FIRE AND THE O'LEARYS

Radio Record, 14 April 1938, Page 27

FIRE AND THE O'LEARYS

| Twas Near as Distrissful a Blaze, Sure, as the Quake in Old ’Frisco Town

iT} ES, it’s pretty good, but, of course, it’s not another ‘San Francisco’." Thus spoke a member of the small audience which attended a preview screening of Twentieth Century-Fox’s "In Old Chicago." Since then I’ve heard three other people say exactly the same thing in different words. I didn’t say it, but I thought it. Such comment may. in the circumstances, be natural, but it

strikes me that the attitude of mind which produces it is wrong. It’s wrong that our first inevitable reaction to a new picture should be comparison with an old one. Films and stars these days are seldom judged on their own merits, but only in competition with what has gone before. Since the past nearly always has a glamour -very often unjustified-

the new work suffers by the comparison. It’s about as bad as a second wife having a picture of her dear departed predecessor hung over her dressing-table as a shining example. Copy-Cats H{OLLYwooD goes out of its way to foster this preoccupation with the past. A certain amount of such interest is healthy and desirable, but it is becoming an obsession, sapping the vitality of the cinema. There is hardly a picture that isn’t described as "Greater than Something or Other," or a "Sensational Follow-up to This or

That.’ A new star is hailed as a "Second Garbo" or "Another Gable." Originality isn’t given a fair chance. The producer who succeeds in Hollywood isn’t the man who breaks new ground so much as the man who does something that has already been done, but does it just a little better. Hollywood is a city over-run with copyeats. And it will remain so until we picture-goers show ourselves more ready to welcome originality. It will remain so just as long as our first reaction, on seeing a picture like "In

Old Chicago" is to decide that, while it’s pretty good, it isn’t another "San Francisco." Of course, it isn’t. Why should it be? Thank The O’Learys S it happens, though, "In Old Chicago" is not as strong an jllustration of my point as I should like, because it is plain that there has been some attempt by Darryl Zanuck to ape M.-G.M.’s methods with 7 Wrisco." Zanuck’s picture ends with very impressive scenes of fire and panie which last about 10 minutes

longer, but otherwise run a_ close parallel with the earth-shaking climax of the other picture. In addition, both "San Francisco" and "In Old Chicago" have heroines who are singers, and heroes who are political bosses, and both stories are about cities which grew up rotten and had to be wiped out by colossal disaster. Reading that back, there certainly doesn’t seem to be much reason to claim originality for "In Old Chicago." But there is, and it’s thankful you should be to the O’Learys, whose real life story provided Mr. Za-

nuck with the basis for his Chicagoan saga, The Cow HF O’Learys, one gathers, were responsible for a lot of things in old Chicago. Father O’Leary died before he reached there, but the’ Widow O’Leary settled her brood of three husky lads in

the erazy shantytown known As the "Patch" and took in washing. She laundered shirts so whitely that she made enough money for her eldest lad, Jack, to become an incorruptible lawyer and her second boy, Don, to become a highly successful gambler. The youngest boy, Bob (Tom Brown), wasn’t much trouble. The widow’s cow, Daisy, kicked him into the arms of Serving-Wench Gretchen early in the story. _ More about that cow later, Dion (Tyrone Power) was the bad boy of the O’Learys, but is the hero of tis film. He is pretty soon getting

his own way with the crooked politicians and with Belle Fawcett, honeyvoiced singer from New York. Stiffest obstacle in the way of Dion’s soaring ambitions are the high moral principles of brother Jack (Don Ameche); and their conflict might have ended not far short of a Cain and Abel climax if Widow O’Leary’s cow hadn’t kicked over a lantern in the O’Leary barn. The Big Blaze OBODY really knows what started the great Chicago fire of 1871, but Twentieth Century-Fox owes a debt to the Chicago newspaperman who invented the widely-accepted legend of Widow O’Leary’s cow, because it ties up the human interest part of the film very neatly with the cataclysmic spectacle of the last 25 minutes. Several hundred thousand doilars of Darryl Zanuck’s money went up in smoke to produce that climax, and without inquiring into whether he mightn’t have used his money better, it’s certainly a fine blaze to watch. It burns out everything in the picture, including the human passions of the O’Leary’s-leaving Dion a sadder but wiser young Man reunited with his Belle, Jack a corpse, Villainous Brian Donlevy just something that the cattle trod on, and Widow O’Leary tearstained but undaunted among the wreck of her family, Too Boyish QLD Chicago was a man’s city, but acting honours in the picture go to the women. ‘Tyrone Power and Don Ameche are decidedly something more than just good-looking lads. but they’re too boyish to convince me that they could dominate such a gusty, gaudy, hell-bent place as this. And the

O’Leary brothers’ habit of pawing each other affectionately at nearly every meeting annoyed me immoderately, I have been informed by one film man that such behaviour is quite in order, as the Irish are a demonstrative race. It sounds to me like another libe] on the Irish. In the role of Belle, Alice Faye at last gives a hint of her latent dramatic powers, and her fascinating voice also isn’t neglected. It’s a pity, though she doesn’t learn to keep more of a stiff lower lip when singing.

