1953-04-13 — Page 4

THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, APRIL · 13, · 1958,

YE SCARRED CITY

MILLION-POUND BUILDINGS ARE ON THE WAY. LONDON DID BETTER AFTER THE GREAT FIRE

this site at 12.15 On the skyline are the dis- on the 25th fant shapes of still-standing August, 1940," office buildings. All around in the foreground stretches a no- man's land of flattened masonry

notice, "fell the on the City of

elve and a half the event, you ect that notice to

e in the walls of

ow City building, would be wrong.

and bull-dozed brick. And out of the fatness rise the spires of the damaged and towers Wren churches, Uke stone fingers in benediction over the ruin,

The area was the traditional site of textile offices and ware- They were old and houses. closely packed. They vanished

commemorating in the fire-ralds. Many of their first bomb is occupants have removed their Fa post still sunk businesses elsewhere.

the very first

around it stretch bombed sites. The act, not only com- the first bomb, but toundings makes a Comment on

the

the City at the 1953.

quare mile" of the

te beginning of the

Notices

can be seen like: "Fore Street Warchouse Company-Removed to Bond Street," There are, however, no signs of the new

and offices

warehouses that would Бо ocoupled if they returned. Designs for the first new warehouse have been ready. for three years. Work on it will probably begin in May.

Merely Promise

NOR are there many signs of

Bees were built on commercial rebuilding.

6 and four of these cleared by bombs nly a small propor- has been built up the war.

ar Illusion

I

tour of the City to- see the evidence. You at the bombs did not

A

few buildings have been patched up. The rest is merely promise; signs advertising new

when circumstances permit."

offices

of Gresham On the corner Street and Aldermanbury is a large notlec showing the picture of a new office-block for the site, and inviting stands in a inquiries. But it heap of bricks in the middle of a car park.

part of the City. were virtually un- bus ride through the the

In the square mile" of the City, 104 acres were cleared by bombs and fire. Only a small proportion has been built up

since the war. This area sets the scene for other, smaller bomb- financial and Stock Scythed parts of the City. The

glant Millocrat House and the nine-storey Dunster House, are rising in Mincing Lane, A Low yards away near Limo Street an 80ft. crane is at work in the foundations of the vast new

Lloyd's building. And near here, the Arst City church to be rebuilt - St. Olave's—is having Ils old Cothic face applied in

new stone.

The rest of the new buildings are mostly in isolated spots of bomb damage. There are nine major office blocks, ranging in size from Abanile House Holborn Viaduct. Among the others are St, Swithin's House, Walbrook; Bankers' Clearing House in King William Street; Bank of England extensions on the corner of Lothbury; Bridgel House, Bridewell Place; Trinity House Buildings, and Lumley House in St. Mary Axe. There are also Tow smaller office buildings.

IN

Just A Gesture

addition, new buildings have risen in the Temple.". The new om:e3 of the Morning

· Advertiser are going up in St. Andrew Street. At Ludgate Circus a pile-driver is at work on the foundations of a new sub- station for the London Electricity Board.

All this new building has cost £11 million since the war. Now Mr David Eccles, Minister of Works, has preenised lleences for £10 million worth of new omces in Central Leadon. Most of them will go to the City.

The amount of new lleoners Icoks Impressive. But it is no nore than a gesture-although a welcome one-towards mesting the City's need. It will less thon double the relatively small amount of reconstruction already done. It has been estimated that complete rebuilding of the City area, centred on the scene from Holborn across the This is in the extreme south- would cost £400 million.

the Tower of Threadneedle Street, remains of printing offices, al- east corner near

Compare this progress with most to Ludgate Circus. The London. Here the commodity e prewar illusion, scene to the west of St. Paul's markets suffered badly. Today what happened after the Great In 1868. Guildhall, the Anscathed, 100, were around Paternoster Square. the area is almost made whole Royal Exchange, the Custom newspapers of Fleet Here, the premises of the book again. It provides the one House, 44 Companies' Halls, southward to the trade disappeared in one night startling contrast so, the rest of 13,200 homes, and St. Paul's it

of fire. Near-by Amen Court

ourt the bomb sites.

self,

from 87 parish rich apart proves prophetically named: the

Yet book publishers are unlikely to Two large

buildings churches were destroyed," office

Bream within 10 years all but the places The only new building are complete.

rebuilt, and in sight is the temporary pre- House and

an addition to the worship were

Two under Wren's guidance the City fabricated headquarters of the vast Plantation House. British Electricity Authority. more are in the later stages of had risen again.

on the

area of devasta- north third of a mile geen Aldersgate and "It stretches like wedge-shaped scar whole breadth of the

to the Thames,

return.

Only

in one

bombed area

King's

construction,

To the sound of mechanical is the scene greatly different. holats and concrete mixers the

Printing of Distinction

ALEX, BOSS & CO CHINAI LTDA.

Oriental

P. G. LEVNO

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the

The Darts of Kim,

by

CATORY COMMODISTER DİRENLAUTORD

MONG ZONE R

Sayfa Sta

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SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. LTD.

