St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 55

The creen A rs 4 WSSA7 Slick Customers Enliven 'Casablanca' By Covn McPherson It's a Woman's World On Broadway Now By John Ferris IT probably is the writing, more than anything else, that makes "Casablanca," at the Fox Theater, the delightful, once-in-a-blue-moon picture that it is. That is the way with most delightful things on stage and screen. You keep tracing back and back for the fellow really responsible and you'll probably find him in a back room, with his collar open, chewing on a pencil and wondering, loudly, why In NEW YORK, Jan. 23 (AP). ITHER through accident or some design too subtle to analyze, women have made a fair bid to dominate the Broadway stage this season.

Like the men, they've done some wretchedly disap heaven's name, he ever became a writer. pointing things; on the other hand, the successes have been distinctive, and the misses at least no more off the mark than the men's. All right, then, it's the writers. Just the same, if we had been Julius J. and Philip G.

Epstein, Howard Koch, Murray Burnett and Joan Allison and we had double-spaced such a script as "Casablanca," Al Woods' presentation of Wil Stevens had a major share of the activity on stage. frid H. Pettitt's melodrama, "Nine Girls," with a cast containing just that number and no men, ran five The Gish sisters returned briefly we would have kissed the Warner Bros, on both cheeks for lining up to Broadway, Lillian with Stuart the cast that appears on the Fox screen Humphrey Bogart, Claude performances last week. Gilbert Miller's production of "Lifeline," Rains, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Green- street, S. Z.

Sakall, Peter Lorre, Leonid Kinskey, John Qualen, Dooley tale of a British merchant ship in convoy, had an all-male cast of 12, Erwin in the Theater Guild's "Mr. Sycamore," by Ketti Frings a woman), and Dorothy with Louis Calhern in "The Great Big Doorstep," a comedy by Frances Goodrich and her husband, Albert uson and others. That kind of casting is the kind a police chief would do lining up most of the known slick customers of Hollywood to prevent any including such veterans as Dudley Digges, Rhys Williams, Whitford Kane and Colin Keith-Johnston, yet it hardly outdid "Nine Girls" Hackett, which deserved a good run and didn't get it. scene-stealing. At the same time, some histrionic larceny does go on.

in longevity. Katharine Hepburn also returned "Cry Havoc" was another recent Aided by the writers, Mr. Rains takes a lot away from Mr. Bogart, splendid actor that he is. Sakall steals from Bogart and Henreid both quite easily, perhaps innocently.

Dooley Wilson's piano playing always all-girl affair, an importation from In "Without Love." and if the play itself is weak, Miss Hepburn is a delight to the eye and ear. California, which arrived in New concentrates attention on Dooley Wilson, whoever else is around. There were a couple of minor The writers and Director Michael Curtiz, whose sureness and skill incidents, "Vickie," jammed with York with a great deal of ballyhoo pointing it up as a female "Journey's End." It very quickly cried quits. women, and "Janie," the latter sur ere rarely to be questioned in any picture he handles, have given "Casablanca" an exotic atmosphere, a flow of action, surprises and vives. So, for that matter, do The good things, however, have Arsenic and Old Lace" which de pends largely on the sinister minis punch to make it constantly interesting.

There is witty comment on Vichy, the Nazis, the Italians and even the Americans. And there are such dramatic highlights to be remembered afterward as a group trations of two aging ladles; "Jun been strikingly good. One of them, Max Gordon's production of Joseph Fields comedy, "The Dough-girls," staged by George S. Kauf ior Miss," the joyous shenanigans of adolescents, mostly female, and of loyal French singing Marseillaise" and drowning out the Nazis' man, arrived auspiciously the night before New Year's eve and looks barber-shop on "Die Wacht am Rhein," or a lovely and well-bred "Blithe Spirit," or life with the spooky Leonora Corbett and Peggy Wood and the dizzy Mildred if it will carry on in its own Bulgarian refugee offering to give her all to get her husband to freedom. But there is also excellent individual characterization and superbly nonsensical and rib-crack ing way for a long time to come "My Sister Eileen," a notable ex t-r vO I i- 1 f- 1 The laughter which shakes the rafters of the Lyceum Theater is prompted mainly by four delightful ample of feminine strength in the theater closed last Saturday night after 866 performances.

