The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • 35

Andrews Sisters Regret Have What It Takes For Film String; Better Showing CINCINNATI ENQUIRER BV ROSALIND SHAFFKR. HOLLYWOOD, MAY 19 (AD YOU'VE SEEN those Andrews Sisters in pictures, don't you believe it! The girls themselves aif a little sensitive about it. "We know we're not photogenic," they say, "but do you honestly think look that had?" Screen Personally, the girls have nothing: to worry about; all three have lashes, nice figures, pretty legs and loads of personality. Eut, they're large dark eyes with heavy blark finding that those 15 low-hudget r-v -v-v. i v.

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 1945 Actors Make Up Dialogue As Director Experiments BY E. B. RADCLIFFE. WITH a few exceptions the movies which have dealt with military romances have lacked conviction and a quality of naturalism they need to make them worth while. The subject material, however, is most popular.

So when word comes of a new venture in the field it is a matter to be given some attention in advance of local pictures which brought them that! first million are making it a bit hard for them to get the kind of film contract they'd like. They're a colorful and amazing assortment. There's Patti, the little blonde, who sings the solo parts; she's quiet and cuddly. Laverne, the oldest, is tail and dark; she collects Dresden china perfume and won't read her favorite thriller unless she's safe iii her specially made six-foot round bed with the family in the next room and the doors open. Maxene, the middle one, with red hair and a weakness for checked sports coats, likes modern furniture and Chinese bric-a-bric.

Maxene is married to Lou Levy, their manager, whom they call "our husband He has shouldered the responsibility of advising them on all personal and business matters. He talked that tall blonde pompadour off of Patti, the shoulders out of Maxene's sport coats, and worked lght (lmb MAIN NEWS Page 3S trayed and situations in which they found themselves. One scene finds Miss Garland, Walker, and Mr. Gleason and his wife, Lucile, at a breakfast table. To give the scene warmth, congeniality, and casualness, Mrs.

Gleason gives out with topical conversation which came to mind as she scrambled eggs for the foursome. Her husband responded to Mrs. Gleason's chatter. And Miss Garland and Walker carried on as if they were guests in the house (as they were supposed to be). No mention was made of retakes for the scene, but it seems reasonable to conclude these actors were up to the test of an unusual opportunity for self expression, and that retakes were unnecessary.

THE BUSINESS of seeing what happens when impromptu dialogue is called for also was tried out in a scene in which Wynn, somewhat the worse for a bout with John Barleycorn, barges into a coffee shop for a nightcap. This scene, according to advance reports, is basically like a vaudeville comedy sketch. It shows the inebriated Wynn in various moods of simulated alcoholic self-expression ranging from anger and outraged dignity to an out-and-out crying jag. One take, shot in four-and-a-half minutes, was all that was required for it when Minelli put Wynn on his own. THE MOST SERIOUS sequence in the picture is one in which Minelli makes use of a contrasting character to build up emotional values.

The scene in point presents Walker and Miss Garland in an East Side restaurant, where they are oblivious to all about them as, pressed for time by circumstances, they confide in each other. The camera shows they are not alone; that their words and actions are observed by a coarse eavesdropper. His presence and contrasting harshness of his behavior is relied on to intensify the touching aspects of the Walker-Garland tete-a-tete. Whether Minelli's unconventional directorial touches give his frequently tried story material the ring of reality he has sought after will be made known Wednesday, when the picture "arrives at the Albee. A 48-HOUR COURTSHIP is the basis of the story of The Clock" which will present Judy Garland and Robert Walker on the Albee screen Wednesday.

Two scenes from the picture show the couple on their first dinner date and on an interesting trip to an art museum. Vivid Impressions Are Made By Latest Graham Dances release. The latest picture to deal with the subject is "The Clock." With a cast of well-known actors and a director who has one of the year's top pictures to his credit, it tackles a story which, to make a good impression, will require all the skill parties aforementioned can muster. The story is about a 48-hour New York courtship and marriage of a Corporal on a furlough prior to an overseas assignment, and a hard working city gal returning from a holiday in the country. We may read about similar meetings and subsequent marriages rather frequently in the daily papers, but somehow, when they are dramatized on the screen, they appear incredible, and their people very much out of this world.

