The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-03-19
Hollywood Shorts
BY JOHN r. CHAPLIN

Social event OF Hollywood as Feb
ruary closed was cocktail party fol
the Rescue Ship Mission, at the home
OF the Dalton Trumbos John Wexley
and his wife acted as co-hosts. Fea
tured was boogie-woogie playing by
Elliott Paul and Jacques Press. Writ
ers, directors and actors turned ou
in droves for the good cause, and the
ship was at least one financial steI
nearer its mission Of mercy.
Jean Arthur is reported set to play
My Sister Eileen on the screen. Co
lumbia will produce. Producer
Edward Small is interested in a dea
whereby he would screen Meet the
People, in conjunction with the Holly
wood Theater Alliance
| Disappointments of the week were
two: First, John Ford's film version
of Tobacco Road. Somehow, in being
| transposed to the screen, the story
lost all the sympathetic understanding
of Erskine CaldwelPs novel and Jack
Kirkland's play. 1t energies a nasty
1--WE might almost say, vicious) pic
ture of complete degeneration. Any
objective observer might well feel on
seeing it: There's nothing to dc
about those people but take them out
and shoot them" Whether Nunnally
Johnson's script or Ford's direction is
to blame, is hard to say. But the re-
suit is certainly not encouraging.
I,,o oh 20 -
George Barnes for the Academy
Award for black-and- white cinematog-
raphy for his work on Rebecca. Gregg
Toland photographed both Grapes of
Wrath and The Long Voyage Home,
either of which should have had the
prize for camera work. =.
Ii it is true, as reported, that Wal
ter Wanger will screen Out of the
Night, with John Ford doing the di-
recting, Ford's career in brief year
and-a-half will read thus: Grapes of
Wrath to Long Voyage Home to To-
bacco Road to Out of the Night. Ger
tainly the greatest and most rapid
comedown any director will ever have
experienced.
Briefly: Blonde June Preisser has
signed term contract at Paramount
and will be built into a star In
grid Bergman, who expects to play the
lead in For Whom the Bell Tolls, is
studying Joris Ivens' picture, Spanish
Earth, in order to get deeper into the
spirit of Spain. She couldn't choose
a hettar Drjnnr
Jane Withers has signed a new
term contract at 20th-Fox, first child
star ever to grow up into young lady
star without any break whatsoever in
her career. :. {. Jeffrey Lynn has the
lead in Underground, a picture of the
suppressed Freedom Radio in Germany
Philip Dorm has an important part in
means that young Lynn will
have to look to his laurels.
Marie Wilson is cast as a tough
showgirl in Rockies on Parade, an
other draft picture, starring Bob Cros-
by and Ruth Terry, with Eddie Foy
Jr., Cliff Navarro, Horace MacMahon,
Gertrude Niesen and William Demar-
est. Wayne Morris, Arthur Ken
nedy and William Orr have the leads
in Three Sons O. Guns, also about con
THE CURRENT FILMS
The Hard-Boiled Canary (Par): A
delightful musical about the Inter-
Iochen school for talented kids. Too
many gifted and amusing youngsters
TO enumerate here, but they definitely
make it must see' picture.
Power and the Land Gu. S. Govt
R.K.O.): Finest documentary ever
filmed, showing how electricity can
bring abundance and comfort to the
U. S. farmer Ask your local theater
to book it.
Land of Liberty: The movie indus
-ry's review of U. S. history, culled
from past Hollywood films Despite
shortcomings, which include tradition
II misrepresentation Of Reconstruc-
ion and ignoring of the role of labor,
It's fine document on American ira
worth seeing.
Mannerheim Line (Soviet) Tops in |
lewsreel documents. Gives an excel |
ent picture Of the Finnish war, from
he Soviet viewpoint. The US. Army
bought it was good enough to call for
detailed study.
RECENT BEST BETS: Kitty Foyle,
Keeping Company, High Sierra, Fan
asia, Strawberry Blonde.