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ALAN BATES, as Yakov Bok, the title role of MGM’s “The Fixer.” is repeatedly
questioned and harassed by Russian police. Accused of the murder of a young boy,
Bok stoutly maintains his innocence and is proclaimed a hero by his people as a result
Kathy Tanner
6 The Fixer ’ Depicts Injustice , /fate
Mart /fas Shown to Minority Races
“The Fixer” is the story of a man who becomes a hero. It is an
honor he feels he could do without. But fate, history, and the times in
which one lives sometimes intervene.
MGM’s “The Fixer” stars Alan
Bates, Dirk Bogarde, Georgia
Brown, Hugh Griffith, Elizabeth
Hartman, lan Holm, David
Warner, and Carol White. Filmed
entirely on locations in Hungary,
the screen version of Bernard
Mala mud’s Pulitzer Prize and
National Book Award winning
novel was directed by John
Frankenheimer and produced by
Edward Lewis from a screenplay
by Dalton Trumbo.
BRUTAL MURDER
Yakov Bok (Alan Bates) is a
handyman who moves to Kiev
during a virulent period of
anti-Semitism in Tsarist Russia.
When the body of a young boy,
brutally murdered, is discovered
in a cave, Yakov Bok is accused of
ritual murder. He is arrested fora
crime he did not commit and,
despite his long sufferings, refuses
to “confess.”
The international cast of “The
Fixer” is headed by Alan Bates,
the young, versatile British actor
who has the demanding title role.
Bates first attracted critical
attention in John Schlesinger's
“A King of Loving” and the
screen version of “The
Caretaker.” His distinctive film
performances have since included
“Nothing But the Best,” “Zorba
the Greek,” “Georgy Girl,”
“King of Hearts,” and “Far From
the Madding Crowd.” On
Broadway, Bates repeated his
West End roles in “The
Caretaker” and John Osborne’s
“Look Back in Anger” and
starred in Jean Kerr’s “Poor
Richard.”
IRON CURTAIN
“The Fixer” was filmed
entirely on locations in Hungary,
marking the first time a major
American motion picture was
made behind the Iron Curtain.
Never before has the film
industry portrayed a man being
punished so severely and for so
long as in “The Fixer.” Yakov
Bok, a Russian-Jewish peasant, is
accused of the murder of a
Christian boy. As Bates explained
the character he plays as Bok, he
said, “Only slowly, through the
awful pressure and humiliation he
endures does it dawn on him who
he is and what circumstances he is
in. It is only at the end that he
knows, and he doesn’t care
whether he lives or dies, as long as
it’s truthful.”
RUSSIAN PRISON
Bok was confined to a Russian
prison and treated very harshly
by the guards and officials. Some
of his punishment included
wearing shoes with nails driven
through the soles into his feet,
eating the soup that a guard
deliberately spit into, and being
THE WEST GEORGIAN
of his courage. The international cast of the film also includes Dirk Bogarde, Georgia
Brown, Hugh Griffith, Elizabeth Hartman, lan Holm, David Warner, and Carol White.
stripped of his clothing daily and
being searched and humiliated.
The state torments him to get
him to “confess.” Most of the
officials know he is innocent but
are determined to convict him
because he is a Jew, and because
they know he is right but hate to
face the fact. They find, much to
their regret, that Yakov is a good
man. When asked to define
“respect,” he answered, “It’s
what you’ve got to have in order
to get.” He attacks his
persecutors with comments like,
“He who hates the Jew or any
other man hates Jesus. To be
anti-Semitic ... you first have to
be anti-Christian.”
FEAR AND HATE
After long confinement, he
finally goes to his trial. He has
become a national hero with his
people. Bok said, “A hero I’m
not. A hero decides to be a hero.
He’s got no choice. I’m just a fool
. . . worse than a fool. I’m an
accident I didn’t intend. Wise I
never was. But something in
myself has changed ... I fear less
and I hate more... I hate all those
who lack the insight : . . that
creates in a man charity, respect
for the most miserable.”
The film portrays, of course,
the injustice shown toward the
Jews, but really makes one stop
and see and think of all the
injustice still being shown today
in all degrees to so-called
minority races.
EDITORIALS
Goodwill
The relationship between West Georgia College and the City of
Carrollton has never been ideal. Complaints have often been voiced
by both sides. Some of the city’s residents have complained about
the disorderly conduct of a few of the college students. Some
students have complained of mistreatment by some Carrollton
officials and citizens and that Carrollton has little to offer in the way
of entertainment or conveniences.
This rather grim picture seems to be changing almost as rapidly as
the college is growing. Recently compiled figures have shown that as
the college has grown, its economic impact on the community has
grown as well. New construction and growth in enrollment have
provided many job opportunities for residents of Carrollton and the
surrounding area. Increased student spending in the Carrollton area
has aided the community economically and has provided the
impetus for establishing new businesses which cater to the needs and
interests of the college student.
Recent community service projects adopted by several campus
organizations have also contributed to a better relationship between
WGC and Carrollton. In a letter to Dean John Pershing, dean of
student affairs, John Robinson, mayor of Carrollton, expressed his
appreciation of this community interest on behalf of the students.
Such activities will no doubt be a contributing factor in the
improving relationship between town and college and should be
continued and increased. Such activities can only increase goodwill
between college and community, resulting in benefits to both West
Georgia and Carrollton.
Challenge
During the past several quarters, West Georgia has had little to of
fer in the way of timely, stimulating speakers. Theodore C. Sorensen,
advisor to the late President John F. Kennedy, speaking at convoca
tion Wednesday, proved to be well-informed, challenging, and thought
provoking.
The college is to be thanked for providing a speaker of Mr. Soren
sen’s caliber. It is to be hoped that more speakers will be secured to
provide a broader view of what is going on in the world. If such lec
turers are brought to the campus, it is hoped that more students will
show some interest in world affairs and take advantage of these op
portunities by attending the lectures.
JANUARY 17, 1969