THE SCREEN RECORD of Director Vincent Mlnelli's good for tune in bringing to life a nostalgic slice of Americana in "Meet Me In, St. Louis" seems good ground for assumption he knew the difficulties to be surmounted in his soldier-meets-girl picture when he tackled its production. Information available from tudio indicates Minelli has taken some rather unusual steps to keep out of the film stilted, forced, and artificial qualities which would rob it of its power to make its make-believe believable. Given such capable players as Robert Walker, Judy Garland, Kee-nan Wynn, and James Gleason, he gave them latitude of self-expres sion seldom accorded those who work before cameras this to obtain in presentation of a familiar Btory, a quality which he, himself, dubbed IN SEVERAL scenes, the actors were on their own. Having been rehearsed for movements and position changes to keep them in focus of the cameras, the actors were permitted to make up their own dialogue to fit characters they por- Will Howard Writes Book NEW YORK, May 19 (AP).

MIKE TO In Cent in Pari IKE TODD, producer of "Up ntral Park," has arrived Paris and already is deep i BY LEE Ms ARTHA GRAHAM, generally the modern dance, added two new dances in New to her stature by the presentation York this last week. Both had been commissioned by the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation in the Library of Congress. Their premieres were held in Washington. They Hollywood Today other innovations and improvements. When the girls first went to New York, it was Lou who taught them the Yiddish song, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" which put them over.

Maxene's marriage, a couple of years back, gave the other two girls "a chance to develop our own personalities." as Laverne puts it. All three girls wear different sizes in clothes and have different tastes. Patti and Laverne live in a modest $60,000 hut in Brentwood with papa and mama, Greek and Norwegian respectively. One fourth of their earnings (from all three) go to their parents. Their yearly take is a half million from recordings, their radio show, "Eight to the Bar Ranch," films and personal appearances.

The girls rehearse for their radio show three hours daily; like to go up to Maxene's for coffee and sandwiches later. Maxene and Lou To Be Bad releases the mouse. The audience immediately compares his situation with that of the mouse and is sorry for him." Well, up to a point, Dennis. IT'S HARD to imagine Sonny Tufts as a killer and bad man, isn't it? But that is exactly how you will see him in "The Virginian." At the end of the picture, Sonny pays the penalty for his crimes. He is hanged by buddy Joel McCrea! I am sure that Sonny has made his villain very likable.

And when a bad man can do that, he's good. Ever since Fitzgerald has worked in pictures he has portrayed genial characters, even though some of them were inclined to booze a bit. And he certainly was a sweet old man in "Going My Way." So it should come as something of a shock to his fans when they see his latest film, "Ten Little Indians," in which Barry appears as a murderer! Barry himself is a little worried over his role. Not over the murder angle, but "I'm afraid that the audience will burst out laughing every time they see me. They have to take me seriously as a bad man.

But will they?" I just wouldn't know. "THAT A MAN can smile and Continued On Next Page. Gentlemen Prefer BY SHEILAH GRAHAM. HOLLYWOOD, MAY 19. I DON'T KNOW what has come over the gentlemen of Hollywood, but there's a new crime wave going on.

I mean, wherever I go I hear nice young men stating that they want to play a good meaty villain part in their next picture. Most of the nice girls here want to play bad women because they know it's the best way of prolonging a career. And Dayton Brings Back Opera Worthy Of Zoo Presentation BY MARY LEIGHTON. DAYTON'S Third Annual Grand Opera Festival opened Wednesday night in that city's Memorial Hall with the revival of Montemezzi's "The Love of Three Kings." and it will close tonight with the pre bought Jimmy On a McHugh's house and you know where he got the title when, you look out of the windows. Sunday nights they give supper parties for their collection of characters and friends from show business.

Mama cooks for them and papa, who used to run a restaurant Ifji Minneapolis, oversees things. All three are crazy about Bini Crosby. They spoiled three master recordings before they finally mads "Accentuate the Positive" because) Bing ad libbed and broke them upj The girls started young; thejf were not into their teens when Maxene suggested they try ptfrt singing on "Dinah" as they sat around the kitchen table one nightt They sang all over town for everyA body and at everything. Edgar Bergen heard them and wanted them for his vaudeville act, but their parents said they'd have wait a few years. They sing naturally because they get a kick out of it.

