Evening star., 1941-06-08
Marriage Won't 4 feet Her Career, Deanna Says
Miss Durbin
AndHer Fans
Are Happy
But Bad Behavior
Is Something She
Guards Against
By Sheilah Graham.
HOLLYWOOD,

nOLL1 WOOD.
When Deanna Durbin married
Vaughn Paul and outdiStanced the
brick by brick structure of her
adolescence to womanhood film
architects, the familiar question was
raiSed-how will marriage affect her
career?
Through no fault of Deanna's or
her fans, the jump from Miss to
Mrs. started inauspiciously from a
film point of view. For two reasons:
First. that last picture of hers, Nice
Grip" was in production when the
engagement was announced, and
the arbiterS of Deanna'S career
could not make up their minds
whether to continue the original
adoleScent love story or change 20
movable sophistication. They dio
both-With a confusing result.
And. secondly, now that Deanna
has announced her adulthood bv
marriage-before that her age had
been underestimated by a year. and
the studio policy was to keep her in
rompers-noW that Deanna is
woman, reviewers have shed the
unWritten law which says. You
always treat child with kindness
Unfair to Deanna.
I quote from a film review of
Nice Girl?" in a weekly maga-
Zine-"Her CDeanna's) face in the
camera setups of this first grown
up stage has little more modelling
or character than corSage Of
mushrooms, and her acting range is
what is chalked on the floor so
she won't get out of focus"
This. in my opinion, was horri-
bly, unfair to Deanna. The picture
was bad. and Deanna. who admits
this fact, merely followed the in
structions of her director. Whether
she can emote in pictures that
require dramatic ability has yet to
be proved From past perform
ances, I think she can. Nice
Grip" proved nothing except that
the story was bad.
Ihe above is a prelude to lunch
7 had with Deanna to present her
opinions and ideas on her film and
private future. To begin with-and
in the words of a rival columnist-
"Deanna never looked lovelier" Mar
riage has certainly agreed with her
looks and temperament. Size is calm
as always. but more self-aSsured.
She's Certainly Happy.
Marriage" says Deanne. will not
affect my career. The sort of thing
that would hurt me with my fans
would be bad behavior If l did
something disgraceful and in bad
taste, they would say, That's not
the Deanna Durbin we know on the
screen I don't think they will look
at me on the screen and say-She's
married to Vaughn Paul in the same
way as they do not say of Clark
Gable when he's acting in a picture
with Hedy Lamarr-'He is married
to Carole lombard All the letters
receive are happy for me in my
marriage"
There is no question of doubt as
to Deanna's happiness on the sub
ject. Marriage has given her an
independence that was impossible
while she lived with her mother and
father. IT'S wonderful" is how
Deanna sums up her new freedom.
Il can do much more now" she
adds. For instance. I now handle
all my financial affairs Before I
was married. my father took care
Of my businesS-and that was fine.
then. But now I decide what and
how shall be done with everything.
I sign all the papers. even for in
come tax" I wish you could see the
smile on her face as she says this.
Returned to Record.
In work, as in private life, Deanna
is taking over the reins of control
For some time now she has been
consulted regarding the songs she
sings in her films. Deanna is now
allowed to express her ideas on story,
director, etc. Il don't think I should
have the same director for two sue
cessive pictures" she tells me de-
cisively, and I don't think it would
ever be good idea for my husband