‘The New Spirit in the Cinema’, c1930
Promotional leaflet for a book by Huntly Carter. Carter's book contrasted the "planned commercial movement" of the Hollywood film industry with the "unplanned" European movement of "sociological humanism". He argued that the apocalyptic final battle between the two ("the good and evil seed") had begun. Carter's argument that European film is more humanist and morally good is perhaps undermined by his use of a still from 'The Sacred Mountain', a 1926 film featuring Leni Reifenstahl. Reifenstahl is now better known for her production of Nazi propaganda films during the 1930s.
Included in a file on 'Film: Huntly Carter', from the archive of the Trades Union Congress; document reference: MSS.292/674.94/4