Evening star., 1947-10-17

and may have remained present ALL
day for all this one-shot listener
knows.
From "Boogie Blues" which opens
the 50-minute Krupa interval, to
Drum Boogie," which brings 1t to
q crashing finale, the program has
not changed greatly from the mans
last visit. There is one passage in
1t, however. that may startle classi-
cists who drift into the Capitol
by mistake this week.
This is Krupa s version of Sibelius'
"Valse Triste' which clearly was
not composed with drums in the
creators mind. but which Krupa
brings off with an effect that cer-
tainly Is arresting. Yesterdays first
audience which may, or may not,
have known what Sibelius was driv-
ing at certainly did recognize what
Krupa was beating out. Moreover,
1t enjoyed the effect sufficiently
that 1t may some day want to hear
1t in a version closer to the original.
As for Sibelius, he probably would
be enchanted to discover that he
Is such a good composer for drums.
The Capitol's screenplay, Under
cover Maisie." indicates that almost
nobody involved is able to get his
heart into this particular serial any
more. Ann Sothern, still its star,
wanders through the current epi-
sode rather like a girl whose re-
fiexes were being subjected to a
series. of routine tests. The others.
chiefly Barry Nelson and Mark Dam
1els. are unable even to work up
that much enthusiasm.
Thelma Robinson, of whom YOU
never heard before and almost sure
ly never will again, wrote the story
and screenplay for "Undercover
Maisie." 1t was her theory that
Maisie, girl with heart of gold
and the brain of a beetle, should
be cast this time as a policewoman.
1t might be possible to do some
thing with an idea like that. but
no one did it on this occasion.
Maisie's adventures as a police
woman begin with her introduction
to police school where she learns
the routine of judo and other tricks
of self-defense which are handy to
members of the force. After the
slapstick possibilities of this are
IRA for thu
dared, Maisie goes in for the decov
work for which she seems better
suited.
Her specific assignment is track
ing down a confidence gang preying
upon service veterans, but no one
was able either to think up a way
to make the result either exciting
or passably funny.
At the climax of the picture.
Maisie is using her judo to splatter
not merely the criminal gang, but
her police associates all over the
California landscape.
There are reports that with this
picture, the "Maisie" series will
come to an end. They sound entirely
reasonable.
\ II X
To return to the stage show at
the Capitol, 1t Is Krupa. naturally,
who is its highlight. Whatever the
band plays, from the opening to the
closing number. its climax is a
stretch Of drum-soloing by the
maestro. Drum Boogie," and why
not, is the pinnacle item on the
program, but along the way, the
stopovers are pleasant. There Is
even a nostalgia interval ip the ar
rangement, when Krupa and q
couple of associates move down
stage and 60 back to the old Good
man-Krupa days with "Stomping
at the Savoy"
Three assisting artists participate
In Krupa's part of the program, in
serting proper intervals of dance,
song and comedy.
In the dance department. the
performer Is talented, minute
sort Of girl. Folie Miller, whose taps