The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

is only a hint that the ex-gambler found the adjustments and sustained effort of honest toil a bit difficult. The film has good technical qualities. The last film, Walking with God, shows us a physician counseling his patient to turn to religion to save his health and business. When the patient scoffs at religion, the doctor tells him the story of Joe Sherman — a realtor who took his family, prosperity, health, and everything for granted. Then a crisis came. His moral and spiritual " prop" was gone. He was unhappy, sour on life ; his business began slipping. Suddenly he decided to try "walking with God." From that instant his sick wife got better ; his health improved ; and his business perked up amazingly. This story convinces the ]jatient. He thanks the doctor, tells him to send him a "stiff bill," and goes out to try "walking with God" as the cure for his ulcers and declining business. Here we must look beyond technical excellence to .see what this film is "saying." In .story treatment — and in narration — it says that religion pays— pays off in objective and tangible things as well as in the intangibles of the mind and heart. It often does. What about the times when it does not? Are the prosperous to be reassured of their piety ? This version of religion is, in essence, the Old Testament version — prosperity follows piety. The Book of Job is concerned with this thesis, and its inspired author left this proposition in tatters. Neither the mind nor the experience of man has validated this O. T. formula since his time. It is a preChristian version of religion. Again, this film tends to equate the Golden Rule with the central teachings of Christianity. Many churchmen will rightly question this and will use the film for the questions it raises rather than for what it has to say about religion. Even here we do well to remember that it is not good education to use the powerful medium of the film to establish an idea that we will then try to correct through discussion. In most churches Walking CHRISTOPHER MOUSE CHRISTOPHER MOUSE is the story of a little mouse who goes with his grandfather to a nearby town where a Carnival was being held. He enjoys everything in the Carnival — a ride on a merry-goround, on the train, etc. In fact, he and his grandfather enjoy themselves so much they forget it is getting late and when they start to look for a place to sleep they can find none. Eventually the grandfather remembers Farmer Brown's barn and they trudge out to the barn and get ready to go to sleep in the hay loft. Christopher doesn't like the rough straw as it irritates him when he lies on it. His grandfather, seeing his plight, begins to tell him the story of a little mouse many, many years ago who used to live in the hay loft of a barn and had a wonderful straw bed. One night some strangers came to the barn, a little baby was born, and there was no clean straw on the ground. The mouse's mother gathered all the straw she could to keep the ground dry and in order to get enough the little mouse had to give his own bed of straw. Then a little baby was born who was the Christ Child. The Wise Men came from the East to see the babe and after the telling of the story to Christopher, he went sound to sleep without another murmur. /S/iLit^/i. never before HOyClnJd A superb presentation of the Christmos Story. Exquisite kodochromes of real people in colorful costumes mokes this on unforgetloble progrom for the church school Christmos service. A charming cartoon with on entirely new approach to the Christmas Story— a reverent presentation as told by the Littlest Camel. Children love it — grown-ups enjoy it. Heartily recom* fended by every one who sees it. At your supply house, or write directly to: Cathedral^jlms 1»70 CAHUENCA • HOLLYWOOD J8, CAllf. I CATHEDRAL FILMS, DEPT ES 10 , 1970 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD, HOLLYWOOD 38, CALirORNIAj [CHRISTOPHER MOUSE UTTLEST CAMEL KNELT " HOLY CHILD ( n With monual $10 ea. (S ) Q With mOBuol $10 M. ($ ) Q With monual $10*0. ($ )| I n With recordi $1S (o. ($ ) Q With records $15 ea. ($ ) D With recordi $1S eo. ($ )( I NAME STREET ADDRESS jCITY "Save COD postal chorgci by ericloiing checks _ZONE_ _STATE _ Money Ofdof_ *• •••••••••••••—>••♦••••••••••—•••••—•—■••• •* October, 1949 369