Pure 61
THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1960.
GANGBUSTERS-BY JAK
AMAN OR MOUSE
Patricia Lewis
THE
MORALS
OF A
MANY-CENSORED
MAN
*
For on uncensored vlow of Signor Moravin see below
SOME people call Alberto Moravia a sexy writer. Others, rationalists, argue that he merely puis sex in its correct perspective to living. The Vatlean, on the other hand, goes so far as to ban his books on grounds of indecency and obscenity, warning Catholics not to read them under pain of mortal sin.'
Now Signor Moravia has deserted his beloved Rome - Beene of his best-selling "The Woman of Rome," "Two Women," and "Conjugal Love"--for the grey-green of springtime London,
I met hun in a small halel
IL
off Knightsbridae: haired, Light-lipped m
white- of
152 In a houndstooth English
suit.
One's Best rection to this formidable, severe-faced novel- ist in an uncumfortable feeling that you're not going to get anywhere with him.
he
We
A MAN WE MUST
CANNED
He lmped towards me. shook hunds, We sat down. Hie
We ex ordered comporis, changed pleasantries.
He told 5114"
no luner lived in Capri ("it is complete- ly destroyed by crowds").. that his book sale: totalled more than 3,000,000 in America ("they are my largest nullence than did
and turda too,") that he
is writing a new nuvet (about a palater who doesn't paint und his love affair").
THE THREAD
"And it will all happen Rome?"
"It always happens in Rone it is the only place I know very well, Perhaps that is why I write again and again the same novel.
The same novel? Well, there is often common thread of brute lus and embitteral jove --ll put down with much com- passionate chatzuk that the Church in Italy and Ireland had to ban Moravia ae an Immoral Infitence.
"From a practical point of view the ban hardly matters,"
led the author. My breks are still sold openly in Italy. But from an orriolinach post of view. It's different. One would prefer it hadn't happened, can only say that I was banned In 1952 with Andre Gide,
"Sex"! Yes, I suppose that won the Nason. But this is a modern world nail we must take more realistic outjock to sex
I
RKALISTIC
the Victorious.
For
the
many people it is perhaps mes important thing why minke a mystery, a myth of it?
"After all, sex is a very solid ground-particularly today when all our values are shaking. It is the one fundamental...
NO DISGUISE
("R is good for a country that duesn't read mach") but this is nothing to his sales abroad.
CRITIC TOO
"Yet two-thirds of my Income is earned froin Italy," he said. "You see.
In the film critic for one paper and 1 contribute two short stories a month to another. They pay well, but of course it is it enough to live- le everyone else I rely on the einerna for big money. It is the
e great hope."
Right now, Signor Moravia's, Jupes are being richly fulfilled. Vittorio de Sica will direct
this sunimer Dad four of Sophia Loren in "Twn Women," Moravin's short stories are being combined in a, full-length movie called "Crazy Day."
in London, 1 wayinid him be- fore he left for Barcelona.
**
"Of course it'll be a sell-oul," to my he protested in reply question.
can only express
but an opinion, mind you, think you'ti
the biggest black nektet in tickets ever f we get fighters like Dominguin to appear."
his But aren't aghters of calibre used to enormous fees?
"About £1,000 # bull," Dnswered Mr Erik, his pointed beard waggling with enthusiasm bulls I while I calculated: six
thousand ench equals ta
for an afternoon £6,000
SBTKİ, and death ac blood, Wembley).
went on.
נו
"But I don't think they'll ask those surt of prices here," be "After all, think of the publielty' they'll gel-and Vincent Hitchcock tells me it's his life's ambition to flight bulls It! front of his bien countrymen."
THE CLUB
Mr Erik-who has spectatored and 40 bullights-is founder chairman of the Club Taurino I asked him if, "Someone is working on the Wimbledon.
he said in view of the legal difcuttles in screen-play for me," earnly. "I wan't to it myself of presenting bullfighting -It's too boring. By the way, England. Blekets would only be telephone me when you come available to club members. tor itum always home in the mornings."
