Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13
N Englishman, Collinson Owen,
lately made a tour of the United
States for the purpose of learn
L ing just what it Is all about.

N EngliShman, CollinSon Owen,
~ lately made tour of the United
"A States for the purpose of learn
4 \ ing just what it Is all about.
He had read an enormous num-
Der of American books and magazines,
and had been bored and thrilled by
countless American movies, and the
subject fascinated him to such an ex-
tent that he needs must see for him.
self. Now, of course, he has collected
his observations in book form under the
title 1.-The American Illusion" It pro-
vides extremely interesting reading for
Americans, particularly for those of us
who are interested in the doings on and
behind the screen.
Like most Englishmen. Mr.. owen is
an ardent film fan. He takes Holly
wood and its outpourings with intense
seriousness. Although he visited many
other parts of the United States, from
Salem, Mass, to Houston, Tex, and
wrote about them with appreciative in
telligence, it was the desire to have a
good look at Hollywood that really lured
him across the Atlantic.
This lure of the films seems to be
universal, to Turk in every breast" he
writes. Men and women, prince and
artist, all fall for it. It must be that
thirst for romance which lies within us
all and which everybody who can seeks
to aSSuage by visiting the tabled springs
OF hollywood. whether any OF
them ever quaff precisely the kind of
draught they are looking for is another
matter. I doubt it."
Needless to say Mr.. Owen was some
what distlluSioned by Hollywood. He
found the sunshine, the homes. the
gardens and the girls all very pleasant
and alluring. And vet" he
adds, Ito the stranger there is a some
thing lacking. think it is flavor, taste.
Hollywood and all about it is so new
the newest thing in America-that it
hasn't had time to accumulate any
davors. 1t is full of nice streets, but it
hasn't got dark alley"
That is an acute observation. know
that on my own visit to Hollywood I
was driven for miles and miles along
astonishing boulevards, lined with i'm
maculate bungalows and cleaning villas,
and thought that would give any
thing to see somewhere among them an
land barn.
Mr.. owen visited a studio, and saws
OF 1t: This Is the fountain head of
romance. And yet SO curioSly are things
constituted there is no romance at the
fountain head. There is work, often
very hard and even depressing work.
Only as the stream flows away from
the fountain head does it takes on color
and glitter. 1t is romantic even by the
time 1t reaches Hollywood Boulevard,
where at the Cafe Montmartre the
tourists come to see the stars. =
So the stream goes on, growing ever
more sparkling, until finally it flows
through places like London, and Paris,
and Sheffield, where multitudes sit,
sspellbound and dream of Hollywood and
love and all sorts of impossible things
that don't happen"
MR.. OWENS book is in the main
~ considerably more than fair to the
united States and to its people. It
contains many graceful and gratifying
tributes to our hospitality. our scenery,
our creature comforts. and even our
manners. 1t is, in fact, infinitely more