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- refused to fight i. As part ef his defeniiem he . is pot a very realistic depiction of the way people like Cpasie arg” olan yerman s. ine e Anti-Fascist Fil By David Plott Te appeasement policy which almost brought about the wreckage of western civilization is given a good golng-over in the movie of Lilian Hellman's The Searching Wind (at the Paramount), Despite an . Lor al a Te — ‘who vontribuied to the rise ef fascism In Europe Ne between 1821 and 1941, . it puts the Anger on Alex Hasen (Robert Young), a State Department efficial who believed that world war could be staved off by giving the fascists a free hand. Slaps his wealthy secialite wife (Ann Rich- | ams), whese best friends were followers of Benite and AGell, Takes te task her father (Dudley Digges), # tired and disillusioned Wilsonian liberal whe recog- bed the mensirous evil that had sprang up bet numerous political and dramatic shortcomings, the film provokes ere, Boe thought and will hold your attention. ee With Rome, Berlin and Madrid as the backgrounds, ‘The Bearching! —~ oy Wind trains a spotlight on a group of Americans "—- . : , seld his powerful newspaper te a reactionary. - * Opposing this trio of “neutrals” and appeasers are Cassie (Sylvia! Gidney}, anti-fascisi newspaper writer and friend of the family who broke off with them when she saw the direction they were and young Sam Hazen, son of statesman Hasen, who lost « leg if the very war which his clever father thought he was averting by ap the fascisis. . THRILLING SPEECH—BUT & final, moving scene, Sam Hasen demands that those who run the Hation do something pow bd make sure that it will not happen ‘ ? speech thrills but ft fails to quiet the fear that Alex Rasen, \ . the great diplomat, wil] keep on making the same tragic errars over and over again. Even after a war which has wiped cut millions of Young men Hke Bam, the ambassador ie still busy writing articles i { of ah spptasement character, The truth is that Sam's slirring speech and Caasie’s antl-fasciem - ; / are Bot stremg enough te everceme the lack ef sharpness in Robert ; Yeung’s portrayal ef the ambassador. The film is much teo kind te ‘ - this symbal of America’s eneericoting shread, Whhhelds the real ; 4 4 motive underlying Hasen’s political decisions — ; . t One wonders why Mise Hellman did not state frankly in her : ‘ ‘ picture that behind Alex Hasen's “neutrality” and appeasement was , + fear of the Soviet Union, fear of the working classes, — . ' f . This failure to mention the Soviet Union as the only great power # - calling for collecive action against the fascists Weakena the fiilm‘s i indictment of those Americans in responsible posts who betrayed our rf national interests by refusing to collaborate with Russia to stop Hitler. It limits the value of the picture at a time when men like Alex Plasen are sti] at work preparing the ground for another blood bath. | [foro = 29260 LA | The political flaws in The Searching Wind are carried ove! into “ the love story. Cassie's persistent love for the ambassador Whose: Row RECORDED ‘ 7 ideas she despises nerves to throw doubt upon her anti-fasciam. ‘The: »demestic struggle between Alex Hasen, the appease, and his Cliveden ' . 89 f- G- xe 4 Bet wife Ukewise tends to take the edges off Hasen’s guilt. The result ee Alex Hasen acénally behaved_during those critica! years. 4 | ™ Seasthing Wind pulls punches but i} manages to mary | impor things nevertheless. With all its faults, it is byffar the - fines llywood film on a contemporary theme that we hive seen (his is a glovin from 5 in afany.months._— Se at . en | age f eas £ of . THE WOR - Date Clipped at the sest of Government 63SEP 104946