Evening star., 1938-11-09

IledIly IIlc CIldIlCe you IllSlL CIuIlk
Kelly and Richard Greene. It is
using trickery, legitimate and in
telligent trickery, and does not re-
gard itself as brave at all.
With reference to Mr.. Greene, no
concern is felt for having used him
because it has been discovered that
In pictures of violent action. new
comers do not have a chance to
manifest that camera shyness
which might make audiences in
different to their work In any,
thing less than roistering piece of
filmcraft, comparative novices might
freeze into something resembling
wooden Indians, but not when a
swirling script denies them oppor-
tunity to become self-conscious.
That is the trick which made the
company feel Mr.. Greene would be
adequate in a picture involving as
much production cost as Submarine
Patrol" 1t just gave him a script
which called for endless action.
AS to Miss Kelly. the bit of leger-
demain used sounds quite as simple
when it is explained with the frank
ness which is characteristic of Mr..
Zanuck's vast enterprise. 1t merely
is a matter of finding a picture in
which the newcomer has corner
on representing her sex. In other
words, if she is the only woman in
a film, or the only one in an impor-
tant role, there is an assumption
that she cannot fail to attract at
tention. If she is talented, as Miss
Kelly undoubtedly is if her stage
career is a criterion. the opportunity
is one which we'll may lead to star
dom. That, incidentally. is the bet
ting around Hollywood at the mo-
ment.
You might make a memo of the
two items in case you ever find your
self heir to a plant for the manu-
facture OF motion pictures.
Chekhoviana: The sea gull In
"The Sea Gull" is known to men,
bers OF the cast as Donald Duck. &.
After an evening of playing M
Chekhov's drama of human frustra-
ton. members of the company feel
terribly frustrated 1t is a kind
of creeping despair. At the end of
the first act, every one is melancholy;
the second, sad; the third. morbid,
and the fourth, a terrific compound
of all three So audiences need
not 60 around telling their friends
how terrifica1ly they felt the i'm
pact of the Russian drama E.
"Amphitryon 49," which won't be
played here because it already has
been, is lot more fun for the COM
pany after straight week of The
Sea Gull" It's a lark, in fact
The George Spupin on the current
National program really is Barry
Thompson. The company so chris
tened him when he decided to take
a nom de plume which is in the best
tradition of the Russian theater :. e.
And, anticipating possible further
calls on the subject. whether or not
VIC oAC UCA1AS A1OuCO, tlllo uCpdl u
ment would not recommend the play
as an escape for people recovering
from great sorrows Unless, by
contrast, the great sorrows should
not seem so great.
X X X X
If Mars, the god, not the planet
which Orson Welles uses to frighten
the Republic, only went to the
movies, he might stop medding in
human affairs. At any rate, the
French movie makers are attacking
Mars from all sides. After Grand
Illusion" ends its Belasco run, hav-
ing shown how alien strife is to the
essential nature of the individual,
comes another picture which strikes
from still another angle. 1t is Gen
erals Without Buttons" next attrac-
ton at the Little. Ridicule is the
weapon it uses to dispose of any
prediction for conflict which may
find place in national consciences.
X X X X
With several bits of its most ex-