Evening star., 1947-12-25

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Don't think such thoughts as
these did not give Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer a heady feeling when 1t
made Good News the Palace The
ater's contribution to the citys
festival mood.
The studio knew it could afford
to spread itself, that it could hire
all the beautiful young in South
ern California. and that whatever
millions it spent would come back
with frankly usurous interest. In
this, Metro probably is quite cor
rect for, as musicals go, Good
News is almost recklessly spirited,
tuneful, colorful and beautiful.
The fact that it's book is fever
ish trile is something every one
learned years ago to expect of all
musicals, especially those out Of
the giddy 20s, as Good News" is.
If its frivolous emptiness does not
feaze June Allyson, Peter LaWford
and all those others, why should 1t
have any morbid effect upon the
customers?
Despite its campus locale, Good
News" has nothing whatever to do
with higher education. 1t is far
too occupied with the goings-on in
sorority house bedrooms, living
rooms, kitchens. porches and gar
dens. And, when it thinks to leave
these, it dashes over to the gym
nasium dressing rooms and showers
or out onto the football field.
Whatever social or romantic ac-
tivity is going on, and there is a
bewildering lot of it on level that
looks quite silly, it is always deemed
justification for another song or
dance.
The former of these recall that
four fine song writer's of two dec
AIDES ago turned out high spirited
score for Good News" In addi
ton to the title song. which already
Is back on the contemporary hit
parade, these include Lucky in
Love" Ladies Man." and, as
crashing sort of finale, Varsity
Drag
These and the other original COM
positions were inadequate, however.
to what Metro had in mind, so
there are such added starters as
Peace Pipe" which turns into a
fiery ballet. and THE French Les
SON" topical item that at least
makes a polite allusion to higher
learning.
If the comedy of Good News is
representative of the current plane
of campus wit, show business had
better start looking elsewhere for
Its clowns of the future. The prin-
cipal males and females of the
screenplay play valiantly for their
laughs, but never with any sound
convictions as to the merit of their
material. And it could easily be
that Good News" In its original
form was not nearly so funny as
you seem to remember it.
There is a story. of course, for
Miss Allyson. Lawford. Joan Nc
Cracken, Ray Macdonald. Mel
Torme and the regiment of other
yOuIIllul ones 10 play dTOullu ILL., 1IS
hero is LaWford, football star who
has football titan's charm for the
opposite sex. Among the various
girls who succumb to his braWny
beauty are Miss Allyson, Cinder-
ella who is working her way through
college. and Patricia Marshall an
acquisitive seductress who makes a
profession of getting the man any
ore else wants.
These three run through the usual
triangular tribulations, while
number of the others are staging
lesser lessons in campus love as
Metro imagines it.
u X
Good News" reflects Hollywood's
growing passion for the ballet. 1t
is somewhat tardy in this field, but
the Palace exhibit intimates that it
is catching up, or on, fast. Miss
McCracken, forced into the position
of an aggressively cute ballerina,
has a robust dancing assignment
throughout the movement of the