'Page 4
Roundabout Madrid With John Culmer
THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1955.
You Mustn't Hurry In A Spanish Shop
T
The
10. go shopping in Spain, Both men and women are 15-yard wall of plate glass, half
is to appreciate service unashamed-and quite expert of it doors that swing.
circular room opening with a smile. The jacters, and in trams and buses foyer,
they have disconcerting habit to an inner courtyard paved Spaniard behind the counter of pushing their way to the exits with meticulously tended grass realises that he is there to long before they reach their and bathed in indirect lighting, servc you and does it destination, and just standing sports a vast, splashing foun- preventing tala. The ground floor is virtual- willingly because, giving there, successfully
with you the benefit of the doubt, any other pesenger getting cut ly a self-contained city.
without going through an bookshops, shops for fancy he thinks of you not merely elaborate process of nudging goods. hairdressers, travel pummelling and agencies, a bank, a florist's, a a customer but a rib-digging
B.S
milliner's. *tenballero," or gentleman, shoving
Also I remembered that a
SU
and because he is a "cabal- Spaniard may accidentally tread lero" too. He accepts you as on your foot or bump into you a gentleman and expects but never apologise
you to treat him as one,
In Spain any honest oc- cupation is respectable, how-
Perhaps Dolores is right after all.
Prices, of course, are geared to the tastes of the wealthy, free-spending class of Ameri- cans without whem the botel couldn't exist. A drink in the bar can cost you as much as 15 shillings, which is after all.. night-club starcard, and I heard the other day of an American woman who Was number, charged five shillings for a cap of cffee. The normal price in a of attractive young scr.-
Madrid cafe is between six- in Madrid who waiter, a bootblack, a post critas here man, or a porter.
are about to marry English-Pence and a shilling!
ever humble it may be. Their AppealTM* Spaniards respect every
kind of customer
he is a cafe or
whether
restaurant JUDGING by the
men
there
must be some-
Not that you can expect t be served quickly in a Spanish thing about a British husband shop. No one is in a hurry and which makes
a special appeal you mustn't be in one It is to the Spanish temperament, think, the verige Spaniard's Most Spanish
girls have a "novio," which could bo but 1
love of dignified ceremonial that makes him turn the simplest translated "sweetheart," operation into an **occasion,' hedged about with a great deal
"novio format" means a fiance
of quite incidental, and some times quite irrelevant, conversa
tion.
already safely hooked, although economic the actual marriage (largely o
may be delayed for as much as six years. Perhaps it's because fow 20th century
Englishmen would dream
of being engaged for six
idea of a British husband! years that Spanish girls like the At the present moment half- Trindly debate on the superior a-dozen marriages between
• Good Excuse THE buying of a bottle of wine
is sufficient excuse to start a
Why, I remember Tony as an up-and-coming Deputy Prime Minister when I was a Young Conservative,”
fLondon Express Service)
THIS OSCAR FARCE
The story
TOP Hollywood producer, Sam Spiegel, talked in London the other night about the Hollywood Oscar
virtues of wine as compared to Englishmen and Spanish girls Business.
spirits and beer. If you are a are pending, although,
because If you know the foreigner, and
Catholic Church forbids. enough Spanish, shopping for a marriages in Lent they will typewriter ribbon may
quile not take place until after Easter casily develop into a lengthy Sunday, which this, year is on discussion of the relative merits April 10. of the imported and the domestic artiels.
Always Full
When the other day I asked (for the sake of this article), a T LUNCHED the other day in charming Madrid girl whether one of Europe's newest, most theconsidered her country luxurious and most expensive people polite, she shocked me hotels. by insisting
that the average Spaniard's manners
red on a fashionable When
"árcadful"
Wow
The Castellana Hilton, built
corner
Ok
"The campaign to capture votes for the film Academy Awards is at its hottest this week. Today
the votes
are
collected and counted, and then on March 30 - the results are out.
