Evening star., 1947-06-10

be drunks.
Well. the time has not come to
and can set straight the matter OF
Its moral. Smash Up" is the story
of a woman driven to drink and de-
pradation because her husband be-
comes a wealthy crooner and de-
posits her in the lap OF luxury. We
don't know how those people in
vestigating Hollywood missed 1t.
It's moral clearly Is that man is q
fool to make so much money ana
keep his wife in luxury.
What kind of propaganda is tnat!
It Is the notion of Jean Hersholt
that the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences ought to get back
to its original ideals. It ought to
concern itself, he feels, with those
phases of movie-making its lofty
title implies are its concern. Mr..
Hersholt thinks the oscar" should
be de-emphasized, he was saying the
other afternoon while playing the
role of guest of honor in Meredlth
Howard's living room.
Since the actor is also the presl-
dent of the Academy of Motion Pic
ture Arts and Sciences, he is In
position to do more than just talK
about this notion Of his. He has
been plugging away at 1t for years.
He became especially concerned over
the oscar" situation at the time
of the voting on the 1916 awards
this wear. There was too much talk
of politics and wagering, which was
not in keeping with the dignity Mr..
Hersholt feels the Academy should
have.
I'VE should continue to make TIE
awards, of, course" he says, but
they never should be allowed to be,
or to appear, the most important
business of the academy" Holly
wood, he goes on meaning the
American film industry and not the
place., ought to be a more impor-
tant force on the international
cinema scene.
With the enthusiasm Of a man
who had Just won long, hard bat
tie, Mr.. Hersholt let 1t be known
that the academy was at last doing
something about that. The some
thing" is to take the form Of an in
ternational film congress, bigger
than any film festival they ever had
at Cannes or anywhere else" The
academy president, he said, had
finally managed to complete all the
preliminary arrangements, includ-
ing an agreement by the Motion
Picture Producers Association to
back the academy project.
I'VE won't just meet to run off
some films and make some awards, -
Mr.. Hersholt said. We'll probably
do that, too, but the important busi-
ness of the congress will be meetings
between movie technicians of all
countries-the directors, scenic de-
gigners, cameramen, ETC."
A man well aware of the relation
ship between free communication
and freedom, Mr.. HerSholt expressed
himself on the value of the con-
gress later in his formal announce
ment. I'VE shall bring together
from all parts of the world men and
women who make this medium one
of the great vehicles foS the inter-
change of social and cultural ideas
probably the greatest medium for
bringing peoples face to face with
peoples" he said.
The first congress will be held in
Hollywood next summer. 1t couldn' t
be arranged before then, says its
father. The details are of that
number known as myriad and even
include negotiation with the State
Department for passports for foreign
film workers.
X X y
Bulletin Board: THE Male AMI
NAL" second offering Of the Olney
Theater's summer season, opens to-
night, runs through next Saturday
night +. Today, the Theater Guild
and American Theater Society want
present subscribers informed, is the
deadline for renewal of subscriptions
for the 1947-48 season. -. The OPEN
ing play in the series, arriving next
September, will be the highly sue
cessful revival production of Lady
Windermere's Fam" with Cornelia
Otis Skinner. Semifinals in the
Miss Greater washington" contest,
conducted by WWDC, will be held at
the Atlas Theater July 19), the
Naylor Theater (July 25) and the
Apex Theater august d. The final
judging, at which nine senifinalists
will vie for the title, will take place
at the Capitol Theater. The date
has not yet been set. . . That Mr.
Carmody is prophet, all right. Just
as he promised, there came the an
nouncement from Sol Sorkin that
Honeymoon" will definitely open
up this Wednesday, June IL" Mr..
Sorkin had not retracted at press
time, so 1t would appear that def