Evening star., 1938-07-14

relate to the rejection Of an offer Of
ance in one motion picture. Metro-C
ing to Variety. Miss Cornell, according
to the same source, said she was sorry,
but she had something else to do.
O6hand, the evidence would seem to
indicate that Miss Cornell was not
the wisest actress in the world.
That Is q matter for argument for
whoever cares to argue about 1t. The
fact remains, however, that II Miss
Cornell were to have accepted she
would have been compelled to play q
part subject to at least one dozen and
one restrictions on the part. of the
Hays office. She has not to do that
on the stage. On the contrary, she
has played whatever she pleased.
Her last role before . year of rest
from the arduousness of it all was
that Of a Malay princess in Max
well Anderson's "Wingless Victory"
1t was not great play, but it was q
splendid part, and Miss Cornell was
responsible for its acceptance as such.
BY no stretch of the imagination,
however. could it have been worked
over into a successful movie. The
very thought of such a thing would
have been shocking to the Hays office,
and that is no criticism of the latter
Blockade" much more temperate
contemplation of an equally contro-
versial subject, is case in point,
should any one be disposed to raise .
case in point.
But why should Miss Cornell under
take a play anything Of that char
acter? Well, If she did not it would
hardly be worth the time and the
money hiring her for screen ap-
pearance. AS the country's foremost
actress (subject, of course. to the chal-
lenge of Helen Hayes fans) Miss Cor
nell hardly would have chance to
exhibit her talents in . part cut to
the specifications Of the movies which
are sure to 60 unchallenged in this
world. Why, then, have her at all?
Apparently the first lady Of the screen
could think of no answer to that
question. At least, she managed to
say no to the proposal of Metro
Goldwyn- Mayer that she come to Hol-
lywood for one part at the rather ap-
palling rate of 100000 per picture.
Again, in spite of the fact that it
was not brought out in connection
with the offer, it is unlikely that any
movie maker would introduce Miss
Cornell to the dreat film public without
the aid Of what is called "box office
names" More to the credit Of Miss
Cornell than to the discredit of any
one who might be assigned to play in
the same picture, 1t would not be the
greatest feat of casting in history to
support her with many Of Hollywood's
bigger name players. If she were not
frightened to death at the prospect,
which there is nothing in her record
to indicate, the supporting cast might
be. In either case, the result might
be pretty unhappy to contemplate.
1t may be that $500, 600 is just $780,
900 and nothing else should be con-
sidered. It may be. The fact re-
mains, however. that Miss Cornell
apparently has found other factors to
consider. One of them Is that she
would rather appear on the stage, her
particular mileu. Whether she is right
or wrong is one Of the things you can
argue about during the remaining
warm weather Of the summer. Miss
Cornell obviously has made up her
mind already.
At the same time, M-G-M seems to
have manifested considerable discern
ment in trying to grab the stages
greatest drawing card for its own par
tlcular type of entertainment.
HOT or cold" to quote him di-
rectly on the subject, Steve
Cochran promises to open his Olney
theater professional stock season on
July Is. He already has the signed
contract Of ELISA Landi to make her
debut performance in THE Lady Has
Heart" on that date. There will be
AL seats in the temporary theater
building, which will suffice until the
permanent structure has been built,
which will not be until next season
-. The Shopworn Angel" which has
been drawing an avalanche of tears at
the Palace during the past week, will
be held over for second seven days
-. The same happy fate aawits "dav-
Ing Wonderful Time" starring Gin
ger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks, at
kelths :. And, speaking Of holdovers,
one might well mention that such Is the
category into which Col. Ratio, Palace
manager, has tossed the latest Robert
Benchley Short How to Raise q
Baby" 1t hardly means what it says,
according to the books on raising
babies. but 1t is a lot Of fun. Aside
TO Dan Terrell and Gaye Gallow, the
former publicity aide, the latter mem