One day! wanting to fill in the other side a master recording, they impro vised background music with Ma raccas played by a tired trumpeted and a girl singer on their sho and did a piece in 20 minutest That's the "Rum and Coca-Cola" that's wearing out the juke all over the country today. Coney Season Opens May 26 THE outdoor amusement seasoif will get under way officially throws open its gates, inaugurat ing its 59th year of "fun and frolic." Preview Days, staged at Coney yesterday and today, are, so to speak, a "dress rehearsal" for this opening. While a number of Coney's amusement devices were in operation Saturday, the opening Pre view Day, and will be again to day, the main attraction was dano ing in Moonlite Gardens to the music of Johnny Long and his or chestra. Dance enthusiasts flocked to the summer ballroom both to enjoy the first dance of the year there, and also to welcome Johnny Long, who is quite a local favorite, Francey Lane and Tommy Morgan are Long's featured vocalists. Clyde Trask and hig orchestra, will open the regular season Moonlite Gardens next Saturday night.

Trask will again present as his vocal stars, Thelma Staton and Johnny Kennedy. The steamer Island Queen wiB be back from Its downriver engagements and will resume its regular schedule of trips from the foot of Broadway to Coney, a 20-mils round trip. The schedule from the whartboat is, 11 a. 2:30, 5:30 and 8 p. m.

There will be an extra trip at 10:15 p. m. Saturdays, Sun days and holidays, i Incidentally, in accordance with the policy adopted last year, Coney will be closed on Mondays. Edward L. Schott, President and general manager of Coney, reported that the army of carpenters.

electricians, painters, decorators, gardeners and amusement device specialists that has been working at Coney for the past month will put the finishing touches to theilr work during the coming week, snl that the resort will be in "apple-pie order" for the official opening. Oceans of paint have gone the job of giving everything aa atmosphere of newness and fresh ness. All of Coney's many thrill ridefc and fun devices will be in operation. The Clubhouse will be open for the accommodation of The picnic grove, with its bif shelter houses, has been provided with an augmented supply of free picnic tables. The kiddies' owri corner of the park, The Land of Oz, is ready with its various thrill and fun rides.

J- Schott announced that Faty Frady and his orchestra will be tht official dance band on the Island Queen this season. Hamilton Park Ready For Schools: Tuesday, the opening day of the "School Days" celebration at LeSourdsville Lake, 2,000 school children from Monroe, Trentdn, Amanda, Mayfield, West Chestsr, Maple Park, West Middletow-n, Poast Town and Somerville Publio Schools, all in Butler County, wll hold their annual picnic at the park. "School Days" at LeSourdsville, Tuesday tnrougn riaay, are qpi aside as a special treat for school children to climax their year (school work and usher in the hap py summer season so aear to hearts of America's children. On these days all children attending the park In groups are admitted to the grounds free and presented with two free ride tickets a which are honored on any ride. Many rides and refreshments aje reduced in price for the benefit of the youngsters, on these days only, and all rides are in full Operation.

It remioateri that school crouns nlannlnir rt aHenH Rnurriavill i- u. on these days, communicate wth. the management, i Msgr. Sheen Booked For Xavier Forum Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen, noted radio and pulpit speaker, churchman, educator and author, will discuss "The International Problem" i in his Xavier University Forum lecture, 8:30 p.

on Memorial Day night, May 30, at the Taft. Considered one of the best-Informed Catholic forum speakers on pertinent current topics, Monsignor Sheen has included Cincinnati on, his spring schedule. With a busy program of activities which include teaching of philosophy in the Catholic University of America, Washington, D. radio addresses, special lectures and addresses, the Xavier Forum Committee believes that the Cincinnati community has an occasion of rare satisfaction that the noted prelate is to he heard in Cincinnati, the Rev. A.

Fisher, S. director of the lorum said. sentation of "Rigoletto." This follows "Carmen," "Lucia di Lammer-moor," "Hansel and Gretel," and the double bill of "Secret of Suzanne" now the boys have finally caught on. The instantaneous success of Hurd Hatfield in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" has a big something to do with the general masculine desire to be bad on celluloid. Here was a man with the face of an angel who ruined women, took dope and indulged in unspeakable and vaugely hinted-at debaucheries, and, bang! he became a big star overnight, anl love-crazy girls and women petitioned him in the mails foi everything from a kiss to a proposal of marriage.

