As a lover of very old movies and a New Yorker, I am very grateful to the Museum of Modern Art on West 53rd Street, for its pioneering efforts in recognizing, preserving, and making available a vast library of very old films. The idea for the film department was Iris Barry's, and for decades she ruled the department, deciding what would be preserved or restored or made available. I disagree with a lot of her decisions, as I would with anyone's: even mine own, looking back.
This episode of John Nesbitt's long-running series for shorts for MGM chooses to focus instead on what has been preserved, and its educational value. We get long lines of forgotten royalty at a king's funeral instead of a look at Miss Barry at work. It's a choice I disagree with, but then, the only person who could make a choice I would agree with would be.... well, not me, certainly.
This episode of John Nesbitt's long-running series for shorts for MGM chooses to focus instead on what has been preserved, and its educational value. We get long lines of forgotten royalty at a king's funeral instead of a look at Miss Barry at work. It's a choice I disagree with, but then, the only person who could make a choice I would agree with would be.... well, not me, certainly.