PHILATELY GIVEN NEW MEANING

Stamps of socialist world
‘miniature peace posters’

OVER THE past few years
thousands of miniature posters
depicting the achievements of the
Soviet Union, the People’s Demo-
eracies and People’s China have

_ON THE SCREEN~
Hollywood
‘ruins fine

stage play

TURNING OUT dope for mor-
ons is only part of Hollywood’s
contribution to the degredation of
American culture. The film mag-
nates cannot be satisfied unless
they also debase the work of bet-
ter men to their own illiterate
level.

One of the handful of courag-
eous American plays attacking the
witch-hunt to come out of the
U.S. in recent times is The Male
Animal by James Thurber and.
Elliot Nugent.

It concerns a college professor
of English who becomes the target
of a witch-hunt because he reads
to his class the moving prose of
Bartolomeo Vanzetti.

A fine, witty play, it might have
been made into a fine film. But
Warner Brothers bought and
“adapted” it and it now appears
as a vapid, vulgar musical en-
titled She’s Working Her Way
Through College.

The independent professor is
still there. But instead of stand-
ing up for the right to read brave
words to his class he fights for
the precious liberty to stage a
musical comedy as the class play!
He also waxes eloquent about the
inalienable right of Angela, a
literary-minded strip tease girl to
a college education if she can pay
for it.

But by the end of the film it
becomes painfully clear that if
Virginia Mayo, the burlesque
queen in question, really wants an
education, an American university
is the last place to look for it.

‘There are occasional reminders
that this was originally Thurber’s
play, but the only principle which
stands out is that held by Profes-
sor Reagan and the one by which
he guides his literary class — “the
main thing is to get away from!
Shakespeare and give them what
they want.”

“Nace Nobody but dimwits would want
«> this.

x *« *

SOMP WHAT MORE to Holly-
wood’s credit, although it does
not quite do justice to O. Henry’s.
peculiar genius, is Full House. In
making this picture and continu-

ing a trend to short stories in”

“films, Hollywood has been guided
by the successful British screen)
adaptations of Somerset Maugh-
zam’s short stories.

O. Henry was sentimental, but
there is ia rich humanity and love
of people in his stories that keep
‘them fresh and piquant today. His!
technique of the twist ending does
not come off successfully on the
screen, however.

Even so, the stories have a sat-
-isfying sense of design. The simple
irony of the tramp who can’t get
into prison, beautifully done by
Charles Laughton, comes off well.
The heavy drama of the cop who
can’t arrest a murderer until he
has paid a debt and the broad
farce of the kidnappers who haye
- to pay the parents to take the vic-
_ tim off their hands, come off

hardly at all.

* Mongolia.

; terest,

been delivered to Canadian homes.
IMasterpieces of the engraver’s art,
many of them carry
peace and friendship among peo-
ples.

These miniature posters are the
postage stamps of the Soviet
Union, Poland, Hungary, Czecho-
slovakia, Rumania, Bulgaria and
Albania, and People’s ‘China and
And a collection of the
stamps of any one of these coun-
tries is at once a comprehensive
review of that country’s economic
achievements-and social advance,
and of its cultural heritage.

“Philately is much ‘appreciated
in the Rumanian People’s Repub-
lic,” says a’ recent publication.
from that country. “This ap-
preciation arises because philately
ean perform: an important role in

educating the people, and especial-,

ly youth, provided that — in ac-
cordance with new circumstances
— it receives a new content. Phil-
ately is not a mere means of re-
creation: it develops at the same
time the spirit of order and a
sense of the beautiful... .

“In the Rumanian People’s Re-
public, the value of a stamp con-
sists in its capacity for conveying
knowledge and not in its rarity or
price, as in capitalist countries
where philately is a means for
big commercial profiteering. . . .”

In Canada, which counts more
stamp collectors for its population
than almost any other country, the
philatelic art of the socialist
world is receiving increasing at-
tention. The engraving of Czecho-
slovak and Hungarian stamps has
long been recognized as among
the finest in the world and the
Soviet Union, by reproducing the
paintings of great artists on its
stamps, “has pioneered a new field
in philately.

