MOVIEGOER

Several months ago the motion picture exhibitors of Greater Boston met in one of their regular conclaves to decide what pictures they would show in the ensuing weeks. To a man they turned thumbs down on "Major Barbara," which they felt was much too intellectual to draw any crowds. Finally the Exeter Theatre, with one foot in the grave, decided to take a gamble and show the picture. The result was phenomenal. The Exeter had never grossed more than $3000 a week before in its history--this time it got $8000 the first week. Hundreds were turned away at each evening performance. Now that the picture has arrived at the U.T., it behooves every Harvard man who hasn't seen it to drop his exam studying and whip over to the local emporium. And the odds are 10 to 1 that those who have seen it once will want to enjoy it a second time.

The George Bernard Shaw play tells of the conversion of Barbara, a major in the Salvation Army, to the views of her father, Andrew Underschaft, who is almost her opposite--a millionaire munitions maker. Underschaft manages to convince her that the world is tough and poverty is not the beautiful virtue the Salvation Army maintains. He shows what power is and who wield it.

But regardless of whether you agree with Shaw's conclusions, you cannot deny that it is a picture that will make you think. Aside from the Shavian philosophy, it is undoubtedly one of the best directed, acted, and photographed pictures of the last few years. Wendy Hiller as Major Barbara, Robert Morley as Andrew Underschaft, and a newcomer named Robert Newton as Bill Walker, the tough mug who turns a leaf, all turn in brilliant performances. Here at last is a picture which credits the average movie-goer with more brains than a fourteen-year-old, and even if it is often too subtle and confusing. "Major Barbara" may be set down as a major achievement of British motion pictures. Hollywood please note.