Pendulum Swing
THE Victorian attitude of hushhush, head-in-the-sand, cotton-wool. to anything that concerned child-bearing, has been
slowly retreating before the realism of the 20th century, until now we have reached the stage when a film dealing with the whole process has been licenced for public exhibition.
The film is called The Birth of 0 Rain, and. is being shown at the TATLER in Charing Cross Road. It first arrived in this country from America in 1939 but was only seen in a few towns when is licence was
granted. As it does not come within the category of films to which the British Board of Film Censors can attach an " A " or " B " label, its availability to the public depends
on local authorities. The L.C.C. has given permission for the London showing and young people of 16 and over will be allowed to go unaccompanied. (Parents should, of course, have the last word.)
CURE FOR SNIGGERS
This is an age of licence but not enlightenment. What The Birth of a Baby sets out to do (and in my opinion does successfully) is to enlighten and to put the process of child-bearing in its right perspective. It is told in terms of an ordinary young married woman visiting doctor and ante-natal clinic, getting advice. learning by diagram and chart how life develops, and how the prospective mother can co-operate with the doctor and nurse for her own and her baby's sake.
The furtive smile behind the hand, the snigger, should be sent to the right-about by this film. Young people who see it will learn the biological facts in a straightforward manner but, in addition, they will recognise the coming into the world of a new life as something of terrific import.
The film is being sponsored by the National Baby Welfare Council and I understand that wherever it is shown members of that organisation will be in attendance to answer inquiries. Education Authorities can apply for it to be shown to schoolchildren, but where this is done the consent of parents must be given.
PANCAKE RIPPLES
The Homestretch (ODEON, LET( ESTER SQUARE) has Maureen O'Hara all in glorious Technicolour and dressed as sumptuously as ever being dragged from one international race-course to another by Cornel Wilde. She has to threaten him with desertion before he realises that a woman gets married to have a home and a family and not to spend her time between stable
and grandstand. A bit too much exploitation of the O'Hara sexappeal, but she does make an honest attempt to disturb that pancake make-up from time to time.