Page 4-The Canadian Jewish News-Friday, October 9,1970
BOOKS or THE WEE^
by Dr Arnold Ages
imagination
BECH: A BOOK. By John Updike. KnopL 206 pp.
John Updike is generally thought of as one of America's great young novelists.
Critics have raved about his elegant language, learned symbolism and deep knowledge of human psychology.
Updike's books have always sold well, although his appeal is to mostly highbrow audiences.
His first real bestseller was COUPLES a tale of marital infidelity and other sueh activities in a small New England community.
I think that the success of that book went to Updike's head. Having learned that sex has reader appeal, Updike has now gone one step further and combined both sex and Jews in his new novel.
Bech is the name of Updike's Jewish protagonist, a middle aged writer who has achieved international recognition for his novels.
This fame earns him a trip to Russia and some of the sattelite countries sponsored by the American department of state.
In Russia Bech appears before various writers groups In order to answer questions about himself and American literature.
During his sojourn in the
communist countries Bech realizes more and more that he is a Jew.
As he comes into contact with different groups, a combination of fatigue asd can-takerousness causes him to make some brittle but comical responses to his hosts.
Asked by a Russian audience who his favorite A-mericanwriter is, Bech responds "with the name of Nabokov, the Russian emigre novelist, whose father was an official in the pre-rev-plutionary government. The audience's silence is predictable. —
The latter portion of Updike's memoir permits a view of Bech in his native habitat. New York.
There the anti-hero circulates among his artist friends and has an opportunity to participate in a pot party.
Invited by a southern girls' college to speak, Bech travels to a quiet verdant campus where he is entertained by a group of ingenuous female students.
Updike obviously enjoys himself in this part of the book as he parodies the well known southern regionalisms and accents.
I found BECH to be an ir-ritatingly artificial book far below Updike's customarily high standard of writing.
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the reason is that he simply doesn't know how to portray Jewish intellectuals.
Having Bech write imaginary Commentary articles, in his mi^ may be a colorful literary device Init it is hardly redolent of Jewish writers.
Better luck next time, John!
RECENT AND RECOMMENDED
And still the flood does not cease.
Since 1967 we have been inundated with l)ooks on Israel and the Six Day War.
Fortunately Arthur Lall's THE UN AND THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS 1967 (Columbia University Press) falls outside the run of the mUl journalistic essays that seemed to proliferate after the war.
Lall bases his book on United Nations speeches and documents which date from the crisis period.
His report is not merely a dry, retelling of those hectic days but rather an interpretive account, told in a highly literate fashion.
At this point in history the highly emotional rhetoric which preceded the armed conflict has dissolved in the events that followed it.
But Lall's l)ook is instructive in that it reminds us of the bitter debate, acrimony and accusations that surrounded the crisis.
A case in point is Ambassador El-Kony's address to the Security Council shortly after Nasser had blocked the straits of Tiran,
"My government has the legitimate right," intonedEl-
Kony, "to impose restrictions on navigation in the Straits of Tiran with respect to shipping to an enemy. After this rather lengthy e-laboration, it is quite evident that, . .a state of belligerency exists betft-een the Arab states whose territories circumscribe the entirety of the Gulf of Aquaba, and IsraeL"
In other words the Egj-ptian delegate justified his government's blockade on the grounds that a state of war existed l)etween Israel and the Arab states.
Yet a week later El-Kony
and his Arab cronies were screaming abuse at Israel for her "aggression". They could see no contradiction in their asserting the legitimacy of a blockade on the basis of a state of war and on the one hand their absurd ctn-demnation of Israel for acting in its own self interest.
The answer to this paradox appears to be that the Arab mind^ operateis in a sphere far removed ftom that of other men.
This phenomenon becomes even more apparent when one examines a strange little non-book caUed HUSSEIN OF JORDAN: MY "WAR" WITH ISRAEL (McLeod).
Purporting to be a memoir written by the Jordanian monarch (but actually an extended interview with Husseiii and his deputies) this book attempts to represent the Six Day War froin the Arab optic.
It's really a pathetic document in which the king seeks to make Israel the villain and Jordan the tragic victim.
The only person who e-merges with any dignity is Hussein himself.
Not surprisingly ,he is shown as the dapper head of state who rushed from brigade to brigade bringing solace and comfort to his beleaguered troops.
When an Arab soldier spat on the cadaver of an Israeli tank operator the king magnanimously chided the brutish Legionnaire for his incivility.
It is difficult to reconcile that portrait of Hussein with the one in which he called up<» his soldiers to kill the Jews everywhere. (This incident, of course, is not mentioned in the book).
An even more striking example of Hussein's duplicity is seen in the devious explanation he offers for the charge he made about alleged American and British intervention in the War. According to the king, he cooked up that story with Nasser because at that time he actually believed it!
Recent events in Jordan tend to show that history catches up with prevaricators. ..
*V 0 COHN-
Daniel Barenbolm, celebrated Israeli pianist. wJH perform In Toronto, at Massey Hall, Saturday October 17th at 8:30 P.M. He will be heard In an all Beethoven program. The Toronto appearance of Mr. Barenbolm is a Sol Hurok presentation in the "Greater Artists Series". Art critics in the United States have descrit>ed Mr. Barenbolm as "a master artist".
Otto Preminger does it again!
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To celebeate its first anniversary, the Ontario Film Theater, under the direction of Gerald Pratley, noted writer and commentator, had as guest of honor none other than the famous movie director-producer, Mr. Otto Preminger.
