... Films of the Day American Masterpiece By George Campbell JOHN STEINBECK has made himself the champion of the American underdog. America, whose attitude to the underdog ranges from the timid humani- tarianism of the New Dealers to the contemptuous indifference of the Re publican business man, has rewarded him with fame and fortune. If there is irony in this, it is no fault of Mr. Stein beck's. ...

... Films of the Day A Pimpernel in Germany Bv George Campbell WAS it quite so easy for aliens to enter England, just before the war, as you might suppose from Night Train to Munich? I shouldn't be surprised. The whole passport rigmarole has always seemed to me rather a waste of time, seeing that the worst crooks and enemy agents never seem to lack one; but perhaps it keeps officials happy. Anyway ...

... IT is difficult to say anything new about Who 's Who, in itself a criterion of fame. There is, in fact, nothing new to say, except that among the 40,000 factual auto biographies included, 1000 are newcomers and the rest have re-read and brought up to date their own notices. The scope of this remarkable book is -gradually widening to include not only these islands but the world and the state of ...

... taebrett's Peerage, Baronetage, i-J Knightage and Companionage (Dean and Sons, Ltd., 41-43, Ludgate Hill 105 s.) includes events in the families of its title up to December of last year a remark able achievement, in view of the war. A double pagination of over 3000 pages con tains as usual all family details of our nobility and chivalry, including 540 new honours. Subjects referred to in the ...

... Speaking as a Man By V. S. Pritchett THE short stories of Irwin Shaw show once more what a debt English literature owes to the American tough reporters. They played an important part in that revolution which has set free popular speech, which has driven out the euphemisms of the drawing- room and driven in the euphemisms of the café and the street. Sailor Off the Bremen (Cape 7 s. 6 d.) is a ...

... The Theatre Herbert Farjeon Desire Under the Elms (Westminster) THIS is a strengthy play by Eugene O'Neill about an old Middle-West farmer with three sons who marries again. Desiring a fourth son by his new wife, who is young and comely, he appears to be under the impression that he can achieve this by going off and sleeping all alone in a barn, leaving spouse in bed and spouse's step-son in ...

... Fil ms of the Day Wh at is tlierc About Rebecca By George Campbell REBECCA has been a huge success as a book, as a play (until the war news and hot weather com bined to knock the bottom out of every straight play in town), and (in America) as a film. At the colossal Radio City Music Hall it ran six weeks-- a record for the house. The obvious conclusion is that, whatever her technical merits ...

... Films of the Day: By George Campbell Mr. Disney Discussed PINOCCHIO, I have no doubt, will start the usual dithyrambs and ditherings. Disney-fanaticism has reached the point where anybody who suggests that the Disney factory is not entirely populated with Grimms, Sheri dans and Michelangelos is regarded as a bit of a cad. Up to a point I am with the fans. Even though most of the things ...

... By V. S. Pritchett IT is hard to believe that the American author of that tediously effusive book Onward Trolley! is also the author of the graceful, palatable and curious Illusion in Java (Dent; 8s.). A sweetish yet subtle liqueur, it is to be tasted rather than to be drained from the bottle; but think of the books one gulps down without learning whether they have any flavour at all! A ...

... The Theatre Follow My Leader, at the Apollo Theatre THE latest illustration of a famous conductor's tactful charm is the story that he arrived home one night to find uncurtained windows at the top of his house throwing a beam of almost Eddystonian intensity into the surrounding darkness. In the garden waited impatiently a special constable. On the way upstairs to the lighted room the ...

... The Theatre By Herbert Farjeon Margin for Error (Anollo) THIS who-did-it play is said on the programme to be based on fact. So, in a manner of speaking, is everything. Over and above which, it is true that at one time, shortly before the war, the German Consulate in New York was guarded by Jewish policemen. Whether anything else in Margin for Error ever really happened I can't say, but I ...

... The Theatre By Herbert Farjeon Present Arms (Prince of Wales I WHAT I admire most (and it's a pretty easy most) about this rough-and-ready musical show is the equality of opportunity provided for the gang of famous comedians engaged to keep the joke-pot boiling. Here is Billy Bennett up against George Gee up against Max Wall up against Wylie Watson up against Max Bacon. They appear to start ...