Evening star., 1943-05-27

said with such calmly realized en-
phasis in The World at War"
semester sgo, prelude to War"
neatly parties the danger of mere
reiteration and becomes a fine ex-
hibition of 1t. Col. Capra's skill
as a celluloid pulpiteer. Last nights
be-starred, be-ribboned and gold
braided premiere audience, which
already knew what the war was
about, paid the Signal Corps
outstanding movie-maker the de-
served compliment of applause that
sounded as sincere as it was loud
and long.
"Prelude to War which opens
nationally today, is the Army's own
version of the events leading up
TO today's tragedy. Aimed straight
for the emotions. and employing
all the tricks of eye and ear-appeal
of which 1t. Col. Capra is the past
master, it was designed originally
for service orientation purposes. It's
success in that objective was such
that its sponsors thought it should
be sent in quest of larger audience,
the one on the home front. It's
opening at the Columbia last night
is the first step in that direction,
and its reception by civilian audi
enceS generally will determine
whether other orientation movies
will be similarly released. There
are six others in the series
AS did its predecessors, prelude
TO War looks back upon the years
Of uneasy peace with a dramatic
sense Of where they inevitably have
led. 1t examines Germany and
Japan and their decade of monster
making, and it glances with equal
honesty at the lassitude and indif-
ference and lf-deception of the
democracies. 1t tells a story which.
If general audiences are not weary
with hearing it, 1t. Col Capra has
handled with such remarkable skill
that Prelude to War" is a prelude
10 the general release of the other
six pictures in the Owls vaults
AS piece of screencraft alone.
It is something to behold.
If two of kind establish a trend
In the affairs of Hollywood-and
they do whenever columnists are
hard up for an idea-the trend Of to-
day is to pay 100000 for successful
dramas , purchased by the cinema.
That was the price which goth Gen.
tury-FoX paid for John Steinbeck's
The Moon Is Down. even though
AS play it was we'll removed from
the hit class 1t also was the price
for Maxwell Anderson's The Eve of
st. Mark And, by way of con-
frmlng the trend, it is Identical
with the amount which Warner
Bros. Just paid to Joseph Fields for
his The Doughgirls."
The Fields comedy. which returns
TO the National for fortnight start
ing next Monday, will be a long time
reaching movie audiences. however
The contract specifies that it shall
not be released in the celluloid ver-
sion until il has run its career on
the stage. That will be a year, may
be longer
Stage Door Canteen notes: Come
Friday night, the SDC will become
the proud possessor of one of those
dlmlnutive pianos which miscellane-
o'ls troubadours may play. and to
which other guests may sing, with
out having to climb on the stage.
The piano will be set right on the
Canteen floor.
First to have the distinction of
playing the mime piano is Mime
Jack Little, who has composed
special number honoring the cam
teens Junior hostesses who pro-
vided the instrument as their ad-
ditional gift to the servicemens en-
tertainment
And speaking Of the SDC, the
opening of the Willard Roof Play