Now that the headlines on
the testimony of various Hollywood characters
have faded away -- to reappear later, no doubt -- we must confess that the
whole affair gave us an odd feeling of unreality. There were those famous faces
-- R. Taylor, G. Cooper, R. Montgomery -- performing for the investigating
committee. We are used to those people as two dimensional beings on a flat
silver screen. We are accustomed to seeing little publicity releases on their
marriages and their swimming pools. To have them plunked down in the middle of
a discussion of ideologies seems a bit like reading an appreciation of Einstein
by one Mickey Mouse.
The next time we go a few
steps up Fountain street and buy ourselves a hunk of celluloid escape, we will
gaze at those famous faces and ponder that the life of an actor or actress in
indeed a hard one. Not only do you have the responsibility for getting rid of
several thousand dollars a week, but you might at any time have to sit in front
of a group of un-sympathetic Congressmen and be led into a discussion of
realities. Any touch of reality must be quite a jolt to our tinseled friends
out there.
-- from JDM's Clinton
Courier column "From the Top of the Hill," November 6, 1947
I only came across your blog about a week ago and I would just like to say how much I've enjoyed reading it. JDM's work is not very well known in England. In fact I don't know anyone who's heard of him let alone read his work. So it's great to be reading so much about him. Many Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks Warren. Judging from the traffic I see here there are more than a few JDM fans in England.
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