Andries Deinum - Mentor and Teacher By Gary Ferrington Andries Deinum was one of those rare educators who through his words, actions, and a life lived as example, inspired students. His enthusiasm for the power of film to portray the human condition and to open dialogue about social issues was contagious. He facilitated one seeing the world through new eyes and for many, including myself, life after Deinum was never quite the same. This article about his life is a tribute to my former teacher and mentor. I first met Andries when I enrolled in his Portland State College course on film theory and history. Though common today, such a course was rare in 1962. It was in this class that I would learn about film as art through the study of dramatic, documentary and animated motion pictures. My smoldering interest in filmmaking would be ignited and I was, after graduating the following year, on my way to the University of Southern California to pursue studies in film and media. Deinum was born in Friesland, a region of the Netherlands. It was in his homeland that he began his journey in film, working with documentary filmmaker Joris Ivens. It was this experience that facilitated a lifelong belief in the power of film to connect the viewer with social issues through a realist aesthetic. Deinum lived life as an activist and the films he chose to show in his courses reflected themes about social issues and the human condition. During World War II, Deinum worked for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in London as liaison with the Dutch resistance and government in exile. After the war he moved to Los Angeles and became a researcher, assistant director, and technical adviser to films directed by John Ford and Alfred Hitchcock.In 1951, he began a career teaching film at the University of Southern California and was largely responsible for the growth of a large and important cinema library. In 1956 the search for communists in America was at a fevered cold war pitch. Deinum found that his interest in social issues had made him suspect in the eyes of the government. He was called to testify before the House Committee on un-American Activities headed by the infamous Senator Joe McCarthy. The committee wanted to know if he was a communist and if so the names of possible communists within the film industry. Andries admitted that he had been a member of the Communist Party from 1946 to 1950. He said his own activities had been involved in a cultural study group and that he never observed anyone engaged in "criminal, subversive, or illegal acts." Books and articles in the fields of "aesthetics and the social history of literature" formed the basis of the group's discussion.He told the committee that he felt "morally unable" to name his associates (1). When asked why he had left the party, he said he quit because he found "any dogma repulsive" and his "interests had progressed beyond anything the Communist Party had to offer and that he had had no further contact since leaving it. Deinum had, on principle, refused to provide information. Yet, the University of Southern California fired him the day after his testimony. This generated much protest on and off the USC camps. Lester F. Beck, former chairman of the Cinema Department, called Deinum's loss a "crippling blow" to the department. Deinum was "blacklisted", or unwelcome, in Hollywood as were many writers, directors, producers, actors and others during this period who had been communists or were thought to profess communist ideas. Upon moving to Portland Andries found himself taking on the role as a public speaker on social issues. He had the unique ability bridge diverse groups of people, bring them together, and engage them in discussion about social issues of the time. He was personally active in the NAACP and the ACLU. (On a personal note he encouraged me to attend a lecture by a relatively unknown African-American preacher from Georgia. He asked that I listen carefully and if I did, I would see the society in which I lived in with new perspective. That preacher was Martin Luther King, Jr.). In 1958, Deinum and colleague August Frug explored the need for an American publication that provided serious discussion about film. Deinum made a distinction between the film and the movie. The movie was meant for entertainment and film he thought of as an art form that mirrored the human condition. With this principle in mind, Deinum and Frug co-founded the Film Quarterly magazine in 1958. Andries served for decades on its board. A testament to the quality of the publication he and Frug established is that it continues to be published today. Deinum had a humanistic approach to film and he spoke eloquently in defense of film as art. This passion even found him in city hall when he confronted Portland's Mayor Terry Schrunk and the City Council regarding police censorship of the film, The Lovers, by Louis Malle (1960). Deinum, having now made Portland his home, was invited to join the Portland State College Division of Continuing Education and to institute his Urban Mosaic Program which included courses in film study. Deinum was a dynamic teacher who could weave fascinating stories based upon first hand knowledge of the filmmakers whose films he screened in class. He challenged students to read, screen films, research the theory and history of film, and become engaged in discussion. For many young filmmakers of that generation, Deinum became mentor and friend. In the late 1960's Portland State expanded the film program and integrated course work into the BFA program. It was at this time that the Center for the Moving Image (CMI) was created. The Center offered its first program in the fall of 1969. CMI became one of the most professional of filmmaking and study programs in the Northwest. Students were recognized with grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Film Institute, and the Oregon Council for the Humanities. CMI students found potions in both independent film and in the Hollywood film industry. The program was cut by Portland State University in 1981. Andries Deinum taught classes in film and related topics for more than twenty years at Portland State. He continued to be involved in community and film issues up to his passing on January 31, 1995, at 76, of natural causes. Ironically, the University of Southern California's School of Film and Television mounted a plaque commemorating Andries Deinum, a former faculty member. It has been 42 years since I asked Andries if he would write a letter of recommendation to support my application for graduate school and a scholarship at the University of Southern California. His having come to know me through several terms of class and independent study, he was pleased to do so, but with a word of caution. He said that he would write a letter, but noted that it may do more harm than good. I didn't understand at the time what he meant. Fortunately, that letter found its way to a faculty committee who had great respect for Andries. I was told, once I was on campus, it had been his letter that had secured my scholarship and admittance to the University. Thank you Andries for setting me on a life-long career in film and media. I salute you. References: 1. Clymer, Adam." A.A.U.P. States Academic Freedom Standards Review of Past Year's More Significant Cases," The Crimson, June 14, 1956. 2.Jacobson, Brooke Dr., "Northwest Media: A Tribute to Tom Taylor and His Mentor" West By Northwest, March 20, 2003.