young women: Virginia Field, Ar- leen Whelan and Doris Nolan as the doughgirls and Arlene Francis Sigmund Romberg as the fetching Russian sniper. Another piece of hilarity for To Conduct Concerts Sigmund Romberg, composer of which women are even more re sponsible is the Jed Harris production, "Dark Eyes," which opened Jan. 14 at the Belasco. The comedy was written by Elena such famous operettas as "The Student Prince," "The New Moon." "The Desert Song" and "Maytime, will appear in St. Louis as an orchestra conductor on Wednesday evening, Feb.

10, and Thurs Miramova in collaboration with Eugenie Leontovich, who probably is best remembered as the ballet dancer in Vicki Baum's "Grand day evening, Feb. 11, at the Opera House. Hotel." Both these ladies, with the assistance of Ludmllla Toretz- Programs for the concerts will ka, a massive woman of great tal be divided in two sections. In the first, Romberg and the orchestra with which he is making a nation ent, gambol through the evening in so comical a fashion that a kind of victory tax is imposed on them: At least 5 per cent of their fine interplay of characters. a It Pays to Look Sharp In This Kind of Company For example, take Rick, the character played by Bogart.

Kick operates a very successful gambling house and cafe In Casablanca, the French Morocco port now in American hands but not at the time of the action in the picture or even when the picture was made. Rick, in his day, has smuggled guns to Kthiopia, has fought with the Loyalists in Spain and the Nazis have put a price on his head, if and when they have the chance. He himself sees the agonizing flight of refugees around him and is not moved to do much about it. "I stick my neck out for nobody," he says, and keeps his eye on the cash register. It is interesting to watch this Rick, or Bogart, in his cafe, to see him exchange glances with a dealer in stolen visas, Sydney Greenstreet, or carry on a duel of wits with the French prefect, Claude Rains.

Or try to be cruel to a former sweetheart, Miss Bergman. Rains' role is ideal for him. Under the thumb of the Nazis, this Capt. Louis Renault, whom he plays, has to be very shrewd, Indeed. "Only a poor, corrupt official" is the way Capt.

Renault describes himself. He is that, since his position gives him every encouragement to be corrupt, and wonderful opportunities, but he has his sympathies, which are not with the Nazis, and a sense of humor along with them. Sometimes sympathies and humor get together, as when he says, after a devastating raid on Rick's place, "I told my men to be especially destructive you know how that impresses the Germans." The Nazis, headed by Conrad Veidt, are as untrustworthy as anybody else and "Casablanca" has pickpockets and thugs to round out its unreliuhles. One is allowed to suspect Miss Berg man's affections, too, but that's another story. In fact, that's the story of "Casablanca." Likes His Work So Well His Pictures Run Overtime, fm HIS fellow Preston Sturges, who brought forth "Strictly Dis wide tour, will present selections from Tschalkowsky, Chopin.

Schubert, Lehar, Kalmann, Herbert and Johann Strauss. In the second words are smothered in the guf faws of the audience. half, Romberg takes his place at "THE WAR AGAINST MRS. HADLEY," FILM DRAMA OF A WASHINGTON (D. WOMAN WHO REFUSES TO TAKE ANY PART IN THE WAR EFFORT.

