1930s George Bernard Shaw

letter manchester guardian, 2 march 1933, signed shaw , 20 others.

shaw s enthusiasm soviet union dated 1920s when had hailed lenin 1 interesting statesman in europe . having turned down several chances visit, in 1931 joined party led nancy astor. managed trip culminated in lengthy meeting stalin, whom shaw later described georgian gentleman no malice in him. @ dinner given in honour, shaw told gathering: have seen terrors , terribly pleased them . in march 1933 shaw co-signatory letter in manchester guardian protesting @ continuing misrepresentation of soviet achievements: no lie fantastic, no slander stale ... employment more reckless elements of british press.

shaw s admiration mussolini , stalin demonstrated growing belief dictatorship viable political arrangement. when nazi party came power in germany in january 1933, shaw described hitler remarkable man, able man , , professed himself proud writer in england scrupulously polite , hitler . principal admiration stalin, regime championed uncritically throughout decade. shaw saw 1939 molotov–ribbentrop pact triumph stalin who, said, had hitler under thumb.

shaw s first play of decade true good, written in 1931 , premiered in boston in february 1932. reception unenthusiastic. brooks atkinson of new york times commenting shaw had yielded impulse write without having subject , judged play rambling , indifferently tedious conversation . correspondent of new york herald tribune said of play discourse, unbelievably long lectures , although audience enjoyed play bewildered it.

during decade shaw travelled , frequently. of journeys charlotte; enjoyed voyages on ocean liners, , found peace write during long spells @ sea. shaw met enthusiastic welcome in south africa in 1932, despite strong remarks racial divisions of country. in december 1932 couple embarked on round-the-world cruise. in march 1933 arrived @ san francisco, begin shaw s first visit us. had earlier refused go awful country, uncivilized place , unfit govern itself ... illiberal, superstitious, crude, violent, anarchic , arbitrary . visited hollywood, unimpressed, , new york, lectured capacity audience in metropolitan opera house. harried intrusive attentions of press, shaw glad when ship sailed new york harbour. new zealand, , charlotte visited following year, struck him best country ve been in ; urged people more confident , loosen dependence on trade britain. used weeks @ sea complete 2 plays—the simpleton of unexpected isles , 6 of calais—and begin work on third, millionairess.

despite contempt hollywood , aesthetic values, shaw enthusiastic cinema, , in middle of decade wrote screenplays prospective film versions of pygmalion , saint joan. latter never made, shaw entrusted rights former unknown gabriel pascal, produced @ pinewood studios in 1938 wendy hiller. shaw determined hollywood should have nothing film, powerless prevent winning 1 academy award ( oscar ); described award best-written screenplay insult, coming such source. became first person have been awarded both nobel prize , oscar. in 1993 study of oscars, anthony holden observes pygmalion spoken of having lifted movie-making illiteracy literacy .

shaw s final plays of 1930s cymbeline refinished (1936), geneva (1936) , in king charles s golden days (1939). first, fantasy reworking of shakespeare, made little impression, second, satire on european dictators, attracted more notice, of unfavourable. in particular, shaw s parody of hitler herr battler considered mild, sympathetic. third play, historical conversation piece first seen @ malvern, ran briefly in london in may 1940. james agate commented play contained nothing conservative audiences take exception, , though long , lacking in dramatic action witless , idle theatregoers object. after first runs none of 3 plays seen again in west end during shaw s lifetime.

towards end of decade, both shaws began suffer ill health. charlotte increasingly incapacitated paget s disease of bone, , developed pernicious anaemia. treatment, involving injections of concentrated animal liver, successful, breach of vegetarian creed distressed him , brought down condemnation militant vegetarians.

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