Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-12-19

LIlaU llllS Is Vile llillc W oluiiP a
series of inflammatory war films on
the market in order to tie in with
wars surprise opening and SubSe-
quent events, the Saner element. was
advising extreme caution and sug-
costing that Out-an-out war pic
lures be cut to trickling minimum.
Attendance is now off in all movie
houSes-in some sections % per cent
and probably will be until after the
holidays-at which time Hollywood
plans to have dozen or more power
full hypos, in the form OF rolllcklng
comedies carrying big name casts.
Unable to determine at this time
lust what the public might find
most appealing in its screen fare a
couple of months hence, Hollywood
is sticking close to the comedy and
musical angle. Those two elements
and their combination will be the
solid background of all releasing
programs for some time to come.
Producers with costly investments
in stories on the heavy or morbid
order. some of which have already
gone before the cameras, were pre-
pairing to shelve these efforts for the
time being.
David o. Selznick's The Keys to
the Kingdom" and Paramount's For
Whom the Bell Tolls" both among
the highest-priced story buys OF the
year, may fall into that category.
X X X X
Cary Grant has just played the
longest scene of his career, one that
took 51a minutes to film. And,
strangely, he didn't speak word.
He didn't move a muscle, either.
He couldn't speak and he couldn't
move because he was bound hand
and foot and had very real gag
stuffed into his mouth!
Grant was tied and muted for one
of the laugh thrills in the film YER
sion of arsenic and Old Lace" a
scene showing him completely sub
dued while Raymond Massey and
Peter LORE. the two fright gents of
the movie, discuss numbering him by
slow torture.
Sounds chilling, but in line with
war-dictated script policies you'll be
expected to laugh-and if you don't,
Warner Brothers will be very much
disappointed.
Women's styles haven't changed
so much in the past 40 years-at
least Jane Withers doesn't think so.
In her new picture, Not for Chill
dren"-a title that may be changed
for obvious b. o. reasons-Jane por-
trays a fashionable miss of 1900. In
one sequence she wears a blue eve
ming gown. 1t looked pretty antique,
but Jane made up her mind she had
to have it.
She called up wardrobe and made
a deal to buy the dress after the pic
ture is completed.
But what in the world will you
do with a thing like that? she was
asked.
III just shear the lace off the
| sleeves and wear it to the next
premiere I attend" Jane promptly
explained.
Hollywood's No. l golfer is Bling
Crosby, or maybe it's Fred Astaire.
No one knows because the trophy
changes hands so often between
these rival experts of Lakeside Club.
The veteran Frank Craven, how
ever, claims another No. l golfing
distinction. He thinks he has
played on more different golf
courses than any other actor in
Hollywood.
Wherever he plays, Craven al
ways saves his score card and IN
cleaning out his den the other day
he counted up. Discovering he had
All different country club tabs
from all over the United States. He
decided to claim some glory. Hence
his announcement.
p. S.-Craven occasionally shoots
tn the middle nineties. More often