Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 April 1939 — Page 14

PAGE 14

By JAMES THRASHER

MOVIES

F you aren't frightened off by erudition, it might interest you to know that “Wuthering Heights” comes to Loew's tonight with the hearty recommendation of some famous figures who aren’t notorious movie fans. For instance, such fastidious and discriminating patrons as Alexander Woollcott and Prof. William Lyon Phelps had some good—and apparently unsolicited—words to say for the film. Mr. Woollcott informed the world, through the me- = dium of the New York Times, that sylks in the corner and contemplates it made him swallow a good many divorce. bitter words about Hollywood's] well, with Miss Davis it is difadaptations of literary classics. ferent. For her partner on her

Apparently the rotund raconteur had sworn an awful oath never to go and see his favorite books after the movie folk had finished with them. The vow was a result of trips to “David Copperfield,” “Little Women,” “Captains Courageous” and most especially (said Mr. W.), “Lost Horizon.” Having seen Samuel Goldwyn’s treatment of the Emily Bronte novel, however, Mr. Wollcott forgave all and threw in a couple of hearty cheers for good measure.

# 8 8

AID Prof. Phelps to Mr. Goldwyn, in a letter last week: “This may mark a turning point in screen history. From now on, we may have more and more pictures illustrating permanent works of literature; and pictures that will be thrilling in excitement, as is most certainly ‘Wuthering Heights.’” Then there is Mrs, Reosevelt's statement, quoted in one of the ads, that “it will be hard for anyone seeing this picture not to lose themselves.” The fact that Mrs. Roosevelt’s enthusiasm should run away with her grammar speaks well for Mr. Goldwyn’s results. And if all else should leave you unmoved, “Wuthering Heights” has a trick of purely local persuasion up its sleeve. For Miss Bronte's fiery Heathcliff is played by that handsome young Englishman, Lau-

present personal appearance tour is none other than her husband, Si Wills. Mr. Wills, who calls himself Si because his first name is Serenus, rather dropped out of the picture. when his wife crashed the films. But before that he had maintained equal standing in the vaudeville team of Wills and Davis.

” ” »

HE pair trouped what remains of the vaudeville circuit for several years, doing very nicely in the process. And when Miss Davis (became something of a cinema | celebrity, Mr. Wills was not one to [retire beneath the front porch to {lick his wounds.

So far as the records reveal, no tempests have rocked the WillsDavis homestead. Now that the team has returned to the boards, Mr. Wills may not be getting his former billing, but he’s present at any rate. And before proceeding, it might not be amiss to congratulate Miss Davis on the delicate feat of having supported so many weak pictures on what certainly is the most tottery pair of legs in Hollywood.

» ® »

%e HE ARKANSAS TRAVELER” apparently has traveled. For we find Bob Burns turning up at the Indiana with a new picture to-

rence Olivier, who did so nicely morrow, called “I'm From Missouri.” with Katherine Cornell in “No Time | Well, it's about time we paid a for Comedy,” at English’s a fort-|jjttle attention to Missouri, what night ago, with all the fuss Hollywood has! . = been making over the rest of the HE appearance of Joan Davis Southwest. First Warner Bros. and at the Circle for the week Jimmy Cagney glorified Oklahoma beginning tomorrow serves to re-|in “The Oklahoma Kid.” Then the mind us that a familiar movie, Warners turned the country’s gaze drama doesn’t always come off injon a corner of Kansas with its real life. | world-premiere jamboree of ‘Dodge The dilemma is contained in the|City.” Two weeks from tomorrow old backstage plot which has served Cecil B. DeMille plans to do even almost every musical film, in one more for Omaha with the premiere way or another. You saw it most/of “Union Pacific.” recently in “Broadway Serenade.”; It looks as if Arkansas and MisYou know, the story of the wife souriwill just have to struggle along who goes on to fame and fortune on the bazooka virtuoso's singlewhile the unsuccessful husband handed efforts at glorification,

MUSIC

“@Q USANNA, DON'T YOU CRY,” the musical drama which Dr. Clarence Loomis began in Indianapolis, developed in Hollywood and com-

pleted in New York, will reach the stage of the Martin Beck Theater on May 22.

