DISNEY and HITLER

Radio Record, 18 March 1938, Page 27

DISNEY and HITLER

T was in a mood of the blackest depression that I sat back the other Sunday evening for the first screening in Australia and New Zealand of Walt Disney's full-length colour cartoon feature, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." We had just been shown a "March of Time" film about Nazi Jermany-the sane film that caused a diplomatic "incident" when released in America not so long ago-and while I believe that RKO Radio Pictures, who held the preview, can he acquitted of any ulterior motive in presenting Hitler as a prelude to Disney, they could not, with full deliberation, have chosen anything more likely to put sensitive souls like myself in the worst possible frame of mind for a fairy tale. Or for that matter, too,

anything more ealeulated to fill us with sbhorrence of the dictator and admiration of the artist. We have most of us, I imagine, had a vague feeling that something very precious was lost to Germany with the ndvent of Hitler. Just how precious that something was I at Jeasf had not realised till I saw these two pictures-the one following the other, the Grimm fairy tale right on top of the grim propaganda. For the "March of Time," being selected and concentrated truth, ix propaganda of the most powerful sort. What in the world has Disney got to do with all this? The point is this: that all the lovely creations of "Snow White’-the beautiful princess, the handsome prince, the merry dwarfs, the soft, cuddly animals-were boru in, were a part of the old Germany __the Germany that the Nazis and the Treaty of Versailles have killed

Prinee Adoll: ‘a Germany to-day, the Germany of the "Mareh of ‘Time" film, nursery rhymes have heen rewritten as paeans of raceprejudice, dear old Santa Claus is banished, babies cut their teeth on bayonet handles, children are brought up on the Manual of Arms who once knew only the legends of Grimm. Pare ee sase

And THeY Mave OCvette Pes even rewritten this "Snow White" story to make Herr Hitler the Prince Charming who wakes Princess Germania from the deathly sleep imposed by the wicked Allies. Tt might be funny if it were’ not -so sone PP aan s 4hran

Pasig, ah bane. outlook for civilisation were not quite so hopeJess. For what chance have those nations . which waste their time (Continued on next page.)

cherishing the precious things of the spirit when they might be drilling; which encourage such dreamers as Walt Disney in their midst; what chance, I say, have these nations against the regimented, hypnotised legions of Nazi and Fascist youth? Least comforting reflection of all, it is largely our own stupid, selfish, vindictive fault that Germany is what it is to-day. Pure Genius OU can see I’ve got it pretty badly, and it’s mainly because Messrs. RKO Radio Pictures chose a certain film on a supporting programme. Yet, if they hadn’t chosen as they did, I might.never have fully appreciated how great an artist this man Disney really is, Such is his genius, that the blackness of depression lifted before "Snow White" was five minutes old. The poignancy of the contrast, between the Germany that was and the Germany that is, remained and grew sharper as the film went on, but it was overlaid by a great and increasing thankfulness that such rare and joyous spirits as Disney can still find a place and a public in this world of ours. But most of all, and politics and introspection right apart, there was "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" to enjoy for its own delightful sake. What a picture it is-the most exciting, ‘most enchanting experience the screen has given us since-vwell, since the come ing of talkies. What possibilities it opens up! Not For Infants "GNOW WHITE" deserves all the enthusiasm one ean give it, It is seven reels long, and all too short. I leave it to others to discuss it in terms of Art, with much high-sounding talk about "chiaroscuro". and comparisons with Rembrandt, Whistler or what have you. For most of us it will be enough that this film is an authentic masterpiece of entertainment-as thrilling as a western, as colourful and as: beautiful as the unspoiled imagination of childhood-and as funny ‘as a Walt Disney cartoon, . Yet Ido not think it is a film for very young children. Those scenes of the Princess lost in the forest are the perfect symbolic representation of a child’s nightmare-and if children must

