◆ SpookStack

DIRECTOR, FBI July 17, 1952. leanings. The informant advised that has indicated that BRECHT was the thirteenth smong the top Hollywood Communists investigated the House Unamerican Activities Committee. has further ° stated that while the play has no open Communist features it does tend to be strongly socialistic and for this reason the film has never been produced comzercially either as a stage play or as a movie in thie country, although it is considered by the drama critics to be an outstanding work of art. The film in question is the only known production of this work and was made in Germany sotetime in 1949 and 1933. The informant advised that has expressed - some doubt as to the validity to 6 statements since originally stated in a long distance call fron Chicago to that Warner Brothers was involved in sone litigation and could prove their point only by ence con— t d_in this particular copy of this fil: reported that subsequently when personally interviewed him in Urbana concerning the fiim no mention was ee of a litigation referred to in the telephone conversation. > a reportedly told @gPthat the special character- istics in this particular copy of the film were extra words ®dubbed in® to th und tract, which taken separately mean nothing but when considered as a group comprise some sort cf secret message. @MMMENB inferred that this film had been — uged in some sort of international espionage situation many years ago. He did not specify what the exact words were or how Warner Brothers became aware of the changes, but stated that because of these changes 1t was company policy to "*never*® loan that film out. The informant who is generally familiar with subversive and - Gisloyal activities among student and faculty personnel at the University of Tilin vised that he knows of no such activity by of the Speech Departasent. The informant stated that the circumstances surrounding the showing of baie film were that because of the art val . the fi was desirous of securing a co .. th§@ fllm for the festival of contemporary arts in 1 helG at the University, but inasmuch as she vas unable * seoure the copy in time for the festival a separate showin of this fils was arranged under the auspiceses of the Speech Departaent at the University. -2- 2