Letters About Films

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 388, 29 November 1946, Page 33

Letters About Films

Sir.-In a recent film section, G.M. appears to be somewhat worried concerning a possible analogy between the production of The Cabinet of Dr. Cailig@ari at a time of social chaos in Germany and the prevalence and apparent popularity of the psychological thriller to-day. To the writer it seems that the analogy is strained, almost out of existence in fact. A simpler hypothesis presents itself. It is some ten or 15 years now since psychology first hit the headlines. The jargon of the trade has been absorbed into the language, e.g., complex, inhibition, fixation, etc-words which can be heard from practically any modern mother. In Hollywood the pure thriller or romance-thriller ("Mr and Mrs. North" and the like) have finally lost their grip on the public: and the producers have recognised and exploited the new field. As far as the psychology itself is concerned, it is only a vehicle to carry the thriller. Never is it profound nor does it at any time link up with real life. It is interesting to note in passing a similar trend in the evolution of the detective novel. The better writers to-day have found that the pure detection story is played out, so they decorate the bare bones of the murder plot with their literary of psychological pleasantries, cf., Michael Innes and Ellery Queen. G.M.’s suggestion is really too far fetched-or has the bait been too readily

accepted? *

M.

R.

(Bayswater). | ye