The Gazette du lieu suivant : Montreal, Quebec, Canada • 59

C1)C LSI LJ L.a nrxnnnr UUvJUlU MONTREAL. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 15.1987 utS-a Cameras roll on Bethune Quebec Museum buys rarely seen orduas painting EYE ON ENTERTAINMENT 1 I 4 a I N. yf r. ft r-'- 1 i ,4 Si 'I "I i v' I 'A i "TTI" 'T? I THflT't'li ift By LUCINDA CHODAN of The Gazette BEIJING There were Western movie stars.

Eastern government officials and flowery compliments in both English and Chinese as the Canadian-Chinese-French co-production Bethune: The Making of a Hero got its official launch in a Beijing hotel yesterday. Actors Donald Sutherland and Helen Shaver joined Canadian and Chinese representatives at a news conference for the $16-million film. Bethune. about Canadian doctor Norman Bethune, a hero of revolutionary China, starts filming today in Beijing. The production is one of Canada's most ambitious film projects and marks the first time People's Republic of China has invested in the production of a film with the West.

"This really is a dream come true, and we've been working toward it for a long time," said Nicolas Clermont of Montreal's Film-line International, a co-producer of Bethune. "I think Bethune would be very happy to see us here today." Chest surgeon "Dr. Bethune has been known in China by old and young, however internationally he is yet to be known," said Wang Xingang, a film director with China's August First Film Studios, the Chinese partner in the film. "I believe with this film his international profile will change, and a friendship between China and Canada will be promoted as well." Bethune, a Communist, was born in 1890 in Gravenhurst. Ont.

He was a chest surgeon at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital and at L'Hpital Sacre Coeur in Cartier-ville in the 1920s and '30s. He travelled to China in 1938 to treat wounded Communist soldiers during the war against Japan and died from blood poisoning in 1939 after cutting his finger during an operation hurried because of the approach of Japanese troops. Bethune was later cited by Mao Zedong as an example to the Chinese people and became a national hero. He was eulogized in a poem by Mao, and his life story is still taught to Chinese schoolchildren. "No foreigner outside of Buddha has ever had such impact on the people of China," scriptwriter Ted Allan of Montreal, a longtime friend and biographer of Bethune, told The Canadian Press.

"He came to help us in our most crucial Wang. "He is known to every household in China." Mao's poem describing Bethune as a "great internationalist fighter" was widely read during the 10 years of the ultra-left Cultural Revolution, which began in 1966. Film biography Bethune: The Making of a Hero is not the first production to deal with life of the charismatic surgeon. Earlier versions include a 1964 National Film Board documentary and a 1978 CBC television docudrama. China produced a film biography of Bethune in 1962 but it was not released until 1977, after Mao's death.

However, participants say this film will be the first to deal with the less-publicized aspects of Beth- The Museum of Quebec has bought a major, but rarely seen, painting by Quebec abstract artist Paul-Emile Borduas for $250,000. Titled Les Pylones de la porte and measuring 148 cm by 86 cm, it was painted in 1949, at the same time Borduas (1905-1960) was helping to shake up artistic life in the province. The painting was immediately snapped up by a private collector and experts believe that it was shown in public only once in 1953 until the museum bought it from the Gallery Dresdnere in Toronto and put it on display. Gallery owner Simon Dresdnere said he didn't know if the price was the highest ever paid for a Borduas, but it would have been among the highest. It is "a major acquisition that sheds new light on Broduas work in the 1940s," said Michel Martin, who purchased the work for the museum.

Canadian Press Film agency to award directors The provincial film agency, So-ciete generale du cinema du Quebec will award two Quebec directors prizes of $50,000 each. The cash awards, to be announced April 28, will be applied to the production of the directors' next feature films. A jury, which is headed by noted cinematographer Michel Brault, will select the winning directors from a field of 16 Quebec films made in 1986. Among the eligible directors are Denys Arcand for Le Declin de 'empire americain, Yves Simoneau for both Les Fous de bassan and Pouvoir intime and Robin Spry for Keeping Track. Last year's winning directors were Andre Melancon (La Guerre des tuques) and Francois Bouvier and Jean Beaudry (Jacques et No-vembre).

