Franklin and Marshall College - Oriflamme Yearbook (Lancaster, PA)

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Hollywood Comes Here By Marcy Rubin Racing out of the Liberal Arts Building, visions of a film buffs fantasies danced in my head. I had just been told by Professor Wickstrom that on Sunday, November 4, the college was conferring Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters upon Franklin Schaffner, Gregory Peck and Sir Laurence Olivier, who were here on location filming The Boys from Brazil. Sunday was blessed with perfect weather, and I was convinced that Hollywood's domain of influence had included the heavens. The day's events began with a press conference in the newly remodeled Green Room Theatre where students and reporters had gathered together. An informal atmosphere sparked lively interactions as Peck and Schaffner spoke in a manner that was clever, responsive, and insightful. Older women glowed from their radiating charms, while younger women, forsaking Redford and Reynolds, knew they were in the presence of finer stuff. Following the conference there was a convocation ceremony in Hensel Hall, heightened by the beauty of the academic procession. Praising the excellence of the Green Room Theatre, President Spalding, in his opening speech, paid special recognition to the importance of the performing arts. Smiling up at the three drama professors I knew they had reached nirvana. After viewing highlights of their film careers notably, Richard III, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The Best Man, the men received their degrees. Professor Gordon Wickstrom presenting Lord Olivier's in absentia to Producer Stanley O'Toole, hailed the actor as The complete and pre-eminent man of the theatre ofhis age. Fortunately, although unable to leave England due to illness, Lord Olivier cabled his reply . . . Might I say that it is really very charming indeed to have one's calling in life described as a panoply of wisdom, as a Humane Art. Bestowing Mr. Peck's award, Professor Edward Brubaker expressed, It is his skill, devotion, and achievements in the actors art which has made him so important to all of us. For it is Gregory Peck who has moved us time and again to examine ourselves and our hearts . . . In conferring the degree upon Franklin Schaffner, Professor Sidney concluded, A Franklin Schaffner film has the unmistakable, indelible imprint of a genuine artist. The elegance of this occasion, heightened by the graciousness of Gregory Peck, Franklin Schaffner and all concerned, made this a day of universal acclaim. In expressing his views towards theatre Mr. Peck believes it is a forum for the exchange of ideas and aspiration, a platform for the playwright and the poet, a place where we look unblinkingly at ourselves as we aref' In recognizing the accomplishments of the theatrical world, Franklin and Marshall could not have possibly have chosen three men more representative of this vision than Gregory Peck, Franklin Schaffner and Sir Laurence Olivier. 22 0 Tradition Today

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Some thoughts on the Play by Peter Schafner Why did I write The Royal Hunt? To make colour? Yes. To make spectacle? Yes. To make magic? Yes - if the word isn't too debased to convey the kind of excitement I believed could still be created out of the 'total' theatre. What about the words? What did I really want to write? Many things. Basically, perhaps, about an encounter between European hope and Indian hopelessnessg between Indian faith and European faithlessness. I saw the active iron of Spain against the passive feathers of Peru: the conflict of two immense and joyless powers. The Spaniard suspected joy as being unworthy of Christ. The Peruvian could hardly know it, since in his wholly organized world he was forbidden despair. The Conquistadors defied personal will: the Incas shunned it. Both in a deep sense denied man - Europe, because of her comparative sense of 'freedomf the more unforgivably . . . For Pizarro, the savour of the salt has been lost - lost through, a lifetime of rejections. For the strange sadness is that with the killing of blood-lust may go a killing ofjoyousnessg that the spirit which makes us rush to the window when soldiers clatter by is our youth and our hope -the Hail! in us - as well as our idolatry and our idiocy. Pizarro recovers the savour a little, a very little. For once, as a man, he holds on out of deep, 'useless,' barely acknowledged affection, to the life-thread of another man. He celebrates in his stubbornness the wonder of a life. He is left with no answers, ultimately with no existence. But in no very paradoxical sense he recovers joy, by finding real grief. The frost melts. As Genet said: 'To see the soul of a man is to be blinded by the sun.' . . . excerpted from his original program note Page 22:l. Franklin Schaffner answered questions on far-reaching subjects at the well attended Press Con- ference. 2. In his acceptance speech, Gregory Peck offered advice for students contemplating entering the entertainment field. Page 23: I. Ed Brubaker, as the narrator, explains a portion of the play as Atahuallpa and the Indians wait. 2. Andy Klaiuber, as de Candia the Commander ofthe Artillery, John Ot- tavino, as Pizarro, and Dave Roscher as de Soto por- trayed Spanish fortune hunters. Ro al Hunt of the Sun 1. 2. l Tradition Today 0 23