Evening star., 1938-01-13


second-thoughting (not tllinking) on
If J Were You" That play at the
National puts pretty Constance Cum
mings through about as much in one
evening as dozen actresses in Holly
wood suffer in as many films
For about one hour and a half, for
instance, it strips Miss Cummings of
her loveliness and makes her look like
something that has been sitting for
three days in a cocktail lounge. No
actress we ever saw had to wear a
headdress like that-a style created,
one thinks, in beauty parlor some
where east of the water tower on
Tobacco Road.
On top Of that, her husbands play
requires that Miss Cummings shall
wear mems garters during one scene
Of the play; an establishment which
converts Miss Cummings legs into
something suggestive of the pillars of
Tara. the Scarlet O'Hara home, re-
member? In her drunk scene, which
Miss Cummings plays with nice dash
OF abandon, she is dressed as if, after
all the other things, she no longer
gave darn.
A couple Of other things which Miss
Cummings does with such excellent
grace for the sake Of art are smok-
ing a cigar in one scene, pipe in
another. The cigar, moreover, looks
like the brand political candidate
would give his rival for Office, but the
leading lady of If Were You" obvi-
ously is not the slightest bit afraid Of
it-although this department con-
fesses it was afraid for her after the
second drag. The pipe, kind of dog
house in appearance, she manages
with equal bravado.
You would think a series of antics
like that would bring Miss Cummings
to the verge of the breaking point,
but it doesn't. After all that, in the
hands and knees, in kind Of aero
batic interval in which she has to
support the full weight of Bernard Lee,
who is pretty big lug, let us tell you.
With it all, Miss Cummings main
tains cheerful, happy outlook that
amounts to virtual miracle. It
would be logical if some day when
she is down on her hands and knees
playing Atlas to Mr.. Lees world, she
were to look at her husband, the play
wright. and say:
Look what you've done to me-"
THINGS are all set for Sonia Henie's
series of parties today. They will
start almost Immediately after her
arrival at 2:42 at Washington Airport,
the first event-unless some one
changes it-being a tea at the Nor
wegian Legation . Miss Henie will
get the Order of ST. Olaf from the
Minister of her country. and then
she will get million questions, or
SO, asked by members of the local
press, drama and otherwise 49,. The
second event, under the auspices of
Sam Wheeler, local Twentieth Gen.
tury-Fox representative, will be held
at the Shoreham There will be
- oo4ASo CAPpSA 41A NNLoo x1S4llG ~lOuSl
at 1880 in her suite She will
leave tonight at 1870 Guest in
town at the moment is Col. Jason Joy
of the Will Hays Office :. 1t is like
homecoming. since Col. Joy was
here not only during the war, but
afterward as an executive of the
American Red Cross -. Whirling the
colonel about his first night in town
were Helen and Arthur De Titta
Not until they get to Keith's screen
on February 4 will you hear those
three songs from Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs." That's because
Walt Disney refused to release them
for broadcast purposes in advance
of the pictures first showing :.
The tunes, they tell you, are bound
to be hits Wise Girl" with
Miriam Hopkins and Ray Milland.
will follow you're a Sweetheart" at
Keith's ). 1t is romantic drama,
spiced with comedy, Hardie Meakin
says . Boy, has Franciska Gaal
come along in her English since she
was in the "how you say it?" stage