Page B
THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1961.
In the last article of his series, the China Mail's film critic sums up the results of the 8th Asian Film Festival
The
IN
Turkish
Tyburn...
By ROBIN
STAFFORD
Ankara,
the bustling main square Mustafa Celik, who shot his own daughter dead, growled at the
executioner:-
Don't think I am going 19 =
THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS
SUALLY I give much earlier in the
Asian Film Festival - an analysis of the winning pictures and my reasons for their success. By so doing, I would not suggest for one moment that everyone thinks along the same lines as myself, but by just mentioning the salient features, readers can more or less make up their own minds.
As a hasty recapitulation, I want to state that the ballot was secret and that the Jury suggested that I should act as their Chairman of the tellers.
It was a very nice gesture on their part, although it added considerably to an already heavy task, more so in that with the increasing standard of competition this year, it meant that I should be responsible for seeing that everything was carried out with a strict regard for accuracy.
On that account, it was necessary for me to remind In these stills
those who were fresh to the task that the Jury of the
Asian Film Festival immediately cease to be representa-
tives of their various constituencies in Asia, and that they from
were an Asian Jury. In short, it was not their job to see that the country from which they came received a prize--
'Les
hat that the best films entered were selected for their Belles' Lin
highest votes.
GLUM PROCESS
It is, I admit, a glum process to sit in the accounting room and to find that the films entered by one's own coun- try do not make the grade. But the only way to raise the standard of films in Asia is to reward on merit-not on sentiment.
Dai shows
the contrast-
ing roles that
I have spoken of the real disappointment of Korea not receiving even one award for the most gallant attempt the Festival has known from that country. They came out won her the
with a CinemaScope and Eastman Colour period costume film, based upon a folk story.
I have spoken of the Philippine films, and the need title: for strength in both story and construction. If they are going to score, they must break loose from the shackles they have fastened upon themselves.
Their islands are full of fine stories. Their heroes
et a dirty gipsy like you hang But new, as the trini drags 1414 Then he sipped the neoseon into its fifth month with round his own neek, and before death penalties being demanded crowd of 10,000 in Izmir, right and left, there have been Turkey, kicked away the chair outbreaks by supporters of on which he stood,
Menderes which have given Gurgel and his inen a nosly jult.and heroines are many. Their stories are full-blooded, There was one after 72- often tragic (they could not be otherwise) yet, as subject year-old former Menderes Min-matter, splendid with the added advantage of being topical. ister dropped dend of heart
turn
At Sivos, in Central Anatolia, peasant girl Durdu Sarukiya, who killed her husband while he
first slept, became the woman to be executed in Turkey for 30 years.
محمد
failure before the stunned court.
surrounded
ta However,
to the
At his funeral a crowd of 1.500 awards and the successful com- petitors. When it became known the and grabbed In Istanbul's Ahmed Square, coffin.
i was modrug to write something milltory stoned the
on these lines. it was thought beside the tourist
- haunted governor's ear, and yelled: "Take Sophia
Ali back your
that it might be advantageous 1 museum,
freedom-we don't
I said something about not only Unver, who axed two inen and want it," burned
the winning Alms, but the kind their petrol soaked.
of competition they were up bodies swung from the gibbet
against.
Santa
for five hours in the uniform of the condemned,
white
In 10 other main squares in 10 other main Turkish cities 10 criminals died whlie thousands of people watched.
RASH
This sudden rash of Tyburn- style Executions took place at the behest of the new National Unity Committee which seized power last May after the 10-year rule by demceratieally elected Adnan Menderes.
Menderes and his Government pre now standing trial for their
The
miltre
other
veenses
VOTED
The fact is that 4,500,000 Turks voted for Menderes, and
w
Cursel clos በገናን know whether he dare execute some- one with such backing.
Attempts to smear Menderes by bringing his glamorous mis- tresses into court have falled miserably.
To
millions of Turkish still the Deasants Menderes, is man who built 5,000 new mosques: the man whom Alloh saved in an air crash at Gatwick two years ago,
This meant that I had to de- at three mand a recount, and o'clock in the morning this was not a very popular suggestion, However, the machines refustil 10 vary from its Arst Agures, and Hongkong was a winner in a very close fteld,
'Best
Actress of 1961'
tival entries, they lack the quali tieg which earn marks.
