Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-12

There isn't much in the announce
ment sent from the Goldwyn New
York office that is overstartling. 1t
just reads: Samuel Goldwyn an
nounced today that he has purchased
for early production new story, THE
Exiles," by Vera Caspary and George
Sklar. Jascha Heifetz will play one
OF the leading dramatic roles in addi-
ton to appearing as virtuoso." Moth
ing in that to make you wonder if
Sam is slipping. A film starring
Jascha Heifetz should delight a great
many people.
But you do begin to think that Mr.
Goldwyn is either very crafty, very
brave or very something else again
when you know that the exiles of THE
Exiles" are Jews banned from Nazi
Germany. Film companies just do not
go in for this sort of thing. Foreign
countries are touchy and dictators
TOUGHEST of all. Pictures have been
abandoned because they might have
offended some vest pocket nation by
presenting bloody picture of its past
or for other like reasons. Villains,
even, in films with a United States
locale can't be given definite nation
alities if they are too villaineus, all
because of this supersensitivity.
And to make a photoplay taking
sides in anything like the Hitler situa-
ton is an unheard-of thing. 1t is
practically madness, according to
many a Hollywood producer All of
this. of course, is not because Holly
wood feels it ought to be polite, but
because film can't get off the nut"
as the boys say, if it is released only
in the United States. Production costs
being what they are. it is necessary to
have foreign as we'll as a domestic
market if there is to be profit on the
studio books.
Mr.. Goldwyn can face that argu-
ment blithely, however. for Germany
has not admitted any Goldwyn film
for five years. He doesn't have to
worry about losing market he
doesn't have OF course, Mr.. Gold
wynn claims he is not taking sides in
the Hitler-non-Aryan affair, even
though the heroes of his new picture
are the exiles. All he sees is a drama
and II there is drama in Germany
he is going to put it on the screen
now, without waiting a couple of
centuries for 1t to become history.
let the dictatorial manifestoes fall
where they may.
X X
THE Theater Guild is no end
bothered about the rumors that
Eugene O'Neill was severing connec-
tons with the guild to become his
own producer for his new cycle of
plays. So the Theater Guild sends
a copy of telegram received from
the playwright:
please emphatically deny that I
had any intention of breaking with
guild or producing cycle myself Re-
port is nonsense. First two plays are
already under contract to guild and
I discussed plans for production of
whole cycle with Theresa Helburn
and Lawrence Langner when they
were out here and since then by
letter ="
1t goes on. but anyhow the rumor
Is emphatically denied and Mr..
ONeill's new play cycle will be done
by the Theater Guild.
X X
WITH Deanna Durbin's Mad
About Music" at Keith's, and the
Gable-Loy- thriller, TEST Pr
lot" at the Palace, still tied in their
hold-over race. going into a third
week tomorrow. there still will be
four new films in town. Here's the
lineup:
Warmers Earle-"Beloved Brat"
starring Bonita Granville, the famous
brat of These Three" with Dolores
Costello In the leading adult role,
will be the screen attraction and
Wayne King brings his orchestra to
the stage.
Loew's Capitol-"Stolen Heaven"
IN which Olympic Bradna becomes a
star and in which there Is a wealth
OF f1ne music, occupies the screen.