The Tidings from Los Angeles, California • 13

THE TIDINGS, Friday, Decsmbor 20, 1946 Pag 13 Pours Salt on Post-War Sores BOLLYWOOD IN FOCI'S Film Views, Reviews and News CAPRA'S WONDERFUL FILM PRESENTS POWERFUL IDEA 'It's A Wonderful Life" I Excel I eat I rating not announced This fine Frank Capra pro- to see that virtue has its own duction launches his new com- reward. Of Social Order Til lest Years Of Our Lives' IGoodl Ob, ie part. Sometimes heavily sentimental sometimes bitterly cynical; often effectively pun-' gent, at other times undeniably pragmatical this study of the t-w a rehabilitation" of three ex-servicemen of contrasting type, age and social status, falls among the more significant movies of the year. It is Sam Goldwyns hope for an Academy Award and as such is not a frivolous contender. We witness the home coming of Sergeant A1 Stephenson (Fredric March) a banker; Captain Fred Derry (Dana Andrews), a soda jerker and a Sea bee named Homer (Harold Russell) who has lost both hands in battle and has to get along with articulated Back Home Again The post-war prospects are, promotion at $12,000 a year for the banker, humiliation of recommencing his pre-war counter job for the soda-jerker and a complete blank for the handless hero.

The banker has a wife (Myrna Loy) and two grown The soda-jerker has a war bride (Virginia Mayo) who has been "two-timing" him and he falls In love with the bankers daughter (Teresa Wright). The injured Seabee has a sweetheart (Cathy ODon-nel) but dare not contemplate marrying her because of his injury and through most of the story, fights against the world of men and himself. Happiness Through Divorce? In the end, although the banker and his wife have at first discouraged their daughters interest in this young married man, the faithless wife walks out on him and a happy ending" is suggested by the usual route of divorce and remarriage. This conclusion forms the basis of Legion of Decency objection. William Wyler, taking the screenplay of Robert Sherwood, based on MacKinlay Kantor's novel Glory For Me, directs the film for punches, most of which are delivered without mercy against the established order.

Wilder however, contents himself with pouring salt into the wounds of democratic civilization. Nowhere does his film point to a single remedy for bad conditions. It is concerned wholly with purely materialistic probleiqp which confront us today. Admittedly Wyler does it all with starkly dramatic effect. Wyler's Message" The sensitive may be made ashamed of man's inhumanity to man; the religious, conscious of the sore need these veterans had of God.

To the blindly rebellious, this film may well prove an instrument of incitement. Acting is remarkably good, notably that of Myrna Loy, Frederic March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright. Cathy O'Donnell and Harold Russell, who actually lost his hands while serving with the U. S. Paratroopers.

This is a powerful picture and grips the imagination. A pity it searches with a salted probe, for the resultant pain Is apt to produce unreasoning fury rather than patient self-examination such as could help lead men of goodwill towards peace. By WILLIAM H. MOORING You might wonder how it could happen but moviea can get better even as they get worse. The Annual Report of the Legion of Decency proves it and without choking you with statistics, I believe I can show you how it.

works. This year there have been more good family films and more badly objectionable ones, but fewer of moderate adult appeaL For the year ended this last November, the Legion reported that pictures to which it offered various objections increased from 11.5 to 1535. Out of 391 films viewed by the Legion, GO were rated Objectionable in part as compared to 43 films out of the 375 the Legion reported upon during the year 1944-45. During same period, however, 155 out of 391 or 39.64 per cent were considered good enough for family patronage, as to 143 or 38.1 per cent the year before. Yet movies classified as suitable for unrestricted adult patronage declined from 50 per cent to 45 per cent of the year's totaL Post-War Confusion As soon as the war ended the Hollywood writers and producers began to tear their hair (those who had any) in search of dramatic stuff strong enough to take the place of the realistic stories of war which had become their literary mainstay.

For war tales In which violence was done to the human body, they substituted stories in which some sort of equally violent assault was made upon the human mind and spirit. When the switch from wartime to post-war policy first took effect, objectionable films increased alarmingly. About half-way through the year just reviewed. Legion of Decency objections had begun a steep upward curve which, had it not been arrested, would have reached a percentage of nearer 25 per cent instead of the 15.35 per cent finally shown. Following constructive action by the Legion of Decency-action in which I was privileged to plsy a small part some of the Hollywood producers, decided Isst May, that it was time to cheek the trend.

As the Legion points out, however, statistics alone cannot be used accurately to measure moral trends in motion pictures. The kind and amount of objectionableness in various films have to be considered. NOT ALL FILMS RATED OBJECTIONABLE IN PART ARE BAD FILMS. MANY, IN FACT, ARE EXCELLENT A GOOD PART OF THE WAY THROUGH. Smeared by Dirty Dialogue Take, for example, the recent Warner picture Never Say Goodbye." This is a timely story against divorce as it affects the family.

It is told so as to appeal subtly to all kinds of people. Yet it had to be listed as objectionable In part because of two snidely suggestive lines which, without rhyme or reason, were stuck in by the comedy writers. They were not funny lines, either. Suggestiveness is largely a matter of personal opinion and reaction, although the type of suggestive matter usually objected to by the Legion of Decency is of that nasty, obvious and repel-lant nature from which adults of intelligence and good taste instinctively recoil Of all the objections raised by the Legion this year, sludder of that particular type accounted for practically half. Next on the list of principal lapses were screenplays in which the Institution of marriage had been mauled.

