Evening star., 1948-04-04
Sir Cedric Knew Best
It Was Hardwicke, Not Mitchell, Who Saw
Mitchell as Inspector Goole
By Harry Macarthur


in j. B. Preseys Inspector usually
toward lighter side melodrama The Mysterious
Stranger with not the sort OF role expect
to playing
doing matter of fact,
Hardwke Judgment about the heater
Desiring to get back to the stage after too long soun Holly
wood Mr. Mitchell had read several scripts without finding
his liking Then Sir Cedric sent him the Piestley play
Inspector Calls story police inspector
nduIast purportedly invgat
members of with questions finally each Of e
from Tory father war has admitted part in the girls
downfall.
Inspector long to the
audience the victims his nqusiton that either
His trusted representatives Mr. Mitchell
read all this and decided An Inspector Calls not the script for
him, either
Reasons
Then recalling day he
Cedric Hardwicke had him play
Cedric who stage it, is not foolish notions when
casting he Thomas Mitchell his Inspector Goole,
he must have reason for it.
Mr. Mitchell the play further thought he and ul
mately Cedric
dramatic Gooe must much possible like actual
stage He goads them with questions and probes their minds he
ethereal being rather than authentic police
audiences quick to realize that those people being
investigated must be complete dopes:no notice it.
Mitchell decided to Inspector Goole and he
hasn't regretted it. good get back the stage least
moderately play thing
out to be testing his thesc me allowing for
experimenting it, says
voped half Coolies all authentic police types but
varying moods None of the he has found satisfies
one, however.
People always telling says,
playing that I'm oveayng that I'm too heavy They always
tell me should play Goole I've already tried"
His Mood Is the Plays Mood
other members of the Mr. Mtches amiable
questions them politely Coolies mood
matter of continual concern back stage.
who's calling onght'" Buckmaster asked evening just
before curtain tme for instance Il suppose It's that mean oand-
usually would like that pleasant fellow
who here the other afternoon"
Inspector pitch
which played matter Of
others the Mr. Mitchell prefers the proddng The in
sten antagonizes those he questions better
the interests Mr. Priesteys drama Mr. Mitchell feels
is the is done than the writing in fact which
Calls enjoyable The Of
portoyng
father world young young dis
could be dull indeed in less able hands
Melville makes quite pleasantly comic figure
father amiabe carature happily met He
Psley able only halfheared
Such device having in 1912
another under Mr.
manipulation The others lend admirable MAX
cardboard characters take look Of e
Richardson's Inspector Was Ethereal
HaHdwckes direction brings out both comedy
you reading Calls His
and Interpretation of the drama be the right
other evidence than that presently at hand indicates The
with which they concerned long enough in New
before road to be considered but the same
said of others "
Inspector presented in London with Ralph
title role Richardson reported have
played ehereay definite from heaven fire.
queny guidance from alot In London the play
a failure Mr. Mitchell reports
Priestleys theme presents the notion
capitalist life rough for the
working Calls deemed enough to be
Mitchell does not know who played
that the Russian production presented In
towering the others
with backsnake whip That was not
success, either 1t must have been spectacular though