Focus: A Film Review (1948-1949)

354 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE Sir, In the November issue of Focus under the heading of “Institute Notes” you put forward a suggestion for the setting up of Regional Catholic Film Societies. In this suggestion one can see an attempt being made at last to spread the . influence of the C.F.I. which has perhaps so far been mostly confined to the London area. So now I feel that an opportunity has arisen for all those Catholics throughout the whole country who are interested in a Catholic Film Apostolate to take immediate action. But in taking this action we are rightly cautioned by the words of the Editor of this magazine to walk warily .and carefully so that helped with the accumulated experience and the guidance of the promoters and ■organisers of this magazine we may avoid wherever possible the pitfalls and bitter experiences which we must expect and accept in our journey. However I take this suggestion as a Call to Action and I intend to accept its challenge. So may I appeal to those other readers of this magazine who reside in this area to communicate with me with the view to forming our own Regional Catholic Film Society. Sincerely yours, Edward J. Higgins. 95 Cartside Street, Langside, Glasgow, S.W.2. November 5th, 1949. MERRY CHRISTMAS! Sir, The fact that a number of readers have written to you kindly about my work leads me to think that perhaps there may be others, not prone to writing to editors, who may feel the same way. For all such I have a warm place in my heart. And so I hope I shall not be thought to be unduly aping one of mv betters if I send them through your columns my heartfelt wishes for a Merry Christmas. Yours faithfullv, Q. THREE DAWNS TO SYDNEY Sir, I was very interested to see the letter under the heading “Discordant Note” in November’s issue of Focus. Three Dawns to Sydney, in my opinion j an excellent little film, had, so far as " I can remember, two incidents bringing in Catholicism. In the first, which took place in Sicily, we were shown a young peasant girl praying in front of the usual hideous statue of Our Lady, and this episode ended with a quick glimpse of a singularly unattractive crib. Later we had the scene, mentioned in Mr. BullockWebster’s letter, showing Benediction on Christmas morning in an Australian church. I quite agree with his remarks as to the questionable desirability of showing the Blessed Sacrament exposed, but, apart from that, as the whole point of the shot was to show how universal was the Feast of Christmas, why' were we shown Benediction ? Why not a shot of the end of Mass on Christmas morning, showing people visiting the Crib ? I feel quite sure that a large number of non-Catholics imagine the external , devotions of the average Catholic to j consist solely of prayers before a statue i of Our Lady, usually hideous. How I long for the happy day when in a film we shall see a character enter a Catholic church, take Holy Water, genuflect before the altar and then kneel down in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Yours faithfully, D. Holley (Miss). THE DIVINE TRAGEDY Sir, I am very pleased to see the evident interest you are taking in the important | work we are preparing. I thank you very much for having dedicated such an important part of your October number and for the exceptional wayT vou presented it to the English public. We hope to be able soon to give you further details for other articles. Sincerely yours, ABEL Gance.