Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-08
THE PASSING SHOW
It's Summer But
Hit Films Abound


has made "Trapeze" a notable
example of sustained tension.
"Moby Dick" takes off in
another direction. 1t is, as
you hardly need to be told, the
motion picture version of Her.
man Melville's classic about
the man who devoted his life
to the pursuit of a hated white
whale. Director John Huston
has filmed it with Gregory
Peck playing the obsessed Cap
tain Ahab and he has made it
a most exciting narrative. 1t
is, in fact. a movie that will
be remembered for long time.
On a lesser scale, but a
fairly grand one as movie
comedies go, there is That
Certain Feeling" which stars
Bob Hope. Eva Marie Saint
and George Sanders. 1t repre-
sentS something of change
OF pace for Mr.. Hope. He is
cast here as a timid young man
called in by his former wife
Miss Saint to aid her fiance,
a pompous comic strip artist.
This is a fairly transparent
situation, but it does give Mr..
Hope a sympathetic rather
than merely wisecracking
role to play and he makes the
most OF 1t. He gets some
noteworthy help, too, from
Miss Saint, Mr.. Sanders and
Pearl Bailey, a girl the movies
could use more often to good
advantage.
Exciting Chase
For the Walt Disney set
there is The Great Locomo-
tive Chase" Based on an
actual Civil War exploit, it is
not the best of the Disney ad-
venture movies. but it has a
fine chase sequence that is ex-
citing enough for all devotees
of movies that move. 1t has,
too, a generous display of vim
tage railroad equipment and
how many films give us that?
If you like your comedy with
a Gallo twist, there is MY
Seven Little Sins" This is a
light bit of nonsense about
seven stranded showgirls who
try to pass themselves off as
the offspring of a pleasant
roue whose life has been such
that he could hardly deny it.
1t is not much, but it does
have Maurice Chevalier, oozing
charm all over the place and
quite a delight to watch as
he revels in the decorative
presence Of his seven "daugh-
ters."
For the opera lovers there
is Madame Butterfly" 1t
will prove a tagging exercise
indeed to those not musical
minded, but as filmed opera
it is top-notch. 1t is a pretty
thing in its Technicolor views
of a Storybook Japan. Its
Japanese are played by an
authentic Japanese cast headed
by a lotus blossom named
Kaoru Yachigusa. And the
Puccini music is sung rousingly
and melodiously by a group of
talented Italian singers.
Offbeat Drama
There are a couple Of other
items on display which have
their special attractions for
some moviegoers. One is
The Fastest Gun Alive" at
the Columbia. An offbeat
drama in a Western setting,
it has some tedious moments.
but is also has a fine perform
ance by Glen Ford and a SUI
perior suspense sequence to
lead up to its climax.
For the Joan Crawford fans
there is Autumn Leaves" at
the Trans-Lux. 1t is a re-
sounding and unbelievable
tear-jerker. but that never has
bothered Joan's admirers be-
fore. And she does do these
silly things with fine, admir-
able flair.
The Little Theater is even
getting into this act. It's
showing an oldie called 1.-The
Bank Dick" with w. C. Fields.
a comedy hit in anybody'S
book.
This is the season when
television gives itself over to
the reruns during the summer
doldrums. If it isn't careful
the downtown movie theaters
will have it on the skids long
before autumn brings the new
season.