Evening star., 1940-04-27

A0ASS "A VNA1Cs dliu dOOS 70 tIlS lS
version of the old-fashioned minis
second edition, is the title of the
experts In the minstrel business as
whom contribute nightly to max
ing the affair considerable i'm
provement on the original presented
by Harry Anger a year ago.
THE Doctor Takes A Wife" star
ring Loretta Young and Ray Mil
land, carries the stamp of Columbia
Pictures, which is going rather ener-
geticslly about the business of being
comical these days.
The basic idea is that although
there is a lot of talk currently
about living alone and liking it, it
really does not mean very much.
The girl who lives alone, naturally
is Miss Young. and the gentleman
who sees that she does not have to
exist perpetually in that state is
Mr.. Milland. The process of bring
ing them together is not neces-
sarily the most original thing that
ever came out of Hollywood, but
1t does have its rather merry mo-
ments in a somewhat conventional
way. Moreover, the dialogue which
George Seaton and Ken Englund
provided shows again that censor
ship has sharpened the wits of those
who have the responsibility for put
ting a bright face on situations
with which movie audiences have
become familiar.
When the<story opens, Miss Young
is no more than successful writer,
an author whose inventiveness is
quite up to the idea of hitch-hik-
ing back to New York when her
publisher insists that she return for
a conference. Involved in the en-
terprise is the young man hopeful
of a college teaching appointment,
a fellow whose academic yearnings
make him a ready tool for the
publisher when the latter decides
what his business needs is a story on
the virtues of domestic life. The
attendant complications are no more
inspired than the conventional tri-
angle, but the way they are handled
gives them a quality Of freshness
that Is quite satisfactory.
Miss Young, who has not been
notably blessed with good parts
either before or since she decided
to become a free lance player, has
one Of her better opportunities to
be dramatic In '"The Doctor Takes A
Wife" She seizes it to prove that
she is capable Of doing more than
looking lovely. So, indeed, does
Milland, whose career is another that
has not been singularly rich in
good roles recently.
Rendering major assistance to
the principals in the somewhat
wacky comedy is Reginald Gardiner,
who cut quite niche for himself
on the stage several years ago with
that series of limitations which
reached its climax in GARDENERS
impersonation of wallpaper, remem-
ber? Also handy to the cause is Gail
Patrick as the frustrated fiancee of
Milland, together with such funny
fellows as Edmund Gwenn, Frank
Sully, Gordon Jones and George
Metaxa.
Alexander Hall directed "The
Doctor Takes A Wife" and did a
good job of putting a new face on
a story that is not precisely new
Ones reception of Gentlemen, Be
Seated" depends upon how much
nostalgia one has in his system.
There is no question that Gus Van
and Slim Timblin are just, the
fellows who are needed to inject
the old time flavor into Producer
Anger's latest version of minstrelry
AS interlocutor, Mr.. Van is not en-
dowed with the best of material, but
with Timblin and Lou Lubin as end
men, he gets the best possible re-
suits out of that which has been
given to him. Lubin, incidentally
does a Bill Robinson type of dance
which is one of the most effective
bits on the stage bill.
Dancing in the minstrel show Is
taken care of by the Hudson Won
ders, group which makes a very
vital addition to the show. Banjo
and ukelele music is offered by
Roy Smeck, whose own arrange
ment of Careless" was one of the
high lights Of the show last night
A sextette does some rather inter-
esting things with numbers suitable
to such q show as Gentlemen, Be
Seated" especially with GLORY
Road"
The Roxyettes, as usual, perform
their part of the program with skill
and verve, their best effort being
tapped OF to the tune Of Dixie.
J.C.