These films seldom, if ever, prove outstandingly successful. Take for instance, Bing Crosbys Blue Skies," not by a long shot up to his usual standard, or Joan Leslies Janie Gets Married" which precipitated Leslies successful litigation to end -her contract with Warners. One might wish for more Catholic action along these lines. IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY FOR AN ACTOR OR ACTRESS TO JUDGE BEFOREHAND THE FINAL SCREEN EFFECT OF A PARTICULAR STORY, BUT CAUTION AND RESISTANCE ON THE PART OF BIG ARTISTS CAN DO A LOT TO HELP. What Wanger Means by Adult Themes" Producer Walter Wanger, recently returned from England, has suggested that the British system of classifying separately, films for adults and those which juveniles are permitted to see, might be adopted in the United States.

Any method by which more children can be prevented from viewing films dangerous to their minds and morals, Is assured of Catholic approval No one in his right senses, however, will overlook the other side of Mr. Wanger's argument. He believes that once children are so protected, Hollywood should be free to develop at will what he and many others in Hollywood call adult themes." Many of these would explore objectionable subjects. There is nothing in the Production Code, as it stands today, to prevent intelligent adult screen treatment of matter that is fit for public exhibition. The Legion of Decency finds no occasion to advise the withdrawal of adult Catholic patronage from films dealing intelligently and decently with such matter.

Box-office returns continue, however, to furnish proof that good taste and good morals go together to such an extent that the biggest box-office successes are scored by films which ANY member of ANY American family cm to joy. Among the lengthy cast, Lionel Barrymore, in a familiar Scrooge role, Thomas Mitchell Beulah Bondi, H. B. Warner (as a drunkard), Todd Karns and Frank Albertson are outstanding. I intend to see it again and again.

It Is a picture even for those who do not usually patronize movies. POISON FOR CHRISTMAS Temptation (Weekl 06. in part This dreary adaptation of the dated novel Bella Donna," by Robert Hichens, for some unaccountable reason is regarded by Universal as a suitable public release for Christinas. It describes the sordid life of Ruby (Merle Oberon) who tries to bury her shady past vftien she marries an archaeologist (George Brent) but returns to her former ways by entering into extra-marital relationship with an adventurer (Charles Korvin). She plans to poison her husband but at the last moment poisons the lover who has been trying to persuade her to commit the crime.

Money the Only Reason The reason given for this change of heart is her discovery that the lover merely seells possession of her husbands estates which she will enherit. Produced by Edward Small and directed by Irving Pichel, it is a tedious affair which on the score of entertainment, even apart from ail questions of morality, must go down as one of the years film failures. The advertisements read You will not be able to resist Temptation." My advice is, do try! BING AND FRED IN NIGHT LIFE -Un SUm fGoorfl Ob, in part. The rating is arrived at strictly on the basis of the popularity of the two stars, Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Otherwise this technicolor musical written by Arthur Sheek-man and Allan Scott prove that Irving Berlin, who is given credit for the basic story Idea, can write better songs than screenplays.

The story of itself is flimsy. It courts Legion of Decency objection by introducing divorce in plot solution. Bing As Night Club Owner Crosby and Astaire are seen as vaudeville cronies. Bing develops a mania for speculating in night clubs. When his wife (Joan Caulfield), who wishes to settle down, fails to persuade him to give up trading in bizarre night spots, she divorces him.

Just like that! There are some fairly Interesting numbers by Crosby and Astaire. The latter declares this is to be his last film; pity it wasn't a better one. Good supporting performances are given by Billy de Wolfe, Frank Faylan and little Karolyn Grimes. Directed by Stuart Heisler and produced by Sol G. Seigel It adds up to fairly good popular stuff, but Bing neeeds better stories if he is to maintain his high box-office rating.

pany. Liberty Filins and is his first since he returned from the war. Based on "The Greatest Gift, by Philip Van Doren Stern, it presents vividly and with rich contrasts of humor and pathos, a highly original tale of triumph over temptation. The Hard Choice George Bailey (James Stewart), raised by good people in a small American town, is ambitious. His father (Samuel S.

Hinds) founds a building society to help local citizens and dies a poor man, leaving the son a choice between carrying on for the sake of decent principle or ignoring the obligation and pursue personal ambitions. Suicide Condemned After many years of penurious struggle the young man, now married (Donna Reed plays the wife) and the father of three children, is innocently involved in heavy loss of society funds, feels he cannot clear himself and plans suicide. It is then that Clarence (Henry Travers at his best), an angel long anxious to win his wings in Heaven, is sent down to earth to prove to George Bailey that no man may rightfully throw away Gods gift of life. Bailey argues that his case is hopeless and he wishes he'd never been born, whereupon the angel" arranges fertile wish to be granted. The Good Men Do On this fantastic theory, made strangely believable on the screen, the story goes on to show, with gathering.

power, how even the most humble of us. working as a part of Divine plan inevitably accomplishes much good in life. We see what ir.tght have happened in 'the lives of others had not George Bailey been sent to earth. Forceful argument is developed, not only against self destruction, but against the more common failings of pride and despair. Capras Beat Film Capra has never turned out a finer picture than this one which stands an excellent chance of winning Academy recognition as the best of the year.

Frances Goodrich. Albert Hackett, Jo Swerling and Capra himself, collaborated on the screenplay which expounds an idea of 'rare beauty. The cast is excellent. James Stewart, making his return from long war service, although sometimes over-energetic, makes Bailey a real person. Donna Reed is wonderful as the wife.

No Hollywood Angel' Henry Travers portait of an angel in street clothes, is brilliant as well as quaint and catches the design of Capra to steer clear of the false ethereality with which Hollywood usually attempts to put over suggestions of Heaven. We are shown no scenes purportedly in the Hereafter. We merely hear the voices of "Joseph" and the angel Clarence." The result Is utter conviction that Heaven has sent help to George BaUoy, whs is Anally.