Airport drama had deft touches

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32613, 22 May 1971, Page 4

Airport drama had deft touches

The new American drama series “Four In One” began well/ San, . Francisco Airport, with its bustling atmosphere of aircraft landing, taking off, loading and unloading thousands of people from all parts of the world, provided a lively setting with plenty of opportunity for contrast; late* when tjifi huge complex was evacuated? But what put the > programme a notch above the general run of thrillers for me were the deft touches —as when Conrad came - upon -lost little, girl Judy wandering around the deserted terminal. So often TV thriller heroes are depicted as supermen who are so caught up in the world of sophisticated international crime they don’t seem human. Maybe it was a little corny, but the telephone call to a loving daughter and the quiet instructions to a frightened secretary did add to the realism of the situation. At times the programme strained to maintain momentum, particularly when the obsessed scientist was the central figure. And at times I wondered whether the reactions to imminent disaster, particularly by officialdom, were just a little too unflappable. In introducing the new series, Universal Television talks about attracting the better educated, higher income, younger viewer. But few in any category of viewer would have been really intrigued by the all-too-neat way in which the nerve gas escape was avoided at the last moment But for all this, “Four in One” was a change and promises to be unusual and entertaining. Liked the contemporary issue—the problem of a lasting peace existing side-by-side with deadly

modern means of mass destruction. There’s a thought here, and too often this is missing in TV fare. *' • * It certainly was* pity that a representative of the British Conference Lines, which decided not to institute its planned container shipping service with New Zealand this week, did not appear on "Gallery.” No-one, of course, can make an unwilling subject appear before the nation, but participation by a shipping company representative would certainly have cleared the air and helped to explain what has happened and why. David Excel interviewing the Minister of Transport, Mr Gordon, did well, and so did the Minister. He was obviously embarrassed by the whole thing—what Government wouldn’t be? But he managed to give an impression of buoyant optimism which, while it was cheering enough, was not exactly brimming over with supporting evidence of a forthcoming boom in container shipping. However, Mr Gordon clearly favoured modem methods of shipping designed to cut down the wasteful and costconsuming delays in and out of ports. It was a pity, I thought, that Excel did not ask the Minister about the possibilities now of a New Zealand-owned shipping line to take our produce to world markets, especially growing markets in South-East Asia. * * * It would be interesting now to have the reaction of the Minister of Defence to the documentary on the Vietnam war which Gallery included in its programme. It is also difficult to see why the N.Z.B.C. itself could not carry out the sort of assignment which constituted the programme. The documentary did, I think, show all too effectively the capabilities and difficulties of the South Viet-

ntunese forces. And it provided plenty of indications as to what exactly will happen when the Americans finally withdraw. “Even though they have their good days, they cannot be relied on,” said the commentator. To those who have strong opinions on the Vietnam war, either way, the documentary may well have been unsatisfactory. But in the words of one frequent visitor to the war area, a fortnight in Vietnam can furnish sufficient evidence to support whatever view you hold. The point is that this film and commentary attempted to assess briefly what the South Vietnamese forces are doing now, and what they are capable of doing in the future without the aid of American transport and support forces. And in terms of this limited objective, it seemed from this distance to succeed reasonably well. Maybe the N.Z.B.C. might take the initiative and make a series in Vietnam—a series which, piece-by-piece, would help to clarify the complex situation which concerns many New Zealanders. PANDORA’S GUEST.

CHTV3 'Today

2.00: Headline news. 2.08; The Ghost and Mrs Muir. Comedy. 245: Rugby league. 4.67: France Panorama. 441: The wackiest Ship in the Army. Comedy. 5.10: Rubbish. Documentary (N.Z.8.C.). 546: The Magic Roundabout. 543: Headline news, weather. 546: Woody Woodpecker. 6.02: And Another Thing. Archaeology. 6.14; Happen Inn. Popular music. 740: Network news. 746: Weather. - Local news; 740: Hogan’s Heroes. Comedy. 747: Dixon of Dock Green—“ Reluctant Witness.” Detective. 8.49; Newsbrief. 841: Istanbul Express (Gene Barry, Mary Ann Mobley, Tom Simcox, John Saxon). Adventure. 1040: Two in Clover. Comedy. 1047: Late 'news,' weather. - 11.04: The Dean Martin Show (Bing Crosby, Eva Gabor, Dom De Luise). Variety. Tomorrow 2.00: Headline news. 2.03: Film (1956)—“Three Violent People” (Charlton Heston. Anne Baxter, Gilbert Roland). Western. 3.39: Soccer—F.A. Cup final. 5.18: Basil Brush. 5.48: Headline news, weather. 541: Siberia —The Endless Horizon. Documentary. 6.40: Scrutiny. Church and society. 740: Network news. Local news. 740: Weather. 743; Country Calendar. 7.40: The Des O’Connor Show (Sid Caesar, Matt Monro). Variety. 840: Oh Brother!—“ln the Beginning.” Comedy (final). 9.01: Newsbrief. . _ 9.03: The First Churchills—“Plot, Counter Plot.” Third of 12 parts. 9.48: The Selling-of the Pentagon. Documentary. 1049: Comments on “The Selling of the Pentagon.” 1046: Late news and weather.

SATURDAY NATIONAL LINK (Including 3YA Christchurch (690 kilohertz); 2YA, Wellington (570 kilohertz): 4YA Dunedin (750 kilohertz); and 3YZ Greymouth (920 kilohertz) 7.00 p.m.: Sports Review. 7.30: Top Team. 8.0: The Candle of Darkness. Thriller in six half-hour episodes by Edward Boyd (5). 8.30: Weather and News. 8.40: Looking at Ourselves. 8.50: Local Sports Results. 8.0: Those Were the Days. 9.30: I’m Sony, I’ll Read That Again. 10.0: Sounds Great 10.30: N.Z.B.C. News, Weather. 10.45: Cabaret Time: Eddie McCarthy. 1.1.0: 8.8. C. News and Commentary. 11.15: All Night Programme. 3YC, CHRISTCHURCH (960 kilohertz) 7.5 p.m.: Spanish Music of the 13th to 20th Centuries. (6) 20th Century Chamber Music. 7.35: Handel: Si, tra i ceppi (Berenice); Leave me loathsome light (Semele); Pensa a chi geme (Alcina); Honour and arms (Samson), 7.56: Gavin

Saunders (violin); Diana Stephenson (piano). Mozart: Sonata in E flat (K. 380 8.15: Celebrity Concert. N.Z.B.C. Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Edouard van Remoortel. John Lili (piano). Tchaikovsky: Overture: Romeo and Juliet; Piano Concerto No. 1 in H flat minor, Op. 23. Tchaikovsky - Bogatyryev, Symphony No. 7 in E flat. 10.0: From Gunpowder to Satellite A History of Chinese Technology. Dr Joseph Needham talks about the history of Chinese technology and Chinese attitudes with Laurie John of the 8.8. C. 10.15: Walton: Facade, an entertainment with poems by Edith Sitwell (1922). 3ZB, CHRISTCHURCH (1100 kilohertz) 7.2 p.m.: Trotting Information. 3ZM, CHRISTCHURCH (1400 kilohertz) 7.30 p.m.: Things are Swinging. 10.0: From the Top Pops. SUNDAY NATIONAL LINK 11 a.m.: Morning Services.