Bill Brown stein Malo launches film organization Montreal producerdistributor Rene Malo has joined forces with two other leading Canadian film companies to launch an international sales organization. The newly formed Image Organization, with offices in Montreal, Toronto, and Los Angeles, will represent the films of Canadian producers in the U.S. and abroad. Malo, co-producer of Le Declin de I' empire americain, serves as president of the company, while Patrick Loubert of Toronto-based Nelvana Films (Burglar, Care Bear Adventures) is chairman and former Mont-realer Pierre David, executive vice-president. David, who is now based in Los Angeles, served as production executive on the Oscar-winning Platoon.

The Image Organization will be representing the films of Malo's Ma-lofilm Group and Nelvana as well as those of a host of other Canadian production companies, including Rock Demers' La Fete productions (Bach and Broccoli, The Young Magician). In a related development, Malo and David have launched a new production company together. The company, called Lance Entertainment, is to begin shooting this summer on the suspense thriller Pin. Based on the best-seller by Andrew Neiderman, the film is written and directed by Sandor The Amityville Horror) Stern. Meanwhile, Malo's Malofilm Group will also be involved in a Franco-Canadian co-production this summer.

The $4 million film, Revolving Doors starts shooting in Montreal in June. Bill Brownstein Burkina Faso film one of best Histoire d'Orokia, a feature-length movie from Burkina Faso, has won one of the top prizes at the just-ended African film festival in Montreal. Winning the prize for the best Canadian documentary about Africa for the second year in a row was producer Yves Langlois, this time for a film called Le Batey. Canadian Press Doubles advance in CBC contest Two singers and two pianists rather than the expected three of each will advance to the finals of the CBC's Competition for Young Performers, now under way at Salle Claude Champagne. Baritone Kevin McMillan, 28, the only male in the original field of 17 candidates, will appear tonight with the Orchestre des Jeunes under Uri Mayer.

He will be followed by soprano Sonia Racine, 29, of Quebec City. Tomorrow evening's concert will feature pianists Angela Cheng, 27, of Edmonton, and Michelle Mares, 15, of Vancouver. At stake are a $4,000 first prize and a $1,500 second prize in each category. The events begin at 8 and are open to the public. They can also be heard live on CBC Stereo.

Leeds competition founder impressed by Canadian talent. Page F-7. Hagman denies he's a Buddhist LOS ANGELES (AP) Larry Hagman, the wily J.R. of CBS-TV Dallas series, says he's not a Buddhist, and he denied published reports that co-star Patrick Duffy has tried to convert him to Buddhism. "This is totally made up; it is so far from the truth," Hagman said.

"I respect how Patrick feels about Buddhism, but I've certainly never had anything to do with it. We've never even discussed it. He does not try to proselytize. He's very low-key." The reports were published in a British newspaper and in a U.S. supermarket tabloid.

AP Doctor ill: Donald Sutherland takes dose of stomach remedy at news conference. and Telefilm Canada are the Canadian investors, with French participation from Belstar Productions. China will supply actors, technicians and production facilites through August First Film Studios. Producers hope the feature film will be released in Canada, France and China next year, with the project also slated to become a CBC television mini-series. he was a genius he was a genius at a lot of things." Helen Shaver, who plays a missionary in the film, said the making of Bethune was a "journey of discovery for everyone." Bethune will be filmed in four locations in China over the next 13 weeks, with shooting continuing in Montreal and Spain through September.

Filmline International, the CBC une's life: his heavy drinking and what one reporter called his "womanizing." Donald Sutherland, who won an ACTRA award for the title role in the CBC docudrama Bethune, will repeat his role as the surgeon. The actor, pleading an upset stomach and swigging occasionally from a bottle of strawberry extract, said this production differs from previous versions in that it is being made with the participation of the Chinese. "Hopefully it will evoke the spirit that Mao Zedong evoked when he described him as the representation of internationalism." Pressed about his interpretation of Allan's warts-and-all script, Sutherland said he would try to play the surgeon "somewhere between the glass and the bed." "He was a wonderful man and Thumbs down on Le Declin South China Morning Post, Terry Boyce. Describing director Denys Ar-cand's work as "a film of idle chatter and intellectualized sex," Boyce says it is "cinematic masturbation which never reaches a climax." Lucinda Chodan BEIJING Le Deciin de "empire americain may be a hit at film festivals around the world, but not in Hong Kong. The film, now showing at the 11th Hong Kong International Film Festival, got a thumbs down from the film critic of the city's Gielgud making a return visit to Montreal? Hausvater says he hasn't quit festival Montreal director Alexandre Hausvater says there is no truth to a report published yesterday that he has resigned as artistic director of La Quinzaine internationale de theatre, Quebec City's international theatre festival held in 1984 and 1986.