.
"No, no," said he. "Our club Is simply a meeting ground of It was no abrupt invitation, "People often use the word
mutual interests. with
tile all in the same breath, but it's ple
'corrida' sex for love."
Tlekets for
will It's not the
Ilke
follow 011
all the sale same. But I believe it's better one I'd
through Arst be on say this then use the word Despite that forbidding
something normal agencies. Of course, Impression there's love as a disguise for sex,***
probably be open to one or two molto simpatico lurking
hefty fines.... Moruvia's in Signor brown eyes.
I asked Signer Moravia if the panter in his new book "whu doesn't pahal" is a symbol of the artist's mind Bghting to get above the cravings of his body.
"Of course, there's a very strong relationship between the creativeness of art and sex. Art is a sort of sublimation, whereas sex is an energy and what you give to a woman you don't have left to give to your art.
deep weury
CAN YOU SEE BULLS AT WEMBLEY?
The membership of the Clab Taurimo is 130.
The whole project sounds like a lot of bull to me.
There's a small war waging in New York over secretaries.
American bosses are, it seems, mad about the polile efficiency of the Imported Brillsh shorl- hand-typist.
"Yes, I am married. My wife also writes-ake is very good. We do not distract each other."" When I heard that Mr George
Despite the Volican ban, Erik. one-time theatrical Alberio Moravia's books sell signer and spare-time aficionado, term alsat 0,000 copies each In Italy was plumming to stage a buillight edging them out of well-paid
jola.
UNITED AFRICA ·
WEST AFRICAN FEDERATION
REPUBLIC
SELF-GOVERNMENT
de
DAYDREAM AT GĦANA,
Werid Copiight ay arrangement with the Manchetier Öperdius,
t
Anwrienn sverctaries are, it severns, plain and at what they snabbist fac that's
"BEAT IT BDYS –GRANNIES"
FEW men have looked more closely at the darker side of London thán Sir Laurence Dunne. For almost a quarter of a century he has been à Metropolitan magistrate; for 12 years he has been Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. But he has always been the Bench. reficent figure on
a
London Express Service.
Now, at 66, Sir Laurence retires. And to mark his departure, he has talked to me about his job, and the sad procession of Londoners it has brought before him, more freely than he
able to ever felt
before.
Crime and the Welfare State...
E sat in Sir Lau-
WE
rence Dunne's Ken- SIR sington flat. He smoked, and sipped his whisky, and talked
The first thing about the job. itself (sald Sir Laurence) is
you must 1:00p your that temper.
trying It's awfully sometimes You get fools. You must just hurry things along as best you can.
to
Remember there ате any amount of people above you pul you right If you 130
All you wrong.
can do is your best, and then forget the case,
There have been people in
Joh who hated this
being appealed, That's the most hupciess attitude of mind 1 havo never bothered about appeals.
The most trying fellow you come up against in court is the fellow who lauws everything, who is never going to admit ho the is wrong.
I asked Margery Hural. head of the world's largest secretarial agency, to define the situation.
"It's all nonsense that the British girl is better than American and the Australian is better than the British.' she sold. "When a girl travels
3,000 malies or 9,000 inlles for a Violence
new look at life then it shows
she has guls, initiative, intelll-
gence, and ambition.
muddle- Then there is the bonded fellow. What you want
"So naturally It's only the to do with him is to help him, ertam of the Australian
girls
who come to Britain But they're
to find out what he wants to may decide dend guinst him, and sock him in the eye immediately pitts wards, but your attitude must Be to get at what he wants to
so goud they build up a reputasy You Bon. Simlarly, It's only the crear of the British girls who go to America. "Certainly
there's
big difference between the two. The American secretary mone sophisticated--she wears
best clothes to the office-and she's given a lot more iccway 50
say,
The ambition of every beak find every judge should not be
to figure as the fisil of the Lord.
that she's really more of a per- but to be absolutely far.
cisc.
