Tuesday, January 19, 1982
Daily Nebraskan
Pago 5
Arts & Entertainment
'Confessors' gives look at international art world
By Doug Bruster
Early in 1959, Thomas 1 loving began to
search for a career which could combine
curiosity and expertise with excitement
and action. And so, he tells us, he became
an art dealer.
Moving, author of last year's best-selling
Tutankliamen: The Untold Story,
paints a fascinating picture of the world of
international art dealing with King of the
Confessors (Simon and Schuster, 365 pag
es, $16.95), his second work of nonfiction.
55 I Book
pr ) Review
It chronicles his position as assistant cura
tor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's
medieval branch, and, in particular, his
quest for an object dart which gradually
becomes an obsession.
The object is a large, ivory altar cross.
In the hands of a strange Yugoslav collect
or, the corss is a veritable wealth of puz
zles. Presumably an eleventh century
Anglo-Saxon carving, it is so delicate in
construction and beautiful in design that
it ranks high among all of medieval art.
Adorned with Biblical scenes and figures, it
fascinates all who behold it - including
Moving himself, an expert on medieval art.
Yet Moving is puzzled by several things.
The inscription over Christ's head on the
cross reads "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the
Confessors" instead of the "King of the
Jews" normally found on medieval Roman
esque objects. Also the presence of several
harsh curses against the Jewish people.
These stir up a few of the many theological
questions raised by the cross. Is it anti
Semctic? Does it shed new light on the
growth and posture of Christianity during
the Middle Ages? Moving is keen to know.
Also puzzling is the background of the
crucifix. Some people whisper to Moving
that it was part of the Nazi plunder of Jew
ish art collections during the World War I.
Still others insist that it is a fake.
Standing between him and the ivory
carving are his obstinate superior at the
Met, James Rorimer, and the owner of the
cross, a mysterious foreigner named Topic
Mimara. Like The Maltese Falcon's Mr.
Cairo, Topic Mimara is a greasy, cunning
man, constant only in his unpredictability.
Me keeps the cross locked, along with the
rest of his forgery -laden collection, in the
bowels of a Zurich bank, allowing interest
ed parties to view the crucifix only under
the strictest supervision. Mimara is unaware
that most of his "masterpieces" are shams,
and seems intent on making it as hard as
possible for Moving to procure the ivory
cross for the Metropolitan's Cloisters col
lection. Other museums from around the world
are in a race for the cross, too, and franti
cally ply Mimara for bargain big positions
as Moving jets around the continent look
ing into the background of both the cross
and Topic Mimara. By now he has be
come enthralled with the enigmatic ivory
crucifix, and believes that he must procure
it for the museum at all costs. Of course
this leads to an ending full of anxious mo
ments. Does he get the cross? It would cer
tainly be hard for one possessing Hoving's
resource and enthusiasm not to.
And yet it is this same zeal that impairs
King of the Confessors. Moving's style falls
prey to his eagerness, lacking in depth
where he apparently felt the subject matter
would compensate. In contrast he too
often attempts to dramatize events which
the reader feels would have been quite ac
ceptable left as they were. Me pictures him
self as a crusader on a quest for a holy
relic, and often loses true perspective of
himself. Things, places, and people in the
book seem inflated and chapters end on
mysterious notes as if Moving felt he need
ed to pad his writing.
Though not always the thriller it intends
to be, King of the Confessors is, neverthe
less, a tolerable bit of escapism and an in
teresting - if self-indulgent - look at the
international art world. It leaves us with no
doubt, though, that Thomas Moving is an
art dealer first, and a writer second.
Cityscape
it ij u
" , k 1 1 .,t- '"i i3(irf l4rf: iJS!!?. -" """J t 1
"I'm the scrubbing woman. I'm the order woman. When the boxes come in, I nave
to wrestle them downstairs," Esther Lieurance said.
In fact, since her husband died two years ago, Esther singlehandedfy has done all
the jobs required to keep The Fun Shop - a gag gift, costume, novelty and magic
shop - open for the 32nd year.
But she isnt complaining about the work.
"I really enjoy it. lean tell you I don t liave to do this. I can retire whenever I
want to. , ,
'7 enjoy it so much that I feel I want to keep on going as long as I can.
Although the store entrance is hidden and Esther doesn't advertise, she said she
still gets plenty of repeat customers and people who have heard of the store from
friends.
"It 's just that we ve been here so long that people know it
And they keep coming in to buy the magic tricks, the make-up, the masks, the
novelties and the other unusual items Esther stocks in The Fun Shop.
By D. Eric Kircher
Modem Problems'
old and in the way
By Cydney Wilson
The problem demonstrated in Modem Problems is
experienced more by the audience than any of the
characters in the movie, in that the audience has to sit
through the film.
Movie goers enter the theater expecting a film as well
done, or at least as funny, as Chase's past films: Seems
Like Old Times, Foul Play or Under the Rainbow. Some
pTobaby tVvougJt they would see a gWrrvpao of tYve
comedian of Saturday Night Live fame.
Instead, those who see Modem Problems view a Chevy
Chase trying to portray Max Fiedler, a humbling air traffic
controller.
The movie begins with Max Fiedler losing his girlfriend
because of his fits of jealous rage. Yet he runs into her
throughout the film, no matter where he goes. On the
freeway one night he is exposed to nuclear waste in the
form of green slime which covers his car, arriving home
glowing iridescently. This radiation gives him miraculous
powers, allowing him to fly a bar of soap through the air,
Movie
Review
produce a fountain of blood from the nose of his ex-girlfriend's
new flame, spin a man's body over a dining room
table, and control his own life, as well as the lives of those
around him. We should be so lucky that being exposed to
nuclear radiation is so harmless, and in addition so non
toxically amusing.
The scenes that are funny initially, soon lose their
appeal as the act is repeated with a new twist, two or
three times. An example of this is in the scene where Max
moves, (through his powers), a male ballet performer off
the stage into the orchestra pit, (amusing), into the set
through mid-air, (okay), and then inflates the dancer's
tights, (getting old).
The plot line is fairly basic, once you get beyond the
nuclear waste theory: girl leaves the basic "clod," (Max),
and throughout the entire movie he tries to prove how
much he loves her, yet no matter how hard he tries to
change and shape up he messes up even more. Thus the
girl "knows" that she's helplessly in love with him.
Dabney Coleman, portrays Mark Winslow, an author of
self-help books. He is convincing as a despicable, egotisti
cal snob. A scene between Max and Darby is especially
amusing.
The movie went from Max being exposed to nuclear
wast on the freeway, a tiny bit unbelievable, to the
ridiculous, as Nell Carter, a voodoo maid tries to exorcise
the "devil" from Max. She goes through all kinds of con
tortions: sprinkling white powder around a room which
he promptly snorts up, and dancing all over the room.
Chase spins around, speaks in "strange" voices, etc. Al
together, the scene is a poorly done take-off on The
Exorcist.
Everyone in the movie is extremely chummy consider
ing the fact that the group includes a divorced couple, a
girl trying to break up with her live-in boyfriend, and an
author who gets along with virtually no one.
Toward the end of the movie, Chevy Chase blows
steam out of his ears and rolls his eves around, and yells:
"I like it!"
I did not.