COMES TO ST. LOUIS NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT AS THE MAIN FEATURE ON THE BILL AT THE ORPHEUM THEATER, TO BE REOPENED AND RUN UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF LOEW'S INC. PLAYERS IN THE FILM ARE FAY BAINTER, AS MRS. HADLEY, EDWARD ARNOLD, VAN JOHN SON. JEAN ROGERS AND RICHARD NEY.

the piano, with Frank Cork con STILL ANOTHER TRIUMPH ducting, and song hits from the Romberg operettas are played. Three singers, Grace Panvini, Marie Nash and Gene Marvey, ap ON TILE FEMININE SIDE has been the return of Ethel Merman to Broadway in Michael Todd's ings Westward, and "Mark In 'Priorities of '42' Kostelanefz and William "Something for the Boys," the big Eruption." pear with the unit. gest smash hit of the season and To Give American a fresh opportunity for Paula Lau TWENTY-YEAR-OLD WILLIAM rence to exhibit her inimitable an KAPELL of New York City began tic style, and Betty Bruce her Week of Vaudeville Kapell With Symphony his study of piano at the age of 10, in a music school in the Yorkville rhythmic taps. One of the shining adornments of any season is Katharine Cornell Settlement. After six weeks of playing he won a prize given in a THE show which is creauea with reviving vaudeville on Pmailurav lat RTirinp rnmpa to him, for use here, the same or competitive contest by Jose Iturbi i HE noted radio conductor, Andre Kostelanetz, and the young American pianist, Wil and this year she has shown her extraordinary devotion to the theater by producing Chekhov's famous Spanish conductor-pianist, chestrations that he employs in his Sunday afternoon broadcasts, heard locally over station KMOX.

for a performance of a movement the American Theater next Sunday night, following the conclusion of the run of "Porgy and Bess," "The Three Sisters" with herself from a Haydn sonata. Later, the in the role of Masha, the eldest; The Copland and Kern musical current attraction. "Priorities of liam Kapell, will be presented by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as guest attractions of its concerts this week. Kostelanetz appears at a special concert on Thursday Judith Anderson as Olga; Gertrude sketches came about as a result Columbia Grammar School provided him with a full tuition scholarship for four years and during Musgrove as Irma and Ruth Gor of America's entrance into the don as the cunning and irascible his senior year there he won 1942," featuring Lou Holtz, Willie Howard, Bert Wheeler and Hank Ladd, ran 400 performances on Broadway and started a genuine "trend" in show business.

Lena Home Back To the Studios Again With the plaudits of New York's swankest audience ringing in her ears, Lena Home returns to Hollywood after a brief but sensational two-week appearance at Manhattan's famed Savoy-Plaza, to join Kay Kyser, Marilyn Maxwell and William Gargan, in Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer's musical "Right About Face." Miss Home's rapid rise to screen fame started with her debut in "Panama Hattie." She has since completed a dramatic portrayal in the film version of the musical hit, "Cabin In the Sky." In her forthcoming musical, the sepia singer will, in her individual style, introduce several melodies Intended to become the nation's sonja hits. She will be accompanied by the music of Kay Kyser and his band. night at the Opera House, Kapell war. The works were composed on commission from Kostelanetz, sisier-in-iaw, rsatasna. re scholarship to study under Olga 1 honorable" on the stage, "The Great McGinty," "The Lady Eve" and now "The Palm Beach Story" oa the screen, apparently action has not been altogether ap Samaroff at the Philadelphia Con with the orchestra at subscription concerts on Friday afternoon and servatory.

While under her tute who sought music which could be employed to mirror the nation's spirit. plausive, but the show will stand scrutiny with the best production Saturday night. "Priorities of 1942" made its bow likes his work. Since he writes and directs his own pictures, there is no other way out than to say that he is a very brilliant fellow lage, he won the important award Three works new to St. Louis last March, under sponsorship of The Copland work is dedicated to Clifford C.

