The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-11-06
HOLLYWOOD Shorts

BY JOHN r. CHAPLIN

Along with Charlie Chaplin's Great
Dictator, we are privileged to see this
year another landmark in film pro-
duction. 1t is The Long Voyage
Home, directed by John Ford, as
adapted by Dudley Nichols from
Eugene O'Neill's one-act plays of the
sea.
O'Neills early plays, about the lives
Of sailors, had a real feeling for the
thoughts and emotions OF seaman. The
film succeeds admirably in transport
ing this understanding to the screen.
The photography by Gregg Toland
is the highest achievement to this
time In the history of motion pictures
Direction and writing are perfect, and
performances by all the actors are
remarkable.
The screenplay has been brought
up to date, dealing with the present
war instead of World War I, as the
plays did. But 1t is in no way war
propaganda.
Instead Of revealing one mans ter
rifle genius, as the Chaplin film does,
this picture raises the cooperative
effort which the movies represent to
its highest FORM 1t is by all odds,
as art and as entertainment, the most
serious contender for the Academy
awards of the year. :.
The Screen Office Employees Guild
(1ry1 Ffi1fofadl ho 10
elections at Republic, Universal, Co.
lumbia, R. X. O.. M. G. M. and Walter
Wanger studios. 1t was beaten at
goth Century-Fox by the 20th-Fox
Studio Office Employees Guild, which
the SOEG claims is a company -domi-
mated union Next studio to vote on
the office force representation will be
Hal Roach. -.
Aubrey Blair, recently appointed
AFL organizer of Hollywood's unor-
ganized, is getting studio tailors' and
wardrobe employees organizations set
up as his first step. His campaign
will doubtless lead him to bringing
his American Federation of Office EN-
ployes into the field as a rival to the
SOEG.
Paul Kelly and Victor Kilian have
the leads in an NJ G. M. short, The
Happiest Man on Earth. based on AL
bert Maltz' prize-winning short story.
If the reel is success, M. G. NJ
plans further experimental shorts
based on outstanding short stories. :.
Briefly: Famed exiled French d. |
rector Rene Clair will direct Marlene |
Dietrich's next at Universal, The
Countess of New Orleans Norman
krasna is writing the script. Il
Julien Duyivier, also from France, will |
1irect Manon Lescaut, for Alexander
Korda, then an American version of
his graet European hit, Poll de Ca
'otte. Third of Frances top di-
'ectors, Jean Renoir, son of the great
painter, is expected in Hollywood any
lay now. 80.
H. G. Wells has been called fifth
,olumnist in parliament for coming
,ver here and speaking on what he
believes to be the facts about the
var. Possibly Wells book, The Shape
If Things to Come, made into a hair
aising movie few years ago, didn't
orecast a state of affairs nearly as
,ad as the famous writer can now
Zee in actual fact.
THE NEW FILMS
1.-The Great Dictator" (U.A.): Chap
ms great anti-war film. Don't miss
t, under any circumstances. The fun
hest gags in history, the complete
obstruction of the dictators by ridi-
ule, and stirring appeal for peace.
"a Little Bit of Heaven" (Univ):
iloria Jean entertains In a virtual
opy of her earlier film, The Under
up. Fair.
Moon Over Burma" (Par): Good ,
overture stuff about Burma. Robert
'reston tops in the cast though Dor
thy Lamour is surprisingly pretty .
yithout shedding any clothes. Not !.
ad at all.
Hired Wife" (Univ): Terribly
lnny comedy with Rosalind Russell,
rian Aherne, Robert Benchley and :
irginia Bruce in madly scrambled
larital mixup. Worth seeing for the :
lughs. :,
CURRENT BEST BETS: DR.. Kill
are Goes Home, City of Conquest,
hristmas in July, The Thief of Bag .
ad, Spring Parade.