Telephone 20002 and ask for Mr. Labrum

OVERSEAS, ENQUIRIES INVITED

1

Fire

•

John Waterman

HART

LICENSED REFRESHN

MOSED

SHES

It's always an Easter BRIDE we hear about, preparing for her wedding. Has everybody forgotten there is such a thing as an Easter BRIDEGROOM preparing for his?

SHE

London Express Bervice

WATCHED

THAT LION ROAR

T

roar

HE familiar lion with

the familiar would announce the 1.512th production of

By Milton Shulman

Metro - Goldwyn-Mayer. It could about the American was to be a film based on cinema industry. "Picture" Stephen Crane's famous (Gollancz, 16s) is the awe novel of the American Civil some result. War, "The Red Badge of Courage."

In the spring of 1950 Miss Lillian Ross decided to fol- low the history of this parti- cular film from

beginning

ROGER FULFORD writes of the golden age at Marlborough House

Now, Miss Ross took her self-imposed task most literally. Not only did she burrow diligently into such technical matters as

a

the

we're for," they said. But this lm, had no story, no romance, no stars and would be a box- office flop.

They were right.

THE CAST

arbit.

po. "You know, i really don't deserve

a swimming pool," he sald.

And now the villains: Louis B. Mayer.—One of the

Industry's ploneers. He hated

"The Red - everything about Badge of Courage". His power at M-G-M, as vice-president of the studio, can be judged by the fact that whereas Reln- hardt's office had a washbasin and no shower, Schary's' office had a shower but no bathtub. office hid a shower and a bathtub. might. somewhat shooting script, censorship, THE cast of Miss Ross's epic Mayer's to end to discover what she and finance, but she trailed rarily be divided into heroes

Mayer lived in a world of the film's leading person- and villains. On the side of the past successes and present ex- alities like

ubiquitous angels were:

clamation marks. He loathed shadow.

talked John Huston-At the age of the smart alecks who 43, when this film began, he about culture, Miss Ross's great talent as a was already known as writer is an uncanny ability to Hollywood's greatest directors.

Andy Hardy, praying on his remember exactly

what a per- He has since made "The African knees, was the stuff at Ameri-

The new son said,

men, ho and,

can Alms. even more Queen" and "Moulin Rouge.” formidable, exactly how it was

said, were against "goed, whole-

said..

He hates stars and loves some American motherhood." horses, Much of the appeal of They wanted to "throwTM the She hus also cultivated the The, Red Badge of Courage" little old lady down the stairs! crt of being inconspicuous. In

was the fact that he would be Kiek her! That is art, they say. her

presence everyone feels able to direct it on horse-backt. alone. Like the fourth wall in Early in the picture he gave He had seen "Showboat" 13

play she just listens.

and cried up this technique. "Too hard times,

And he wasn't ashamed. on the horse," he said.

When King Edward Gave A Party For The Jockey Club

our

Marlborough House was built for him by Wren, and the reason for his criticism was that it was not possible to give it a grand entrance.

summer,

Invariably

attended

33 NOSEBAGS

one of

Art!"

every time,

TOLERANT

[OT a proper place for

Although he Was carning Na great house," said from the end of the 1880s by Princess Victoria of Teck, as

£1,400 a week while on this the great Duke of Marl- Queen Mary was then officially

fim, he claimed he was always borough about the London known, gorden party was WITH

their defences down, broke. "All I want is one good held here on the house which has recently

day before

actors, producers, directors winner of

my own." he sald, THE SHAREHOLDERS. They Queen Mary's marriage which

met in New York at annual been uppermost in

and executives acted out before explaining where his was graced by her presence and

money meetings, and as long as there minds.

that of Queen Victoria.

her the most devastating charade

went. His suits cost £125 were total profits they were All the order and dignity and yet written of the inanilles, the each, and he had 50 pairs of tolerunt about "The Red Badge luxury" of life when England contradictions and the frustra shoes costing £20 euch.

of Courage," which they thought was wealthy seem epitomised by

tiens of that place called Holly-

of as a flop d'estime. Marlborough House, and presid-wood,

A the depth of the 112m's

not tco cheerful over it all ing This has always been

Even of King Edward -

the picture's budget of unpopularity with the M-G-M Nicholas Schenk, the shadowy the presence

dollars (£512,427) executives, Huston lost interest Czar of M-G-M, took its failure drawback to the house, and to delighting in good food, good 1,434,780 this day the approach is murky wines, cigar smoke, a wonder-

on a bizarre look when in its fate. He made no prolis philosophically. and covernous. Ruskin called ful host, sympathetic, easy and it is broken down into such about tht mauling of "The Red it "an abyss." When

items Ox 80,000 rounds of Badge of Courage" in order to led, his comin Each summer on Derby Day

ammunition, 1,500 box lunches, make it box-office worthy. in procession from he entertained the Jockey Club

Confederate 33 nosebags, ten Marlborough House to

dinner to West- to

Marlborough minster Abbey, travelling to House, his own racing trophies nags and six dummy horse car- Hyde Park Corner and then ranged along the sideboard. The cases. along Piccadilly and Whitehall. whole, establishment was con-

of Magh died the. Duke genial.

