Evening star., 1937-12-12

stood that, save for the director, there:
is little that is creatively satisfying
about working for the motion picture
Now. on both topics, think that
Hollywood denizens are talking lot
Of sense, and it would seem decidedly
for the best interests of the stage
that their contemplation should come
to- something. Yet, so far, l fear, the
results have not been particularly
helpful to the progress Of the Amer
ican drama. 1t is pleasure 20 have
Mr.. Odets back, John Cromwell
proved in his direction of THE Ghost
of Yankee Doodle" that he has lost
none of his old-time skill, and I
thought that Miss Sylvia Sidney, de-
spite criticisms leveled against her
here and there, was excellent in ITO
Quito and Back" But, on the whole,
We 80 far have yet had little to thank
Hollywood for this season.
It is not so much that some Of the
refugees from California have a way
of patronizing us when they return.
suggesting that they have come back
with characteristic nobility to save
the stage from destruction. It is
rather that they insist on bringing
their autobiographies with them and
presenting them to us in the form OF
plays. do not mean to suggest that
the dramas they offer contain factual
details about their lives. What they
tend to provide are spiritual autobiog-
raphies, recounting in symbolic terms
the adventures of their minds and
souls amid the complexities Of mod
ern times. They see themselves as
bemused liberals in a world too con-
fused for their ministrations. It is
an interesting theme. this plight of
the progressive and well meaning in
tellectual in collapsing universe. and
think that no play that studies it in
conscientious manner can be COM
pletely without merit. The trouble is
that in attempting to dramatize the
liberals melancholy confusion the
playwrights have way Of making the
play itself seem confused.
Most Of these plays eventually ar
rive at the offices of the Theater
Guild, where they can be sure OF
sympathetic hearing, and probably a
This is only natural. since
there are signs that the guild directors
themselves suffer from some of the in
tellectual and emotional complaints OF
the heroes of these dramas. BY now
these works have fallen into a pattern
and we know what to expect from them
in the way of background, characteri-
zation and ideas. Last season the Ep-
stein brothers, from Hollywood, sent
the guild such play, which was pre-
sented as the organizations first pro-
duction of the year under the name Of
And Stars Remain" This year the
guild already has shown us two varia-
tions on the same theme, Ben Hecht's
ITO Quito and Back" and Sidney How
ards "The Ghost of Yankee Doodle"
and has at least one more in the
ofing, S. N. Behrman's Wine of
Choice" Somehow, though, one rarely
thinks Of one Mr.. Rehrman's plays
as being in quite the same category.
Their liberalism seems less the result
of great inner confusion than of q
carefully considered point of view
about life and letters. They are writ
ten with wit, grace and urbanity, and
they present the authors ideas with
persuasive skill and a true sense of
high comedy.
Nevertheless, the pattern remains.
Invariably the plays are laid in hand
some and luxurious surroundings, since
the stay of their authors in Hollywood
has accustomed them to such comforts.
Mr.. Hecht's hero was successful nov
elist and something of rowing adven-
turer. Mr.. Howard's protagonist had
married into one Of the great liberal
families of America. I do not think
that it is either unfair or impolite to
suggest that there Is touch Of the au-
photographed in the soul studies Of
puzzled intellectuals that result from
such contemplations. Invariably q
great number Of characters represent
ing various points Of view are brought
together and given opportunities to
talk at great length. A representative
Of Fascism and a representative of
Communism must somehow be present,
and the protagonist must steer a care
full course between them, making sure
that he does not give too much of his
approval to either side. In this respect
Mr.. Hecht seemed trife more parti-
san than most of his fellow liberals.
His most attractive creation was the
little peasant revolutionary leader, and
he even made his nominal hero, the
garrulous novelist from New York, fol-
low the valiant general to his death.
But he brought out . spouting and