Miss Brady’s Triumph DOMINATING the whole picture, just as she dominates the O’Leary tribe, is Alice Brady as the warm-heart-. ed, hard-working, out-spoken widow. If you have thought that all Miss Brady is good for is to play second-fiddle to Billie Burke as a specialist in flighty. modern matrons, take a look at "In Old Chicago" for a performance so rich in sentiment and sense that everybody else in the cast is acted right off the sereen., And then you may understand why it is that Alice Brady’s Widow O’Leary won the Academy Award for the best supporting portrayal by an actress in 1937. It’s a trifle harder for us to understand why "In Old Chicago" should haye been chosen by the academy as one of the ten best pictures of last year, until we realise that the academy is an American body with, presumably, a liking for well-dramatised American history, Ifa British studio could produce as good a screenplay of the Great Fire of London, we’d probably think it deserved similar honours. And at risk of going back on my early remarks about copy-cats, that’s not a bad idea, is it, for a film of the Plague and Fire of London? {"In Old Chicago." 20th CenturyFox. Directed by Henry King. Starring Alice Faye, Tyrone Power, Don Ameche. Release date indefinite. ] Pioneer Spirit AMERICAN history ig painted on an eyen larger canvas by Director Frank Lloyd in Paramount’s "Wells Fargo." "In Old Chicago" is the story of a single city: "Wells Fargo" is just about the whole early history of American transport, interspersed with sidelights on the growth of San Francisco. the Californian gold rush, the Civil War, President Lincoln, and the notorious Lola Montez. All this is due to the long-sighted pioneering spirit of Henry Wells and William Fargo, who saw that if they could make a handsome profit by carrying oysters from New York to Boston (perhaps it wasn’t Boston-I’m no good at geography) there was a fortune to be made by organising a largescale stage coach and pony express service with the proud boast that it would go anywhere and carry anything. And so, as the frontiers of the west pushed ever outward, the Wells-Fargo Company kept on the job, linking up the frontier towns, organising banks and post offices and even a wet-nurse ser- vice for pioneers’ babies whose mothers had died. Wells and Fargo had the ideas, and the young man who carried them out was Ramsay MacKay, whom most of you will recognise as that much-improved actor, Joel McCrea, Brief Stops H{OLLYwoop seldom goes wrong when making these dramas of American pioneering, and "Wells Fargo" is one of the best I can remember having seen. It is, of course, almost impossible to give complete coherency to a story which covers twenty-six bustling years of a nation’s history in less than two hours, and many great events have to be summarily dismissed. As the Wells-Fargo Service goes careering westward, one wishes that it would make longer stops in some places, I per-

sonally would have liked to have seen more of the Civil War and the Pony Express, Yet on the whole there is more continuity than you might expect, the connecting thread being the romance between Joel McCrea and Frances Dee, The latter is the aristocratic Southern bell whom the trail-blazer marries early in the story, and thereafter sees only at irregular intervals, depending on the state of the transportation husiness, When the Civil War comes, Joel and Frances are parted by more’ than pioneering. A serious misunderstanding arises, and their hair has turned to silver before the final happy reunion. it struck me that this misunderstanding was rather forced and unnecessary to the human interest, which is quite strongly enough sustained as it is by the very likeable and convincing acting of the two young stars. Mr. and Mrs. McCrea JFRANCES DEE and Joel McCrea are Mr, and Mrs. McCrea in private life, which is possibly why they have no trouble in making their love-making seem real. Specially pleasing is the patrician Miss Dee, who is at last getting the breaks she deserves. SEA ETT ETA TEALETTALATELAELELALEALELELAELEEALEALEEETLEAEELLLAELLEAEAALERTLETLELLE LL

A special pat on tle back for Bob Burns, ordinarily one of the most annoying players I can imagine but here in his element as a lanky path-finder who is the hero’s trusty friend. Go to see this picture if you like the type. There are some uneven patches, but the general effect is vigorous and realistic, "Wells Fargo." Paramount. Directed by Frank Lloyd. Starring Joel MeCrea, Frances Dee. First release: Auckland, April 14.

