1939-02-05 [P ]

THEATERS —RADIO THE JUNIOR STAR MUSIC t. BOOKS — ART _0_ ________ EIGHT PAGES. ,• WASHINGTON, D. C., FEBRUARY 5, 1939. 4 — Awards Are Shakespeare Once More Is Ever Good In the Air Business Academy’s Honors Maurice Evans Now / To Be Bestowed Scores Again as This Month Fal^taff By Douglas W. Churchill. By Ira Wolfert. HOLLYWOOD. NEW YORK. With its enthusiasm held in leash, To the producers along Broadway the town is engaged in the contest Shakespeare has come to be known to determine the annual awards of as "6 per cent Willie.” He is a the Academy of Motion Picture Arts safe man to do business with. If and Sciences. Late this month the you don't want to get either rich or banquet will be held (ringside seats poor, out just want a nice whirl of $25, semi-genius seats $10) at which activity and a return of your money the industry's opinions on the best with slightly more interest than a picture, actor, producer et al. will bank would pay, then 6 per cent be made public. Frequently the Wilile is your man. » chioces have been for suspect, poli- “All you need,” a producer tells tics that would have amazed Tam- me, "is some one to say the words many Hall have been employed. It loud enough.” And there is a long is that there will be improbable any list of recent Shakespeare failures— this The great change year. thing Tallulah Bankhead’s “Antony and that the is the perplexes citizenry Cleopatra,” Estelle Winwood’s “Mer- unworthiness of the 1938 , product, ry Wives of Windsor,” first Walter and those studios which have con- Huston and Brian Aherne in ducted in the vigorous campaigns “Othello.” then Philip Merivale and are in steam- past having difficulty Gladys Cooper in “Othello,” Leslie the over the can- ing up population Howard’s “Hamlet” and a rather didates have to offer. they effective if intelligible “As You Minimum interest surrounds the Like It”—to prove that, when you bestowal of the Thalberg award, don’t say the words loud enough, which last year had the town at you are in trouble. fever Its is to re- pitch. purpose “The words,” says this most suc- ward a for "the most producer cessful of recent Shakespearean pro- consistent of high quality production ducers, “are the thing. Poor, starved achievement." Although Hollywood people in this world! If you get felt that either David O. Selznick Shakespeare's words said for them, or Samuel Goldwyn was the logical they think the production is won- candidate last a of 12 year, jury derful. They think a miracle has Academy members decided on Dar- JOHN HAMILTON happened.” ryl Zanuck of Fox. In his accept- in John Steinbeck’s Mice and Men," Up to this week that seemed a ance speech Mr. Zanuck was hon- Plays "Candy,” play, "01 a one- reasonable explanation for the phe- for he said that while which comes to the National Theater tomorrow night for estly modest, nomenal acclaim with which Mau- he not have deserved it for week engagement. may rice Evans has been greeted here. 1937, ne would try to merit it lor ,--—-•: But this week Mr. Evans made the 1938. He then went out and pro- transition from Hamlet to Sir John duced and "Re- "Suez," “Kidnaped" Falstaff in the first part of “Henry becca of and the Means Action Sunnybrook Farm,” ‘Action’ That IV.” and, although it may be a its Academy promptly changed little annoying to those with other method of award and threw the re- favorites to hear it said quite so sponsibility for this year's selection Better Pictures often, the time has come to say it in the of the members at laps large. Brings again: He is the greatest actor now With and Selznick out Goldwyn living. of the running this year; with Zan- Current Film Attractions Bespeak No doubt you understand such a uck eliminated because, as he said, as to so he received it in advance, and with Return to First phrase, applied subjective Metro's record admittedly dismal, Principles. a creator as an actor, has no mean- ing except as a measure of the en- the consensus here is that Hal Wal- Civic Gets Attention lis of Warners should receive the thusiasm the actor's performance has stirred. In time, I don't trophy. As a program, the Warner my By Jay Carmody. believe I have called more than one releases for 1938 were higher in or two other actors “the entertainment value than those of Some one in Hollywood obviously has looked up the definition of greatest now living,” while even those with any other lot. Wallis, little known "action” recently'- Or has been reminded of it by some highly Interested has been the longer times have not sent that to