tangents

news & views

by dal mcintire

That intrepid hunter, Sen. Kefauver, heading several Senate sub-comheading several Senate sub-committees, is rarely publicity shy. Since Disney stole the Davy C. act, Senator has reverted to his other favored pose: Fearless Guardian or Public Morality. This role insures almost daily frontpage coverage for his Juvenile Delinquency sub-committee, and incidentally, for himself.

During hearings, papers often banner Page One with several "natural poses" showing Senator pursing lips, picking at ear lobes, sticking fingers in mouth, otherwise looking thoughtful, resolved, or shocked.

In recent NYC and LA hearings he flayed "salacious films, publications and other pernicious influences on US youth." Stormy New York sessions, catering mostly to nude photos, featured several contempt citations. A Franciscan priest avered that youth crimes result from indecent literature deluging the nation. Senator paraphrased this line frequently for press, but subsequently admitted being unsure if pornography and delinquency were connected.

Next he went west to investigate film violence and "G-string" stag movies. Resenting this coupling, movietown

flared angrily, and Keef, who as presidential timber is chary of making needless enemies, tamed his investigation. The filmmakers came, to defend their right to realism. But where Kefauver chose to go easy with these "perverters" his audience snatched up the task. One visitor charged that years ago a boy smacked his sister with a half grapefruit just like Cagney did in a film. Another visitor (incidentally a Senator's sister) complained one degrading film showed a drunk Senator. Others charged films depicted smoking and drinking, but moviemakers denied inventing the vice.

Committee reserved hottest fire for very films made to counter delinquency (BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, recently banned in Atlanta) while Keef had personally endorsed a blood-thirsty potboiler he'd never seen. Complaints levelled at proposed filming of TEA AND SYMPATHY and unfinished REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE.

Finally, everyone except looneyfringe in the bleachers was pacified, everyone conceding everyone else was real nice.

Another day, a nude "art photo" dealer rocked committee with charge that her volume of business was eclipsed by LA Police who resold photos seized in raids.