Fischer, in association end that the customers of the Ambassador Theater can write him of the Youth Contest of the Philadelphia Orchestra to appear as soloist. In September, 1940, he en Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait," Jerome Kern's "Mark the conductor, who gave it first with the Shuberts. Wiseboys of the fan letters, if they so choose. Twain" and the Overture to Rez- the street saw it in no rosy light hearing May 14, 1942, in Cincinnati. Kostelanetz has since presented tered the Juilliard Graduate School This comedy starring Claudette Colbert Is full of laughs, at the in advance, since vaudeville of the on a fellowship, and in the follow nlcek's "Donna Diana" are on the Kostelanetz program, with the "Lincoln Portrait" at concerts in expense of a deaf frankfurter a New York policeman, a ing February played with the Phil big-time variety had failed of too many resurrections.

But Fischer Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Overture to Wagner's "Die Meis- railroad company, the Ale and Quail Club, the rich who hang around adelphia Orchestra. The succeed Toronto, Hollywood, as well as on had a hunch and one based tin ex tersinger," Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" and Ravel's "Bolero." his Sunday afternoon broadcasts. perience. In his day he had booked ing month he won the Hamburg Contest, which provided an award for a New York recital. During the summer of 1941 he again Copland, a native of New York, many of the big names of the the Carl Sandburg, poet, folksong Palm Beach and anything else that comes to mind.

Mr. Sturges not only has plotted "The Palm Beach Story" for laughs, and gagged it for laughs, but he tosses in laughs frequently when he doesn't need them. So "The Palm Beach Story" runs too long and that, wrote his first sketches last Feb ater Sarah Bernhardt, Charlie collector and Lincoln biographer, of Chekhov. "The Willow and I- was another example of the persuasive power of women In the theater. Barbara O'Neil and Martha Scott were ransomed from Hollywood for the principal parts.

Unfortunately the play blew up with its second act thunder storm. "The Damask the John Van Druten-Lloyd Morris comedy, which starred Flora Robson, moved pleasantly along on a note of polite laughter for two months until Miss Robson took cold and Dwight Deere Wiman decided to close. Women had a lot to do with "Yankee Point," a little story about women at war. Marie Louise El-kins was co-producer; Gladys Hurl-but wrote the play, and Edna Best, Elizabeth Patterson and K. T.

Chaplin, Harry Lauder and Mau played with the Philadelphia Or ruary. The letters and speeches of Lincoln supply the text, consisting rice Chevalier, to mention a few chestra. except perhaps that it isn't sufficiently respectful to the war, is its of excerpts particularly appro His hunch this time was that a Last February Kapell was chosen only fault. priate to present world conditions. for the New York Town Hall En The Kern musical opus, which dowment Series Award, an honor really good variety show would give Broadway something for its war nerves, so he lined up three big names Holtz, Howard and describes Mark Twain's colorful Through the luscious lips of its heroine, Miss Colbert, "The Palm Beach Story" expresses the idea that it is quite cricket for a girl, although married, to use her charms to advance her husband's Danny Kaye Film "With Flying Colors" is the title of the new comedy with music in which Samuel Goldwyn will introduce Danny Kaye to the screen.

The film will be in color. Dinah Shore, the blues singer who made her film debut in "Thank Your Lucky Stars," has been engaged for a featured role. given annually to an artist, under 30, who, in the opinion of critics has been engaged to read the text in the Copland composition, and the solo piano part in "Rhapsody in Blue" will be played by Russ David, pianist and mi-sical director of KSD. Kapell will play Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2 at the subscription concerts, with Conductor Vladimir Golschmann and the orchestra also offering Brahms' Fourth Symphony and the local first perform life, beginning with his boyhood in Phil Baker, since replaced by and the Town Hall Music Commit tee, has given the most notable re Wheeler and Ladd.

He hired show Hannibal, is divided into four major parts: "Hannibal Days," based on Twain's own words; "The financial future. Nothing to that, you eay, done at every dinner party. But Mr. McCrea, the husband In this case, doesn't think so much of it. In fact, he's ready to beat up again money-burdened girls and dancers, he rang up the cital of the previous year in the Gorgeous Pilot House," "Wander current.

