Eisenstein, Russian Jewish Film Director, Coming Here

S. M. Eisenstein, the famous Russian Jewish film director, will leave for the United States Monday, May 5th. Mr. Eisenstein, who won world fame by his film productions “Potemkin” and “Ten Days That Shook the World,” is under contract to the Paramount Publix Corporation. He will make one or more talking pictures in Hollywood.

Mr. Eisenstein expressed satisfaction with having an opportunity to acquaint himself with American talking picture technique, which he will try to utilize in his future work.

S. M. Eisenstein was born in Riga in 1898, and is the son of a Jewish merchant. He studied for the engineering profession and was also graduated from the school of Arts. When the revolution came, Eisenstein joined the Engineering Corps of the Red Army. After the revolution he joined the first Workers’ Theatre, where he made his first important success. He then became associated with the famous Russian stage director Meyerhold, and after differing with him on matters of principle, returned to the Workers’ Theatre to assume complete charge. His sensational work with this group placed him in the front rank of Russian directors, and he was called upon to help in the organization of the Soviet Film industry.

To his successes “Potemkin” and Ten Days That Shook the World,” which have won international acclaim, his latest picture “New and Old,” which is now being presented for the first time in this country at the Cameo Theatre in New York, has been added. This new picture was enthusiastically received at a private showing which was given for the critics several days ago. As an instance of the great praise that has been given to the picture “New and Old” by the New York critics, the motion picture reviewer of the “New York Post” concludes his criticism by saying that “Hollywood should lay down and let Mr. Eisenstein walk over it.”

While the first two pictures that Mr. Eisenstein directed deal with war and revolution, the newest one, “Old and New,” takes up the problems of the Russian peasants. This picture conduces a clearer understanding of the much-discussed collectivization question in Russia and enlightens us also about the struggles of the Kulaks and the poor peasantry.