Evening star., 1952-09-01

use of this talent, however, in
Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick, "
new screen attraction at the
Ontario. Attraction" is another
word which is subjected to some
mighty loose usage).
Aaron Slick" is supposed to
have been performed more times
than anything else in our stage
literature. However many times
that is, this performance presided
over for Paramount by Producers
Perlberg and Seaton is exactly one
too many.
What they were aiming at is
hard to say. They imbedded the
whole thing in Technicolor. They
hired the talented Claude B:nyon
to write the screenplay end direct
Miss Shore and Young. They
provided him with a musical
score by Jay Livingston and Ray
Evans. They undoubtedly had
something in mind.
X X X X
The sum of everybody's efforts
Is decidedly -luster, however.
The comedy is simple minded
about 80 per cent of the time and
the music is as lifelesS as any
score you ever forgot before you
got to the lobby of the theater
Miss Shore almost sets a couple
of tunes on fire. but she never
quite manages it. so they must
be pretty soggy. If she can't do
it, it just can't be done. She is
appealing. too. as country girl
with a yen to go to Chicago and
live high. Young also does a fine
job. as the country pumpkin who
bests the city slickers and brings
his girl back to the farm.
The two do have their moments,
all right. With them around.
Aaron Slick" is not a total loss,
but it certainly seems to be try
ing hard for the title.
Adele Jergens manages a lively
moment or two, too. as a bitter
city girl not won over by the
bucolic charms of farm life. Rob-
ert Merrill, her partner in this en-
terprise, manages on the other
hand to create only the impression
that they don't set much store by
acting ability around the Metro
politan Opera. They boy can sing.
all right. but there hasn't been
anyone since Nelson Eddy in his
heyday who could do worse with
a simple line of dialogue.
Names in the News - Helen
Tamiris has made her Hollywood
debut as a choreographer by
creating dance numbers for Just
for YOU" the Bing Crosby-Jane
Wyman film soon to be seen here
abouts. She won Broadway
fame designing the dance rou-
tines for annie Get Your Gun"
and "Showboat." Lex Barker
has been signed for co-starring
role in Come On. Texas" at War
ner Bros. D.. Randolph Scott and
Phyllis Kirk head the cast he
joins. Paramount seems
mighty pleased with the way
things are going on Pleasure
Island 1t has taken up the
options of four of the leading
players in the f1lm-Gene Barry.
Dorothy Bromley, Audrey Dalton
and Joan Elan. . Barry, recent
ly seen in The Automic City, is
being called by many observers
one of the finest young actors
Hollywood has seen in recent
years. Kathryn Grayson has
won the leading role in Warner
Bros. upcoming musical biography,
1.-The Grace Moore Story" :.
Henry Blanke will produce the
film story of the singers life,
with a script already turned in by
John Monks. jr.
\
On Broadway-"South Pacific. "
the long run musical, will
pass another milestone tomorrow
night, it's 1.4O0th performance. :,
And on Saturday afternoon it,
will pass still another. moving up
a notch in the record books. =.
Right now it is third among
musicals with record life spans.
"Oklahoma! had 2,248 New
York showings and "Hellzapop-
pin" had 1,404. With the Sat-
urday matinee, performance No.
1.405. South Pacific" will move
into second place and start after
the "Oklahoma!" record. =. Only
three other musicals, incidentally,
have chalked up more than 1000
performances on Broadway. i
They are Annie Get Your Gun, y
"Pins and Needles" and Kiss Me
Kate" E. That revival of "The
Male Animal" has proved such a
success that John Golden is lining