Responding to this growing in-
the People’s Cooperative
Bookstore at 337 West Pender
Street here, announced this week
that it has opened a stamp depart-
ment. Immediately the store will
handle only Soviet stamps but
within a short time it will be en-

larged to include stamps of all .

the People’s Democracies and

People’: s China.

symbols of .

Chaplin at royal performance

Both in Britain and France, Charlie Chaplin has been honored at state functions — an indirect rebuff

to the persecution of the world-famous screen star by the U.S. government.

shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth at her first command performance.
Later, in Paris, the French government made Chaplin an officer of the Legion of Honor.

INTERPRETATION SEEN AS ATTACK ON REALISM

Here Charlie Chaplin is show®
At her left is Princess Margaret

.

Totem production arouses controversy

IS J. B. PRIESTLEY’S Danger-
ous Corner a defense of or an at-
tack on realism? That is the ques-
tion posed by the Totem Theatre
production this week.

Under Peter Mainwaring’s dir-
ection the play is interpreted as’
an attack on realism, though not
clearly so. The emphasis inclines
to be placed on the idealist, whose
faith in people, the world and
truth is shattered, and, having
nothing left to live for, ends his
life. The part of the realist who

shields the woman he loves, know-
ing that not even that will bring
her to him, is given a slightly
cynical interpretation, discounting
the possible message that he who
knows and understands, who faces
truth without blinking, has the
strength to live and conquer.

Overlooking the interpretation, ©

the play is good theatre, well act-

1 —rero—1oro—IOMIO {

ee nS en One

“Professor Mamlock”

- Point Grey Junior High School
3 38th and West Boulevard ;

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12.
8:15 p.m.

FOR TICKETS PHONE
CE. 6348

Admission $1.00

U6 Drama Worbshop :

:

ORS o mo sso mo momo m0 MI0

ed, the arena style production call-
ing for and receiving greater con-
centration and effort by the cast.
‘Aside from a‘*few fumbled lines in
the first act, on the first night, the
acting was equal to the play and
the entire cast worked well to-
gether to hold an audience that
should have been larger.

This is a real contribution to-
ward our national cultural devel-
opment and deserves the support
of ali who want adult entertain-
ment rather than the froth of Hol-
lywood.

See Totem’s production of Dan-
gerous Corner. You will have an
evening of enjoyable theatre and,

for good measure, a discussion of
the purpose of tthe play, and
whether or not Peter Mainwaring
has answered the question pose
by the author.—C.A-H. i

PENDER
AUDITORIUM
(Marine Workers)

339 West Pender
LARGE & SMALL HALLS

FOR RENTALS
Phone PA. 9481

1 Pa La mia

one volume.

authors.

peace.

OWN AND TO LOAN .
Order from:

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a remarkable offer .. a

The best-selling book “We Saw Socialism,”
‘ by Charlotte and Dyson Carter, is now offered |
in a limited DeLuxe Edition.
This is the only edition of “We Saw
Socialism’’ giving the complete book in
Features: ,
* DeLuxe hard-cover (cloth) binding,
: _ embossed in silver. —

% Printed on fine quality paper.
*% 400 pages. 119 photos. 30 chapters.
. Ww Every copy: autographed by the

Over 18,000 copies sold to date in cae aera editions. Warm"
ly praised by the public, “We Saw Socialism” has also been ;
rated by many authorities as the most complete and inspiring
report made by foreign observers in the Soviet Union.

The book received a long review in the Soviet Government news-
paper “Izvestia” (July 25, 1952), which called it truthful, of
high reader-interest, and a powerful weapon for detendert cs

The DeLuxe Edition, described above. is
fully $5.00 value. but is offered at cost:
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_Everyone who has read the paper-cover book should have this
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AN AUTOGRAPHED BOOK YOU WILL BE PROUD TO
. . AN IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT. —

NEWS- FACTS

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PTE GEE tat tt tt te

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — NOVEMBER 7, 1952 — PAGE 8