Evening star., 1944-08-04
By PATRICIA SIMMONS.

We arose at the usual nOur yes
terday morning, partook OF the same
burnt toast and coffee and stood
in a familiarly crowded bus. 1t was
another Thursday morning and an
other Keith's opening. But don't
ever get the idea that it was just
a routine Gay. We were about to
review Frank Sinatra's latest screen
contribution, step Lively" The
minute we rounded F street onto
Fifteenth, it was evident that some
thing was wrong-not even the left
overs of q lineup in front of the
box Office and no difficulty in sal
vaging a seat.
Food for thought for somebody's
publicity agent" we said, as we
walked into the theaters passing
four glum- looking sergeants and
two nice old ladies.
However, We did notice the title
on Keith's marquee and decided, on
the way out, that it set the tempo
for the entire picture. There's not
a single variety of moral or material
support that Hollywood holds out
on Mr.. Sinatra. Anything and
everything that goes with dollar
studded production waits to give
lift, whether needed or not, to speed
Mr.. S. on wings of song. Regard
less to what swooning angle you
tilt, you'll have to admit that even
that uncle of yours, the one with
the awful bathroom baritone, would
sound something like a cross be-
YNI Cl1arl
Lawrence Tibbett If Hollywood went
to anywhere near the same amount
Of trouble. Frankie's natural thes-
plan shyness, which, by the way,
fans claim as his most endearing
celluloid quality, Is camouf1aged for
the most part with pretty girls in
general and Gloria De Haven in
particular.
Certainly Mr.. Sinatra's audience
will be the first ones to recognize
Miss De Haven's screen assets even
If it means a little vocal competi-
ton for frankie. The picture
hardly gets under way before that
famous publicity still of the blonde
eye-flller comes to life clothed In
just the necessary amount of be-
guiling bath bubbles Its quite all
right with the Hayes office, how
ever, being part of polite bathing
suit strip tease supposedly staged
in a swanky Broadway night club
And brace up, Miss De Haven's role
calls for no swooning. In fact
where Sinatra Is concerned we
would say her chief part is to make
him look like the big, strong hero.
My, my, what tricks these cameras
do play. Miss De Haven can be
more than S feet TIL and when
she goes into a clinch with Frankie
it makes him look all of a tower
ing feet.
The story. rollicking girl filled
farce, surprised us by having in ad-
dition to good music some Of the
best comic dialogue that George
Murphy-or anybody else FOR that
matter-has rated in a long time.
Mr.. Sinatras S music is another thing
Hollywood must be given credit for.
When they pick song for him
they pick one that by its own merit
is sure to hit first place on the hit
parade. for instance, Where Does
Love Begin" and "As Long AS
There's Music" It's wonderful the
way Miss De Haven sits down at
a convenient piano and suddenly
from nowhere, soft violirs and per-
lfectly arranged orchest-ation comes
forth to furnish Mr.. s. with lust
the right sounds for sweet moth
ings."
George Murphy is responsible for
the punch lines which bring the
laughs. And there are plenty of
these when troupe of shapely show
girls and their flat-broke producer
take over ritzy hotel penthouse
for rehearsals and whatever else is
necessary to put on their show.