Metro is now searching for another sinful movie epic as a follow through for Hat field. Dennis O'Keefe surprised me recently by telling me he would rather play villain roles than the good-boy fare he is usually served. "I tried to play the villain in Gary Cooper's picture, 'Along Came Dennis told me. "But that Gary is smart. He said to me, 'this guy would have to stay a louse all the way through; do you realize He was afraid that by making the villain sympathetic, it would detract from the leading part.

And he's right. You can get the sympathy of the audience very easily even if you are a villain. "Here's an example. A tough guy is cornered in a barn. His old grandmother opens the door.

He shoots her dead. A little mouse near him is caught in a trap. Ht were titled "Appalachian Spring; with music by Aaron Copland, and "Herodiade," its music by Paul Hindmith. Both received enthusi astic receptions by the New York audiences. Not being an expert critic of the modern dance, nor a devotee to its esotericism, we are free to confess we do not believe it has a very wide appeal or had we better say an appeal to a very wide audience.

But of Miss Graham's ability and artistry within her domain, there is no question. In contrast to an ap pearance several years ago in Cincinnati when an off-stage piano thumped its way through the dances, Miss Graham now has a 17- piece orchestra which adds greatly to a layman's enjoyment of the evening's entertainment. TO BRING its standard of pro duction to a point where it has attained recognition and praise from New York opera authorities who have come out to Dayton festivals, Dayton hasn't spent such a sizable amount of money that Cincinnati Summer Opera with its program of giving the biggest opera buy in the country at the most moderate price could not duplicate it. The sum of $14,000 was spent for enlarging the Memorial Hall stage and other improvements two years ago, and since that time, there have been moderate expenditures on order to provide new settings for each season's repertoire. EACH DAYTON season has been highlighted by an auspicious opening.

This year's feature was a performance of a revival of "Love Of Three Kings" (premiered in 1913, I believe). THE PRINCIPALS of Wednesday night's opera were Virgil Laz-zari, as the blind king Archibaldo; Robert Weede as Manfredo, his son; Lily Djanel, as Flora, Man-fredo's wife; Armand Tokatyan, as Continued On Next Page. EVANS. NEW YORK, MAY 19. acclaimed as the greatest exponent Copland has written some in teresting and appealing music for the ballet, if one dare call it that.

The musio has but recently won for him the Pulitzer Prize. It is suggestive of spring, with an idyllic quality rather than a pastoral or bucolio effect. It adheres to a simple structure, the orchestration holding to the melodic themes without straying off into experiments in modern potentialities. THE SPRING of the dance is a spring of anticipation, of sowing, and of expectation. It portrays the joy that will come with the harvest, not a fiesta joy, but a joy of achievement, of fruition.

The dance has no book, but there are in it a man and a woman who are building a house, a revivalist and his followers, and a pioneering woman with, the program says, "Her Dream of the Promised Land The scene is in Pennsylvania at a moment when there was "a garden eastward in Eden." WHAT IS called the artistic collaborationin other words the stage properties, or decor designed by Isamu Noguchi, is extremly economical but very effective against back and side black drops. The house is suggested by a part of a wooden wall with two or three upright posts and a transverse beam. A fence is a scantling set on two post. A few branches of bushes reveal the woods. However, the cast is dressed in full skirted homespun suggestive of Mennonltes or Quakers.

We think for consistency a few wisps of homespun about the shoulders and waists would have sufficed. THERE IS very little of what is ordinarily termed dancing stepping in rhythm. There is much acrobatic posturing, but the pantomime is excellent and protrayi graphically the prayer, the love, the joy of the spring in human lives. Miss Graham does much running about with mincing steps of the three little maids from school type in "the Mikado." But her every movement holds the attention, and the inspiration of the dance is carried out even to the deflection of the eyelids, the fingers, the head posturing. It was an- impressively simple presentation depending on its effect by a very elemental exposi tion of the spirtuality of human hope and aspiration.