Sam Spiegel-he
12
behind the star award
......
the same company and that Jones') Dandridge; Audrey splits the vote.
Hepburn; Grace Kelly (suspended by her studio); "Another reason: Brando and Jane Wyman,
Mias
is a boy who shoots his mouth off about Hollywood.. Miss Kelly and He is a non-conformist in Hepburn are in films from the Hollywood game. My ex- the same studio-so the vote perience is that non-con- is split. Derothy Dandridge formists like that do not win and Jane Wyman are run- Oscars.
ning level. But Judy Garland produced African Producer SAM SPIEGEL "Same with James Mason sentiment again. Hollywood
is way ahead of them Queen" - has
nominations talks to DAVID LEWIN formist. So I think he's ful come-back story.
He is another Oscar
non-con- always falls for the success- for his latest film, "On the Waterfront," which the race is between Hum Cut too-despite his fine"
There are other things" I countered Madrid's broad. beautiful, stars Marlon Brando. Twelve phrey Bogart for. "Caine acting. That leaves Crosby by recalling the way in which ultra-fashionable Pasco
Academy. nominations are more than Mutiny": Marlon Brando and Dan O'Herlihy, Robin which nudge at
son Crusoe' with O'Herlihy members minds when they every well-brought-up Spaniard Castellana, is a
Bing stone's throw for any other film in the for..."Waterfront"; kisses a woman's hand when he's from the American Embassy running this year.
Crosby for "Country Girl it can't muster the support Was the film made in is an independent picture, so
are deciding how to vote. introduces to her my companion Which makes it not surprising laughed. "You English! You - that the hotel was built by an
James Mason for "Star is Spiegel has been asked Born"; and Dan O'Herlihy, mand. Studio loyalty plays often asked. Says Spiegel: that a big studio can com Hollywood?" is a question English! That doesn't mean Americar-rich, ambillous, rest-
con- less hotel magriate Conrad to fly back to Hollywood to an Irish actor, for "Robin- A pretty convention, Hilton-and caters mainly
a big part in voting. for help the campaign for votes son Crusoe.”
"Pictures made away from perhaps, but quite meaningless. Americor visitors. And the
Hollywood often have best on those nominations. Besides, it is only married women hotel is always full. Its
customers who get their hand kissed!',
American film has refused.
The vote strike against them." That Delores set me thinking, and stars, directors, and
might explain why so few investigating
called and before I'd in Madrid to shoot a roducerg
British films get a look in.. couldn't help The Bay and the Bull" based
that leaves Crosby a supposedly real incident in
and there's
When the results come Spanish bullring.
get very far t agreeing with her.
" on a
I recalled how I'd noticed that, a
are
in a bus or a tram, in the metro There's no shortage
de la
ΤΟΣ
He
Says Spiegel: "First of all
a Hollywood trade paper, at- He says: "I'm working on tacked Brando because he is Ja new picture in London.
out of
Hollywood and he " I believe Waterfront should..
think he'd said he didn't
of film speak for itself on its own
ton of
SAM SPIEGEL. Absent friend
2
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE
JEDY GARLAND
or in a queue, the average atmosphere" at the Castellana merits. I'm seeing the Oscar be back in time for the big sentiment on his side. Old out at the big party in Groaner stuff and all that. Hollywood on March 30, then Spaniard gives the impression Hilton. In fact, there's no short-campaign from a distance ceremony on March 30. The Besides, Crosby always does comes the big pay off. For that he is quite unconscious of age of anything The the existence of anyone but decorail is like a ducal wed-for the first time, and I don't paper suggested that stars the right thing by Holly- Oscars mean money,
who did not take part in wood. He conforms. And ding cake, and the entrance is a like much of what I see.
Hollywood festivities should just to clinch the deal his not count for Oscars.
himself.
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studio has launched a terri- fie, publicity campaign for him and the picture."..