Andries Deinum - Mentor and Teacher
By Gary Ferrington

Andries Deinum was one of those rare educators who through his words, actions, and a life lived as example, inspired students.

His enthusiasm for the power of film to portray the human condition and to open dialogue about social issues was contagious. He facilitated one seeing the world through new eyes and for many, including myself, life after Deinum was never quite the same.

This article about his life is a tribute to my former teacher and mentor.

I first met Andries when I enrolled in his Portland State College course on film theory and history. Though common today, such a course was rare in 1962. It was in this class that I would learn about film as art through the study of dramatic, documentary and animated motion pictures. My smoldering interest in filmmaking would be ignited and I was, after graduating the following year, on my way to the University of Southern California to pursue studies in film and media.

Deinum was born in Friesland, a region of the Netherlands. It was in his homeland that he began his journey in film, working with documentary filmmaker Joris Ivens. It was this experience that facilitated a lifelong belief in the power of film to connect the viewer with social issues through a realist aesthetic. Deinum lived life as an activist and the films he chose to show in his courses reflected themes about social issues and the human condition.

During World War II, Deinum worked for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in London as liaison with the Dutch resistance and government in exile. After the war he moved to Los Angeles and became a researcher, assistant director, and technical adviser to films directed by John Ford and Alfred Hitchcock.In 1951, he began a career teaching film at the University of Southern California and was largely responsible for the growth of a large and important cinema library.

In 1956 the search for communists in America was at a fevered cold war pitch. Deinum found that his interest in social issues had made him suspect in the eyes of the government. He was called to testify before the House Committee on un-American Activities headed by the infamous Senator Joe McCarthy. The committee wanted to know if he was a communist and if so the names of possible communists within the film industry.

Andries admitted that he had been a member of the Communist Party from 1946 to 1950. He said his own activities had been involved in a cultural study group and that he never observed anyone engaged in "criminal, subversive, or illegal acts." Books and articles in the fields of "aesthetics and the social history of literature" formed the basis of the group's discussion.He told the committee that he felt "morally unable" to name his associates (1).

When asked why he had left the party, he said he quit because he found "any dogma repulsive" and his "interests had progressed beyond anything the Communist Party had to offer and that he had had no further contact since leaving it.

Deinum had, on principle, refused to provide information. Yet, the University of Southern California fired him the day after his testimony. This generated much protest on and off the USC camps. Lester F. Beck, former chairman of the Cinema Department, called Deinum's loss a "crippling blow" to the department. Deinum was "blacklisted", or unwelcome, in Hollywood as were many writers, directors, producers, actors and others during this period who had been communists or were thought to profess communist ideas.

Upon moving to Portland Andries found himself taking on the role as a public speaker on social issues. He had the unique ability bridge diverse groups of people, bring them together, and engage them in discussion about social issues of the time.

He was personally active in the NAACP and the ACLU. (On a personal note he encouraged me to attend a lecture by a relatively unknown African-American preacher from Georgia. He asked that I listen carefully and if I did, I would see the society in which I lived in with new perspective. That preacher was Martin Luther King, Jr.).

In 1958, Deinum and colleague August Frug explored the need for an American publication that provided serious discussion about film. Deinum made a distinction between the film and the movie. The movie was meant for entertainment and film he thought of as an art form that mirrored the human condition. With this principle in mind, Deinum and Frug co-founded the Film Quarterly magazine in 1958. Andries served for decades on its board. A testament to the quality of the publication he and Frug established is that it continues to be published today.

Deinum had a humanistic approach to film and he spoke eloquently in defense of film as art. This passion even found him in city hall when he confronted Portland's Mayor Terry Schrunk and the City Council regarding police censorship of the film, The Lovers, by Louis Malle (1960).

Deinum, having now made Portland his home, was invited to join the Portland State College Division of Continuing Education and to institute his Urban Mosaic Program which included courses in film study.

Deinum was a dynamic teacher who could weave fascinating stories based upon first hand knowledge of the filmmakers whose films he screened in class. He challenged students to read, screen films, research the theory and history of film, and become engaged in discussion. For many young filmmakers of that generation, Deinum became mentor and friend.

In the late 1960's Portland State expanded the film program and integrated course work into the BFA program. It was at this time that the Center for the Moving Image (CMI) was created. The Center offered its first program in the fall of 1969.

CMI became one of the most professional of filmmaking and study programs in the Northwest. Students were recognized with grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Film Institute, and the Oregon Council for the Humanities. CMI students found potions in both independent film and in the Hollywood film industry. The program was cut by Portland State University in 1981.

Andries Deinum taught classes in film and related topics for more than twenty years at Portland State. He continued to be involved in community and film issues up to his passing on January 31, 1995, at 76, of natural causes.

Ironically, the University of Southern California's School of Film and Television mounted a plaque commemorating Andries Deinum, a former faculty member.

It has been 42 years since I asked Andries if he would write a letter of recommendation to support my application for graduate school and a scholarship at the University of Southern California. His having come to know me through several terms of class and independent study, he was pleased to do so, but with a word of caution. He said that he would write a letter, but noted that it may do more harm than good. I didn't understand at the time what he meant. Fortunately, that letter found its way to a faculty committee who had great respect for Andries. I was told, once I was on campus, it had been his letter that had secured my scholarship and admittance to the University.

Thank you Andries for setting me on a life-long career in film and media. I salute you.

References:

1. Clymer, Adam." A.A.U.P. States Academic Freedom Standards Review of Past Year's More Significant Cases," The Crimson, June 14, 1956.

2.Jacobson, Brooke Dr., "Northwest Media: A Tribute to Tom Taylor and His Mentor" West By Northwest, March 20, 2003.