It was about three years ago that Indianapolis’ famous Stephen Foster enthusiast, J. K. Lilly, commissioned Dr. Loomis to write an opera based on the American — - song writer's music. So Dr. Loomis . . resigned his position as head of the ( B k Jordan Conservatory's theory de- i Vv | C 00 S partment and started to work In earnest. A : Before he left Indianapolis, the ustrian Play composer had gone over most © the available Foster songs and] picked out what he needed for his '' : n | purpose. After a year and a half | Masque of Kings Deals in Hollywood he returned to town Wi 1 with a complete score based on his| th Hapsburg Reign. own libretto. Meanwhile he also had done Ss work on a| Dramatic fare based on the story “grand” opera S ? | a? hy 2 pet ww 3 on Re 2 So: of Austria's Emperor Franz Joseph " |and the Crown Prince Rudolph will oi re * Sons " a be offered Indianapolis audiences ’ ever, “Sus * has a| J E new book by Sarah Newmeyer| For iy Soong wm y han Sey of New York. The work seems to| hor oo A Vt Kin oT, pre defy formal classification—accord- | poo Oo wight Sh ing to its producers, it is neither InN ondy opera, operetta nor musical com-|_. Mayerling, the on Jove edy, nor is it just a play with | Which the Filmarte Guild ow incidental music. Apparently it | in February, treated Rudolph’s unmight be called a “melodrama,” if happy life and tragic death from that word hadn't lost its original the romantic standpoint. But in meaning. the Civic’s offering, Maxwell AnThe Loomis-Foster opus is being derson has viewed the conflict bepresented to the public by the re- teen De and his son cently formed American Lyric om a politics. ung. Rudolph a Liberal

Theater (an establishment operating on Manhattan Island, not N.| Rudolph, Who has been called a “sort of modern Hamlet,” was a

Illinois St). Its initial production! will be “An American Folk Opera,”

which has Stephen Vincent Benet's “The Devil and Daniel Webster”

[liberal and a political rebel who

| loathed the ironclad Hapsburg tra-

for a book, and music by Douglas | dition to which he was heir. In Moore. | these views he was supported by Also in preparation are three bal- | DE democravic Emlets: ar 's “Billy Sy 0 y ets: Aaron Copland's “Billy the| The play opens in 1880, when Ru-

Kid"; “Pocahontas,” by Elliott Car-| : ter, and Virgil Thompson's “Filling| d0IPh is attempting, over his fato end his po-

Station.” It will be noted that the ers objections, baliets’ subject matter, like the litical marriage in order to wed the|

operas’, is as uncompromisingly Baroness Marie Vetsera. This love) American as a hot dog. Which may affair, which was the basis of the give you a clue as to the American! Maverling” story, is woven into the Lyric Theater's purpose. | more abstract discussion of the

Mr. Moore's opera will be the first | clash of political beliefs. production, on May 18. The Loomis | Ran on Broadway work will follow four days later, l TL the ballets soon rte On The Masque of Kings’ was one started, the three programs will be Of Mr. Anderson's three plays Which ented In rotation for an in- iD simultaneously on Broadway definite engagement | two seasons ago. The others were , the popular “Winterset” and “High ® = = Tor.” EE PATTISON, once Guy Maier’s, Sidney Sanner is to portray RuPhrtner in a famous two-piano | dolph in the Civic producetion; Norteam, was the new group’s moving Man Green will play Franz Joseph; spirit. He conceived the idea, got) Alma Meyer is cast as the Empress the backers, held auditions and now | Elizabeth, and the role of Marie is musical director. He also secured Vetsera is being taken by Maxine the ‘League of Composers to assist| Steiner. The engagement is in getting hearings for native | through Wednesday. Edward Steinartists. | metz Jr. directed.

The managing director is Robert |

Edmond Jones, the famous stage, BUYS HULA COSTUME

designer. Mr. Jones was hired as| scenic artist, and eventually inher-| Eleanor Powell made her first ited the managerial reins. purchase from the studio wardrobe |department. She bought the silver

Speaking of “Susanna,” Mr. Jones! said in & recent interview: “Loomis | ula costume she wore in “Hono-

$ Tes

MYSTERY AN

HOLLYWOOD

By PAUL HARRISON

OLLYWOOD, April 13.—England’s biggest director, Alfred Hitchcock, has come to Hollywood to make pictures for David Selznick. Apparently he expects to stay a while, for he brought his family, a writer, a cook, a secretary, a housekeeper two maids, two dogs and 42 pieces of luggage. Not an inconsiderable item of the moving job was Hitchcock himself. He weighs 280 pounds.

