The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-15


 at them. But they are no laugh- ing matter when you get to Lon- don. The hotel clerks there see that you are equipped with a gas- mask. And when you look at 1t, and the strained, frightened faces of the people who wear them, then you know 1t is no joke.
 T did lot of travelling in Eu- rope--Switzerland, Holland, Italy, France and England. In London, did e play, Behold the Bride groom" by Jacques Deval. We opened in April and had a satis- factory run through the summer. It was a very light piece and had fun doing 1t.
 But now that Europe tip-toes on the edge of madness, I can't go comedies any longer. They seem so trivial, @ pathetic whistling past 8 row of crosses. I'm blad other people in the theater don't feel the way I do. There would be no laughter and no fun, and that, too, would be tragic
 SEEKING GOOD
 STAGE PLAY
 Here in New York, Miss Rainer Is a familiar face at the show shops.
 She says: "1'm looking for a good stage play, and taking my time about 1t. I don't want to pick a bad one, and it's so hard weeding them out. Of course, if I don't come across one I like, I'll do a picture again. But it's got to be one I'm sure 1 like.
 "The last film or two in which I appeared I did not think were suitable for me. When I protest- ed, they said I was temperament tai. And that quiets you. They shame you into doing what they think best. Sometimes they think wrong"
 We know what Miss Rainer means. In "The Great ziegfeld" and Good Earth she was noth- ing short of sensational. The na- tion's movie-goers applauded her Academy chevrons. Then came one or two stories which even Miss Rainer could not help. And the critics began to wonder.
 When she protested, producers hinted she was hard to handle. But all of 1t was merely enough intelligence on her part to cry Enough" And now. If she de- cides to come back into the screen pastures, nobody is going to get her assent to 6 slipshod story. THINKS GROUP THEATER IDEA IS BEST
 Luise Rainer will tell you that the star system is all wrong. Who can legitimately be called a starr" she asks, mentioning Duse. And Moissi. And Bernhardt.
 Miss Rainer came here from Vi- enna, a young, eager actress who had done nice things there. Hol- lywood promised her stardonl and gave 1t to her, in all its gaudy, spectacular trimmings.
 She was simple and unaffected because she was frightened to death. So the consensus was that she was putting on a very shrewd routine, acting even before she encountered camera. She thinks no one performer should over- shadow a vehicle. The Group Theater on Broadway is her idea of theatrical acumen and right ness. Each part is as rich as the next and the success of the play depends upon their sum total.
 America is young and vie brent," she says. "But 1t wants Shakespeare and Rembrandt and Bach. When @ man writes good play, he is another Shakespeare Or a painter is another Rem- brandt. It is all so dishearten- ing and confusing to a young ar- tist who only wishes to do the best he can."
 Monied and relaxed, Luise Rai- ner won't be in professional har- ness until she sees or hears about something she likes. And then she very likely will become the same promising and brilliant actress she was when she landed here.