Evening star., 1942-12-24

that confuses the enemy. 1t all
| irons out when the baron is con-
veniently tossed overheard while on
ship United States bound. pre-
sumably on a good will mission.
Stars Are Excellent.
These top-f1ight stars turn in A
sterling performance since both are
adept with the lighter mood.
Glnger's European veneer never
fools Pat and since both are in
tensely patriotic their romance finds
a common level. Those who can't
get enough of Ginger Rogers and
Cary Grant will adore some of their
scenes, while others may feel that
the task Of making the screenplay
topically significant burdened the
Sheridan Gibney script.
The supporting cast is of high
quality Walter Slezak, good Amer
lean actor, makes a leering and slick
Nazi menace, and some will think
shares top honors with the higher
powered stars. Albert Basserman is
brilliant in brief session as a Pol
lsh general and Albert Decker, as
the State Departments undercover
in Paris, contributes Handsomely.
Ferlke Boros, Harry Shannon and
Natasha Lytess also serve the pro-
duction acceptably. Picture runs
about two hours, with Director Nc
Carey's task to make this lengthy
footage consistently amusing. That
he generally succeeds is a credit to
his ingeniouSness in handling a
frail fiction
Chief item on the supplementary
program is Der Feuhrers Face"
Walt Disney which treats the Ber-
lin enemy with sharp ridicule. DON
aid the Duck in bad dream is sup
porting Hitler's production program
until he goes beserk over "Heiling
Hitler" He wakes up after his
nightmare in an Uncle Sam pair of
pajamas, and kissing the statue of
Liberty. The carton is threaded
with the song already made popular
on the radio, and the two reeler has
plenty Of fun with the Nazi tradi-
tions. The newsreel with shots of
the North African war completes a
good program.
" X y X
1t. Simmons Designed Sets,
The motion picture critics of the
country who have been making out
Ten Best" lists for Film Daily seem
to agree that Mrs. Miniver'' is top
hole. While Walter Pidgeon and
Greer Carson may eventually be
decorated for their brilliant per-
formances, one of the unseen heroes
of the picture is now fighting in the
far Pacific. 1t is a pleasure to toss
him a sprig of the laurel.
He is 1t. Taylor Simmons of the
United States Army and, as mem
Der of the Cedric Gibbons scenic
staff. he designed most of the sets.
Since he is now in the far Pacific.
it might be pertinent to add that
Metro Goldwyn Mayer recognized
his substantial contribution by the
award of nice bonus.
Lit. Simmons Is the son of a de-
ceased Army general and his mother,
Mrs. Estelle Simmons. lives at Hotel
2400, is active in the Stage Door
Canteen and American Women's
Volunteer Service. 1t. Simmons
took his preliminary training in the
unit at the University
of Maryland, has been in theater
of action for some months.
Earle'S DouhIe Rirthday
The Earle Theater is getting ready
to celebrate a birthday. 1t comes
next Sunday, when the Thirteenth
street house will be 18 years old.
Your correspondent recalls going
through the new shrine while the
scaffolding was still up, with Hardie
Meakin, now of Keith's, as the tour
manager, The owner of the build
ing was the Cosmos Theater Co. of
Philadelphia, with Jules Mastbaum
and. Soblosky and McGuirk finan-
Cially interested. A. Julian BrylaW-
ski, president of the Motion Picture
Owners Of the District of Columbia,
was general manager.
Frank La Falce has been running
AMUSEMENTS.