BOOKS Carter’s novel woven around struggles of Canadian people E have been witnessing a rapid development in many branches of our country’s cultural life. The forward march of Canadian ballet, the development of sum- mer theatres, the considerable advance in film making and the renowned Shakespearean Festival at Stratford all demonstrate an active determination to evolve Gur own arts and to depend less and less on cultural imports. It is in the field of our litera- ture that,development is slowest. Today, most of the books sold in Canada bear the imprint, pub- _ lished in USA. We are inundat- ed by a never-ending stream from the book-mills of the U.S. which grind out nostalgic ramblings of ‘the past or Hollywood-inspired ‘tales of “never-never land,” the : erudest of sex-depravities, vio- ience and murder. Indeed, rare is the book imported from the - U.S. which deserves serious at- tention. Canada needs a literature of its own. We-need books written by Canadians who love their coun- ‘try and respect its people. Only such authors will succeed in im- ‘mortalizing *the great drama of the transformation of the North ’ American wilderness into a bloom- ing modern industrial and agra- ‘rian land. ; ee Se *" Dyson Carter has now set a “new pace in this work. The ap- “ péarance of his novel Fatherless Sons is a major literary event “and marks a pioneer achieve- ment in the building of a new kind ‘of ‘literature about Canada, ‘its men and women and their Struggles for a better tomorrow. _ Fatherless Sons (obtainable here ‘at the People’s Cooperative Book- . store, 337 West Pender Street, price $2.50) is the story of Dave ‘Nelson, a hard-rock miner ‘who the war to his Rock” (easily re- the nickel centre returns from native “Deep cognizable as of Sudbury). Like other war veterans he ‘seeks to pick up the threads of his life, interrupted by the war. The girl he loved and broke with before going overseas is now the mother of two children and a war-widow. Irene, the prairie girl who waited on tables in a Deep Rock restaurant, had mar- ried Dave’s brother George, later killed in action. Dave returns home a mature young man instead of the head- strong youth that he was. He declares anew his love for. Irene, who reveals that one of her boys is really his, a fact her late hus- band was fully aware of before their marriage. The author in dealing with this relationship indicates the prob- lem faced by Dave and Irene in the relationshin to the two boys, sons of two fathers, and how hard they found it to honestly tell the boys of their actual parent- age. , The book tells the story of Dave and Irene with deep sympathy. Readers may feel that men and women who toil and grow up in the “Deep Rocks” of industry resolve such problems with less suffering and doubt and with greater courage. Yet it must be said that the: author, although unevenly, handles the problem with penetrating artistic skill. . Fatherless Sons is much more - than the story of Dave and Irene. In its very first pages it strikes a powerful anti-war chord. in fact, the title itself is a ringing protest against the wars—three in succession—which again and again leave the Nelson sons fath- erless. Right through the 480 pages Carter deals blow after: August 15 Featuring the greatest Soviet stars Starts Monday © GALINA ULANOVA Easily the best of the world’s ballerinas .. . LIFE MARK REIZEN His rendition of IVAN SUSANIN is magnificent ... V A dazzling, titanic variety package with ballet sequences from “SWAN LAKE,” “ROMEO AND JULIET” and Borodin’s “POLOVETSIAN DANCES,” excerpts from _Borodin’s “PRINCE IGOR,” Tchaikovsky’s “EUGENE ONEGIN’ and Glinka’s “IVAN marvelous display of folk dancing and singing. VARSITY THEATRE 3 : 4375 WEST. 10th and a SUSANIN” blow against war, its effects on, . the people, and against war mon- gers, domestic as well as foreign. The author presents a broad canvas upon which in a. long parade there pass men and wo- men of many national origins, who form the very backbone of those who built Canada. Anna Nelson’s boarding house will soon be recognized by all who have worked in Canada’s industrial centres. The boarding- house becomes a warm commun- ity itself where Ukrainians and Finns, French-Canadians and Eng- lish, Serbs and Hungarians live together and contribute to each other’s rich ‘heritages to make up the texture that is the Cana- dian character. Fatherless Sons is a book per- meated with great love and res- pect for men and® women who toil and for their. union — the centre of their lives. The author demonstrates his deep conviction that there is no greater dignity than that of constructive labor. While. showing ruthless con- tempt for the leeches of our society exemplified by Clyde sMercer—the man who uses the CCF for his own, rather than for the people’s interests. — Carter raises high the prestige of the workers’ organizations and their real leaders. He writes: “Bob Stavers was a big man. Fourteen years in the Brayle -stopes, and three years at hard labor in prison had not bowed his back or hardened his grin. He had been raised by the work- ers of Deep Rock as naturally as an oak raises its topmost twig. He stood, before the miners as their. man, arisen from their hard roots, sustained by the sap of their sweat—the President of 901.” Z There is a fierce and passion- ate pride shown in the book for the union they won against un- relenting opposition of the nickel ‘bosses. ‘ The author make a valuable in- novation by presenting his read- ers with a colorful, informative, and artistically-executed portrait of a-major Canadian industry. The reader is led into every ‘branch of nickel production. We see the mining of the ore, the smelting and