Evening star., 1938-11-14


of huge kids party which sweeps 20
fights were a game and everything
except school was fun.
In making Generals Without
Buttons" M. Darcy was intrusted
with a rare and delightful idea for
a picture. 1t is the story of two
towns and their kids Between
them, the towns and their children.
there is a centuries-old tradition of
enmity. 1t began hundreds of years
before at shrine where the cabbage
growers of one town had gone to
pray for rain and where they found
the grape culturists of the other
community praying for sunshine. On
that sanctified ground the rival
groups staged battle royal and
began the tradition of war.
1t is thoroughly understood by the
adults of the two communities that
the tradition of hate shall endure
forever. but they are content to let
the actual hostilities be carried on
by the young And how they are
carried on! The spirit of strife
dominates every young life in both
villages. 1t embraces even the young
est and gentlest girls who are always
on hand to kiss the boys gooi-by
and to decorate them with garlands
of flowers when they return in vic
tory.
The defeated, of course, hardly are
in condition to meet reception
committee. for the losers come home
without their buttons and suspend
ers. That's narrowing, especially the
way it has been handled by NJ Darcy
and his talented mob of motley
children.
The incident of Generals With
out Buttons" is remarkably rich in
humor, although hardly rich enough
to stand the strain of so much repe-
tltlon as is represented in the kids
constant battles. 1t leads up to a
climax. however, which is one of the
most neatly contrived things you
ever saw and which only a cad
would reveal.
The ridicule of war, which is i'm
plicit in every foot of the film. rarely
gets in the way of the action, thus
offering one more proof that the
French are an artful race when it
comes to making psychologist pic
lures.
More for it's fun and merriment
than for its message, Generals
Without Buttons" can be recon-
mended without qualification as re-
Warding film fare
Want to learn something about
acting? Not to be an actor or an
actress, but to be a more discerning
audience and perhaps a sterner
critic.
A chance to become one is implied
in a plot Matched in the mind of F.
Cowles Strickland. The plot in
wolves lecture and demonstration
TO be held tomorrow night at Ward
man Park Theater. The subject,
piquantly worded, is What Is Act
ing-and Would You Know It If
You Saw It?" Mr.. Strickland will
do the lecturing and members of
the Civic Theater production group
will do the demonstrating
Veterans of Mr.. Strickland's
demonstration classes will tell you
beyond the opportunity of rebujtal
that they are more fun than any
parlor game you ever played. At
least one regular attendant, porn
without the slightest taint of actor
blood, goes around for days after
ward hamming every phase of life
and living.
The affair is open to the subscrib-
ing audience of the Civic Theater.
but each member is entitled to bring
a guest-so there's your chance if
you are not a subscriber.
Mr. Noel Coward, looking and feel
ing very fit, thank you, had an ex-
traordinarily nice time here last
Friday on flying trip to see the
Lunts in 1.-The Sea Gull" He en-
joyed the play very much. He en-
joyed, also. the thought of Holly
wood first night for the play.
you are going to Hollywood with
it, aren't you, Alfredo" he asked Mr..
Lunt.
Mr. Lunt said no, the company
would not get as far as Hollywood.
Nov, that" said Mr.. Coward, "is
too bad. I did want to know Joan
CraWford's reaction to the Russian
drama
The four college girls Che thinks
they must have been college girls)
who sat behind Mr.. Coward might
like to know they amused him very
much. Most amusing of the quartet
was the one who observed that Aunt
So-and-So who came over on the
same boat with Mr.. Coward was "in
swell company"
He was not positive of the inf1ec-
ton but is pretty sure it was sar-
castle.
Whatever il was he enioved r.