Evening star., 1937-11-14

What all this is leading to, if you
ton which Walter Wanger made here
last week Of Hollywood's practice of
importing foreign players. A drama
scribe thought it was something about
which to ask Mr.. Wanger who is one
Of the obvious intellectuals of cellu-
loidia. 1t occurred to him that there
might be something hidden, yet OF
value to the enormously interested
public, In a situation which practically
mandates Hollywood with Francizka
Gaals, Danielle Darrieux, Rose Strad-
ners, Simone Simones, Ray Millands,
Mary McGraths, Sonia Henies, not to
mention the more clearly speaking
Carlos, Dietriches, Herbert Marshalls,
etc.
Mr.. Wanger's answer was Simple
and to the point. It is not altogether
. matter of bewiider;ng artistry that
makes Hollywood talent seekers bow
down before, worship, import and
make rich these players from beyond
the oceans. That is a factor, OF
course. and so is the matter Of the
CeiCiC COL OCduty dilU lIdSItty VI SOlile
OF the feminine importations.
But it is also, and very considerably,
Q matter of business; a delicate affair
OF commercial diplomacy which the
cinema manages without the disguise
OF frock coats, top hats and monocles
AS Mr.. Wanger explains it. there is
great deal Of pride around the world
IN the human circumstances of local
boys and girls making good in the big
cinema which, of course, is Holly
wood. In fact, such is the warming
influence OF say. Mile Darrieax max
ing good for Universal, that France
will have a tender spot in its affec-
tions for Universal pictures, especial
ly those which boast of the image,
likeness and Gallo accent Of Mile.
Darrieux. Tres bon! The same
thing goes, of course, for the combina-
ton of M-G-M, Miss Stradner and
Austria, although that quite possibly
Is not the order in which they should
be arranged. In other words, it is ef-
fective to have a French touch in
pictures which France will see, Hun
earian touch in those intended for
Hungary (as well as China), etc. And
by any standard Of measurement
Mile. Darrieux and Miss Gaal are
very lovely touches, respectively, OF
France and Hungary.
IRON the subtlety of Hollywood
one jumps arbitrarily to the art
fulness of Sidney Howard, subject
seemingly worthy of more than pass
ing attention in connection with the
opening of his new play, The Ghost
of Yankee Doodle" at the National
Theater tomorrow night. With bow
to the pleasant potency Of Mr.. How
ards eloquence, we shall let him tell
you something about plays in general,
that play in particular, and the fas-
eination of current politics for the
mind of the dramatist. He says:
plays are likely enough to follow
the normal geographic progress from
management to management; go out
and come back accompanied by the
friendly 1t hurts -me-more-than-it-
h,rts-you type Of letter. A play also
can make quite progress through its
authors mind before it reaches the
typewriter, particularly the dubious
form of entertainment known as the
play with an idea. Plays with ideas
have way of falling suddenly be-
hind the times. Then turn to vinegar
like last weeks red wine, turn with
out notice into last months news
paper.
In the spring of 1888, some three
weeks after the Great White Father
moved into the White House, made a
journey to the Middle West TO seek a
setting, some characters and story
for a play idea. 1t will be remembered
that those were the days Of farm fore
closures, penny auctions and milk
strikes in the corn belt The Commu-
nists were holding convention in
Sioux City, Iowa.
The Communists Convention did
not come off so we'll, due partly to
Mother Bloor's illness and partly to
the fact that the American farmers,
like a good many other Americans, do
not yet seem quite ready for Com
munism. stuck with the comrades
for q time to watch local reactions.
spent nights on bankrupt Finnish
farms, discovered one settlement which
was toeing the party line to a man
and where, as happily remember. the
cooperative filling station kept THE
Nation" in a neat pile under sign in
scribed Wash Your Hands Before
Reading" Then I ranged Oakland
forth through more conservative COM
pany and over the chocolate pudding
flats OF North Dakota loan, where the
spring light is, think, as limpid and
lovely and the human race as hand
some as anywhere on this earth, and
came home at last full of everything
had gone after.
With my play blocked out and nv
hrst act fairly under way, looked UP
from the New York Times reports Of
the Great White Fathers A. A. A.
activities and realized that my play
had become, old stuff long before had
finish 1t. I had nothing left but
the title and the idea. The title was
The Ghost Of Yankee Doodle"
CONSIDERABLY depressed, I went
salmon fishing in New Brunswick
and took along with me John
Ohamberlain's book Farewell to Re-
form" caught no salmon, but Mr..
Chamberlain persuaded me that my
Sdsa was too good to abandon. I
should have said that wanted to
write . play which would dramati7e
the disconcerting fact that it is NO
longer easy, that 1t may well be
impossible, to live the good life q,
Q liberal American with either con-
sistsncy or honesty. admit there
- nothing original in this idea. 1t
has been troubling most OF the people
! know for years. Liberal business
men have to choke their own human
generosity because they cannot afford