Evening star., 1942-11-01
Kelley
Continued From Page E-1D

Hayes became offended when an
astute director told her Playwright
Barrie didn't know what it was all
about and proceeded to rewrite the
Maggie Wylie script to fit his own
specifications.
All of this makes the professional
career of Frederic Marsh stand out
! in bold relief. He made AZ pictures
in his first 10 years as California
resident, most of them good enough
to elevate him to financial eminence.
| Actor Marsh won the Academy
Award for "Dr. Jekyll and Mr..
Hyde" has appeared regularly on
the Ten Best lists prepared an
nually by film critics.
Yet he comes back to the stage,
where he began with David Belasco,
as regularly as the seasons roll
around. He takes the New York
critical poundings in stride, on one
occasion paid for an advertisement
out OF his own pocket, merely to say,
loops, so sorry" and acknowledge q
mistake. Last season it was Hope
for Harvest" upon which the
critics frowned.
1t was in the vast Center Theater
at Radio City that your critic rev.
eled in his artistry as Martin Gun
ther in George S. kaufman and
Moss Hart'S The American Way
in which his wife, Florence Eldredge
had an equally important role
Hollywood bought the screen rights
of this saga in Americanism, but
placed it on the shelf after cinema
audiences had rejected ABE Lin
coin in Illinois" and it proved COM
mercially Improbable. There |.
still chance that Mr.. March may
play Martin Gunther on the screen
for Hollywood has deduced this is 4
good time for a full-bloWn lessor
in Americanism.
Two-Edged Problem.
The casting problem OF thu
Marches is two-edged. For he viii
not glance at a play which does no.
offer a compensating role for Flor.
ence Eldredge, and it was the dou.
BILE opportunity in American Way
which led him to accept the play
which for months filled the mos
gigantic of theater1and's cavities.
One can imagine them studyin,
the script of Thornton Wilders nev
play with some enthusiasm. Beside
a fitting role for Mr.. March, ther,
was a part. generous one, TO
Florence Eldredge, so good that tn
Theater Guild once considered tn
same as an inducement for Heller
Hayes.
AS versatile actor Freddy Marcl
can become immersed in almost an,
l kind of character. He Is said t.
have a very different role in tn
S new Wilder play from anything II
which film fans or first nighter
have seen him. AS the John Do
). hero of "Skin of Your Teeth
which is also comment on tn
contemporary world chaos-he play
the plain man of all time, a yer
/ different species of human from tn
one seen in Mary of Scotland,
Anna Karenina" or Les Miser
ables." Though no one who say
him as the German American il
''The American Way" would dout
his ability to play a character rol
OF great scope and compass.
Many Threaten to Leave.
Florence Eldredge In the Wilde
fantasy is the wife Of the "eterns
little man." named by the play
wright, George AntrobuH. TIL
Marches have also had = joir
screen career. They were togethe
in '"The Studio Murder Case,
MARY Of Scotland" and LES Mise1
ables." As featured player she hs
also appeared in Thirteen Women
"The Matrimonial Bed, Danger
ously Yours, '"The Great Jasper
and "The Story of Temple Drake
There is wisecrack made b
theater fans anent cinema addict
The play wise call the contempol
ary movie enthusiasts "the 10
generation" That generalizatie
cannot be applied when "Skin
Your Teeth" arrives in Washingto
For those who have been worship
ping the shadow players viii I'm
besides the Marches. Tallulah Banl
head who surely knows her ",
around the studios. A series of bs
stories brought Miss Bankhead ba,
to the footlights and she appears
prefer audible homage.
Il ons hsarA hcm sms Y -