The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-02
Hollywood Shorts
By JOHN r. CHAPLIN


Frank Capra has proved once more
in Meet John Doe that he is Holly
woods most important movie-maker
but also that he is one of its least
courageous men.
Frank Capra is honest He knows
the social system stinks. He knows
there must be some way out. But
apparently direct economic thought a
solution that would lead him leftward
through the recognition of labor I'M
ionism as a social force, and ultimate
ly to recognition of the contradictions
of capitalism, is beyond him
Lost Horizon preached the escape
to an imaginary Shangri-La; You
Can't Take 1t With You showed how
money was an evil and must be got
rid of; Mr. Smith who went to Wash
ington solved all problems through
simple naivete just as Mr.. Deeds who
went to town had solved them all by
simple generosity. Now John Doe
solves all by neighborly love.
tentions-nor his contributions to our
times, which is probably the only
complete work" of consistent aim
that any director-producer can be said
to have contributed. But John Doe is
just another cure-all idea, as evasive
as the others were. Capra just does
MT dare to face the issue: namely,
Il TO- Int
be reinterpreted in terms of today
which include the existence of capital
ism and the role of the labor move
ment.
The ridiculous ending used at the
preview, showing the ly-developed
fascist publisher suddenly turning
Christian i'll the last shot has been
eliminated But the end is still weak
John Doe does not dare to raise his
cause to greatness by committing sui
eide, as even the stupidest critics of
the commercial press have agreed he
should have.
And Frank Capra does not dare go
through with an idea that would real
ly present the ills of our society as
they are. 1t might mean his suicide
in Hollywood, but it would also make
him a great man, instead of just our
top film producer. John Doe is so
typical of Frank Capra that it hurts.
Star stuff: Marlene Dietrich now
finishing The Flame of New Orleans,
will make one called Hilo Hattie,
which will probably drag in the fleet
based in Hawaii Top comedian
George Tobias will be seen in The
Gentle People, from Irwin Shaw's
play, with Ida Lupino, John Garfield,
Thomas Mitchell and Eddie Albert :.
Enrol Flynn is doubtless very happy
about his latest assignments: he'll be
right in there dying for all kinds of
dear old flags, first in Dive Bomber,
then in They Died with Their Boots
Slingin' Sammy Baugh, of pigskin
fame, becomes a movie star in Re-
public's King of the Texas Rangers.
Novelist w. Somerset Vaughan is
writing directly for the films for the
first time, now, at Selznick's. . i
Vincent Sherman, who did good job
on Flight from Destiny, is now direct
ing Underground, Warmers picture of
the illegal movement in Germany.
Jeffrey Lynn, Philip Dorm, Mona
Maris, Martin Kosleck German ref
ugee Kaaren Verne and new Dixie
discovery Alice Talton. are in the
cast.
THE CURRENT FILMS
Nice Girl? (Univ): Good as the
best of Deanna Durbin's smart mus
icals. d. d. grows to young woman |
hood with charm and allure. Franchot |
Tone, Ann ellis, Robert Benchley add
to it's thorough enjoyability. Don't
mind the artificially patriotic ending. |
Back Street (Univ): Competent re-
make of the standard tearjerker, with
Charles Boyer and Margaret SULLIVAN
through nicely as the ostra-
cized pair. Recommended only for
inveterate sentimentalists.
Road to Zanzibar (Par.) Bing Cros-
by and Bod Hope, rapidly becoming
4 couple of the screens prize zanies,
continue to their merry way. They
furnish lot of laughs, though none
s really terrific. 1t will amuse you. {
Footsteps in the Dark CIV. b.: Gay
idding of the sophisticated-detect
ormula. A very entertaining screen
lay, though hampered by Enrol S
lynn's usual wooden performance | a