Evening star., 1939-03-23

the vernal crop of love stories. The
Love Affair."" which opens tomor- -
row at Keith's. That picture, Incl
dentally, presents the interesting
construction of comedy during the
first half, drama in the latter stages.
Even more on the tender poignant
pattern is Dark Victory" which the
Earle soon will present and which
has Bette Davis giving a perform
ance which lot Of people will bet
you wins the Academy award this
year.
The long-range forecast is for q
sweet. sad spring.
X Y
Unless Herr Hitler establishes a
protectorate over Hollywood, and he
probably won't, since he seems to be
heading east, Charlie Chaplin will
make that picture, "The Dictator"
1ntimations to the contrary, of which
there have been many, have made
Mr.. Chaplin angry. He has issued
fiat denial of all such rumors,
conjectures and reports. Il am not
worried" he says. about intimida-
ton, censorship or anything else"
Chaplin's attack on his subject
will be the usual comedy angle one.
AS in Modern Times" there will
be the same satirical, ironic tones
which f1lmdoms greatest comedian
Intends shall douse dictatorship with
the ridicule which he believes the
most effective treatment for it.
Like others who are opposed to
the totalitarian idea, Mr.. Chaplin is
deadly serious, but the deadly seri-
BUSINESS is not perceptible on the
surface.
Charles Laughton, Paramount,
and a number of other individuals
and institutions are not worried
about Vivien Leigh's fate as Scarlet
OHara. They have great faith in
the pretty, piquant little English
actress ability to bring her enc
mics to their knees and to her heart.
As evidence of their confidence
that Miss Leigh will end up with
a colossal fan following in America
they already have cast her as lead
ing lady in the next Laughton
starring picture for Mayflower films.
"St. Martins Lane" it is called.
Like the recent "Beachcomber, the
picture will be distributed in this
broad and approving land by Para
mount.
Think what you like, Catherine
Turney and Jerry Horwin, who
wrote my Dear Children" will tell
you that the play was not written
about John Barrymore. The lead
ing characters life story bears a
strange resemblance to that of Mr..
Barrymore, people are going to say.
but Miss Turney and Mr.. Horwin
say that is just an accident. The
story is that of great lover, man
of multiple marriages and a multi
plicity of children, who is forced
by fate and his clever offspring to
become eventually a great father.
The authors think it a singularly
beautiful stroke of luck to have Mr.
Barrymore to play the principal
role.
incidentally after its week at the
National, starting Monday, the
drama will be routed Westward for
. long road journey before 1t goes
into New York. There is a we'll
founded assumption behind that
program, the assumption that a
popular motion picture star can
make slews of money by touring
the towns and cities from here to
Des Moines. Even to Omaha.
Speaking Of tours, there is some
thing interesting about that timer
ary of jeanette Macdonald on her
concert tour. If you thought it was
going to land Miss Macdonald in
the large centers of population you
were quite wrong. The hearts to
which Miss Macdonald will sing
belong to the daddies, mothers and
children in such places as Selma,
Ala; Lexington, KY; Salina, Kans.;
Sioux Falls, S. Dak.; Bloomington,
Ind, etc.
Indiana is the Eastern boundary
Of thesMacDonald concert venture.
The coming event, which is Cert
rude Lawrence in "Skylark," cast