ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Meeting People And Learning Nothing

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 9

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Meeting People And Learning Nothing

TV With C.C.

Since “Postscript” was i added to “N.Z.B.L. Reports” I have been tak- j ing a livelier interest tn what comes after the news each night Coverage of the daily news; is still rather pedestrian, and some of the overseas seems to come straight off the same assembly line night after night But most nights I have been pleased to see and hear that there are New Zealanders who can speak and think for themselves. I don’t agree always with what these New Zealanders say in the postscripts, and I do object to the way in which some of them say’ it. They are inclined to read at me rather than speak to me. although there is no prepared script in evidence on my screen. And they still lack ease and assurance in their commentaries. Mr lan Cross is a notable exception. The best Christmas present I could give these commentators would be a dash of informal-

More than a dash of informality would be needed to improve “Faces in View,” the postscript which has given me more disappointments than any other. Occasionally the personality of the face in

iew has been strong enough r> overcome the handicaps of

poor presentation and an inadequate interviewer. But usually 1 have felt that I have been watching and listening to a polite and pallid imitation of “Face to Face” or “Close Up.”

Respectful The trouble with “Faces in View” is that it is too respectful to its subjects. Usually the face in view is an interesting one, and we want to know more about its owner. The interviewer can probe without being impolite, and if he asks good questions he should get good answers. It is a military doctrine to know your enemy; the same doctrine should apply to the interviewers who do the questioning for “Faces in View.” They should know their subject. So far I have seen few signs that they do.

Last Friday evening the : face in view was that of Sir; Gotz, th® newly-appoint-ed High Commissioner to Ottawa. Perhaps because the' subject is now a diplomat the interview was conducted on a diplomatic basis. Sir Leon Gotz is most definitelv a personality but Brian Hudson’s diffident questions which seemed to have been rehearsed disclosed little about the man behind the face. I learnI ed only what has been written about him many times before. The presentation of the inter-

view was poor but what it lacked most was penetrating questions.

“Faces in View” could be an extremely good postscript to the news. What it needs is greater depth. This could be obtained by having an interviewer who can study the subject thoroughly beforehand and forget about being respectful. The tougher the questions the better the answers. Quick Looks

I refuse to watch old movies on Sunday afternoons in summer. I object to wasting the sunshine, and I don’t like the old movies the N.Z.B.C. inflicts on us. They do things better in Australia. Old movies now get prime time on the TV screen, and they are really good. A series now being shown in Sydney includes “All Quiet on the Western Front," “Ah Wilderness,” “Viva Villa,” and “The Champ.”

Television’s unprivate eye soon sorts out the natural and the artificial. “Roving Report” on Friday showed how the Norwegians celebrate Christmas. The Christmas trees, the voices of children singing a carol, and the Norwegian customs, made Christmas real to me. But Hollywood’s efforts to present a programme with a Christmas flavour failed dismally in “The Desilu Revue.” There was a tired and contrived air about the whole production in spite of its talented cast and the exuberance of Lucille Ball.

Reluctantly I must admit that Jack Lord, who plays the title role in “Stoney Burke,” can act. I was impressed by his performance as a bandit in “The Incident of the Calico Gun,” an episode from the “Rawhide”

series. But 1 still refuse to accept him as the woodenfaced Mr Burke. «

Christmas is coming. Maybe that’s the reason I am beginning to become fond of Andy Griffith. I still don’t like the theme of “The Andy Griffith Show,” but if we have to have corn on the TV screen at least Mr Griffith purveys the best. He is a fine actor, loaded with an indifferent programme. Every now and then he produces some silk from the sow’s ear. & 3$ I give top marks this week to “The Danny Kaye Show.” What a pity the other name shows on my screen lack the polish and joyfulness of Mr Kaye’s production. He is one of the greatest comedians in any medium, and seems to be able to inspire those who work with him. I have seen nothing funnier for a long time than his James Blond encounter with Dr. Yes, and his superb presentation of Westerns in the American, Scottish, and Russian manner.