The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 95

'ANGRY PROPHET Moses (Charlton Heston), bearing tablet with God's word, denounces Israelites who have "corrupted themselves' in worship oj Golden Calf. Climactic scene, is from "The Ten Commandments' BY PHILIP Shelley Finds N.Y. Hit Opens No Doors Here I "The Ten Commandments" proves, once again and at last again, the power of which the screen is capable. To one who is a movie fan from 'way back, vho has -too often been disheartened by to the contrary, this is the great news about this great picture. A Here, too, is the glory that was Hollywood, its once-matchless prestige restored for probably the last time.

We-shall hardly see its like in our time for who could afford the expense and effort? Cecil B. De Mille has demonstrated before, but never on such a scale, that the Bible wins in a walkaway as movie material. This time it has cost him more than $13,500,000 (the Paramount figure) or seven and a half times the cost of his "Ten Commandments" of 1923 to get a comparable reaction from audiences today. But get it he certainly will; for like his "King of Kings" of 1927, his "Ten Commandments" of 1956 the story of Moses is almost as much a religious experience as it is a theatrical one. C.

B. remains, at 75, the ablest living director of spectacle in the grand manner. His production meas-; ures up to the best for which his ad-, mirers have hoped and far from the worst that his detractors expected. That old-time religion has'a new. look.

As sheer spectacle, indeed, it surpasses, in magnificent Vista Vision and Technicolor, the marks set long ago by Griffith in the Babylon of "Intolerance" and by C. B. in his own Biblical. and other biggies "The Sign of the Cross," "The Cru- i. 1 II i )r i' i BY HEDDA HOPPER A year ago when Shelley Winters quit movies for 4he New York theater, she realized that winning the Broadway critics would be a hard job.

"If you go to New York from Hollywood," she told me then, "you have to be twice as good as anyone else. You may have a box-office name, but the critics Just don't believe a motion-picture girl can be an actress." Shelley conquered Broadway: the critics wrote unstintingly in praise of her work in "Hatful of Rain," which became a smash hit largely due to her portrayal of the drug addict's wife. But back in Hollywood again, she hit a snag when she learned that movie men don't consider her a big enough box-office name to carry Turn to Pagt 16, Col. 3 K. SCHEUER sades" and "Samson and Delilah" among them.

Again he plays, orie against another, such showmanly, sure-fire elements as and sex the vast and detailed, simplicity, and complicated special effects, movement and speech. In four hours, counting an, 1 intermission, he unfolds a masterpiece -certainly his masterpiece that sel-. dom lets down or lets us down. The improvement over his past supers is noticeable in one significant respect: the quality of the dialogue and the authority of Charlton Heston and the other actors who deliver it. De Mille himself doubtless for purposes of story condensation, but sometimes, superfluously serves as narrator.

Some will quarrel with his choice for the Voice of God a gentle, rumbling baritone but at least they must grant that he gives the Lord an appreciable edge in impressiveness. Also, there will be wide disagreement over the effectiveness of the effects, such as the splitting of the Red Sea and the writing of the Ten Commandments by the Finger of God. The former seemed to me overwhelming enough, certainly; and the latter, as the "Thou Shalt Nots" were flung down in lightning bolt after lightning practically had me asking myself in which ones I had transgressed lately. The basis for the screenplay is Exodus, with gaps in the Old Testament (notably the 30 years from Moses' childhood to manhood) filled in by historians. If one feels some disappointment after the Prophet has at Turn to Pago 4, Column 1 .1 BURNING BUSH Moses sees "a flame of fire" in moment of revelation from De Mille 's film.

EASTERN TRIUMPH Shelley Winters scored success in Broadway drama "Hatful of Rain." Now she's considering a film role in "Wayward Bus." Julie Carves a New' Career Out of Wax 1 1 BY EDWIN "No, I don't sing rock and roll; I'm not that hungry." So Julie London told me in her sultry voice over the phone from Las Vegas, where she winds up a night-club engagement tonight. She's been making a major hit in the Nevada entertainment capital but even more noteworthy is the success of her recording of "Cry Me a River," which sold up into the golden million class. "That song seemed to have excellent gimmicks, both melodically and Jn its lyrics, which may be the reason for Us big success," said the star who divides her time between singing and acting in films. SCIIALLERT "It's always hard to guess just what the public will like, however." Miss London began a career In pictures 10 years 8go, when she did "The Red House." She married Dragnet Star Jack Webb. Just a year and three months ago she began reshaping her whole future as a result of a night-club engagement at John Walsh's 881 Club in West Hollywood.

Since then she has appeared at the Cameo Room in New York and the Interlude here. She has been fea tured with the Spike Jones band during her first Nevada venture, Also to her credit are two popular albums cf recordings, "Julie Her Namo" and "Loneiy Girl," while a Turn to rf 1, Column 1 MIGHT CHU.M AGF.n-Vi Prynner. Bum Ptes, I'liaraoh of I'gypt, who defies Motes' peopl. 1 Martha Scott, ns Mntrs' mother, and Bahctt Bnin, as sis ter, pine infant (Franer Clorh lleiton) in Biblical ork to safeguard his life..