WOS

But the

at

the

takes

exit from Marl- ducted to make social life and Hollywood's parties, she tells

for the procession, and it in There

Neglected palace

was

the Spencer-Churchills a family every evening between ten and which was at that time fashion- dinnor.

able, extravagant and undis-

tinguished. At last tripped up

the

E

modern

Left his mark

No

THIS DEGAS

pose

HE TRIED

extro

Bul

many.

Mr

"How else was going to teach Dore Schary?" he asked. "A young man has to learn by making mistakes. I don't think he'll want to make a picture like that again."

THE TEST

Mocha. Wus a French poodle to Mrs Reinhardt, borough House was inadequate hospitality easy, and agreeable. us, are peopled by those who DORE SCHARY-An ex-tie belonging

His diet stabling for more laugh at everything somebody

salesman and scriptwriter, the producer's wife, fact emerged through the gar than 40 horses, and room was sald and those who laugh with who had just been made vice was largely ichsters and straw- den wall, which was pulled

found for all the shining equip-out waiting for anything to be down for the purpose.

ages of Victorian life-the sold. They invariably end with president in charge of M-G-M berries.

this film Mr Reinhardt's assistant, Prince's State coach,

the the men playing poker and the producton, though

used to take broughams, carriages and women being packed off to see would fulfil the cinema's pur- Albert Bond,

K entertainment and Mocha for walks, When the· little a movie. 'soclables, and the neat

education.

picture was an obvious failure, For century the

0

house Victoria in which Queen Alexan-

he refused to take it walking, remained the London home of dra drove round Hyde Park

His conversation to suborðin- ates range between the cosy "When they decide they don't ("Where you been, Doli?") and want you," said Reinhardt, "all have to do is watch the the pompous ("One of the most you THE unly evidence of culture debilitating things is to have too faces of your underkings." by debts, they were glad to selt

In these martini. jungles is large a frame of reference"). the house to the Crown, and it

doubt King Edward the redhead reporting that became

When I was obvious the pic- dower-house for the

changed the character of Marl-"This Degas; it's getting out of Royal Family.

The man who really created borough House: he left his mark the bathtub, for a change, not ture would lose money, he tried

character of Marl on the building by adding air and Sam Goldwyn boasting to save it by cutting on

sound track, his he stamped about

new "Toujours narration on the borough House was King top storey

"The voice of he narrator must THE PUBLIC. The greatest Wales's Lautrec," VII, Edward

of them all. After villain whose home in with

be warm, intimate, and digni London it was for 40 years. feathers, and he made it the

But the real drama behind the fled," he said. "I may have to columnists, critics, other direc

tors and actors had swooned During that golden age, when rallying point for London Society

"The Red Badge of do it myself"

at the flam, Queen

enthusiasm with Courage" Mary was a child and at its gayest and most brilliant. making of

the struggle Marlborough

When King Edward came to young woman,

between those who

Gottfried Relialurdt-The 30- wishfully

they walked out on it, laughed King George and House was the social centre of the throne,

believed that the cinema was year-old son of Max Reinhardt, in the wrong places, hooted Prince anil Buckingham

Mary, os Palace Queen

derision-and Alled up moved to

an art and those who knew that the famous German producer, their was abandoned and neglected Princess of Wales,

he was constantly being for preview cards that, for the most House

Queen it was only a business.

between shrine of memories for the Marlborough

his artistic integrity it, raid it was as bad a Nim coming back there widowed Queen Victoria which Alexandru

The men who wanted to make and his fear of failure,

as they had over seen. as a widow. King Edward VIII, pained her to revisit.

to it

trying were sincerely

Of him it could be said that in Every year

as Prince of Wales, ald

Four times the picture was early

after portray men's emotions in war beneath his facade of worry was 50, married life King Edward and wish to live thero

by revealing Queen Alexandra gave ball Queen Alexandra's death, it re-

the froglie line worry. Cynical but conscientious revised to meet their objections, between cowardice and herolom, he believed that money was and each time the result was in Marlborough House with

mained empty till 1936 when

The finished product was halled good for bribing for

tho marquee

supper in

Queen Mary moved back. Her to London

by the critics as a great picture. through the garden visible to all passers-by devotion along the Mall. In the rather dying, and for 17 years Marl- limited space between the house borough House was more truly

the and

fall was held the home to her than any of the Royal C1 den Party oach other royal residences,

London.

D

their

the

which Prince

of

not

was un-

WOB

life."

Inconveniences

yourself e same. It was the monster Hollywood had created of that

turning on its Frankenstein,

This book is not only a foot-

The philosophy of those who

He would not buy a house in opposed R was quite simple. "Anything that makes money, Hollywood because he hated it note but an epitaph,