Evening star., 1953-11-11

gives Miss Crawford a chance
to play a famous stage star, one
of those tigreSSeS who has clawed
her way to the top and who in
tends to stay there as long as
her claws hold out.
It also gives her opportunity
to present a pair of long, dancing
legs that compare more than
favorably with those of the new
est decorative upstart in the
Hollywood galaxy. This, it prob
ably occurred to the producing
studio, gives Torch Song" an
inspirational quality that will be
endlessly warming to all women
over 20.
The production gloss on Miss
Crawford's latest picture is as
high as money can buy. This
Is the expected standard and
MGM is not going to let it down
merely because the star is
mere part-time worker at the
studio she ruled for so long.
X X X
An I. A R. Wylie story, deeply
bedded in familiarity, serves as
the groundwork of Torch Song"
1t tactfuAy presents the hard
core heroine as a musical COM
edy idol who has spent rather
an impressive time at the top of
her trade. With time and fame,
she has become an untameable
shrew. callous, arrogant and en-
trenched. The journey up has
given her a terrifying idea of
what the one down may be like.
This one she has no intention of
taking.
She would have made it, too,
did not Michael Wilding come
along. He comes into her life as
her accompanist, a paragon Of
an accompanist although Miss
Crawford is slow to appreciate it.
Wilding's piano player. you see.
is a former drama critic. He Is
sensitive, wise, high principled
and everything else a drama
critic is supposed to be.
He is also blind, having lost
his eyes in World War II. and
that he can see through her so
thoroughly in spite of this hand
leap is something the heroine
finds piquant.
The conflict between them is
long. sharp and acrid but there
never is any doubt what the out
come will be. when" is another
matter but all movies end, even
those starring Miss Crawford.
Torch Song" is no exception
In more respects than this one.
Miss Crawford, by now one OF
the classic sufferers of her sex in
the cinema, does a thoroughly
professional job of her latest
assignment. Several spots of her
anguish here are set to music
and if the studio dubbed voice
for these sad songs it at least
found an impressive match for
Miss Crawford'S own.
Wilding who has not been seen
much recently in the movies is
a thoroughly creditable repre-
sentative of drama criticism.
perhaps a bit too flatteringly
handsome. but a properly quiet.
Intellectually and emotionally
solid type.
The others in the cast. Gig
Young, Marjorie Rambeau,
Henry Morgan. etc. look as II
they belonged in a display case
as handsome as this one.
+ X y x
MIDWEEK ROUNDUP:
Speaking of Torch Song"
Loews publicist, Jack Foxe. won
q Nationwide contest for his
advertising and promotional
plan on it's behalf. This makes
him, and the Government, $3.50
richer. To work yesterday on
his first Broadway play went
Alan Schneider, top director for
several seasons of Catholic Uni
versity and Arena Stage. :.
The play is Liam O'Brien's "The
Family Man" starring Burgess
Meredith and Martha Scott, and
produced by Robert Whitehead
and Roger L. Stevens. Hart
ford and Philadelphia, but not
Washington, will see THE Fam
lily Man" prior to its Broadway
opening. set for December 26.
Una Merkel and Glenn
Anders are also in the cast,
giving Director Schneider quite
a collection of top flight players
to work with.
"Flameout," starring Alan
Mowbray, which comes to the
Shubert Theater November 80
on it's way to New York. will
have its premiere tomorrow
night at the New Parsons Thea
ter, Hartford. The play, a
story of Air Force jet pilots.
made it's bow to the world in a
single performance some time
ago at Boiling Air Base here.
-. George Washington Univer-
sity players under William CAL
lahan present their first musi-
cal, Sing Out. Sweet Land"
December 3-5, inclusive. at Lis
ner Auditorium. 1t is the
work of now Drama Critic Wal
ter Kerr (The New York Herald
Tribune) when he was a men,
ber of the faculty at Catholic
University. . The Broadway
production starred Alfred Drake
and Burl Ives. . Callahan doffs
his directorial duties here in
favor of Vera Mowrey to play a
role, in Sing Out. Sweet Land"
:. Choreography will be under
the direction of Elizabeth Burt