Evening star., 1940-08-21

low fitted the description perfectly
was that he was Ralph Bellamy,
a coincidence that struck audiences
as being hilarious. 1t was so hilari-
GUS, indeed, that the same general
thing was tried a second time when
Grant said something to the effect
Of mot being so surprised since
Archie Leach died" Archie Leach,
of course, is the real name Of Cary
Grant, the one he used back in the
days when he was q member OF q
troupe of acrobats playing England's
music halls.
Next picture to give the trend
momentum is Boom Town." In
that one, nearly every one sooner
or later makes q reference to Clark
Gable as big Moose" which is his
private nickname. 1t fits well
enough that Gable is not bounced
out Of his screen character into the
one the census people enumerated,
but who's to say where 1t all will
end? What, for instance, would
have been the effect If some one
had forgotten and called Charles
Laughton "Cuddles" during the
"Hunchback of Notre Dame?" That
Is Laughton's nickname and great
actor that he is, he could not have
sustained the illusion Of Quasimodo
if, for example, Maureen OHara
had tossed the word into the plllory
scene.
Two other moments during
Boom Town" achieve the effect OF
an intimate glimpse into the private
lives Of the players, neither OF them
to the disadvantage of the picture
by any means.
One occurs when Spencer Tracy
and Frank Morgan are leaving the
home Of the character played by
Gable. Morgan, his old sputtery
comic self again after a flyer as q
serious character in "The Mortal
Storm" laments that they did not
have a chance for one little game
of hearts before leaving.
Nov I know you're over co." says
Tracy, for all the world as he might
say it If they actually were just
leaving Gables place.
What happens to the illusion
makes no difference in view of the
laugh it creates, but it is straight
out of the kidding relationship Of
Gable and Tracy that one of the
funniest lines of the drama is born.
Those who would like to be on the
lookout for it will find it in the
courtroom scene. Tracy is making
one of those laconic speeches for
which he is famous when the camera
suddenly Ips around to Gable. to
pick up his startling and humorous
comment:
There's a lot Of ham in him, isn't
there?"
Boom Town" and my Favorite
Wife" actually profit by this type of
at least semi-private aside. That
other pictures will do likewise re-
mains to be seen.
4 \ 4 \
That March of Time camera crews
still scurry everywhere around this
war-ridden and war-menaced world
will be evident in the next issue.
"Gateways to Panama" is its title.
It is designed to give a comprehen-
sive glance at the American defense
strategy in the whole Caribbean
area, showing the steps taken to
strengthen the Canal Zone defenses
against attack and sabotage. Activ-
tiles at such naval bases as Guam
tanmo Bay, in the Virgin Islands
and Puerto Rico also are covered,
together with prospective bases in
British Western Hemisphere colo
nies.
Bulletin board: Lucky Partners"
starring Ginger Rogers and Ronald
Colman definitely is scheduled for
opening at Keith's on Friday. :.
in all local theaters now
carry clips of Wendell Willkie
his acceptance speech at
Elwood last Saturday. That
simple looking (but just try it your
self If you think so) walking globe
routine comes back to the Roxyettes'
program on Friday. At the Earle,
Of course. "The Polka Dot Revue"
Is the title of the show. :. Take it
from the Mohawk Drama Festivals
Beauvais Fox, the most musically
named press agent, the company's
production of "A Midsummer Nights
Dream" will be the most ambitious