PELUETGREEELETREEEREEEREET ARERR DERE SERRES RARE TEESE T RR RSR ERE RREAERR REDE ERA Lew have nightmares it should be in bed. Disney must also have been thinking of adult audiences when he conceived the horror.of the Wicked Queen’s metamorphosis to a witch, and her final awful fate. ‘The Humans ~) UST one thing bothered me a little in "Snow White’-the animation of the human characters, the Princess, the Prince, the Huntsman and the Queen, There is an unsteadiness, almost a shimmering, of outline about these drawings that is quite absent from the figures of the dwarfs and the birds and animals. Perhaps it is to be explained by Disney’s unfamiliarity with the human figure in cartoons. At any rate. the fault grew less as the picture went on, marking the improvement that came with practice during three years of production on "Snow White." I doubt, however, if this explains the difference adequately. I think the artist may have been: using a different

and not so successful technique for the human characters, Nevertheless, Princess Snow is a charming little lass, a typical American "cutie," but dignified withal, almost an idealised "Betty Boop," with more than a dash of pure Disney in her pen-and-ink veins. And Prince Charming is the idealised husky Hollywood hero-a compound of Gable, Taylor and the prince of all fairy tales. The Dwarfs T is when we come to the docile, softeyed creatures of the forest, and the big-nosed, big-bearded dwarfs, that we find the real Disney, Walt the WellBeloved. These dwarfs, creatures of line and colour, have personalities as clear-cut and individual as those of any flesh-and-blood stars. They are seven-Doc, Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy. Happy, Bashful and Dopey. Some of. them possess the recognisable characteristics of certain players, notably Doc, who has the fuddled gestures of Hugh Herbert,. the adenoidal voice of Roy Atwell, ‘ Most lovable of all is beardless ‘Dopey, who did not know if he could talk because he had never tried. Most ferocious is Grumpy, who resents petticoat influence and will not wash his hands before dinner-until the others duck him forcibly. All are the embodiment of folk-lore and child-like fun, Singing their catchy tune "Hi-Ho," they trudge home from work in the diamond mines, to find’ Snow White sheltering from her wicked stepmother in their house, which, with the aid of the wood-crea-tures, she has’ just spring-cleaned. Their timidity and playful scamperings are as amusing to watch as a basket of kittens; the, humour of the whole piece as rollicking and incredibly brilliant and many-sided as only Disney. humour can be. The colour of "Snow White" soothes and delights with its fairy-like charm; music and dialogue weave a harmonious pattern; the enormous amount of separate, complex movement in each scene impresses one with the magnitude of the animators’ task; and the gusty, spontaneous laughter plows even: Nazi Ger many into the limbo of things best forgotten. There’s Still Hope! T-. in this review, I seem to have giv: en "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" some social and _ political significance, it is quite accidental, it does not belong to the picture. itself. Disney would be the first to affirm that view. The storv is told that when Aldous Huxley went to Hollywood he tried to analyse just what it is that makes Walt Disney do,such superlative work. Disney didn’t help him much, "Hell, Doc.," he said. ‘I don’t know. We ‘just try to make a good picture. And then the professors: come along and tell us what we do." And perhaps, after all, the future of the world isn’t quite as black as it seemed when I saw that unfortunate "March of Time." Perhaps there may still be a glimmer of hope for civilisation if, when the Fascist legions march off for Armageddon, Walt Disney and. his kind, and their dwarfs and wood sprites and soft, cuddly animals can find some nice bomb-proof, gas-proof dugout, and stay there for the duration,

Umbrella Murders (GORY murders are committed at frequent intervals by a mysterious figure who carries an umbrella in M.-G.-M.’s "London by Night." Jn atmosphere and theme, if not in merit. it is all rather reminiscent of the Robert Montgomery thriller "The Mysterious Mr. X" and the Ivor Novello picture "The Lodger." Without seeing the title, one could tell at a glance that the setting is London, becayise nearly all the action takes place in a fog and because of the very eareful Cockney accents. George Murphy plays crime fiction’s favourite son-the reporter who teaches policemen their jobs. But I insist that if Mr. Murphy wants to make a convincing Englishman he must learn that in the word "address" the stress is not on the first sylable. ["London By Night." M-G-M. Directed by William Thiele; starring George Murphy. First release: Wellington, April 22.j "Mad About Music" INDERELULA had ae fairy godmother; Aladdin owned a lamp; Ali Baba had the "Open Sesame": and Deanna Durbin has a magic voice. Cinderella, Ali Baba, and Aladdin were figments of the imagination. But there’s nothing unreal about Miss Durbin. The wonderland which has open- ed to her is due to her own talents. Only a few months ago, Deanna was jast another of America’s youngsters. But the cinema, outmoding fairy godmothers, wonderful lamps, and magic passwords, has brought Deanna fame and fortune. ‘The 15-year-old girl soured to stardom in her second film, "100 Men and a Girl." after she had sky-rocketed into prominence as a most