A DANCE called "John Brown," based on the life of the famous Abolitionist was likewise given us New York premiere. Erick Haw kins danced the title role, the only other person on the stage being an interlocutor. Both Hawkins and the interlocutor voiced the story as the dance went on. Hawkins danced, or rather pranced, the part in stark angular fashion with tremendous physical force. His art put over intensely the monomaniac crusade of the reformer.

We thought the spoken lines weakened the presentation. Words create in one's imagination definite pictures which are beyond the compass of the dance, so that the foreshadow' ings of the words were often in adequately realized by the dance suggestions. The presentation defintely revealed the limitations of the dance as an art of lt Catching Hollywood, May 19 (AP) The accents grow so pronounced on. the "Uncle Harry" set that Director Robert Siodmak (not himself immtftie) has to call a halt' every once In a while and plead with his cast to accentuate the Yankee twang. Principals include Moyna Mac-Gill, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Sara Allgood, all of whom performed extensively on the stage In London prior to their Hollywood careers, and George Sanders, born in Leningrad but educated in England.

Things go smoothly enough for an hour or so, and then the pronunciation becomes flatter and flatter. Siodmak, whose speech reflects Chechoslovakian antecen-dents, cries: "Please, please! You are getting too British! Everybody stand still. Quiet!" The cast stands in wooden silence, obediently repairing its American attitude. "It happens all the time," opines Miss Fitzgerald. "We can't seem to help it.

But, what's worse, "I'm afraid Mr. Siodmak is going to catch a bad case of Oxonian accent before this picture is finished." Philipps Openings Set For Saturday Refreshment buffets providing snacks and soft drinks will be operated at both Walnut Hills and Western Hills natatoria of the Philipps Swimming Pools, Frank J. Philipps, General Manager, reports. Outdoor swimming begins Saturday, with sessions daily from 10 a. m.

to 10 p. m. The pools are located adjacent to public transportation and can also be reached by short automobile drives from the Eastern Hills and Western Hills to the respective units. The pool on William Howard Taft Road, Walnut Hills, is only a block from streetcars and busses serving the Peebles Corner transfer center. Western Hills pool is easily reached via the Warsaw streetcar line on Glenway Avenue.

Movie Report ort Card A The following ratings were given to new feature-length motion pictures now showing in Cincinnati's downtown theaters Title. Theater. Rtf. "Without Love" Shubert "Diamond Horseshoe" Grand A "Affairs of Albee "Counter Attack" l'alace "Dorian Gray" Capitol "Delightfully Dangerous" Keith's "Broadway "See My Lawyer" Lyric Technicolor, and "I Pagliaccl." Another look-in on Dayton opera shows the initial high standard of talent obtained is still being brought to Memorial Hall. The resourcefulness in stagecraft evidenced 'in each production bears witness of intelligent, well-coordinated imaginative effort to make opera appeal as much to eye as to ear.

For this aspect of Dayton opera, Director Michael de Pace, Manager Miriam Rosenthal, Stage Director Armando Agnini, and Scene Painter and Designer Eugene Dunkel rate highest praise. In "Love Of Three Kings," as in previous Dayton presentations which I have seen, the new and colorful settings were impressive. With an economy of use of curtains, drops, painted flats and scenic properties, the somewhat restricted stage facilities of Memorial Hall are adapted to refreshing presentation of opera that is visually as dramatically valid as the elaborate productions at the "Met." Excellent lighting equipment in the hands of those who know how to use it effectively furthers the creation of illusions which greatly enhance the enjoyment of performance by artists of first rank. in the heart of his overseas stint as general theatrical advisor to the Special Services Division of the Army Service Forces Mike's at the Ritz, of course. That very funny man, Willie Howard, whose comic style is based on his ability as a fine dialectician and his fright-wig hair style, has completed the manuscript of his autobiography, "Forty Years of Laughter" The Kathryn Duffy Dancers at the Belmont-Plaza's Glass Hat are being screen tested, all 12 of them the Duffy Dollies will give a formal recital in the fall at one of the more dignified dance locations such as Carnegie Hall or the Met Ed.

