Evening star., 1928-01-08

Then Josie proudly placed herself
beside him.
What stage were you last on, Al,
and in what war;"
From somewhere on the fringe the
taunt was flung, and Al could only
curse and yell:
'Ill teach you all what insuburdina'
tion means".'
But all hands grinned. Such threats
are too idle when the film Is in the
pan.
Wen try 1t over: Retake.'
UNAkED BRAIN" was punctured
after that. His heart seemed
withered and the atrophy Of selfpity
grpped his soul. They all could see
his spirit flicker, and Al. smiling as
he worked next day, shot scene on
scene OF wartime atmosphere.
And. in between. to keep the patient
anacsthetized until the fateful hour
to irritatc his mental wounds, Big Al
varied his attack by booming on Occa-
sIou--an outgushing Of vitriol whose
climax was "A retake OF some scene he
claimed Ted had ruined.
But AL had failed to reckon JOsie's
heart.
Where sheer mass action or the
fighting troops might ncutraliZe tn"
iis,lessness. the poor technique OF this
or that small bit. the searching
camera eve had magnitied the lack
of luster in the girl who made the
uic,ure." Josie Mccann grew fretfni,
pallid, dead. The only scenes she
lived were sad, teardimmed ones.
a desert rat could see it. but not Al
Willicombc. All he could see was
Naked Brain" who would not dle
and could not be banished from Deatn
Valley until Mamie spoke. Naked
| Brain" whom Josie liked; whom many
eytros liked. whom he must cruelty to
rlnrify himself. Naked Brain" who
| could not stand the gan-but now be
gan to shun all contacts save when
| Al's carbolic chatter brought nm
! strolIinx from his tent to march ana
! crawl and stab ont weakly with Ms
/ .one.armed bavonet" at some bathing
/ hulk of an enemy. He got to cioist"r
/ ing in that tent Of hrs, and the boy
| who took him food assured the watch.
/ ing host that every time he ehlerr"
Naked Brain" just lay there--stretch
cd on his canvas cot ana starIhH
| Staring, and his good right hand re-
| nectivelv playing with that empty
| sleeve or carefully reconnoitering
! along that shifting. always twitch'
/ ing shoulder.
| He took TO complaining or the heat
| God cooks His heat in Death Naiiey.
| then seis il hy To cool before serving
To mankind outside. II less d'straught
sniri,s suffered as they toiled. Naked
Rrain's" rarched soul could not but
crack beneath the load of pride so
publicly prodded.
| The whole camp saw that Josie
really loved him. Al first they mar
ve,ed. then they understood. and with
the birth OF sympathy detection spread
throughout the rank and file against
the Big Pad Man-~Al Willicomhe---
who daily grew more blinded. n" saw
how Josie watched that tent flap, and
his pursed lips told on him.
TT sounded technical and business.
like-and came Mt luncheon. as they
sat around Raymond had taken his
milk and sandwiches and sat atop a
shell hole. with Josie and a dozen pals
spread out on fia,ter ground nearby.
All around froicsome congiomerate
of film folk feeding on location. Ran
terings. caioling, wise cracks. Ray
mond munching reilsc'ively. Josie
shylv awatch. Dessert time~and the
air alive with flying oranges. Boys
yelling. studiously aiming and throw
ing: eager hands catching. Ted Ray
mond had just caught two. when Al
Wiilsecomhe walked up close.
This afternoon" auoth Wi'licomhe
to the throng. this company from tip
10 toe must hop 1t up and fight. Get
me- Fight--fight-~in real war spir
it, propose to shoot the climax OF
the grea; hattie. IL anybody is n vel
low cur. a mammals baby hoy who
sn"eksd into the Aim world through a
hack DIOR by misrepr"senting himself
to I've nm actnr-~he or she had better
take the hint nnW Mamie Goldberg