the refining, above all we see the great power of human ingenuity in transforming the products. of nature. Carter shows his great skill when he writes; “The muddy water cells, bubbled up: in one immense scientifically controlled Niagara of filth. And within this rumb- ling, whispering mess there pro- ‘ ceeded, a miracle which hum- in the bled anything in nature. A drop © of chemical, a spurt of com- pressed air, a careful patient stirring... and nature’s ‘eternal’ union of metal and rock was silently, instantly broken.” Although himself an engineer, Carter sees further than the in- triguing beauty of modern in- dustry. He shows us the hard-: ships involved in the production of nickel, he portrays the filth and grime in his description of the drying-house and the deadly perils which lurk underground and which in the end take the life of Dave Nelson. Fatherléss Sons demonstrates how inseparable ‘are the daily life © and the struggles of the people. The book is not only a powerful plea for peace but it tells us of the struggle to unionize the un- organized, how a militant union conducts its affairs, the battles of the women for lower cost of air-blown. and_ stirred | living and the ‘first steps made by the workers in the direction of ,independent political action. ‘The book strikes a blow against race prejudice in the story of John Hawk, the Indian who is discriminated against on his re- turn from: overseas even while in the uniform of Canada and although his chest is heavy with medals. uy 5e3 ot Dyson Carter takes the reader cn a great tour of our country’s ratural beauty. Few of us have had the opportunity to travel from coast to coast and see for ourselves the beauty of our lakes and forests and the majesty of our mountains. Repeatedly Carter is at his best as the descriptive artist when ‘he writes lovingly of Canada’s great outdoors. Here is but one sample: “The Aurora Borealis was, in -an eccentric, mystifying, spell- binding mood. Far to the West, as though from some point in Manitoulin Island, there appear- ed startling bright flashes of white light, followed by slowly fading orange-red glows. The central, northern portion of the sky was lit only by deep-violet colored bands of light that shift- ed nervously and incessantly. But somewhat to the east, al- ternating with the startling dis- plays in the west, as though in reply to each burst of white light, there shot high up from the black invisible earth wide inclined streamers of piercing, dazzling; purest green.” bed Fatherless Sons is not a book without weaknesses. Of these this reviewer wishes to point out only two he considers important. FILMS DYSON CARTER .., . His novel sets a new pace- the magnitude of the pook A careful reading of heat leaves one dissatisfied WIT at lack of one major and consiste? 4 character who could have § bolized that small but - ists section of Canadian Com who confidently look to t a cialist tomorrow of Can a eds though a Communist is deP oth one who is closely boune ve every battle of the mint” lacks strength. ema ns ? The constant | vacillation® Dave Nelson are understan able— the working class of our oe is as yet full of uncertainhe role: vacillations , about its own get Yet the novel would be § pave if the author had allowed by and Irene to be accomet grou? a man or a woman of th ipa in Deep Rock, who, partit 5 sight : a in all struggles, never 1° of the great tomorrow. ent While sharing Carter’s oon for the Clyde Mercers of | ten we must point out that ie ed to make Mercer SyM0? tion with the CCF, an pic a rc under whose banner still ian thousands of honest cn misled by the seemingly position of the leadership. All in all, Fatherless 5°M4y5 - a major contribution 10 vor kine young literature. It is 2" ¢ ne class and people’s novel 0 adian interested in knowin in country better and unde phe its problems and struge° pe author lives among ue me an active and prominen monit— of the progressive com fhe pe FS N80. yet, let not this proximily nate ieve acl at author permit us to under e ment which his book repres unity da Bakes, 3 kind. It is a must for eV, pis bet New Japanese picture Zi merited Cannes award ic SIDE from the rather unfortun- ate title, Gate of Hell is a masterpiece of screen art. Made in the Daiei Studios, producers of, Ugetsu and Rashomon, it won another top place for Japan in the Cannes International Film Festival, in 1954. . y Gate of Hell was adopted from the Japanese stage play, Kesa’s Husband, by director T. Kinuy- ase. It has an enormous emo- tional breadth, passionately pro- jected by many fine performers. Imaginative camera technique and the Eastman color process, be sides enhancing the action, sup- ply and interesting panorama of 12th Century Japan. The musical score deserves special mention. It isa sensitive blending of traditional Japanese ‘music and instruments with mod- ern symphonic composition — and the dramatic use of silence. Gate of Hell opens with the Heija Revolt against the Taira Dynasty. Then the wide canvas PACIFIC TRIBUNE — AUGUST 12, 1955 g a Slee of violence narrows ve tian ex : significant act in 4 b Rae 3 position of the futility Fag lence. | : pe . This theme, rooted 12 He ott valence of violence 1M” splicitt: is drawn with bo! e compared to the comP™ + of cacy of Ugetsu and 1! tirely dissimilar theme heart of the tragedy Proent from the failure of * a character to perceive «i terms what he learne pi from the abortive TeV" too late. ; illusions of passivenes f veals the awful fruits passive resistance to 7© ye or. time! Bie Gate of Hell has 4 fan ¢ sage, the fascination 0 historical setting, tistry. You owe ! see it. ae gr0F ; — PAGE _— nd SUP” 16 10 £ to yours is 1d sim deli