Mr Ram Lee of Malaya
brightest hope
ot
}
FESTIVAL
IN MANILA
BY JOHN LUFF
That no man knew how his neighbour was voting.
merely his est and scrutinised. other disappointment. A giant system. This was killer in the lm world is no private opinion expressed after is less
welcome than in other I had pointed out the system
competi- the activities of friendly
used at the moment.
which
the In aim he wrote. tion. moment, produced, and directed, besides scoring the music, showed spine original touches broke tree of the hide-bound Tradition. Nevertheless, had he cut out some thirty minutes of ilm and sent in a copy edited to Festival length, he would have
Indonesia
WILK
below the
Now for the Dramatlo Film To do this with any clarity, Section. I have said that Japan I should have to use certain entered very strong films this matter for reference, and while year, and I have permission to scored. not giving away anything that say that they were strong in the happened in the secret sessions, following велче. Japan came standard they set last year, un- give some indication of how lup with "Nocturne of final results were achieved. Woman" with 8.3 marks,
But This has taken a day or two, even had that film falled, they thus this article coming along would have taken the Festival at the tail of the series.
with "Lalc Autuma" carned 8.1 marks.
LUCK?
First of all, the Non-Dramatie
which
Shaw Bros came along with "Les Belles" with 7.92, and then Korea with "Song Chun Hyung" with 7.9.
The peasants just do not understand the charges against winner, "This Is Hongkong.” But with "Nocturne" out of Menderes of violating the Con- Now, people who think there is the way. Hongkong scored stitution-charges which carry something in the luck of the heavily with the subsection
be interested to marks. Teachers draw might
Beat actress showed know that "This Is Hongkong" Lin Dai well in from! with 8.7 was screened during the first marks against Setsuko Hara three hours of the Jury Elm 8.3. I know they are only session, The fact that it pre- decimat fractions, but in this ceded many Ane documentaries test Festival, 5 is a compara-
National Unity Com the death penalty.
them, among sent into the villages to explain things, of returning what a bad lot Menderes Turkey to the Middle Ages! have been manhandled.
trn lines,
The committee's 1 eh el e r, General Cemal Gurrel, says he is going to change all that and Instal a
democratic regime on Wes
How do the public executions fi into that pleture?
Blandly, the committee says that the executions had been outstanding for some time
I just decided
REFUSED
A revealing
was
shows that it was
strong tively huge margin. enough to maintain the marks the Jurors originally bestowed
came incident recently when Garsel, still limp-upon it.
after a paralytic stroke, refused to tell 60 Türkish
and men
to clear them
up. And "executions are always public here."
or
ለ) for
ing badly and speaking slowly The maximum number DI newspaper-marks a film can obtain is ten. whether free elections "This Is Hongkong" oblained 8.1 would be hield in July
and was hotly pursued by the Japanese fim," "Life October.
of the blain- Jocularis he asked: "Who bere Hunting Wasp," which
ed 8.1 for photography and 7 thinks I ought to In all this, Gurel's biggest President?"
for planning. trouble is the trial of Menderes
There was an awkward silence and 500 leaders of the ald
as only six bands were raised. regime.
Hanging comman criminals If Menderes and his top men, in publle is simple. Dealing with had been shot in the heat of the men of the nation-wide fame of coup Turks would have been Menderes is not so easy. shocked but resigned.
---(London Express Service),
FOUR RARE VAN GOGH
LETTERS FOR SALE
FOUR
NOUR letters by the great Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh oro among a collection of autograph letters and documents to be sold at Sotheby's on April 10,
They were all written charinąt
the first half of 1885 ant are
EXCITING
SUGGESTION
of is
And that every film which And we
those scored, score on the individual gone along
performance. unes, the Dalel Motion Pletare erity ef Japan, und the Shochiku That while the Jury was view- Company of the same country, ing and the committee telling, plus Shaws of Hongkong, no one of any film Company
was allowed near the Jury. would have taken every award.
That the methods and proce- in the Festival, among them.
dure were absolutely fair.
