A hundred million movie-goers must be right... (1938)

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many millions of mothers left well provided for, too well able to look out for themselves, too jealous of their own independence for a strong or dominating nonsympathetic reaction to the selfishness of off-spring or in-laws. Hence as in Street Scene we discover millions taking sides, definitely one side or the other. In The Miracle Man picking pockets was one of the main pursuits, but there is a question whether picking pockets contains the non-appeal it is supposed to. In debating that proposition let us ask if the reader has ever played with the idea of tossing a brick through a jeweler's window, grabbing a handful of diamonds and seeing how far he could get with them ; has ever toyed with the thought of ever lifting a bale of twenties when the bank cashier had his back turned, or was out of his cage; ever given much thought or tried to estimate the amount of genuine ire aroused by defaulting bank cashiers, or to what extent the country, not the newspapers and not those injured, waxed indignant over bootlegging, tax evasion and tax avoidance? And incidentally did not someone erect a statue to the late Jessie James? And wasn't Robin Hood and Francois Villon heroes revered by their people? Katherine of Russia, Katherine de Medici, Ninon de L'Enclos, Nell Gwynne and all of the other voluptuous ladies remembered, the virtuous ones forgotten? When we probe into human consciousness for a definition of right and wrong we usually discover that getting things the easier way produces no strong non-sympathetic reaction. In that analysis however, the Quaker in us may take the Puritan slant, a sterner attitude, but if it does at least we should be conscious that it is the Puritan and not the completely detached viewpoint. And no other viewpoint of course ever makes much of an impression in judging the movies. Sentiment is never as conclusive as sensitivity. In The Champ the ex-pugilist was discovered living in a pleasure resort with his young son. Horseracing, games of chance and fast living were the lure. Tourists swarmed all over the place. Along came the boy's mother, the Champ's ex-wife, married to money, intent upon taking her son out of that environment. In fact so intent was she that her wealthy husband offered to make it financially right with the boy's father 40