Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-16
~ HAROLD HEFFERNAN.

Il
It's rarely that an author gets the
chance to see his brain children
leap to life on the movie sets. The
men who direct pictures have no
quarrel with authors, but they don't
want them around when one OF their
works Is being re-creatcd In front of
the cameras. Studios frown on real
life murders.
It's almost a hard-and-fast rule In
Hollywood that authors must stay
away from the stages. No matter
how solemnly they promise to be
good boys and not interfere with the
director, an author on the BET simply
can't restrain himself ct times. They
have been known to leap out sud
denly and scream madly ut 81 di-
rectorS Interpretation OF one Of
their written sequences. Some have
been led babbling from the sound
stages, occasionally an unstrung d.
rector along with them.
That Is why the presence Of an
author on the set collaborating with
the director Is q. real novelty. The
combination OF Director Mark Sand
rich and Author Allan Scott Is the
only one we can recall that has
worked steadily and harmoniously
together on pictures. Both are even
tempered types Of men, willing to
discuss each others problems and
ideas and willing to give and take.
Author Scott was on the set ut Di-
rector Sandrichis elbow every day
during the making OF both. $50
Proudly We Hail" and II Love q
Soldier" and we, never heard Of
more than a few minor arguments
between them.
The big surprise, therefore, when
we visited the set of THE Big Sleep"
at Warner Bros, was to find Author
Raymond Chandler on the job and
taking an important hand in all
the discussions with Producer
Director Howard Hawks and the
cast, And everybody seemed to be
getting along just swell. 1t should
be added, however, that this took
place couple of days ago; we
haven't checked to see If Chandler
and Hawks are still speaking or
whether one or the other has been
x1ldlUlCu tktC
Chandler is one Of the best known
of the hard boiled mystery school of
writer's, with such best sellers as
Farewell, MY Lovely" and 1.-THE
High Window" to his credit. His
1.-THE Big Sleep" is another winner
aand Is now being filmed. with
Humphrey Bogart heading the cast
and that new siren sensation, Lau-
rem Bacall, again doing duty as his
leading lady.
The happy scene we came upon
was set In Miss Bacalls boudoir.
The cameraman was carefully light
ing the pink and white interior. On
the sidelines sat Hawks, tall, white
haired and calm; Chandler, bespec-
tacled and pufnng at q pipe: and
Bogart and Miss Bacall. They were
all talking about the scene Just COM
ing up for filming.
Bogart, we learned, was to barge
into Miss Bacall's room In his
rough-and-tumble way, and then
find himself embroiled in a complex
mystery. The two have a fast ex-
change Of dialogue. Bogart is I'M
shaven and in his shirt sleeves. Miss
B. is wearing a white play suit that
shows OIL her legs to advantage and
Bogart comments on this.
\ ~
The principals had run through
the scene once for rehearsal and now
they were discussing 1t with the di-
rector and author In order to bring
1t to high polish. Bogart was re-
monstrating with Chandler and
Hawks about a line of dialogue.
Il don't think this kind of guy
would say just that in such q SIT
uation," grinibled Humphrey.