The Washington times., 1936-03-18

two days on the Paramount sets
at Astoria. 1t seemed to me then
that he was a little Screwy about
art and his camera angles. My
opinion was confirmed when ZAP
plause" reached Washington in
the tin cans that hold features.
Johnny Payette wouldn't let it
in the Metropolitan Theater and
into the Metropolitan Theater and
necessary for me to find one of
the obscure suburban theaterS,
not so particular about product.
Thereafter Mamoulian's tag was
on DIR. Jekyl and Mr.. Hyde" Chis
best picture) Love Me Tonight"
"a Chevalier du0; Song OF
Songs" "a Marlene Dietrich pic
ture in which he went slightly
Cuckoo over a nude statue) i;
Queen Christina" (Which will al.
ways be remembered for his fare
we'll shot of Garbo at the prov of
ship and Becky Sharp" in
which he went color crazy.
LONG ON ART
Taking him then on his cinema
record of accompli h m ent I
wouldn't bet a Scent piece that
Mamoulian will ever be a great
motion picture director until he
becomes a screen story teller. For
"Porgy" he deserves every laurel
that can be handed to a fine stage
director For earlier Guild stage
productions, much.
Sometimes 1 am inclined to
think that Mr.. Mamoulian is daz-
zled by the beauty which sur
rounds him in Hollywood. Other
wise how can one explain his
complete flop as a director for
Dietrich. In Song of Songs" he
lost entirely the idea of progress
ing his tale while the camera
ground. In the first half hour Of
this feature Mamoulian moved no
further with his narrative than to
introduce his principals, Marlene
Dietrich and Brian Ahearne.
Ahearne he permitted to act like
10 cords of hard wood frozen in
the back yard.
With Carlo he was equally un-
successful. Her beauty Mamou-
han imprisoned indelibly on cellu-
lold, but Queen Christina" like
his earlier Dietrich, was marked
by sloppy story telling. 1t will
take, I think, a better director
than Mr.. Mamoulian to get any
acting out of Miriam Hopkins,
Particularly after seeing Becky
Sharp"
SUBTLE MR.. LUBITSCH
Mamoulian. as movie director.
seems TO- be suffering like Joe Won
Sternberg from an art complex. 1t
Is folly, I suppose, to expect any
good pictures from him until he
RECEIVERS. A couple of more box.
office fizzles may accomplish a
cure. Let's hope so. On "Porgy"
his stage reputation is secure.
My idea of the best director in
Hollywood at the moment is Char
lie Chaplin. To be sure he didn't
get the Academy award for 1895
because he was not a candidate.
But Modern Times" is a brilliant
example of blending the ancient
technique with the up-to-date. AS
entertainment his latest picture
hasn't discernible directorial
flaw unless it be repetitious fac
tory scenes. Mr. Chaplin is pre-
pared to argue this latter point.
Speaking of directors, Ernst
Lubitsch is the supreme master Of
subtlety in direction. Both sly
and smart. Lubitsch can sneak
more border line stuff across on
Censor Joe Breen than any of his
studio rivals. LubitSch merely
suggests a risque scene and let's
tainted mind do the rest. You
can't put your finger on any par
ticular scene that is censorable
but for hints and implications
leave it to Lubitsch. Ziegfeld ex.
posed Director Lubitsch. brazenly.
cleverly and smutinglv in his last
Follies. But he is still doing bust