Evening star., 1939-06-10

democracy making another of those
stands which so often have looked
like the last
The material of which it is made
under the circumstances which exist
today, makes "Juarez,' then, some
thing more than a motion picture.
1T IS a story of conflicting political
viewpoints narrated in terms of en-
crossing human beings. Moreover,
1t is full of paradoXeS. Macmillan
Won Hapsburg, played by Brian
Aherne, should be its villain. In
stead, he is almost more of hero
than Juarez. The latter, the nomi-
nal nero. has moments when he is
hardly more than the cruel Indian
peasant. BY ordinary movie script
standards, Bette Davis as the de-
voted Empress Carlotta would have
been rewarded for her great virtue
with supreme happiness. Her rec
ompense. instead, is a grief that
drives her insane.
The greatness of "Juarez' as
piece of entertainment lies in the
circumstance that for all the ex-
treme of social and political
positions which they represented.
the characters of the drama all
were great people, capable of in
spring equal sympathy. Maxi
milan, the dupe of European
despots who gave him a throne
through plebiscite outrageous
enough to have been the work of
a modern dictator, was no less an
loeallst in his way than Juarez in
his. In his benevolent system, he
could foreSee greater happiness
ior the people of Mexico than was
promised by the democracy of the
Stolcal Indian who took Abraham
Lincoln AS his model. At the same
time, MaXimilian could admire the
greatness of his antagonis. in the
conflict for the control of Mexico
ana Juarez, for all his Hatred for
any other political form than de-
mocracy, could appreciate and ad-
mlre the majesty of the person in
the Emperor he was to overthrow
and execute.
1here is magnificent drama In
the conflict between these different
political philosophers. The picture
goes solemnly about the business of
encompasslng all of it in the course
OF two hours. 1t abounds with mag
nlncent passages. the arrival of
Carlotta and MaXimilian in Mexico.
the clashes between Juarez and his
ualtorouS followers: the scornful
refusal of MaXimilian to play the
game of the landowners who sought
TO make him puppet: the blind
loyalty and the stupid treacherv
winch perVaded both camps. Con-
traSted with the tautneSs of these
intervals are the enormously tender
ana touching scenes between Maxi
milan and the Empress. Unforeet-
table are those in which he tells her
OF MS intention to adopt a child to
succeed him and that in which she
returns to France in frantic effort
TO foreStaf the doom which joseph
Bonaparte had sealed for her hus-
band in that strange, far-away
country.
The beauty of high tragedy colors
virtually every episode in the drama.
1t reaches its climax in a scene in
which Juarez comes to the bier of
the Emperor. whose death he re-
Iuctantly ordered, to pay his re-
SpectS TO foeman he could revere
as a man even as he revolted against
him as monarch
The acting of the major roles in
"Juarez' is excellent in that it
never gives the impression of being
acting. MUM, wearing the least
attractive makeup of his carer of
playing great men. never reminds
one that he is Paul MUM. the
screens greatest player. Always he
IS Juarez, the stolid Unconditional
indian, a hero come to life. The
same commendable qualities are to
be found in Aherne's portrait of the
gallant, arlStocratic. every-inch-a-
king Macmillan. The CAV, gentle
Carlotta, driven insane by the
- A>"NiAN4N vi liiC OCSpOGS WIN Ildut
her husband their dupe. is one of
Miss Davis finest portraits, which is
as high as Superlatives go. John
Garfield, Claude Rains. Joseph CAL
lela and dozen others are little
below the principals in the excel
lence of their performance.
To William Dieterle, a director
who knows that great story can be
told best when told simply. goes the
overall credit for "Juarez." He has
made it one of the finest pictures
of any year.
X
1t very nearly did not get men,
toned, but there is a stage show at
the Earle this week, and one that
merits mention if not any loud huz-
zahs. Its vocal features include
Earline King, WJSV soprano, who
sings in character with the picture:
the VirginianS, SeXtet held over
from last week; the magic tricks of
Glen Pope and a comedy dance act
by Barr and Estes. The Roxyettes
contribute their usual precision
numbers. the best one rumba which
closes the bill.