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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 18, No. 12. September 6, 1954

"Another Man's Poison"

"Another Man's Poison"

Bette Davis is the greatest actress on the screen today. Of the great stars, Davis is a rare example, not only through her gifts, but because she has asserted the value of imagination and technical ability in a profession that can be followed without much of either, Davis has never appeared in a flop, because her mere presence makes any film, to say the least, interesting. "The Star", recently seen in Wellington, was the height of featureless mediocrity as a film: but the intensity and vigor of Bette Davis' performance sent me back a second time. "God fobid, what a fascinating woman" as a well-known judge from early Dunedin once said. With a considerable amount of temperament, walking from the hips, hair and displays of ugly teeth. Davis unflinchingly dominates "Another Man's Poison", a story of poison, horses, bold love, poison, bold love and poison.

Heedless of a weak director's desire for a film with unity. Davis with arrogance, assurance, a complete indifference to guilt at large, round blue eyes, gazes at nothing in particular (Gary Merril and the supporting players) with formidable Intensity. Unlike a pianist who cannot gain a great reputation if ho performs music of generally inferior quality, Davis demonstrates that actors as creative artists can be the most pure, self-contained and independent of all.

Balanced between the ludicrous and intensely real, Davis gives a performance that is uneven. At times her acting is almost a caricature of herself, and those who accuse her of possessing a lot of clever mannerisms that operate only within a narrow range would watch her with considerable and malicious satisfaction. But at other times, those who believe (as I do) that she is one of the few screen actresses who know anything about characterisation and pathos, they would be equally satisfied.

A more discreet performance by a leaser actress would have made "Another Man's Poison" very dull indeed. Indiscretion requires courage and personality and how many actresses have these qualities?

A survey of social and economic conditions affecting the lives of students of Delhi University conducted recently by the Delhi Committee of the World University Service reveals that many students are living in poverty and need. Of the 1872 students from seven colleges questioned in the survey, 46 per cent. come from families in the "middle" income group with incomes ranging between 250 dollars and 750 dollars a year-Twelve per cent. of the other students are from families of "low" income, earning between 125 dollars and 250 dollars a year. The families of only 42 per cent. of the students have an income of more than 750 dollars a year. A large number of students are unable to purchase essential text books. More than [unclear: 8] per cent. of the students questioned reported that they were ill on an average of seven days per year; 14 per cent. lose eight to 30 days be-cause of sickness, and nearly 4 per cent. lose more than 30 days.—(The Asian Student. San Francisco.)