Jeff Chandler, who is making alm in Manila, suggested that the Alm which earns the major subsidiary awards should the film of the year, That Is, Instead of the highest scoring recorded on Artistic merit, the present and that the voics were couni-
All that remains to be said be, I can personally vouch that the awards were inade on the votes of the Jury,
SALISBURY-WILL
BE
PROVED
RIGHT
ONCE
NE of the most diverting of the Prime Minis-
ONE
ter's stories relates to an incident in the Cabinet in the early 1920s.
A decision had to be made Why did
the Jurors reckon us to who the next Attorney- Lin Dal so well in, front,
some
LAF
Lord Salisbury's words In the House of Lords?
Startling
THE END
(All Rights Reserved)
HE
AGAIN?
By LORD LAMBTON, M.P.
For
or
They
OWNL
1 wondered about this, for I Yet Lord Salisbury was suce uneasiness must have persuaded 1 General was to be. There a have often noticed that people cessful to such a degree that him to stay in politics. think it was because of the con- peared to be a dearth of ideas,
were the standards of who talk about "class" and are Lord Pakenham found that such where trasting roles she played in the when Lord Curzon,
Where always looking for social insults, were his honesty and simplicily honour he believed in? one ilim. As a modern pert most Augustan manner, de
Labour Peers was the theme of foreign have often themselves a feeling that
even the young lady, she was good-even clared "I am told that the man of inferiority on the subject.
Where was found it difficult to oppose him, colonial polley? want is exciting and excellently poised, that we
fellow by
Then came the Conservative there ever a sign that anything How otherwise can one ex Government of Sir But Lin Dai switching to a the name of But this is how the marking
to was believed. in Winston Pigg
except ex- works. The Best mark given beautifully interpolation of Nobody had heard of Mr pitch bls Interpretation of Churchill and Sir Anthony Eden, pediency? is for Artistle Merit. This is traditional Chinese theatre scent.
but Pige, af length a solicitor.
in both Hongkong"
of which he "loyally But still he stayed quiet. was in front, and was what tipped the scales. One of this name was unearthed being selected the finest Non- could hear the vory tension in in
served without ambition.
Then Mr Macmillan and Mr for-flung provincial
Thus, when Sir Anthony's Macleod went too far. Dramaile Film of the Year, it the viewing room as the screen town,
and to his
utter
health failed, it seemed unly followed a policy In Africa forfelted prizes in other Sec- Alckered to the Great Wall astonishment was brought to
natural that the Queen should which must stultify its tions. Actually, "This Is Hong, secne, I think it was the con- London with the news that he
turn to him for advice as to who ends, because it could only have kung" was top in both planning trasiing roles she adopted which was to be considered for the It was also starting that he should ba the next Prime become a reality by forcing and artistic sections of the Non- gave her the opportunity of re- poultion of Attorney-General, should suddenly present Lord Minister.
white minorities to do what they Dramatic section, and equal vealing so many facets of her When he arrived those who Salisbury as Mr. Hyde who with Japan in photography. But histrionie ability that gave her saw him
The advice he has always were not willing to do, and were surprised as hits below the belt, in taking the highest award, It
been credited with giving was could only ultimately be en- so generous a lend.
well. At the next meeting of left the other two sections open
Was he justified? Has Lord the advice I would have given forced by our soldiers attack- The truth of the matter is the Cabinet Lord Curzon to competition.
Was Salisbury changed or is it one Mr Harold Macmillan for Mr Ing the white settlers. that Japan, with "Nocturne of asked if this was the man that hardly dares whisper-the Gov- Butler's piten by then had been
But it was not only the polley, a Woman" ant Hongkong with 4 bo. really wished to recom- ernment who has changed, while too cleverly queered for him to
was the method that must "Les Belles," toolt everything
Lord Salisbury continues to up have succeeded without splitting It is no use adding to the
have been so offensive, to him, between them.
hold honour as he did at Munich
the Conservative Party. over 20 years ago.
bitter words that have... been already said. Results speak for There is hardly a white man in Central Africa now who does not think that hardly a he has been deceived, there is black politician who feel that promises
TOO LONG
Kim Sung Hó of Karea took
devoted to the technical aspect Van Gogh such no Im long and lost to Hungkong in "Reunion"
of drawing and painting.
And because the artist's correspondence was preserved In Jally archives they are extremely rate.
IMPOSSIBLE
muny
mend.