Note: Will any Beverly Duffy Dancers be used? Barney Josephson tossed a party at his Cafe Society uptown this week marking Jimmy Savo's second anniversary as star of the floor show there Jimmy's en- gagement there started a new career, now being topped off with radio appearances, records and hefty offers from movie and touring stage show scouts. Mady Christians, star of "I Remember Mama," won this year's Drama League award for the best Broadway performance Frank Fay, who was in the running for the same award, was master of ceremonies, proving that Frank is no sour grapes addict Sigmund Romberg ended his 1945 concert tour this week, reporting an average weekly gross in excess of $50,000, a stout average even by Broadway standards "The Deep Mrs. Sykes," by Pulitzer Prize winner George Kelly, closes tonight after 72 performances at the Booth Theater here and 23 tryout performances in Boston The critics definitely were unreceptive Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope were in New York this week to film a war bond short. Sinatra, incidentally, will be off the air for 13 weeks, during which he'll go overseas Comic Joey JPaye will accompany the voice, plus a gal singer Entire cast of "Song of Norway" signed new contracts for the 1945-46 season which means Irra Petina, whilom Metropolitan Opera soprano, won't take that Latin American tour after all. "Othello" comes back to New York for a brief run at Butch La Guardia's city center Members of the cast of "Oklahoma" gave a 45-minute vest pocket edition of their musical on the steps of City Hall as a war bond pitch Jans Cowl will return to the theater in the fall as actress and co-producer in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" She's been in radio recently Mexican singer Cbucho Martinez and Estralita Rodriguez, a good neighbor Hollywood starlet, were married this week on the coast Virgil Thomson, composer and music critic, wrote a modern symphonic sketch called "Mayor La Guardia Waltzes" which were presented at Carnegie Hall So last Monday evening at the Mayor's pet theatrical enterprise, the city center of music and drama, Eddie Condon's hot jazz concert had as one of its highlights a new jaze piano suite by Sam Price called "Mayor La Guardia Jumps." "Hope For the Best," with Fran-ehot Tone and Jane Wyatt, closes tonight after 117 performances Al Jolson and his bride will arrive this week for the world premiere of "Rhapsody in Blue," in which Al portrayi himself.

i-f a i I til Uf What's Where In Town Today ALBEE "Affairs Of 8mwi." Fnor mrn and sir! In fanny complication arlnlns from her pronliy fhn ih trim to make hrr mini whether ihe. want to marry a play producer, Inmner Damn, mamma's boy. or radical author. With Joan Fontaine, George Brent, Don OeFore, Walter Abel, and Dennla O'Keefe. Recommended.

PALACE "Counter Attack." Twa Russian para troopers stru--le to outwit seven 'ail prisoner trapped Kith them In a bombrd factory cellar. Plenty of suspense, food charaetertiatlon. With Paul Muni and Mafoertte Chapman In leading role. CAPITOL "Pleture Of Dorian Gray." Screen version of Oscar Wildo book. Fantastic horror story laced with epigrams and Its morbidly chilling aspect heightened by technicolor Insets of Dorian's downfall as a portrait records his degradation.

With George ganders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Red, and Angela Lansbury. KEITH'S "Delightfully Dangerous." Morton Goold'i musle, good ballet numbers, the beautiful legs ef Constance Moore and aa old, old story, still add up to o. k. entertainment. LYRIC Zombies On Broadway." A surprise bargain In funny and at times chilling com as Bela Lugosl and friends burlesque the usual horror picture.

With "See My lawyer," music and specialties are added In revision of a bad play with Olsen and Johnson, Grace McDonald, and others trying to make It all a mad. gay affair. GRAND "Diamond Horseshoe." Musical comedy gem In technicolor with new twist to old show business story pM, good tames for Betty Grahle and Dick Haymes to sing, and a plethora of pretty girls for trickily costumed production numbers. Recommended. SHI" BERT "Without Sparkling smart comedy.

A 1,000 per cent Improvement on the Philip Barry play from which It takes Its title. With Snencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn providing the fun in a loveless marriage. Recommended COMIC CRYSTAL GAZING and astrology provide the background for shennanigans by Peggy Ryan and Donald O'Connor in "Patrick The Great," opening at the Palace, AN OHIO FARM, owned by Author Louis Bromfield, tomorrow will be the scene of the wedding of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Bromfield will be Bogart's best man..