Evening star., 1945-02-11
HOLLYWOOD.

dOLLYWOOD.
Women sometimes step where
angels fear to tread. That Is what
Clare Boothe Luce has done with
her statement that no woman over
40 has glamour! So I thought I'd
put the question to Hollywood movie
stars over 40. And that's where my
troubles began.
Just try and get a movie star, to
admit that she's 10! Now we all
know that beautiful Joan Crawford.
Irene Dunno, Connie Bennett and
Kay Frances have reached or are
reaching the dead-end street Of 40,
and tried to get something on the
subject from a couple. But very
rightly they refused to comment.
Why should they? They all look
not day over 80. And I believe
that q woman Is as old as she looks,
or as old as her male admirers think
she Is. And II they wear rose
colored glasses, so much the better
A Few Will Talk.
So I was reduced to contracting
actresses here who play character
parts and make no bones about hav-
ing reached the 40 mark. Like
Selena Royle and Fay Banter and
Spring Byington. And gentlemen
who are old, like Charles Coburn
and young, like william Eythe, and
middle-aged, like Reginald Gar
diner.
Miss Royle, now playing in 1.-THE
Harvey Girls" not only admits tC
being 40, but is proud Of it. And
she Is still glamorous-to judge by
the young men who hovered around
our table when / lunched with heI
last week.
Lets face it," said Selena, a
trifle caustically. Miss Boothe Is
past 40 and she ought to know what
she's talking about when she says
that no woman over 40 has glamour
But I disagree with her, and I ought
to know. Any woman who says that
is silly. I'm violent about this. Not
because I'm 40, but it's idiotic in this
day and age when there are more
important things than glamour anc
beauty
We seem to be getting away from
the point. Returning to it, Miss
Royle says. Il think it's nuts! This
is the only country in the worlc
where Miss Boothe's statement coulc
be made. In Europe no woman Il
considered attractive until she
reaches her middle 30s. Here II
seems you are only attractive be.
tween the ages of 16 and 10. Mar.
lene Dietrich is 80, and I think she
is still one of the most glamorou
and attractive women in the world.
Miss Banter PhTIosophic.
Fay Banter, who is somewhere II
her late 40s, is shoulder r-to-shouldel
with the blond Congresswoman OF
the question of 40 and glamour
When a woman reaches o. say
Fay, "she can be pretty sure sh'
won't be asked to pose for any cal
endar portraits. And I think shell
be lot happier If she acts her age.
Spring Byington, who played %
year-old female in the earlier Sc
quences 81 Heaven Can Wait.
agrees with Fay and Clare tha
when you are 40 you might just a
well retire from the glamour an
girl-attracts-boy department.
Some women can manage a gri
on youth longer than Others" Sprin
said, but I'm sure 1t isn't worth tn
struggle. Years ago I thought
would be nice If women could ar
range to be So for IA years and the
become so overnight. AS for myself
Tn INST An and relay and on in
life"
Fortunately for the women Of 4
and over, some of the men her
think that Miss Boothe is talkin
through the side Of her pretty fac
on the question.
Charles Coburn-hes worked witt
Irene Dunno and the near 40 Jeal
Arthur-rushes to the defense Of tn
mature beauties. "By the time /,
woman is 40," says Charlie, "she ha!
some sense-which certainly adds t,
her attraction for any man witt