The cash
BOUT the money Spiegel said: "If my picture 'Of
"I won't take part in this lobbying or help to organise
"I phoned from London to pressure groups which have become part of the Oscar Marlon in America and business. And neither the urged him to go on the big Now the stars take a star nor the director of the night.. That's the sort of hand. On their own behalf the Waterfront were to win" film is in Hollywood for the thing you have to do they hire special publicity the Best Picture award it campaign."
although I think Oscars men (pay $1,000 for six would go out again to the should be given for perfor- weeks werk) to press their cinemas and mean an extra mance NOT party-going. Or chims.
on box- cocktail 900,000 dollars Special party-giving."
parties are given, Whisper office, take. Does Brando stand much ing campaigns are started.
With all this it,"
The groups
:
doubt #I
"When Bogart, won his back Oscar in ‘African Queen' the
BING CROSBY
In "The Country Gul”
AUDREY HEPBURN
JANE WYMAN
So how is this Oscar busi- chance?
ness run? First, all the says Spiegel, "although that ground, now take a look film was released again and cinemas was close to another people connected with the has nothing to do with the at the list of stars con- took another 500,000 dollars. million dollars." making of pictures in Holly- excellence of his acting. You testing the Best Actress And when From Here to And those cash figures, of wood from the stars to the see, both Brando's film and title. In the running: Judy Eternity collected its award couse, explain the whole of carpenters vote for their Bogart's were released by Garland; Dorothy ("Carmen the cash result at the This Oscar Business. choice in the various, groups are the Best Picture; the Best Actor; the Best Actress, and right down the list to the Best One-Reel Short.
There are five nominations
in each group. Then on March 1 the "election cam- paign" really gets going.
ALL ABOARD
BY ROCKET TO THE
Glasgow.
SCAR Schwiglhofer is
Scotland.
་
FOR Mr
Mr
S's
S's TRIPS MOON
By BILL HYNDMAN
that, would give world-wide TV coverage,
A
We stepped out into the high
There are parties and pub-the name a most re- the interplanetary Society in first rocket to leave for the The moon was high and shining licity campaigns to help markable one. But then Mr "persuade" the 1,700 mem-Schwighofer is a most re-,
moon.”
like a newly-minted sliver colig the dimly-lit office he ·A elose acquaintance of, Pro-, The strange Kitle man. (who cận bers of the Film Academy
rents in Deeces Street, Airdrie, fessor Hermann Obert, whose speak five Inguages, thes how they should cast their markable' fellow.
he spends most of his evenings calculations first established the published many works, studies vote for the winner in every You would not be unduly surrounded with pamphlets,, possibility of escaping the pull physics at Glasgow University group..
impressed if you met him books and all kinds of literature of the earth, he claims that the in his spare time, and is to during the day, seated at his on the latest developments in moon is now within striking lecture at an Austrian univer
distance, office desk and tackling the fight to conquer space,
Mr S. warned that in another nothing more creative or He lives in a world of "escape exciting than the production velocities," cosmic radia 100 years the world's known tion" and Fayper-sensitive sources of power uranium, coal, of bicycle lamps.
od-would be exhausted. satellites" and he will talk for
"We must conquer space if
"And if
The race
SPIEGEL
**
of fellow
around teddy
But at night a new personality hours on end upon these sub bear of a man, talked fast about that election cam emerges Schwigihote the lineets to any group paign "It detracts from the guist, the author, the student scientists or even a casual in
the expert on space travel, and quirer, dignity of the Academy" 51 it entails, including rocket he says. The voting is propulsion, space ships, trips to secret and cannot be the moon.