promising stellar prospect in "Three Smart Girls." Now the New Universal is presenting Deanna in a picture that is said to take advantage of everything the child

has to offer. Bntitled "Mad About Music," it will be seen in Wellington, Dunedin, and Auckland during Easter. In "Mad About Music,’ which is planned along comedy-with-music lines, Deanna borrows a father, and the innocent impersonation creates a most

amazing and amusing train of circumstances. The big supporting cast ineludes Herbert Marshall, Gail Patrick, — Arthur Treacher, William Frawley, Jackie Moran, and Franklyn Pangborn. I Pat My Back A WEEK later than scheduled, the awards for 1987 of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have been announced. The information which has so far reached New Zealand is very meagre-merely that premier acting honours for last year have been awarded to Luise Rainer for her performance in "The Good Earth" and to Spencer Tracy for his part in "Captains Courageous." Presumably we shall be told later the choice of the one outstanding picture of the year, the best director, best supporting performance, best short subject and so on. Personally, I regard the awards to Miss Rainer and Tracy with great satis-faction-the satisfaction of having backed a winner. Reviewing the films of last year in the Christmas issue of the "Record," on December 19, I wrote: "For the best performance of an actress I nominate Luise Rainer’s in ‘The Good Barth,’ although it is a wrench to part with Norma Shearer’s ‘Juliet. Of the men, I vote for Spencer Tracy as Manuel in ‘Captains Courageous.’ " The winners for 1986 were Paul Muni in "Louis Pasteur’ and Luise Rainer in "The Great Ziegfeld." This gives Miss Rainer the unique distinction of being selected as the screen’s greatest actress for the second year in succession. Tracy As "Manuel" RITING about "Captains Courage- . ous" at the time of its release in Zealand, I expressed my opinions us !-

"With very little fear of eont yr adiction, it can be claimed that this is the finest picture of the sea ever made. I also believe that, in Spencer Tracy’, per-

_ formance as the Portuguese fisherman, Manuel, it contains the finest ‘ performance by an actor. seen so .far this year-a per‘formance . that should win. Tracy the academy award for 19387, unless the judges are blind or something

better comes along in the next montn or so. And I don’t see how anything could." Yet, as a matter of fact, ‘I’m still in clined to think that something. a little better did come along, in’Paul Muni’s performance as "Emile "Zola." "This . production was released.too: late-in New Zenland, however, for it to come into the "Record’s" review of 1987’s best films. Tracy did almost everything to make

"Captains Courageous" a memorable picture. Before the appearance of the lovable Portuguese sailor, Manuel, the film was just ordinary, and interest fell right away with Manuel’s death. Also, the over-sentimental ending spoilt the general effect-but it could not spoil Tracy’s performance. Von Luckner Lectures AN arrangement has been made hetween Count von Luckner and Fuller-Hayward’s and the J. C. Williamson Picture Corporation for the e@lebrated German visitor to give a series of lectures through New Zealand. The tour will begin at the New Opera House, Wellington, on March 18. Count yon Luckner’s lectures will last about an hour and a half, during which time he will recount his wartime experiences and describe his escape from Motuihi. He is a dynamic speaker, and the lectures are certain to prove of wide interest. It is possible that one or two short films of an international interest will be sereened in conjunction with the lectures. Mr. A. R. MeBlwain, of Fuller-Hay-ward’s, is conducting the tour,