FILM CRITICISM
Sir,-Recent issues of The Listener have contained several letters which base the conclusion that G.M, is a poor film critic on the somewhat flimsy premise that he disagrees with this and that reader about films. Such correspondents would seem to deny a critic the right which they obviously claim for them-selves-the: right to express a personal opinion. I, too, disagree with G.M. on occasions-but I cannot see that this justifies me in assuming that therefore I am right and G.M. is wrong. Cannot your correspondents be content to say, "That is ‘G,M.’s’ opinion and this is mine. Here’s where we agree to differ." G.M. liked Meet Me in St. Louis; only politeness kept "Hutt City" in his seat, "Zoilus" enjoyed Colonel Blimp; M.C, didn’t. Why can’t they all be right up to a point? The fundamental question seems to | be-What do we expect of criticism? Is it to be a set of arbitrary standards applied as a sort of yardstick to every work of art, by every critic? Or is the critic to be allowed at least a small margin outside these criteria, for personal preference? It seems to me that no critic, however detached and objective his attitude, can entirely escape the influence of his own individuality on his choice. It is debatable whether it is desirable that he should try to escape it.
PEGASUS
(Wellington).
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19460308.2.13.4
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 350, 8 March 1946, Page 5
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229FILM CRITICISM New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 350, 8 March 1946, Page 5
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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