Deadly Serious
d
could
his
sity this summer),cocked head on one side, glanced up.. wards and muttered
"Yes, we will be travelling there some day
New Aspect
the world is to survive that orisis he exclaimed. we had the money we build the machinest could And as he turned to go on his. take us to the mo Only way his shadow fell across a drawback so far," he added poster played in his office. sadly, is that we don't know window, revealing yet another
bow man will stand up to the aspect of his odd lite, a 99
rigged, No one knows the A 22-year-old Transylvaniary results before March 30te is a perky, friendly little man who look on us as cranks, but it. But then he brightened up as that Mr S. was, in addition to "He admits=*=**There are people cosmic rays we will encounter Bold clear print proclaimed but you can often tell the with a gap-toothed smile and a is a deadly serious science. You he spoke of the many other being an advocate of space way things are going by the neat moustache. He came to may think i am a fanatic, when results of fourneying into the travel, anauthorised booking
ted Scotlari, seven years ago after I say I am prepared to give my unknown of mirrors, and re- agent, for coachtours from campaign.
wartime experiences in Rumania fe for science. But even if factors suspended in space, of Scotland across the border to and Hungary which he is re- there were only a 20 percent overhead floating television that other portion of the ter See how it works in the luctant to discuss. Now he is chance of survival, I would relay stations that he said would, resttal United Kingdom lying Best Actor class. This year one of the leading members of gladly volunteer to go on the be a reality in a few years and immediately to the south
WHO is this man Bulganin?
HANDSOME. well-
A groomed man with a
gingerbeard his trim - little wife by his side, called at London County Hall and asked to see Mr Herbert Morrison..
The visiters" were M nounced as Mr and Mrs Nikolai Bulganini, the mayor and mayoress of Moscow,
That Lutumn day, in easy- going · 1938, Britain had her Arst glimpse of the man who was destined to fit through the Russien › limelight in the strange " and very un-British role of a political general and become Soviet Prime Minister.
PRIVATE EYES
FIRST, the debonair mayor of
Moscow became one Stalin's private eyes; and re- ported to his master oathe minds and thoughts of the Red Apmy generals.
Stalin ruled the army through Bulgazin. And when the old master dled and a new master, Malenkov, took over in 1933, Nikolal moved up and became
No. 4 on the badder of power. But jet US look back to the start of this strange career which began in the dusty town st Gorky 60 years ago.
Nikolai fol- lowed his father
to
3 clerk's stool in
Chant's office. 'But this
was
dull work for a willing fad. The
secret police? Not here was something needing brains plus ruthlessness, and the young Bulgarin had. both.
He waded in
against the enemies of Stalin and did it so wholeheartedly that his chief is said to have presented him with " a pistol, suitably inscribed.
Nikolai had tasted power.
Now for Moscow,
Stalin ordered the city to grow up quickly. First t needed were new electric power plants. Nikolai started work in
biggest;
made its director, became bass of the Moscow rebuilding plan and chairman of the State bank
Was
To get new ideas for his growing city he came to London rode in the Underground, cruised down Piccadilly in a buis, discussed traffic control with Scotland Yard, saw the Aremen, and called on
Mr Marrison
After 10 days, Nikolai sald farewell to freedom and went on climbing to power-head of the metallurgical and chemical industries; president
the Russion Federated
Republic, which is one of the many" that make up the Soviet Union.
ok
UP THE LADDER
AME the war.
CAM
The red-
haired boy rocketed up the Kremlin ladder. And then he was switched from civilian to military power. Stalin made him a member of the council which controlled operations on- the Western-dfront. Nikolai was among the generals now.
Stalin, in his study, knew all that went chin army head- quarters. Bulganin saw to that. The private eye was made a Lieutenant-general After that promotion was switcrmy general; ; then · mémber of the Supreme Defence Council, on which he displaced old soldier Marshal Vornshilov.“
After the war he was dropped for a tire as War Minister, but stayed as Deputy Prendier still in Stalin's confidence.
But with Stalin aging and weakening,
Bulganin
fived cautiously. He tried ro/dramatic coupe. Then," when Malerkov book oyer as Premier two years, agy, Bulganin found favour-with this new master and went back. to the Ministry of Armed Forces, Now he is The Mer at the Top. John Atkinson
POCKET CARTOON by OSBERT LANCASTER
But darling, what's the point of your picking me up here when "Mummy's given up Martinis, for.
#1