"Priorities" was a hit and hall. vaudeville was back. lad who tries to be helpful. As for the trend, along came So the trail goes from New York to Florida and the audience ances of the ballet suite, "Bara-bau," by Vittorio Rietl, nineteenth "Keep 'Em Laughing," with William Gaxton, Victor Moore, the Hartmans and Hildegarde, at the century Italian composer. Forty-Fourth Street Theater in which comes in out of the fog, rain, sunshine or what have we, gets to go South on a fast train, ride on a yacht and put up in the kind of a shack that makes you thnk the housing shortage is just a filthy Nazi rumor.

All of this is very pleasant in January, 1943, end we are bound to say that what is Mr. Preston Sturges pleasure New York; "Headliners of 1942' KOSTELANETZ, OF RUSSIAN BIRTH, became affiliated with radio in this country as early as with Bert Lahr, Bert Wheeler and Joe E. Lewis at the Grand Opera 1924 and has been an outstanding House in Chicago; "Laugh, Town network conductor since he joined Laugh," with Ed Wynn in New the Columbia Broadcasting Sys tern in 1930. He will bring with York; "Harlem Cavalcade" with Noble and Sissle, in New York; "Topnotchers," with Gracie Fields, is our pleasure, too. Maybe he can't get away right now, either.

A Great Class If This Keeps Up. Paired with "The Crystal Ball," at Loew's, which is a comedy and not bad, is the latest of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -hospital picture, one of the series which used to be called the Ir. Kildure pictures, before Lew Ayres reaction to military service became a subject of discussion and Dr. Jimmy Kildare had to take leave of the screen. The present film is called "Dr.

Gillespie's New Assistant" and that is the rule now with the pictures in this series Dr. Leonard Gillespie gets the glory. Even in the days when the Dr. Klldares were going good, some reviewers felt called upon to insist that Dr. Jimmy was far less fascinating, for entertainment purposes, than Dr.

Leonard. In "Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant," the cider physician is Interested in picking another young man to replace Dr. Kildare and it is to be hoped the newcomer keeps his place. For Lionel Rarrymore's performance as Dr.

Gillespie should be preserved and developed and enlarged Into a movie institution, if possible. XMJnYA SUIT65 NMJL -a if" Al Trahan and Zero Mostel in New York; "Show Time," with George Jessel, in Log Angeles originally, now in New York; "Blackouts of 1942," with Ken Murray, in Hollywood. And, those associated with "Priorities" point out, most of the others were failures. "Priorities" had that something extra, that vital difference. Not only Hoitz, Howard, Wheeler and Ladd but Gene Sheldon, Luba Malina, Peggy and Moro, Rrancetta Malloy, the Helen Reynolds Skaters, Loretta Fischer, Lora Saunders, Larl and Conchita, Al 11 and the Versailles Beauties.

What's' more, so far as St. Louis is concerned, it is a survival of the 1 I fittest and the only one of its type the kcal theater season is likely The Kildare pictures beg pardon, the Gillespie pictures-are written with a view of taking account of discoveries in medicine as well as solving medical mysteries. Sulfanilamide to see. In the cast of "Porgy and Bess," remaining through this week, are Todd Duncan, Etta Moten, for pneumonia and insulin shock treatment have been tried in them long ago. It is of more than passing interest, then, In Warren Coleman, Avon Long, Georgette Harvey, Edward Math- ews, Ruby Elzy and J.

Rosamond "Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant" to hear the good doctor lambasting the unqualified leeches of his own profession at one point and advocating group medicine, or something similar, at another. Give Gillespie a Class A picture once and we might see some fireworks. Johnson. Alexander Smallens conducts the orchestra and singing WILLIAM KAPELL.

GUEST ARTIST THIS WEEK'S SYMPHONY SUBSCRIPTION CONCERTS. company, which includes one of Eva Jessye'a celebrated choirs. EVERYDAY MAGAGINE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, JANUARY 24, 1943. PAGE 6H.