small-town American school. Comment. Steeped in sickly sentiment, this film looks as though it were shot by an amateur, who got caught in a school by a rainstorm and had nothing better to do. 3. Pascoli Eterni (Italy. 10 mins.) Theme. Life among the sheep farmers of northern Italy. Methods of cheese making from sheep's milk. Comment. A simple and well-made little film, which gives a real picture of the way these people live. 4. Dover Spring, '47 (Britain. 10 mins.) Theme. Replanning and rehousing in Dover since the war. Comment. An intelligent attempt to present housing statistics in an entertaining form. Not entirely successful, it is nevertheless a pleasant change from the usual documentary approach to this sort of subject. 5. Watch Over Japan (Australia. 10 mins.) Theme. The Australian occupation of Japan. Comment. This film does little more than confirm our knowledge of the fact that there are Australian troops in Japan. Of the country and of what is being done by the occupation forces there is no hint. Technically it would appear to have been compiled from news-reels. 6. Learning by Experience (Britain. 34 mins.) Theme. A study of children's behaviour under different circumstances. Comment. This is a film designed for teachers in training to provide material for discussion and study. For this purpose it would seem an interesting experiment, which needs a closer study than can be given in a brief space. The children are quire unselfconscious and the commentary is confined to plain statements and questions — the answers are left to the viewer. 7. A Thousand Million a Year (Britain. 10 mins.) Theme. The work of the Department of Customs and Excise. Comment. Cut down, for theatrical purposes, from a longer version, this film presents an uninspired and disjointed account of what could have been a fascinating story. 8. The Magic Globe — Czechoslovakia (Britain. 15 mins.) Theme. Aspects of life in Czechoslovakia which will appeal tochildren. Comment. This film, made for the Children's Cinema Clubs, is one of a series which attempts to show British children something of the life of people in other countries. For this purpose two children pay a visit to Czechoslovakia by means of a 'magic' film carpet. As one might expect there is nothing here very profound, but the film is well made and in places visually almost exciting. Children will certainly be interested — whether they will be any the wiser about Czechoslovakia is another matter. The Playhouse. Sunday afternoon Films from Sweden, Britain and Denmark 1. Rhythm of the City (Sweden. 20 mins.) Theme. The city and the people of Stockholm. Comment. This is a film of great beauty. It makes no startling discoveries, it tells no facts. But here, skilfully blended with deep understanding and exquisitely photographed, are a series of small incidents in the life of the people of a great city. This, a film without words, speaks in a language which will be understood by ordinary people the world over. 2. The World is Rich (Britain. 45 mins.) Theme. Over a large part of the earth people are starving: yet the resources of the world could provide for them all if there were proper provision for distribution and storage of surplus, and if up-to-date methods of agriculture were employed in countries still farming by primitive methods. The film appeals for international co-operation to make the World Food Organization, which sets out to solve these problems, a success. Comment. Using the technique of interview, library material and diagram, which was so successful in the earlier World of Plenty, this film builds up its argument with relentless logic and urgency. In the matter of food supplies, one of the world's greatest problems, there is only one choice of this generation to make — international co-operation or hunger followed by crime, disease and war. No criticism of detail can obscure the fact that this is one of the most important films of today. 3. Your Freedom is at Stake (Denmark. 50 mins.) Theme. Denmark under the Nazi domination. Comment. This is not only the story of the Danish Resistance movement, it is a history of the rise and fall of Hitler and the Nazi Party. As an historic document the film is unique, lor this is no reconstruction — it was actually shot during the war under the eyes of the Gestapo. As might be expected from such a compilation, the results are uneven: wiihout an understanding of the Danish commentary, the (Contd. Col. I. p. 160)