Evening star., 1954-12-22

MS performance aS Lue DIOkeu-Q
George Seaton's production Of C.
hit.
AS the first of the more or le
Crosby out ahead Of Marlon'
Brando In the seasons star per-
formance sweepstakes. Whether
he will still be there months
hence when the Academy Award
represents the finish line Is some
thing else again. Brando. Of
course, is not the only contender
for his performance in ION the
Waterfront"
Among others In the conten-
tion are Humphrey Bogart for
his Capt. Francis Queeg In THE
Caine Mutiny," James Stewart
in "R ar window" Spencer
Tracy In Broken Lance" Will
liam Holden, also in ''The Coun-
try Girl" with Crosby, and
James Mason in "A Star Is
Born" Mason. incidentally. plays
another plummeting m atinee
idol, a type that somehow seems
to invite an actor to turn in a
crashing performance.
~ 4
The impression among those
who fancy themselves as the
most objective judges Of acting
is that Brando is the best bet to
take most of the seasons blue
ribbons. medals. plaques and
statuettes.
These intend In nowise to
minimize Crosby's representation
of Frank Elgin in "The Country
Girl" 1t is an endlessly deft and
forceful piece of character max
ing, that Of a weak. fear-haunted
man attempting to find his way
back from alcoholism. No actor
could have made it a more
pointed and poignant revelation
of q hollow type that frequently
scars to the peak Of public adula-
ton. And type. too, that can
not cope with the journey down.
Crosby's huge fandom is as
surprised as it is delighted that
its man can play so forcefully
against type. It is by no means
so surprising to the objective
ones who admired his similar
feat in Little Boy Lost" and who
know the possibilities of a gifted
actor and an equally gifted direc-
tor. The latter, incidentally, is
q point made most dramatically
by Crosby and Holden as the
actor director combination in
"The Country Girl"
The sentiment that Brando
will collect more prizes for his
Terry Malloy in "On the Water
front" is based upon the fact
that his was the considerably
more off-beat acting job. His
young hoodlum dock-wOrker who
parlays a single shred Of decency
Into moral redemption is an ir-
resistibly potent piece of acting.
1t is so good, indeed, that it
exonerates Brando from respon-
sibility for his enthusiastically
over-ripe imitation of the young
Napoleon in 'Desiree."
+ 4 r. f.
BOARDS IO-BEST: AS in
Crosby's case, the National Board
Of Film Review will find itself
reasonably - more reasonably,
surely - in the clear on Grace
Kelly as the best actress of the
year. Also for her acting in
"The Country Girl"
Some of its best picture choices
will escape less unscathed.
For instance, after choosing
"On the Waterfront" as its No.
I film. it gives an eighth place
rating to "Sabrina." That Para
mount product ornamented with
all the tricks of director as
expert as William Wyler left the
Nations movie critics unde-
ceived, even with Audrey Hep
burn in the Cinderella role.
It will strike many as an odd
winner on a list which other
wise includes such movies, as
"Seven Brides for Seven Broth
ers." THE Country Girl" "a
Star Is Born" Executive Suite, !"
1.-THE Vanishing Prairie" 40. 900
Leagues Under the Sea-" "The
Unconquered." and BEAT the
Devil"
Come to think of it, inclusion
Of the latter-the years slyest
satire-almost atones for the
boards inclusion Of such a
merely slick fairy tale as "Sa-
brina" on its list.
"GLAD TIDINGS" TIDINGS:
Haila Stoddard's name has been
added to the star-billing OF
Constance Bennett and Tod An
drews in GLAD Tidings." which