the public, guiding critic in the form of a boss or a stockholder. The result, where it has factor in the schedule and phrase soaring for more than six shaping been tempered with other considerations, has been beneficial. Action or the films. or seven contemporary actors. When fashioning A screen but it is funda- ! movement may not in itself make grade drama, an actor can compel a reviewer to Selecting the best and the picture mental to it. Absence of the quality, for which a high gloss and monu- make a fool of himself right out best performance is affording the mental settings were substituted, accounted for some of the super-super in public, then he is being very great industry members a difficult prob- failures the 1938 The these films did not make indeed—perhaps the greatest in our lem. Because all of the good pic- among pictures. money remains in the of the who time. tures were of about the same quality —which presumably pockets patrons stayed What is memorable level, it is probable that force of away—can be counted well lost by the studios if it stimulated them to go particularly about Mr. Evans’ is habit will govern the choice of the back to first principles, the first of which is that moving pictures should performance the that has come over his best film, and the Academy’s bronze change move. voice. As Richard II, Hamlet, Ro- Oscar will go to Frank Capra's ‘‘You Students of the screen drama, smart enough never to get a meo and even this Can’t Take It With You.” The people Napoleon, young the list of current to note how much in a award for the outstanding per- B, can run right through pictures Englishman spoke ringing tenor, so ardent and resonant that formance by an actor appears to be action is an influence in their quality. the air in the theater literally anybody’s in a wide-open race. A Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester (above) play the Jesse James in the so titled is a matter The idealization of picture And here again is Charles Laughton (above) in "The Beach- under its sud- substantial faction feels that Bette roles in “The Beachcomberwhich will be the Earle’s quaked impact. Now, leading of practically negligible moment with even querulous customers because comber.” June Preisser (below) sends you your first Valentine for Falstaff. he has Davis should be honored for her screen attraction starting Friday. Claire Luce (below) has the denly, acquired the film is teeming with violence and gusto. One never has time to pause a bit early perhaps, but still acceptable, no doubt. The a fat voice. A hearty, beefy, smack- work in “Jezebel,” but within the important feminine part in “Of Mice and Men.” greeting, and reflect upon the circumstance that maybe Jesse was not like that. It younger half of the popular sister team has just signed with ing, gurgling uproar burbles from last week a vigorous campaign has is like that is a fellow with M-G-M. his fills the theater been launched in behalf of Norma is enough that the Jesse who tempestuous lips, again, makes each clear and Shearer for “Marie Antoinette.” The qualities. It is an entertaining picture even though the morals surgeons syllable crystal yet manages to have that extraordi- first move in this crusade was to performed one of their most delicate operations on the Midwest bandit's Blackboard nary quality familiar in healthy fat announce that Miss Shearer has Barrymore’s actual record. men—the quality of beer pouring. joined the Screen Actors’ Guild, Clare Boothe Now Returns The major excellence of “Gunga Din" is of the same piece. Character His makeup, too. is quite ex- something she had consistently re- is not the brush-ofl that might be expected in a film traordinary. From a slender man, fused to do, for her political mana- Would Stars development given Help Many but it is subordinate to them. Din and trim, he turns himself into no chance as of such sweep and swirling movement, spry » gers knew she had To the News Once More a man born to waddle. It isn't same fellow read about in not the same at an of the guild. Harold is not the you Kipling, quite opponent By Heffernan. done with padding—though padding It must be understood that men- HOLLYWOOD. least, but he is much more the man of action and an undeniably appealing By Mark Barron, has its part in it—nor is it done by tion of these names does not consti- John Barrymore was lying flat in bed for a sequence in “The Great fellow. The derring-do in which he is a participant is absolutely terrific.

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