Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-02-10

size and cost that causes some Of
its critics to feel that Metro does
not make full use of all the posi-
bilities Of the motion picture. It
is, rather, that any mental process
deeper than recognition Of glandu-
liar reaction turns up In M-G-M
films about as often as outlaws In
daytime radio serial. There is no
welcome mat out there, one feels,
for the controversial issue, or even
the small moot point.
Things probably will be different
from now on, though, around those
conservative premises, with the
signing of Mr.. de Rochemont for
flve-year period as a producer. He
is the man who developed the docu-
mentary technique which made the
March of Time and who later
showed 10th Century-Fox how the
same technique could be applied to
screen drama in THE House on
END Street." "13 Rue Madeleine"
and Boomerang" He is not the
movie-maker to hide a thought
under a bushel of rhinestones.
One Of the first De Rochemont
projects under the Metro banner,
in fact, will be film touching upon
subject which not only M-G-M
but the rest of Hollywood has seen
fit to ignore rather thoroughly. 1t
will be a motion picture version Of
William L. Whites factual Readers
Digest story, Lost Boundaries, J"
which deals with passing" from
the Negro race to the white race.
Mr.. de Rochemont, to be sure,
is not driving the first chink in
Metros, conservative arrnor. This
is the studio which decided 1t was
Just the place where Frank Capra
ought to make state Of the
Union"
United Artists had to give up its
plans to stage a world premiere
junket to Paris for the launching of
arch of Triumph" but it still is
planning to be as spectacular as
possible about the whole thing. The
Ingrid Bergman-C Charles Boyer Aim
will be dedicated and given to the
world one week from tonight at twin
festivities to be held at Palm Beach
and Miami Beach, Fla. Unable to
stage this affair In Paris, U-A still
will manage the Partisan touch by
setting up the pictures $4,000 re-
production of the Arc de Triomphe
on a main intersection in Miami
Beach. The un-priced reproduction
Of the Eternal Light in the So, 200
Reproduction of the Arc de Triomphe
will not be lighted by any mere
match for this occasion, either, or
even by a gold Dunhill lighter. A
flame ignited from the Eternal Light
In the real Arc de Triomphe will be
flown from Paris to Miami Beach.
This festivity in Florida has not
been planned in secrecy from the
California Chamber of Commerce, as
you might expect. 1t is all part of a
current flow of good will between
the two orange groves Of the Nation.
The Palm Beach and Miami Beach
sites for the premiere were selected
"as result of civic invitations to
Gov. Warren of California ex-
pressing the desire to extend their
friendly hospitality to an outstand-
ing product from California"
.
Sooner or later, some one was
bound to come up with a title
change that took advantage of all
the publicity gained by motion
picture during its filming, as well as
the attention given its story in
earlier form. While Howard Fast's
story, Rachel" was being set on
celluloid with Loretta Young, Will
liam Holden and Robert Mitchum In
the leading roles, it was known as
Tall, Dark Stranger"
Came its completion and, OF
course, a new title was called for.
Why not, somebody at RKO-Radio
suggested, call 1t Rachel and the
Stranger That's what it's going
to be. IT,.