Word: life
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...middle-of-the-roader, Lecomte de Noüy, who was a brilliant scientist, adduced scientific proof that human life cannot have begun spontaneously, that there must be a Supreme Being. Since this evidence points to His being our Maker, why not attribute to Him capability for a loftier point of view than any of those possessed by man? Is it possible that He created him to love, and that the knowledge intelligent men of science have amassed is intended to be only a tool to that...
...movie rises to a high level of political drama in its presentation of life under tyranny, and the problems of the revolutionaries. Scenes showing elder statesmen forced to follow the dictator's will, and the dilemma of the underground in deciding whether its ends justify killing innocent people, are presented with great power. But these high points are not frequent enough to make "We Were Strangers" the artistically fine movie it tries to be. The film lacks any real characterizations, concentrating on its plot. This ends in an ironical twist which is not handled smoothly enough to be completely effective...
...President's busy academic life is detailed in Roosevelt's story. When coming to Harvard, Conant allegedly asked his doctor "how a man can be president of Harvard and live." The doctor set up a daily routine giving the president some leisure, but Conant's teaching commitments, writing, banquets, faculty meetings, and constant social functions have made the doctor's advice "far easier said than done...
...Back Streets of Paris" is a good example of how the French, unhampered by any gangster-cow-boy heritage, can make a decent blood 'n' thunder movie. The characters somehow standout from the screen as real people; you may disapprove of the life they lead, but still it's a perfectly credible life. Not that the film lacks any violence; on the contrary, there's a lot. But you quite literally always know what the shooting's about. "Back Streets of Paris" treats the activities of the French underworld in a frank and unassuming way; some scenes are so natural...
...East conferring with the Columbia University officials who annually award the Pulitzer prizes, with the idea of having the cinema included. This would possibly be an improvement, but it should be remembered that the Pulitzer prizes are awarded to works that "best present the wholesome atmosphere of American Life, (the capitals are Mr. Pulitzer's), and the highest standards of American manners and mankind...