Something’s happening in Detroit and a good part of it ‘happened’ on Friday, February 25.
More than fifty persons gathered at the Fifth Estate to attend a reorganization party for the Detroit Circle. The Circle, recently bogged down with a decreasing attendance record, is a group of forty five students and adults.
When asked about future plans for this new left discussion group, one member replied: “We plan to continue to set up dialogues with the Detroit liberal and radical community with the purpose of initiating actions concerning the burning issues of peace and civil rights. We hope to expand our discussions and focus on films and guest speakers.”
Already planned is a special viewing of Frederic Rossif’s TO DIE IN MADRID; a film that explores fascism in Spain. Called ‘excellent’ by Bosley Crowther of the New York Times and labeled ‘one of the year’s 10 best’, TO DIE IN MADRID dissects the Spanish Civil War. The Detroit Circle felt the film merited attention because as Iris Ovshinsky put it, “The Spanish Civil War was one of the decisive events of our times. It was an emotional involvement for some of us, a physical involvement for others, and should be of prime importance to youth of today.” drawing a parallel to the world situation today, someone at the party remarked that the film could just as well have been called TO DIE IN SAIGON.
The film will be sponsored by the Detroit Circle on Thursday, March 10 at the Studio North Theater (22920 Woodward avenue in Ferndale. Showtime is 7:45 p.m. and the public is invited. Tickets ($1.65) can be purchased or sent for at the Fifth Estate, 1107 W. Warren 48201.
The next open meeting will be on Thursday, March 10 at 8:30. At this time, the public is invited to listen and participate in a discussion of TO DIE IN MADRID and the events leading up to the Spanish Civil War. Also planned is an examination of the Detroit Circle’s role in the second International Days of Protest on March 25, 26 and 27. Future meetings are every other Tuesday at the Fifth Estate.