Whicker’s sloppy film left topics unexplored

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33250, 13 June 1973, Page 4

Whicker’s sloppy film left topics unexplored

Thanks to Yorkshire Television and its ace globetrotter, Alan Whicker, have now seen ourselves as others see us. The experience was painful. Whicker’s look at New Zealand woman was irresponsible, mischievous, slanted and ill-balanced. Yet it was also, within the tight limits deliberately imposed on the programme by Whicker and his entourage, tellingly within the target area. The irony of the situation was that Whicker, in his haste to picture New Zealand as a nation of freaks, tailed to grasp an opportunity which was there for the taking. As recently as 110 years ago, our women slaved in front of open fireplaces while their husbands busied themselves with the erection or strengthening of fortifications. Today, many women slave over cluttered sinks while their men toil over the concrete mixer or under the car. Dame Ngaio Marsh analysed the position effectively with her observation that, in this field. New Zealand had been in cold storage for more than a century. Did Whicker take the point? Unfortunately, he did not —and the result was that his bitter and twisted view of the male kiwi could end hundreds of potential British immigrants rushing post haste to New Zealand House in London to cancel their applications. New Zealand is not a land of bare mayors, strapping female yachties, and women pushing prams. Nor do its men wear either black jerseys or black singlets, and waste their beer down comely cleavages. But there are women who believe that a clean and sparkling house is more important that a loving husband; and there are men who believe that Rugby, racing and beer are cultural pursuits. And who can deny t that many parties develop into a division of the sexes, w'ith the men gathered round a keg talking sport and the women clustered round a pavlova talking babies. Whicker has had many successes in the field of teleIsrucl mid Jordan The Israeli . Minister of Communications (Mr Shimon Peres) has advised Israel’s leaders to refrain from trying to draw physical borders with Jordan. What was needed was a definition of the future relations between the two countries. Mr Peres told a rally last night of former members of the Hagana. the Jewish underground defence organisation which operated in Palestine before e establishment of the f.tate—Tel Aviv. June 11.

e vision investigation—his pro- , gramme on Haiti, for ’ instance, was a classic of its 1 kind. >’ This New Zealand effort, s however, did little credit to , the man. He ignored the ■ opportunity for some worthwhile research into the unique aspects of our society, ( ■ and lazily contented himself ! s with harvesting the more sensational utterances of Sue Kedgley, in particular, and Marcia Russell, Sir Dovet Myer Robinson, and others, i There were other bad . features in the programme. Whicker was astray in ’ several things—the size of I the average home property,. ■ the number of boats on ’ i Auckland harbour, and his | translation of the national “motto.” The harsh editing made Sir > Dove-Myer contradict himself and Helen Laidlaw appear ; thoroughly confused. i But perhaps the worst : aspect of the programme was ■ its imbalance. There was no reference to the exceptional ■ resourcefulness of the New i Zealand male; if, as Miss > Kedgeley would have it, he ; is not a great lover, he at f least deserves credit for his ability in the “do it yourself” II field in and around the home. To be fair to Whicker—- > even though it hurts—there • was evidence on the pro- ■ gramme of facets of New Zealand life which must ! seem incongruous to the out- > sider. The presence of march--1 ing girls, women bowlers, female yachting instructors ‘ and girl shearers in the country is indicative of an “if you \ can’t beat them, join them” • attitude. The only alternative for neglected women, it seems, is to be essentially 1 masculine. ■ Why should this be so? 1 Whicker, the once great ' reporter, failed to produce ’ the answer. Now we may ' never know. # gs % 1 The other programmes I from CHTV3 on Monday had; the bad fortune to bej screened on the same evening 1 as such a controversial offer-! I ing (for New Zealanders) as “Whicker’s South Seas.” ’j There was much to admire. ' however, in the sensitive ■ piano playing of Vladimir I’ 1 Ashkenazy, and his interpre- I tation of the well-worn , 1 Grande Valse Brillante was , outstanding. The documentary on the 1 noted science fiction writer, i Arthur Clarke, became , bogged down by the inter- ' viewer’s preoccupation with ' the mysteries of the future. 1 Clarke, the successful author, sinever emerged. * * e • The penultimate episode of! '“The Onedin Line” was also below par. Peter Gilmore, as ' 1 the driving force behind a 1 ’ down-at-heel shipping line 1 ■ which is forever robbing Peter to pay Paul, again failed to portray James 1 Onedin as an heroic character 1 1 of some substance. !' It seems certain that he I will emerge from the series as |l

a smudgy anti-hero, worshipping at the shrine of the mighty dolar. Gilmore has been consistently overshadowed by Anne Stallybrass and Howard Lang. * * # With the gay celebrations over the inauguration of the village urinal behind it, “Clochemerle” appears to have struck barren ground. The third episode was uninspiring. Wendy Hiller failed to come across in her role as the righteous Justine Putet, and Catherine Rouvel, as the flighty village beauty, was guilty of some incredibly poor acting. Even Peter Ustinov failed to come to the aid of the party. —J.K.B.