When I was in college I
knew some folks who were loosely affiliated with a communist group called
Progressive Labor Party. It was a Maoist party, and how they
distinguished themselves from any other communist organization I have no
idea. But I mention those college years because it was when I began
watching movies by Humphrey Bogart with a more political lens so to
speak. I had seen him in The Maltese Falcon growing up, Key Largo,
Casablanca, Treasure of Sierra Madre, 1948, Dark Passage, 1947,
and more. Bogart was a national treasure. Had a wonderful voice and
a tough-guy attitude. What's not to like?
Maybe the fact that he was empathetic to communist ideology. He was one of the Committee for the First Amendment so that they could believe and say anything they wanted. I guess communist, mass murder ideology is so poorly persuasive that the communists need government protection. I remember hearing while in school the argument that communists were controlled by the Kremlin. If they were I had not known of it, particularly with the group of semi-incompetent, young kids who wanted to roll some heads. That was the extent of their aggression--they wanted an ideology to justify their anger at being poor. What college kid is not poor? How many of them are in debt today and now?
So I didn't give much attention to the thought that communist leaders stationed in Moscow were running things or people associated with the Progressive Labor Party. Until I began to study history a little. Turns out that the communist parties, of which there are many, do run things internationally. There was one guy that a friend of mine and I met at an airport. He was from DC but we met him here at John Wayne. I was oblivious to so many things back then. No moral guidance.
But communism had a horrible influence on people, on study, on my ability to make a living for myself. And now I am upset at learning that Walter Huston, father of director and actor of Chinatown, was a communist sympathizer to the point where he produced communist propaganda in film. The movie I refer to is Mission to Moscow based on the Joseph Davies book by the same name. Here is the synopsis of it at IMDB:
"Ambassador Joseph Davies is sent by FDR to Russia to learn about the Soviet system and returns to America as an advocate of Stalinism." Charming.
Maybe the fact that he was empathetic to communist ideology. He was one of the Committee for the First Amendment so that they could believe and say anything they wanted. I guess communist, mass murder ideology is so poorly persuasive that the communists need government protection. I remember hearing while in school the argument that communists were controlled by the Kremlin. If they were I had not known of it, particularly with the group of semi-incompetent, young kids who wanted to roll some heads. That was the extent of their aggression--they wanted an ideology to justify their anger at being poor. What college kid is not poor? How many of them are in debt today and now?
So I didn't give much attention to the thought that communist leaders stationed in Moscow were running things or people associated with the Progressive Labor Party. Until I began to study history a little. Turns out that the communist parties, of which there are many, do run things internationally. There was one guy that a friend of mine and I met at an airport. He was from DC but we met him here at John Wayne. I was oblivious to so many things back then. No moral guidance.
But communism had a horrible influence on people, on study, on my ability to make a living for myself. And now I am upset at learning that Walter Huston, father of director and actor of Chinatown, was a communist sympathizer to the point where he produced communist propaganda in film. The movie I refer to is Mission to Moscow based on the Joseph Davies book by the same name. Here is the synopsis of it at IMDB:
"Ambassador Joseph Davies is sent by FDR to Russia to learn about the Soviet system and returns to America as an advocate of Stalinism." Charming.
Point is I am still
reeling from having been associated or made friends with people in PL
who were sucking on the high salaries of other people. I was invited to
a friend's home on the west side of LA, two gentlemen in fact who were well to
do, owned million-dollar homes. But that's relative when you're talking about impoverished
students.
But back in the day, people used to worship Walter Huston and his son, John Huston, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and other Lefties in Hollywood.
But back in the day, people used to worship Walter Huston and his son, John Huston, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and other Lefties in Hollywood.