Following a dinner held in the Heritage Room of the Ontario Science Center with the Ontario Premier and Mrs. John P. Robarts, Q.C. and the Hon. and Mrs. Leslie Rowritree, the preview of Mr. Preminger's "Tell. Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon" starring Lize Min-nelli, took place for members of the Ontario Film Theater followed by a seminar with Mr. Preminger. During the screening, Mr. Preminger was taken on a tour of the Center. Being most impressed, he congratulated Toronto on this masterpiece. He in turn, completely captivated the audience, as well as the Press, Radio and Television personalities he met and received a warm welcome.
A Press Luncheon hosted in the Royal Suite, Park Plaza Hotef by Pai-amount Pictures in his honor was attended by actress Tisa Farrow (Mia's sister) who now lives in Toronto, along with legendary celebrity Gordon Sinclair.
During this luncheon, Mr. Preminger discussed his next film, "Such Good Friends" which like "Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon" by Marjorie Kellogg, is the second novel by a woman author, namely Louis Gould.
Mr. Preminger also demonstrated his tremendous interest and belief in Youth by participating in a special
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LOVE THAT SYRUP!
"Love and Maple Syrup" (^ned last Monday in Toronto at tlie St. Lawrence Center, Front at Scott "ami promises to be a smash hit, M we must believe the raving critics coming, from Ottawa, where it played at the National Arts Center. And while playing in the Nation's capital ^the title of the play was also translated in French, thus becoming "Amour & Sucre d'Erable" which makes it even more fascinating. It's a musical fantasy and is scheduled to run until October 17.
THE OPERAS ARE STILL ON The-€anadian Opera Company, currently performing five operatic works.at the O'Keefe Center of Toronto, has unveiled its "Fidelio" which has l)een favorably received by the critics. Also the Company reminds Canadian opera goers that its best work this season, Verdi's La Traviata, wiU be performed twice more, Monday October 12 and Thursday October 15. The season ends October 17.
ROARING ON WILSON AVE.
The musical revue known as the "Roaring Twenties'" is still roaring at the Bev- . erly Hills Motor Hotel on Wilson Avenue. One of the best features of this attraction is the Charleston contest and somehow everyone seems to enjoy this never forgotten dance. Two shows every evening.
THE GHOSTS
The University of Toronto Drama Center presents until October 17 at the Hart House Theater one of the best known plays by Ibsen, "Ghosts". It is a very exacting work for the students, well worth seeing.
"♦Two well known per for m-ers were in the news in the last few days. Janis Joplin, the iscreaming rock singer from Texas, was found dead in her Hollywood apartment, apparently from an overdose of drugs and the trial of Audie Murphy started last Monday in Los Angeles. Murphy, the most decorited soldier in World War H, ami soon after one of the most famous Hollywood actors, has been charged with attempted murder. He was arrested last May 18, foUowing a complaint lodged byadogtrainer who said Murphy and a companion assaulted him. According to him a shot was fired by Murphy during the altercation.
* Barbara McNair has an-nouced that she and Sammy Davis Jr. will costar in a movie which will be called ",Speak No Evil" and which will be made in the island of CaprL Dyan Cannon will also appear in this movie. The announcement by Miss McNair seems to whitewash the desire of Sammy Davis to retire ftom show business
after 41 yearsi
* Georg Solti, musical director of the Royal Opera of London, has been appointed musical director of the Orchestra de PsCris for three years, starting January 1972. The celebrated conductor will leave Covent Garden next summer althoughhis regular return as gtiest conductor is a condition in the Paris contract.
* Those familiar with the 'sequence and events in the Genesis will be interested in knowing that the Good Book got the facts wrong, at least according to a new movie, called "When Dinosaurs ruled the Earth". In this fUm we find a sultry, and contemporary looking heroine, (Victoria Vetri) with a mini-bikini being saved from a horrible end by a score of animals. And also her boy friend is saved by a cruel death until they are united and a giant flood kills the rest of mankind. It's incredible that such stories still find a way to make money in the 20th century! •
The incredible attack on Pearl Harbor as told from both the American and Japanese sides.
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Octobers - 15
AUDUBON WILDLIFE FILMS
FILM-LECTURES IN FULL COLOUR
Twenty-fifth Season Tuesday, October 20 — Wanderings of a Naturalist in the
Australian Bush
Harold J. Pollock Tuesday, November 10— Shikar In India
John Mover
Down South UP the Nile J. Bristol Foster Canada's Mountain Wilderness Edgar T. Jones ' Tuesday, April 20 — Wings of the Wild
Alvah W. Sanborn j
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8.15 p.m. .All Seats Resep.ed. Phone: 364:6487 Series S8.00, S7.00, $6.00. Single Showing S2.00 Sponsored by the Toronto Field Naturalists' Club
Tuesday, January 12 — Tuesday, March 16 —
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7TH MONTH
UPTOWN
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EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT ...
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8TH WEEK
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0 She Icnows the difference between mailing life and making love 0 because 5he embraces both-
"THE BEST AMERICAN HLM AffiXENOQLSRLM I'VE SEEN THIS YEAR" AlANARKIN ^,
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October 9 -15
The best movie I have seen in months^
Clyde Gilniour—Telegram.
GIG YOUNG AND RICHARD CASTELLANO IN
4 The ori^nal classic of love and hate,
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SECOND WEEK
MS2 TONGC-CASILEFtaO W7^SU
Ingmar Bergman's
THE PASSION OF ANNA
CINEMA
2ND WEEK
Color
9 Story of a boy trapped in enemy territory.. % a small town in America
HOMER
TtCHNICOLOR*
YORHPALE
H.lCICST.AfJl'iyj)
»*iuun)si.s. iiriiom.)77]iu
* Otto Preminger's :
: TELL ME THAI YOU LOVE ME, JUNIE MOOR
J starring Liza Minneli
0*
YONGE
td>ma»'ou(en.h(u77