"Dinner at the Ritz" THE sensation created by Annabella in "Wings of the Morning" not only won her the applause of three continents, but also focused upon her the attention of Hollywood’s greatest studios. When she repeated her success in "Dinner at the Ritz’ she was immediately signed by Twentieth Century-Fox and brought to Hollywood, where she is now making "The Baroness and the Butler" opposite William Powell. A New World picture, "Dinner at the Ritz"? features Paul Lukas, David Niven and Romney Brent in important roles opposite Annabella. Declared to be as tensely exciting as its new Star | is lovely, the screen play was written by Ronald Pertwee and Romney Brent. "Dinner at the Ritz’ recently finished a record season at the Civic, Christchurch, and will be the easter attraction at the Plaza, Wellington. Two Little Words RRICHARD GREENE, 22-year-old English actor, has gone to Hollywood to play opposite Loretta Young in "Four Men and a Prayer." This is the result of having been seen by a Twentieth Century-Fox talent scout when he was playing at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, in "French Without Tears." Greene goes to Hollywood with 4 seven-years contract in one-year-periods. He belongs to an old theatrical family. He is a nephew of the famous musical comedy actress, the late Evie Greene. Richard began his stage career only three years ago with a tiny walkingon part in London. He played tiny parts in several British films and in the Gracie Fields film, "Sing As We Go," he spoke two words,

"Not yet." These two words he may now forget. N ew Theatre UMNER, about eight miles from Christchurch, now has its own picture theatre, the "Hollywood." It incorporates the very latest in cinema construction and the sound equipment, it is stated, represents an innovation for South Island theatres, Seating capacity is 500, with special de luxe seats in the stadium gallery. Snack and milk shake bars are in the scheme of things, conforming to the latest

American fashion.. "Wings of the Morning" with Annabella, . was scheduled as the premier production. Poor Jane! N my mail last week I received the following letter from a Dunedin reader who signs herself "Jane" :-- "Dear Gordon Mirams,IT have always enjoyed your film reviews, but, Gordon, I’m _ disappointed. How could you? I went to see ‘The Awful Truth’ on your recommendation. It was awful. I thought I had a sense of humour, but I’m bewildered, I’m dithered-ail around folks are ravingly enthusiastic, and I ecouldn’t and can’t see what there is to rave about. ... Perhaps you can diagnose my disease. JI don't suffer from indigestion or insomnia, I haven’t been crossed in love, to all appearances I’m gq normal, healthy person. ... But I’m scared. 1 can't find anyone else to agree with me about ‘The Awful Truth.’ It couldn't possibly be me, could it?-Perfectly sincerely.-J ane." Sorry, Jane, but I’m afraid it could. For your consolation, however, 1 can tell you that I have met one other person who thinks as you do about "The Awful Truth." As against this. we have the record-breaking seasons of the film wherever it has been shown, and the fact that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chose it as one of the "ten best" of the past 12 months-just as I did when I reviewed it. And the final, awful truth is that, in the additional Academy Awards which haye just been announced, the award for the best achievement in directing went to Leo McCarey for-you've guessed it!-"The Awful Truth," But cheer up, Jane! Yon still seem to have a sense of humour. Stay Blonde! JDECLARING that there is an extreine shortage of natural blondes amony Hollywood actresses, Universal studios have ordered Dorothea Kent, contract actress, and number one natural blonde of the film colony, not to change the colour of her hair. "Changing the colour of my _ hair wasn’t just an idle whim," Miss Kent explained. "But I honestly felt that if I was a brunette, I would have a better chance to play strictly dramatic rolés on the screen." Miss Kent’s spectacular rise to snecess ag a film comedienne, the stndio asserted, was largely due to "her blonde hair and brittle personality." "We Make The Movies" WO Warner Bros. stars, the head of the technical department and a musician have turned authors, They are Bette Davis, Paul Muni, Major Nathan Levinson and Max Steiner, all of whom have written chapters for a new book, "We Make the Movies." The book is to be used as a text book in universities and alsa will be sold in .the book shops. Miss Davis’s chapter is titled "The Actress Plays Her Part," while Muni’s is called "The Actor Plays His Part." Levinson has written on recording and re-recording and Steiner, who recently scored "Tovarich," wrote on "Scoring the Film," :