The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-01-08
Shorts
Federated Press)
By JOHN R. CHAPLIN

it's generally warm reception by the
press, Warmers Santa Fe Trail is g
film to watch out for Under its pre-
tense of being an epic of railroad
building, it is one of the most sland
erous distortions of American history
ever filmed.
You may have known, from Gone
with the Wind and other such epics
that it was too bad the south didn't
win the Civil war-or, indeed, you
may have wondered whether it wasn'i
the south that really did win
Santa Fe Trail now teaches you
these facts of U. S. history: The Civil
John Brown, who killed for the sole
purpose of appeasing his bloodlust
| (even to sacrificing his own sons) (;
the negroes Brown freed preferred
slavery and were glad when they could
go back to Texas "an' jest set; West
Point is a place where the main pre-
cept of teaching is that the army is
no place for political opinions, and
military men are not supposed to
think.
Not only is American history dis
torted in the film, but such ideas as
the last fit in with the most reaction
airy and anti-labor propaganda of the
moment. Santa Fe Trail should be
popular in army camps, where draftees
must learn that the only use for a
hood ic batraoL
Christmas in Hollywood was marred
by three deaths f. Scott Fitzgerald,
famed novelist of the early 1920s, died
of heart attack, and Nathaniel West
and his wife, Eileen McKenney, were
killed in an auto accident. West was
the author of the books Miss Lonly-
hearts and The Day of the Locust.
Eileen McKenney was the My Sister
Eileen of Ruth McKenney's book of
that title Both were active in the
progressive movement, and highly
talented Hollywoodians.
They're doing raves about Jerome
Kern's song, The Last Time l Saw
Paris. 1t is said to revive memories
of everything the naZis have undone.
You'll hear Tony Martin sing it in
Lady Be Good. /. Elizabeth Bergner
was brought to Canada by the British
to make exteriors for propaganda
picture interiors of which, she says,
were to have been made in Hollywood
The British government claims the in
teriors were and are to be made in
London But Bergner says she can't
return to London because air travel
makes her sick and boats are unsafe.
So she's staying in Hollywood, the
producers and the rest of the cast are
in London, and the propaganda film
remains half-shot -.
When he came to Hollywood, Rene
Clair was full of glowing words for
Marshal Petain, and the fact that the
French government was doing all it
could to stymie the nazis under cur
rent conditions without jeopardizing
the future fate of France. Now, mys-
teriously, the French government has
stripped Clair of his nationality and
all his possessions. Many here don't
savvy what it's all about, and would
like to know exactly what side of the
fence Clair stands upon. $500.
Why did Hedy LAMAR, in Comrade
X, try so hard to sound like Carlo in
Minotchka? She's much better as
Hedy LAMAR. Paramount's film
made as D. O. A. will be released as
The Monster and the Girl. D. o. A.
means Dead On Arrival; we hope
Monster and Girl doesn't mean Dead
Before Release.
THE CURRENT FILMS
DR.. Kildare's Crisis (M.G.M): AS
good as any in the series, fine enter
tainment, but the particular incident
involved Ca case of epilepsy, heredi-
tary or accidental is not too i'm
portant Robert Young is good as
the guest star.
JENNIE (2Oth-Fox): Little drama
of American life that had the markings
of fine film, but lost it's great theme
somewhere on the way. Inconsequen-
tial
Trail of the Vigilantes (Univ.): Top
notch satire on western films, with
all the stock situations good natured
ly kidded Franchot Tone is swell as
the tenderfoot who sets the west on
it's ear Frederick Crawford, Andy |
Devine and Mischa Auer are worthy |
seconds.
Philadelphia Story (M.G.M): Very
funny dialogue from Philip Barry's
stage play, adapted for the screen by |
Donald Ogden Stewart, gives Kath-
arine Hepburn a brilliant comeback
in an entertaining comedy of man.
lers among PHILIPS snobs. Virginia
Weidler and Mary Nash turn in the
.op supporting performances in one of
he seasons most polished comedies.
RECENT BEST BETS: Great Die
ator, Long Voyage Home, Escape,
Seven Sinners, Mark of Zorro Lady in
question, Arizona, Tin Pan Alley, Sec
md Chorus.