' This Vig Ad only Reason Jit he is calle 1giand’s bigges - B aseball Stars To Be in Movies

rector. Among his pictures are Times Special

“The 39 Steps,” “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” “The Lady Vanishes,” which won the 1938 directorial award of the New York HOLLYWOOD, April 13.—Ty Cobb Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Tris Speaker, Napoleon Lajoie, Grover Cleveland Alexander and Denton

film critics, and most recently, “Jamaica Inn,” starring Charles “Cy” Young will be among the immortals of baseball to be seen in

Laughton. the Warner Bros. production of an untitled diamond yarn to he produced during this year's centenary celebration of baseball's beginnings. Bryan Foy, who will produce the picture, will send a camera crew to Cooperstown, N, Y., for the dedication of the Hall of Fame in the National Baseball Museum on June 12. Diamond heroes of past and present will be photographed there then.

KRUPA'S THEME SONG

Gene Krupa, famed swing drummer who with his band is making his movie debut in the Bob HopeShirley Ross comedy, “Some Like It Hot,” has an unusual ‘signature song” called “Apurksody.” It's an original rhapsody with his own name spelled backward.

PYTHIANS GIVE PLAY

The Indiana Pythian Booster Committee is sponsoring the presentation of a two-act comedy, “MacDougall’s Irish Ward,” at 8:15 p. m. tomorrow in the Indiana Pythian Building. Wilma Gray and Robert Bain have leading parts.

# » »

ITCHCOCK is an urbane individual and a gourmet who makes quite a lot of the difference between eating for sustenance and eating for fun. Hollywood people, he bemoans, eat only to keep alive. During a brief visit last year he discovered that there are no fine restaurants here. He thinks the expensive ones ruin a lot of the food by using too much ice. “When I see a shrimp cocktail or a dish of olives on a mound of crushed ice,” he complains, “I want to ask for an Alpine stock and a guide.” : The only American dishes Hitchcock trusts are steaks and ice cream. “But I am not a heavy eater,” he explains, “except in the sense that I do eat and that I am heavy.” 8 ” » HE first picture he will make here is “Rebecca,” the best seller, which should be especially suitable to his methods of step-by-step narrative development, He's working on the script now and doesn’t know of any essen-

tial changes that will be made, or who will play in it. A lot of liberties were taken with the new Laughton picture, however, “With so many people complaining about story changes,” he

ANAPOLIS TIME D COMEDY SHARE

| {

"HONORS. ON CIRCLE BILL

Mystery and comedy, those two essential vitamins of dramatic entertainment, would seem to be present in the stage and screen fare which the Circle will offer its patrons for the week beginning tomorrow. The fun is being entrusted to Joan Davis (right), the slapstick movie queen who will be making a personal appearance. From the film, “The Saint Strikes Back,” we see George Sanders (left) and Barry Fitzgerald caught redhanded in a moment of cinema burglary.

'‘Amphytrion 38’ of Today Has Ancient Family Tree

Unlike Jean Giraudoux, who wrote “Amphytrion 38,” Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, its stars, do not know many of their predecessors in this ribald bit of mythology. Yet when the Lunts present the comedy at English’s Monday and Tuesday night, the audiences may be assured that the famous pair is enacting a couple of the oldest roles in theatrical

JOAN DAVIS PLAYS IN STRAND MOVIE

Joan Davis, who is making a personal appearance in Indianapolis this week, may be seen on the Strand’s screen, today through Sunday, in “Tailspin.” Also featured in the film are Constance Bennett, Alice Faye and Nancy Kelly. The Strand’s accompanying feature is the W. C. Fields and Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy comedy, “You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man.”

SEEKS MUSTACHE ROLE

Jeffrey Lynn's ambition is to play

SDAY,

APRIL 18, 1989

S.S.VanDine Dead at 51 In New York

Creator of Philo Vance Victim of Heart Ailment.

