Evening star., 1949-06-19
Failure in High Places
Plaques Our Movies
Some Recent Disappointments
Can't Be Charged to Incompetence
By Harry Macarthur

Robert Buckner the riter-producer filming
part Of Free for An found himself called upon TO defend Holly
Mr. Buckner doesn't feel like defending There lot that
not his fault
telling him what's wrong with the movies His screenpy
Rockne" Yankee Doodle Dandy" few As .
ducer he made. other things. Life With Father
general he pretty dependabe citizen TO- have behind
whether investment in motion picture is 100000 or the
Finally in the course Of this discussion
upon point the elementary fact that sets out
deliberately to make bad motion picture That's what every
says Hollywood apparently mysterious entity
Angeles suburb does in effect
Intentionally make bad pictures by hiring incompetent people to
make them.
Mr. Buckner obviously gentleman well scholar only
raised his eyebrows at this sophomore baderdas
argmentatve enough that challenge though he could
have presented brief that would have beled the name
the then current Beautiful
Blond Bah Bend into the conversation Just by way OF
getting it started Being based on only two Jokes
little thin before it was ended It funny spots right
but hardly worth the Techncolor printed Was this the
work Of one Of these incompeents Hollywood
intention making It produced.
who critics and public
comedies.
You Another Of the still
ONCE attraction John
Huston corkns Treasure Of Sierra Madre
The who made that picture no incompetent st just
disappointment fairish melodama about
revoutionaies in Havana but wasn't really good one 1t wal
They Just Stopped Money
Another hand that Of Charles Barton.
directing Mr. Buckners nm Mr. Barton has been
woreel comedies argesale
productions had hand naturally in films that and
the they had been intended He knows his
business soidy you learn in q few minutes Of talk
Bartons latest effort around here was Africa
Screams" picture which Costello funner than he
which missed s possibilities Somebody in the
decided enough had been spent
day that's shooting there Africa Screams
with help Of Preston strses and John Huston at
their best. couldn't have done anything about that
point Colorado Territory" which
directed by Walsh script which John Twist
written screnpays for number Of
action Aims Mr. Walsh has been directing them since
acting 1912 and has been responsible for number
of satisfying outdoor dramas
Even II to Blame He's Competent.
fault Of Mr.. Wash-hs fault aone-that
Colorado Territory" resolves ITSELF between playing
straight and besoung It's But the who hired him to
direct 1t hardly be accused Of placing his faith in
incompetent.
there picture called Portrait Of Jennie" which,
all the length Of is Is still mentioned with shudders In
quarters That directed by william Deere who made
1.-THE Story Of Louis Psseur The Life Of Emile zola "Juarez
and and on.
that these only exceptions and that there
still lot Of unsatisfactory movies made by people who don't
turning out masterpiece month each
of these however had to original expectations 0bes
lists would harder to make out and the movies would be
the publishing business right In the relation Of
outstanding works to the mediocre
defense of HOLLYWOOD understand the
Strgeses letting Il 10 time