Hausvater said the direction of the proposed Thomas Schnurmacher ft' wife comedienne who likes to refer to herself as a domestic goddess? Does Roseanne look good? Not in a bathing suit. But there is a very good chance that we will be seeing La Barr on the stage of the Theatre St. Denis during the comedy festival." Paul Newman may have avoided the Oscar ceremonies, but he has confirmed that he and his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, will show up at the Cannes filmfest. That's because an adaptation of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, directed by Newman and starring Woodward, is in official competition at the festival. The film also stars Karen Allen.

James Naughton and John Mal-kovich. Montreal actor Jean Leclerc. who plays the part of Jeremy on the soap opera All My Children, does do shopping centres. He ill be appearing in the New York tri-slate area at the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream on April 23. The film Beverly Hills Cop II starring Eddie Murphy, will open in some 1.800 theatres across North America on Mav 20.

double-whammy in the same two categories the following year for the film All About Eve, which still holds the record for the most Oscar nominations ever received by a single film. All About Eve, which starred Bette Davis, George Sanders. Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm and Marilyn Monroe, garnered a total of 14 Oscar nominations in 1950. Watch for the Just for Laughs comedy festival this summer to feature several comedians whose first names are Richard. This could mean Richard Lewis.

Or Richard Belzer. Or Richard Pryor. Or any combination of the above. I would also imagine that we will be seeing some of the current stars of the NBC series. Saturday Night Live, at the comedy fest.

At least one screaming comedian, either Sam Kinison or possibly the out-to-lunch Bob Goldthwait. could be definite maybes. Goldthwait is the wild man who practically manages to steal the show from Whoopi Goldberg in her latest film. Burglar, playing at the Palace and the Dorval cinemas. What about Roseanne Barr.

the house 1988 festival has been the subject of ongoing discussions this year, "but we definitely haven't reached such a dramatic point yet. In fact, we're just discussing funding with the governments. I can't imagine where these stories came from." A report in Le Devoir attributed to an unnamed press attache said the festival is looking for a new artistic director. Raymond Blouin, a festival volunteer who Sir John Gielgud, who is one of the finest Shakespearean actors in the world, and French movie star Miou-Miou. who isn't, will co-star in Daddy Nostalgie.

a father-daughter drama to be filmed this fall as a Franco-Canadian co-production between AB Films in Paris and the Montreal-based company, Film Vision 4. As it stands now, the film will be shot in Paris. However Gielgud, who is the great-nephew of legendary English actress Ellen Terry, would certainly have no objection to filming some scenes in Montreal. Gielgud, best remembered by many film-goers for his Oscar-winning performance five years ago as the butler in the film Arthur, might even experience a certain sense of deja vu. Forty years ago, Gielgud played the part of John Worthing when Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest was presented at His Majesty's Theatre in Montreal.

If you attended any of those performances, you may still have a copy of the program in the attic. Perhaps if you meet Gielgud and show it to him, he might be impressed. If you show it to mo, I would certainly be impressed. In l'33. Gielgud played the role of Cas-sius in the film Julius Caesar, directed by Hollywood's Joseph L.

Mankiewicz (iuess who will be directing Gielgud in Daddy Nostalgie'' None other than the nephew of Joseph Mankiewicz, 43-year-old Montrealer Francis Mankiewicz, who directed the critically acclaimed Canadian film Les bons debarras, which before Le Declin de I'empire americain, had been described (in the book Take Two: A tribute to Film in Canada, edited by Seth Feldman) as "one of the most honored Canadian movies in history." Francis Mankiewicz was born in Shanghai, but came to Montreal with his parents when he was only a year old. One of his uncles, Herman J. Mankiewicz, had worked with Orson Welles on the script for Citizen Kane. Francis's other uncle, Joseph Mankiewicz the one who directed Gielgud as Cassius was quite the Hollywood success story. Joseph Mankiewicz had won Oscars for screenplay and direction in 1949 for the film A Letter to Three Wives.

He repeated the Oscar HAUSVATER No truth to report worked in the office during last summer's event, told The Gazette he spoke with a reporter who asked him to confirm rumors of a dispute between Hausvater and the festival's administration council. "I said I thought the 1988 festival will probably be run by an artistic committee, but I did not say Hausvater has quit." said Iilouin..