NEW YORK, April 13 (U. P,) = Willard Huntington Wright, who as 8. 8. Van Dine created the fice tional character Philo Vance and made a fortune from that suave master-detective’s ability to solve baffling murder mysteries, was dead today, victim of a heart ailment. He was 51. Death came Tuesday night after an illness of seven weeks. His ail ment was diagnosed as coronary thrombosis. Mrs. Wright said there would be no announcement regarde ing funeral services, Mr. Wright. with his monocle and Van Dyke beard as suave as his famous character, began writing his mystery thrillers as result of a nerve ous prostration which confined him to his bed from 1923 to 1925. His physician, who at first forbade reading of any kind, finally pers mitted him light fiction. Then began his interest in mystery thrillers, His first book, “The Benson Mure der Case,” was an immediate hit, He followed it with the “Canary Murder Case” and later “The Greene Murder Case”. At his death, he had just come pleted work on the film version of his latest book, “The Gracie Allen Murder Case,”

HURRY! LAST TIMES TODAY!

Fredric March: Carole LEE IRAN FITS d Jack Qakie 1m

RTL

cil Erikson

BLY Lol 108 |

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history. M. Giraudoux claims that he is the plot. That, of course, explains

the cryptic numeral in the title. The French: dramatist has not listed these other writers, but more casual researchers have uncovered evidence to prove the plot's antiquity. The story undoubtedly originated in mythology, but its stage debut is claimed by some authorities to have been in the versions of Aeschylus and Sophocles. A few hardy souls even add that these famous Greeks wrote “Amphytrion 1 and 2” with the Lunts in mind. About 184 B. C., one Titus Maccius Plautus whipped up a version of this rather indelicate comedy of mistaken identity for the firstnighters of Ancient Rome. Time, as they say, marches on, and the next anybody (unless perhaps M. Giraudoux) hears about the play is an effort called “The Birth of Hercules,” attributed to Martin Slaughter. Then along came John Dryden to delight the eager audiences of the English Restoration with a new ‘“Amphytrion.” Some years later the famous actor,

David Garrick, cleaned and reno- |.

vated the Dryden version for a changing public. Victorian England found the Dryden play too hot to handle until John Oxenford, the London Times’ drama critic in the

1870s, accomplished what the papers ||

called a ‘“deodorization.” It seems to have borne about the same relationship to Dryden's comedy @s

M-G-M’s forthcoming “The Wom-

the 38th playwright who has treated

en” probably will have to the original Clare Boothe play. Moliere did over the story of Jupiter and Mrs. Amphytrion for the French, and J. Turner brought it back across the Channel in 1933 as “Jupiter Translated.” The 38th “Amphytrion” was trans=lated from M. Giraudoux’s French by S. N. Behrman, recently in town for the opening of his own “No Time for Comedy.” In next week's

ard Whorf, Barry Thomson, Sydney Greensreet, George Meader, Edith King, John Barclay, Kathleen Roland and Jacqueline Paige. The same players will participate in the performance of Chekhov's “The Sea Gull,” Wednesday matinee and evening.

ENGLISH on 500

Te ALFRED LUNT ani LYNN FONTANNE Productions

“AMPHITRYON 38" Mon. and Tues., April 17-18

“THE SEA GULL"

Wed. Mat. and Night, April 10

t__Eves,, Orch, 83. y $2, 52.20, $1,087 Gt, b>. We

cast, besides the stars, will be Rich- |;

| | 2—Sally Eilers “TARNISHED ANGEL” at9 | 8=J

.t Orch., $2.75; Balc., $2.20, $1.85: Gal, $1.10, fnc. tax. SEATS Sow

a film role that demands a full grown mustache.

EAST SIDE

RIVOLI 8155 E. 10th

5:45 to 6. 15¢ Dun

James 2 Rochelle Hudson

4630 E. 10th 15¢

EMERSON “Tio: FIRST SHOWING EAST

1—Lloyd Nolan “AMBUSH” 2—“NANCY DREW, REPORTER" S—Andy Clyde "HOME ON THE RAGE” S_Sunday— one ower “JESSE JAMES —'"ST. LOUIS BLUES”

Lr pq} Glenda Farrell—Barton Mac Lane ‘TORCHY IN CHINATOWN’

Anne Shirley “GIRLS’ SCHOOL”

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ESCUE” Lucas Orchestra

TUXED Oo 2020 E. New York

Speedway bo 5 BEACHCO ) __ "CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU”

NEW DAIS "W. Michigan St.

