Evening star., 1941-10-07

ilSb dklO tllC CillOblOIlS lllfolNGQ.
Mr.. Anderson's approach Is new,
and Miss Hayes lends 1t spirit that
is unfailingly fine. He talks of
occupied France and Nazi inhuman-
ity And through the incredibly
brave and terribly urgent love of a
woman for q man, he says that
decency and humanity will triumph
over the obscene theology of Eu-
ropes ravagers. He is talking
straight this time, not in those
pretty rhythms which 10 often
sounded pretentious. Yet even with
Miss Hayes and q skilled cast, which
Alfred Lunt directed, to give the
play all the force at their command,
1t falls short OF the realities which
1t initiates.
II 1t could b accepted simply rs
the story Of great woman's great
love, Candle in the Wind" would
merit higher critical rating. That,
however, Is a secondary quality, al
though very impressive one. thanks
to Its star. Miss Hayes role is that
OF an American actress in occupied
Paris. She is legally free to leave.
but passionate urgency to fight the
Nazis for the life of her journalist
lover makes her stay.
1t Is a wonderfully courageous, re-
sourceful and patient conflict. 1t
gives the playwright a chance to
expatiate on the cruelty, cunning.
depravity and what he deems the
weakness of the conquerors. The
question to which the play always
is destined to find answer is whether
In the entire lot of monsters. there
is not one left with one human
heartbeat. 1t is posed in the effort
OF the actress to bribe official after
oh1clal OF concentration camp.
When finally the combination of her
last diamond and the show of a de-
votion that would break any possibly
breakable heart accomplishes her
purpose, Mr.. Anderson has voiced
his faith in the power of the free
mind. BY that time, too, Miss Hayes
has given a performance that is
invariably brilliant.
II X
In forsaking the old verse form.
the author of Candle in the Wind
has increased the force OF his speech
IN many passages Of the play. When
his heroine says, Il went into this
gaily, even lightly, and shall never
live to see beyond it," she achieves
far more meaning than the more
musical women of Anderson's past.
There are other moments, however,
when the resolution to speak d.
rectly is so overdone as to give the
dialogue a stilted effect or a too
melodramatic one. Mr.. Anderson
has accustomed the ear to some
thing finer.
Miss Hayes portrait of a woman
pasSionately and recklessly in love is
a superlatively fine asset to Candle
In the Wind" 1t is an extremely
demanding role, thing of greatly
varied emotion, and she lifts its
every moment to its finest possible
meaning.
The supporting cast is uniformly
excellent, down to the slightest bits
with which every Anderson play is
replete. As the suavely cruel prison
director, John Wengraf leaves
nothing to be desired. Nor does
Stiano Braggiotti as the harassed
lover; Evelyn Warden as a gusty,
realistic companion to the actress:
Lotte Lenya as the wistful maid
servant, and Tonic Selwart as the
NaM who RECEIVERS his soul.
Mr.. Lunt's direction gives the play
suitable unity and pace, leaves
minor points only open to question
and perhaps revision.
10 Mielziner's settings. especially
garden in Versailles and a pump
ing station converted into a concen-
tration camp Office. are decided as
sets to the atmosphere of Candle
In the Wind"