At one time, as "G.M." once said, you could count the people who had seen a Russian film in New Zealand "on the fingers of your clenched fist." That day may come again with the present policy of the Kerridge and Amalgamated monopoly and the increasing vehemence of people like Bob Semple. Meanwhile the war has enabled us to see a number of Russian films and two more had their New Zealand premiere in the last month.

"The General Line" produced by Eisenstein is undoubtedly one of the world's masterpieces. Made in the silent era and slow moving by Hollywood standards, it grips the audience throughout. It deals with the struggle to introduce tractors and modern science into a backward world of wooden ploughs and superstition. One sees many examples of Eistenstein originality in ideas, striking angle shots, and masterly editing. An example is the view of the crosscut saw as it cuts the peaasnt hut in half to divide among the two sons.

Stark realism is the order and the agony of the old peasant Russia is piled on until it almost hurts. And who but Eisenstein would have conceived the marriage of the stud bull and such scenes as the praying for rain?

The N.Z. Film Society is to be congratulated for giving New Zealanders the opportunity of seeing this Old Master. Finally one should note the excellent musical background chosen by George Eiby.

Tanya

The second film is not of the same quality. It is a talkie and the obvious influence of Hollywood in the catchy musical theme, the "star" system, and other features has not improved it. There is also a serious social criticism, for Tanya, the peasant girl who becomes a factory shosk-worker, works so hard and becomes a Stakhanovite merely for personal aggrandisement and not to aid her fellow citizens and build up the country's production. Nevertheless, the story is no fairy story but a true picture of a generate ion of Russian people—of a peasant girl for whom the Five-year Plan brought education, the ability to handle complex modern machinery, the opportunity to obtain high technical education, and finally election to the Soviet Parliament. It is to be hoped that the blind hysteria of Red-baiting will not prevent us from seeing more Soviet films.