Frederic March Y ina Bruce “THERE GOES MY HEART” “TOM SAWYER--DETECTIVE"

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Speedway City Chas. Laughton Elsa Lanchester

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2203 Shelby St. Dorothy Lamour

New Garfield Lloyd Nolan

“ST. LOUIS BLUES” “BURN 'EM UP O'CONNOR” FOUNTAIN SQUARE MR. MOTOS LAGE WARNING® Anne Shirley “BOY SLAVES” Pius_Community Sing at Fountain Square SANDERS °° jiher, ery “I AM A CRIMINAL” “STARS OVER ARIZONA”

NORTH SIDE Free Parking

[oY LS Lloyd Nolan

LOUIS BLUES” _Jame_Withers “ARIZONA WILDCAT” _

C | w EM A 16th & Delaware

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College at 634

“JESSE JAMES” ‘ST. LOUIS BLUES”

Solin So hd n eridan “THEY MADE ME A CR: » “THERE'S THAT WOMAN AGAIN”

says, “it was good to be able to hold up my head and say, ‘And how!’ ‘That story was wuntiimable as it stood because the principal character was concealed through two-thirds of it.” In “Rebecca,” he'll have to deal with an important character, the first wife, without ever showing her at all. “The job will be to get across the eerie feeling of the woman and her influence by logical means,” he explains.

M'LAGLEN SUED IN BEATING AT CLUB

HOLLYWOOD, April 18 (U. P.) — Victor McLaglen, the husky film star, was sued for $76,442 damages today, along with his brother and a series of codefendants listed uniquely as Hooligan I, Hooligan II, and Hooligan III. A trumpet player, Richard Candreva, brought the suit, claiming the McLaglens and the men he referred to as Hooligans threw him out of McLaglen Sports Center, a recreation club owned by the actor. His nose was broken, teeth loosened and his clothes torn, Candreva said.

JIMMY WANTS TO SING

Now it's James Stewart who has a Secret ambition to become a singer. He would like to sing in films to his own accompaniment, he admitted.

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pi Sano ow : = 0 urns an e +H Jane Withers, “ARIZONA

NOW RENEE Wallace Beerv 3 lor wy, Ts TEA Bt, yre: ¥ « ”» “Flying “G-Menh—News ts

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has worked in 35 Foster songs,| 0%: besides a new one ‘based on some notes for ‘Dear Friends and Gentle | Hearts,” found in Foster's pockets when he died here in New York. Now all Americans sing either Foster songs or ‘The Trail of the Lonesome Pine.’ Insofar as we have | an indigenous music it is the work | of this cne man. “This ‘Susanna’ is as umversally American as anything American can | be. I don't know whether ‘jam’ is| universal or whether ‘Charlie Mec- | Carthy is universal, but here's some- | thing everybody knows and ‘everybody wants to know.” So it would stem that the Lilly- | Loomis enthusiasm for “Foster's melodic gift has been handed over | intact to the man who is to bring it to a wide public.

Look for Full Page of BARGAINS | in FRIDAY'S TIMES

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Frequent Service INDIANAPOLIS Noblesville, Tipton, Kokomo, Peru, Wabash, Huntington and

FORT WAYNE

30% Seving on 60-day Ten-Ride Tickets for Commuters, Families or Large Parties.

He married a woman he loathed . .-. to

spite the one woman he loved! The season’s outstanding screen drama...a truly great picture, adapted from the powerful

Emily Bronte novel. Hailed

as a Samuel

Goldwyn masterpiece of production!

Regular Shows Start Tomorrow

SAMUEL GOLDWYN

presents

WUTHERING

HEIGHTS

The Strangest Love Stovy Ever Told w-surringe MERLE OBERON - LAURENCE OLIVIER DAVID NIVEN . win Flora Robson * Donald Crisp Geraldine Fitzgerald + Sereewplay &» Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur + Relosed vs United Artists Direcred vy WILLIAM WYLER

See “Wuthering Heights” Tomight as late as 10 Pp. ™.

SPECI 8:30 P. M.

AL PREMIERE

REGULAR PRICES—30c-40c NO SEATS RESERVED!

TONIGHT

US FUN HIT

Laugh With Favorite Comic Strip Characters in Hilarious Screen Comedy!

“BLONDIE MEETS THE BOSS”: NN GLET TH AK 5