LAURENCE DUNNE
do
discouraging the young entry Into the trade. That is quito certain The only woman who can survive now is the woman who is established, who is in the charge of a ponce who can pro
tclo- phone.
talks to J. W. M. Thompson vide her with a flat and
Sir Laurence Ounno: 'The real doterrent is a six-to-four-on
chance you are going to be caught."
You want people falling over The themselves to get in. It would of policeinch for save the country
sonal assistant than anything you get a thing about any part weak links to taw enforcement,
cular class or case, if you way to and they are cashing 'Th. English secretary The
and yourself this is a thing I am shortago relies less on personality
Incidentally. on going to but down, you are example, and the motorcar. appearance and moro straightforward shorthand absolutely oft the ratis." typing speeds and emelency with the fling."
The trouble is, of course, that it has put the ponces on velvet You have to balance that against the good effect of deterring a lot of idle girls from entering the professlun.
It has led to an Chorus amount of activity in low-class cafes and unregistered clubs, which have sprung up like mushrooms all round the West End.
The streets are no longer cluttered up with prostitutes- but it is impossible to go round without being importuned and annoyed by touts of both sexes for these places.
Offence
that
I have recommended there should ́ba a "Lightening-up over the letting it date to prostitutes. The letting agent should obtain recommendations from some reputable peoplo: I would make it an offence not
10.
put
Yes, I would certainly the burden on the agent, not the owner. You can never and
the owners of these places,
1 remember one brothel in
the West End which was traced sub-icts. back through seven
WOB
and at the real owner nover traced,
Nowadays the rest night- mare of sto courte La tho enormous amount of time wasted in adjudicating traffic
millions, cases.
But it is absolutely necessary, because unless the police worked
like beavers the trable in Lon-
don would stop.
Practically every mushi-an It would give corporal punish- I have seen diferent patterns grab, every case of banditry, is ment in some violent cases, but energe, of course. Well, there done in a stolen car, I think that is not the real deterrent.
far more crime now, car should be inmobilİ
The real deterrent is a dix-to- more violent crime.
when left in the streets, as they four-on chance you are going to are doing a man's job, simply in were during the war.
la
America skli- cream of Britain's
Mra
in Hurt
exchange an
I put it down very largely to for on the Weltáre Stale.
To prevent
ming the secreteries
sebeme--ah "Aye" "Hi" in fact,
inmirating
Corps d'elite
The traffic people at the Yard
get caught.
keeping the trame going, and However, 10 the hardest they are working like hell, I brute who doesn't mind if ire take off my hat to them. julieta pain and terrible suiter- ing, I would say, "All right, if I'm not really conderining the you inflict pain on others you Welfare State, but Dila is a shall have it too." * haturul by-product.
That removed a lot of respon- aibility from people. And ważes fabulous, have gone
out up
of all IVE news of a
recognition. foolproof, slimming system. Bob Monkhouse tells
In the vernacular, a very large be's lost two stone in three section of the population itave
There is a very bad virus months. The calorie county lasted meat for the first line, There isn't one. You just and they want biggor helpings about in the country, there is
They have developed expensive no doubt about that. have to leap on and off taster, and they go to dny
What is the ankwer? Awfully flying carpets as "Aladdin lengths to get ise necesary amicult to sy. Spend more on twice a day and the pounds money.
the police certainly. They should kwiy-in nervous
Furthermore, crime infection à corps d'elite and their to such as is for more dimeult than ever. wages should be --(London prom Service). The fellows tave spotted the attract the right web,
mélt
sweat.
Discouraged
It ould be a very good thing,
I think, if they could take all this out of the police hands, especially be the Metiopoil Police need more than 4000 nhán Lo bring them up to the recoin- thended strength.
..
Well, I shall be sorry to, Another change is in prostitu- leave in many ways, of course,' tion. Parliament has achieved but it will be hice to du whật í what it set out to do it has want, which I Want. driven prostitutes off the streets.
And in particular, I'm Naing The Etreet Offonces Act has Aching. also done a very good job in *---{Landon Expters Berutno)..
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.