Evening star., 1937-09-12

When Deanna was an un-
O known, carefree youngster
playing childhood games with hel
neighborhood companions in the Cali
fornia hills, she used to think it wa.
just heaps Of fun to be the one Il
exact the forfeits and pronounce II
commanding tones, Heavy, heavy
hangs over your head" But now tha
she has become a celebrity as q result
OF her first picture. Three Smar
Girls" and has risen to stardom il
her second production, 100 Men anc
Girl" she finds heavy weigh
hanging over her own brown locks.
The world of Hollywood realizes
that this is the crucial moment ir
Deanna's career. She must make
good as a star The entire burden OF
the picture rests on her shoulders
II she can carry it. she is destined
for great heights If she fails. she
will be Just little girl who tried tc
do too much.
Despite her youth, Deanna realizes
the responsibility. Universal execu-
tives have complete faith in her. They
know what she has done in her first
picture and they have watched with
qualification each sequence of "1OC
Men and a Girl" as it was run in the
projection room. They feel that
Deanna has the vital spark which
makes her equal to any test she has
to face
Deanna has confidence, too: a con-
fdence born of her singing genius
1t is further strengthened by proph-
ecy revealed to her months before
her miraculous Cinderella story had
ever begun. Away down inside o.
herself she feels she will pass the
deciding test.
In 100 Men and a Girl" Deanns
Is called upon for the first time te
sing to the accompaniment of a full
symphony orchestra. 1t is led by
the noted Leopold Stokowsk.
Deanns Durbin has travelled a long
way IN one short year. When she frs,
sang her golden notes on the Eddie
Cantor broadcasts, the radio stations
received thousands of letters from
listeners-in, declaring it impossible
Tor mere child to have such a fully
developed operatic voice. People
thought that she must be at least
IL or 20 years old and that a hoax
had been perpetrated on the public
linen followed Deannas screen debut
In Three Smart Girls" and. since
seeing is believing, the world was at
last convinced that the new sensation
was really youngster.
The success of Three Smart Girls
Is history. To reach the goal plannee
Tor her, Deanna had to go on from
her frst triumph. She had to prove
sne was actress enough to portray
ell the emotions with realism He,
performance had TO stand up in COM
parlson with players who had year.
OF experience. The polish of Adolphf
Menjou, the brilliant playing of Alice
Brady; the mad. merry wit of Mischs
Auer, Pallette's jovial smoothness-
these would help Deanna if her ovr
acting was easy and natural and right
They would show her weakness if she
old not measure up. An acid test. in.
deed.
In 100 Men and a Girl Deanna
surrounded by cast of more thar
100 players, has to keep the plot ir
motion from beginning to end. Sto.
Kowskl keeps the rhythm of the or.
cnestra going, while Deanna. on tn,
screen, keeps the tempo of the story
flowing.
There is another thing that Sto.
kowski does. He has devised a new
method Of recording, used in thi
him for the first time. The system
known as multiple channel recording
enhances the beauty Of Deanna' S sing
ing tones. 1t also gives new deptf
and perspective in sound to the musi
cal instruments.
A vital factor contributing to De
enna's success in Three Smart Girls
was the producer director team O
Joseph Pasternak and Henry Koster
This same pair made 100 Men and
Girl"
Deanna is seen as the daughter o
Adolphe Menjou, a down. -at-the- e-heel
tromoonlst who is IN arrears for rem
and cannot find Job. Deanna take
upon herself 10 find work for him
Tor his best friend, Mischa Auer. ant
for dozens Of their iohless musica
cronies. She organizes 100 unem
ployed musicians into an orchestra II
order TO help them all.
Her next problem is to find finan
clal backing. Lack seems 10 be il
her favor when she goes to the hom
of the wealthy Mr.. and Mrs. Frost
acted by Eugene Palette and Alic
Brady, respectively. She is there Z
return q purse found by her fathe
In concert hall
During the chat the irresponsible
huttery Mrs. Frost, played by Alic
Brady. persuades Deanna 10 sing fo
her. She is so enraptured that sh
promises to sponsor the orchestrs
Then, leaving for Europe she forget
her promise completely.
Her husband, portrayed by Eueen
Palette, agrees to support Deanna
aim. He imposes the condition tha
he will do so only If Leopold sto
kowski will conduct the orchestra.
Deanna, seemingly facing a ston
vsll, hnslly manages to interest tn
FAMED maestro. In the closing se
ouence OF the picture, when Deann
attends the irnpressive ropcer+ ~.