Evening star., 1948-01-04
Melodrafna's Season
Type Dominated 1947 But This Year May
See Complete Reversal
By Joy Cormody

Even before "Genleman's Agreement" up
York motion picture critics prize last week. beyond question
that this melodamas year just
with contemporary flavor to content
Nothing excitement
of todays headlines beyond imagination the
Until life settles down again. indeed 1t does the fiction
of this field of competition.
which deuged the last Sunday Of 947 and the
magazines which have critical departments
made it clear that no other type picture
comedies and comedy fantasies made the honor
sbordnatey and from the first hopeesy out OF the run
And the Public Concurred.
In these sunmings-up dominated "Gentleman Agreement
.rers .soomerang "shoeshine 1.-THE Fugitive" Body
half similar exhibits movie reviewers were exer-
cng professional preogave be ar Never were they more
echong the judgment Of the cinema pubic wncn mac
the most popular OF the year at
worried fretfu populace which nesn enough
that Hollywood cannot solve humantys fr1snens p
titles nevertheless was notion the movie capital was
sharing did not negative the houghtiu picture W
giving profitable patronage to the one
It would be unjust attribute this entirely higher order OF
bc taste The Hollywood made its important con-
~, nrovement In the making of each of
odrama of the type lost sight Of the fact that It's
first entertain 1t simply made It's best ou
of realistic material which is to say tnat never
obsessed with that forgot was making MOVIE
Balance Remain Same
The place movies which show awareness OF
which they made unlikely to result IN any exces-
this in the year now beginning Inc Dnce
probably will that of 1s4 with far more Daisy
Kenyons comedies then screenpays with single
Thought in the heads of produce in them
It unlikely by movie studios whose frank pre-
the light escap or downright frivolous tna1 many
soberminded reviewer awarded nonors 10 sucn on m 80 SS
list One s4h Street. soft-hearted
which were New York Critics Circle members Inc
other modrama Of which only reat Expec
place lacked contemporary haVo
OF almost universal attention after
miracle Father" 1t the lists OF those
critics with social and the most passionate con-
ycions found also for Ihe Bishops WIFE, anoner
fantasy theme just touched with Honor
too utterly irresponsible THE Bachelor and the
Bobby Peace italian production won the
top prize because its basic tneme was
serious but with such high and Intelligent humor
T Farmers Daughter proved Hollywood could do the same
sort of thing not ovepowerng distinction but enecVey
nonetheless
Material Was Fresh.
I Know Going garnered avalanche of admiration
and better irresistible charm with which set
out to be the critics voting
their s47 prizes screenpays they taking time
out to be rhapsodic 948 model THE Senator
Was Indscee They "Ie Voice Of
the Turtle perennial stage comedy finally translated into cluoid
Medave analyzing the honors bestowed
exercise editorial function in the immediate
critics who bestowed their honors upon such pictures
very jealous where the editorial function belongs
which is home than Hollywood Is
these pictures Is be found in the fact
melodramatc at the moment happens the
dramatic material It the requirement
presenting conflict with other humans
environment Of the minute to which the clock
pointing.
however implies that next comedy,
enjoy the dominance In 1948 that meo
achieved in the year just ended