Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-06

He does not try to palm
MOVIES as genuine cinematic n
between zanier visitors and
congenial companion in
screening room. at lunch o.
dinner. or OF on a moonstrucl
junket into the interior wild
Of Virginia.
In short. he Is a iine fellow
TO have around. So II behoovei
all Of US who deal with him /,
look after his welfare. And look
ing after his welfare toda,
would seem to call for fittinl
hinf out with spectacles or slow
Ing him down when he reads.
Evidence of this is supplied
by some Of the ads for "Peytor
Place" which opened recent.
at the Palace to generally hat
in-the-air reviews and whop
ping business. As is the custom
Of men in his trade. Mr.. Fox
quotes from the reviews in sup
port OF his contention that thil
Is Q movie worth seeing,
EVERY Performance has Ter.
rife Impact-First Glass;" /;
the paean attributed TO thi:
reviewer. Now any critic sooT
learns to Shun such statements
as This Is an excellent exam
pie Of the worst in movie max
ing" 1t is too easy for a man
making up an ad to quote; Elk
cellent example Of movie
making"
Mr.. Foxe is never guilty OF
such subterfuges, though. so the
alleged author Of the phrase he
has been quoting had to dig
out the "peyton Place" review
Is the unfamiliar phrase there?
Well. it's almost there-h you
read too fast.
The ninth paragraph Of the
report submitted on "Peyton
Place" begins with the state
ment that the director "has
ELECTED some first-rate per-
formances" from his cast
Some Is lines down the col
umn. Betty Fields contribution
Is taken up. with the note that
she has only a few brief scenes.
But every one Of them (mean-
ing Miss Fields scenes has
terrific impact"
II this leaves Mr.. Foxe stand.
ing out there in left field with,
as slangier types used TO say,
egg on his face. ii Is his own
fault. But maybe q way can be
found to save his reputation for
veracity at no cost to critical
integrity.
Let us say In paraphrase OF
"Animal Farm" perhaps. that
all the performances in "Pey-
ton Place" have equal impact.
but Miss Fields Is much more
equal than all the others.
- -
BOX OFFICE NOTL-Seats
went on sal at 10 am. today
ct the Shubert Theater box
ONCE for the new Mel Toxin
Lucille Kallen comedy. Maybe
Tuesday" The play will open
o two week prior-to- Broadway
engagement at the Shubert
next Monday night. January
Is. Patricia Smith and Richard
Derr play leading roles and
Paul Stewart is the director.
SWITCH-Don't be startled
too much IL you soon find your
self being advised at your IA
vorite movie theater to stay
home one night and watch
television. You won't have
taken leave Of your senses.
though this sort Of thing could
give you a nudge in tina. direc-
ton. What Is happening Is
that movie exhibitors are going
about in a drive to get an
audience for the Academy
Awards telecast on March %.
Even II it means emptying
their theaters for this one
night. the exhibitors would like
10 get the Oscar TV show an
audience Of rs million this year
to top last years estimated IS
million.
The reason is that this year,
Is you already have been adj
vised. the awards festivity will
be sponsored on television by
the Motion Picture Association
Of America. The motor car
manufacturer Of the past won't
be intruding on the proceed
ings this time. In fact. the
MPA promises that there will
be no interrupting commercials
during the Commute program
on i7e NBC stations.
II the oscar TV show, done
Hollywood style. can instill in
those rs million viewers a de-
sire to rush out TO the movies.
the exhibitors win be delighted
to have them stay home TO
watch It.
PROJECTS AND PEOPLE
That "Bolshoi Ballet" movie
produced by the Rank Oreani-
sation In England. has marked
up q truly remarkable achiev-
ment. II has been held over be-
fore 1t even opened and not
many movies do that. The adj
vance mail orders for tickets
. indicate such an enthusiastic
response. however. that tn
originally planned one week
has been extended TO two.
Opening date for THE Bolshoi
Ballet" at the Ontario Theater
Is January al. Highlight Of the
r0lor Aim rnaAa atarfV4o tiaa