Focus: A Film Review (1950-1951)

266 That nun is a member of an enclosed order. The good work must spread to all Training colleges and training departments so that all future teachers will be able to deal with the cinema in relation to life. This will take a long time, however, and the problem is urgent. Teachers already in the schools must get to work and plan a campaign. The first thing to do is to go to the Stationery' Office or to the Public Library and read a copy of the Report. Then act. BOOK REVIEWS The Cinema 1950. Edited by Roger Manvell. A Pelican Book, 2s. 6d. This is the first volume of what is intended to be an annual survey of the cinema, replacing the former Penguin Film Review. Like its predecessor, it is extremely interesting and very good value for the money. There are twelve articles ranging from Robert Flaherty’s reminiscences of his film-making to an entertaining satire on film critics by Peter Ustinov. A particularly useful essay is that by Leonard England in which he challenges the popularly-accepted idea that cinema-goers are, on the whole, an unintelligent lot. If not flattering, the conclusions Mr. England arrives at are at least less devastating than many a sociologist would have us believe. An inset of 122 well-chosen stills make this modest volume a fascinating book of reference. J. A. V. B. Film. By Roger Manvell. A Pelican Book, 1950, 2s. 6d. Roger Manvell’s volume, here given a new edition and very much enlarged, has become a veritable classic of film appreciation. It contains so much that film enthusiasts ought to know about the most popular of the arts, that, at the price, there is no other volume to replace it as a text-book for study groups. Everv aspect of the cinema is touched on including, of course, the vexed question of censorship. In this connection, I feel that we have a legitimate moan to make that Dr. Manvell ignores the constructive work of the Office Catholique International du Cinema. Like all other commentators, he mentions the American Legion of Decency and its negative but necessary classification of films. He does not allow to other national film centres the credit they undoubtedly deserve for their important constructive work in the field of film. May we hope that in a subsequent edition of Film, this omission will be remedied ? J. A. V. B. Moira Shearer. By Pigeon Crowle. Faber & Faber Ltd., 21s. Admirers of Moira Shearer will find much to interest them in this beautifully illustrated book with its 47 photographs of the star in various roles. It is a story of years of hard work during which each new opportunity was grasped and made the most of and which were finally crowned with wellearned success. Like every true artist, Moira Shearer is her own sternest critic and is far from satisfied with her own attainments. It is, perhaps, characteristic that in 1948, at the time when public acclamation of her performance in The Red Shoes was at its height, she should say in a broadcast : “I think more than anything else in the world I would like to be able some day to dance Giselle really, well. To be in fact a great ballerina — some day”. The book ends with the departure of the young ballerina for America with the Sadlers Wells company, with “the years of endeavour, of achievement and fulfilment” behind her and every prospect of a still more brilliant future ahead. M. M.