A mistake
To judge, let us look at the political carcer of Lord Solls- As a young man he had no
Io had to admit that he had bury. made a mistake at the man
it
His honour themselves,
he had ment was called Hogg, particular Interest in politics, Elder Statesman of the Conser
He then slood supreme at the
Difficult
In point of fact, just behind the Bost Actor award, the Hongkong came Japan with a second time in two years, and fine flm on deep-sea fishing. China took best supporting - The aim was detailed, a trifle tress with Chen Yen Yon scoring
on that lost point, I imagine. for name posable
So at the moment, the Film and so Sir Douglas Hogg be- Indeed, he had only beon an The documentary has no time to Festival In Asia has resolved came Attorney-General, and on Under-Secretary for two years vative Party who had irver does not foreigners to pronounce... whereas the whole world can documentary sometimes seems and Shaw Bros of Hongkong.
linger on the way, The Japanese Into n tussle between Japan 1 elevation to the peerage when rather than accept Mr put his career before his coun- made to him have been broken. And that's all that Lord Salis- prenince the
rame Vincent to fear the point is not made,
sensibly
adopted the name of Chamberlain's policy ho, along try. This state of affairs must Inlleham
with Sir Anthony Eden, re- But soon Mr Macmillan and buty cald. correctly."
What's wrong with and goes over it again. A fatal not continue if the Festival is
Lord Snilstury sepotaled, es that? Finally, a poignant postscript mistake. Even so, the Japanese going to have
I wondered the other day signed,
Wed inevitable when Lord Salls-
that In the complaint simply 10 explniu why
lasting results, whether this stort, which was never flm came in with 7.8 marks, and the other
represents nations
bury thinico as he does, and Mr he must rigned his last painting: "They 3 only behind Hongkong.
an honourable 4 source of endfos amusement make more of an effort..
Macmillan thinks as he does, will recognise
point of view, and that an hon- my work later
in the 20's, had given the prese
ourable point of view in this on, and write about me when Yo places 2, 3, 4, and 5 were. In this connection, Malayan ent Lora Hellsham something
Since then he has reindined situation is Inconvenient?. I'm dead and gone. I shall take occupied by Japan all scoring films must
the social chip on
He break away from of
was proved right, and
alone--crittoal; but almost
After all if he's wrong the cure of that, if I can keep alive in the 7+ rating, but the fifth their traditonal formulas. I shoulder.
enme back to serve in the war
aloof from averyday politics, for some little time."
place
shared with the know the villagern
Government can prove it. demand. a In his attack en Lord Salls- under Sir Winston Churchill, jitis
But what if hou right? Also included in the sale of Malayan
Unit
which minimum of two hours for their bury the other day he talked and then when the war WOS
The temptation for him to well then, the country will nearly 200 historie manuscripts totalled 7.8 marks with a film filnis, but two hours which arnos ubout
Rentlemen do" over, took over the Tory leader- reldre, must have been tremen- is the inventory of the pictures
a rural people into paroxysms of and what: they can and cannot chip in the House of Lords. dous; he owns two of the most we him a debt of gratitude, mirth bores a Jury to blazen. do, and how Lord Salisbury, n His was a difficult position. It beautiful houses in England, and the Tory Party will have The songs which go on and on rich man, had cast aspersions was one of those great periods Ills fame was hardly impairai. to look calmly and without In another he explains his houe at the time of his death in 1040. It was sent to King
have very littio meril save to upon. Mr Macleod, a poor man, or transilion When one Party Mr Meoriflian : would. hava bian at the position of ite Use of
Brst name on Charles I before the auction.
amuse the folk after a wenty | on the manner in which he overthrows, all that akolar welcome its quiescence with leaders. signature on his correspondents; -london Kapress Buroice),
day in the feide. But as Fesc) éurned his flying,
~[Lohdon Expræé Etivice).
Written_clearly in Dutch, one says. "I pro sorry that I umi dependent to ach an extent on my models heret ennnot get away easily-in winter I can get people to pose that I can not or only with difully get when they have work outside in the fields.”
غلط
and works of art in Hubens'a
of the Batu Caves.
So toithout my continuing any her, you will see that r decimal fractions of one mark Alima romped home with
between them,
Party' had- beloved ini
open anhu, And yet a certain