1952-12-31 — Page 7

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THE CHINA MAIL,

ONCE IT WAS MAGIC, ENCHANTMENT, BUT NOW IT'S PANTOMANIA

Says ROBERT OTTAWAY

London.

Let me first pay my due to the season of goodwill towards men- even panto producers. They are no worse this year than they've always been. But pantomime is the slickest confidence trick practised on a gullible public. It's a blanket name for mediocrity.

If "Humpty Dumpty" were put on in the spring, called "Broken Eggs," and advertised as a musical starring Christine Norden, it wouldn't run a month.

For 17 Years Ida

Has

Puzzled

Hollywood

For 17 years Hollywood, Millon"), Dora

Bryan

(from

has been puzzled by Ida "The Globe Revue") in any film

to

Christmas is the excuse for the ritual. Critics and public slike are supposed to be in an indulgent mood, But does that:

that justify jokes

ceased amuse Queen Victoria, actresses whose sole assets are great lengths of nyloned limb, and a script that wanders wildly from

to kitchan slapstick? whimsy

HIGH TREASON

I know something about the tradition behind it. I know that children are supposed to lap it up. I know that for anyone to suggest that there's no kick in the current panto is tantamount. to high treason,

A poille

forged to my has been

Lupino. She doesn't fit into with a score and a libretto.

If Hollywood can seize Jack tude.

for

11

know

witless inepil- that pantomime expensive was once a name that stood for any known pigeon-hole. She Buchanan makes the horrible mistakeim-b Arst there since "Monte enchantment. Its scenic effects Carlo" with Jeanette Macdonald had magle, its story charm, and of being different in a place in the early thirtiest indicates it reintroduced us each year to that loves the familiar. short-sightedness among our own the perennial figures of fairy-

At sweet 16 she wasfilm men. whisked to Hollywood to play "Alice in Wonderland.” But she didn't, for

then they

were

even

"little

dubious about the sac- charine appeal of the wide- eyed Ida. They thought the siren notes of her low-keyed

Australians The Retain Davis Cup

voice somewhat out of place Davis

in Wonderland.

tale und dem descendant 18

But the

D very poor

Harlequinade

relation. The Hus become spectacle, the fairies have become topdancers.

American-type

the

story is generally abandoned

In mid-career.

a

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, ̄ 1952.

THE CARY GRANTS ARE HERE

Mr Cary Grant, famous film star, and his actress wife, Betsy Drake, snapped aboard the Norwegian cargoliner Vigan on their arrival from Manila yesterday on a "leisurely Pacific cruise.". On right is Mr Paul N. Bond, Vice-President of

--- Chiña Mail Photo. C. F. Sharp & Co., S/A, agents of the Vigan.

PIRATE EPIC

HIT

COLOSSAL PIRATE

BECOMES LAUGH

By KEN SMITH

London.

Hollywood was worried. It listened to the audiences at its mag- nificent, tremendous, terrific, epoch-making Technicolour costume pictures and heard them laughing-in all the wrong places.

This was heresy. So Warner Bros. decided to make the magnificent, tremen.

· dous, etc., etc., etc., Technicolour costume picture to end all the magnificent-well, you know it.

Harold Conway's Show Talk

So Mr McCrea Makes A Bid

The Beast

For

London.

7HO is Hollywood's Inziest star? Joel McCrea, here

arrived here recently—the McCren who has been placed among the top ten In American popularity polls for the past 17 years, who is reputed to bo one of the screen's wealthiest actors.

Mr McCrea put up quite an afraid you might be planning- net about his indolence, I re- one of those glamorous musicai call. "Acting? never attempt romances; so long as you stick it. A plid sort of fellow, to the ugly truth, it's all right. that's me, Inclined to take with me." things easy.

LONG LIST

So when I-face

I just continue

Une cameras,

to be placid.

It always seems

Rita Hayworth, who has just

15 come out satisfactorily; the finished acting and dancing studio pay me well—and then I the role of Salome, has now can go home to my ranch for been allotted the part of Sadle Thompson, the South Scas seductress, in a new flim verslon

another few months" rest,"

A good story, if you believed af Rain. it. I didn't; neither, I think, His 19 the Somerset did McCrea-no. actor stays at Maugham character Tallulah the top for 17 years by taking Bankhead once wanted to play things cosy.

on the London stage; according

At any rate, the air of Dorset to her autobiography, she tried to commit suicide when another -where he and Evelyn Keyes

Unlike Tallulah,

Miss Hay-

have been making their first actress got the jou. Brilish film. Roughshoot- seems to have braced him. Howarth is not likely to be sacked is rediscovering himself as A

after a few days' rehearsal, Her character actor: now owns to

employers are too intent upon ambitions for throwing off the making up for lost Ume and placidity and giving his long-lost money. They still have faithful pubile a surprise,

formidable list of seductresses, ancient and modern, for their returned star to tackle. Sajome, I gather, was just a beginning.

World Copyright Reserved.-London Express Survice.j

Cricket Teams

The following aro Club, selec- formertions for Quadrangular and Les- gue cricket matches tomorrow and over the week-end:

, A SURPRISE Next year producer Raymond Stress is following up Rough shoot with a comedy-fantasy called Beast and the Beauty, trom Ότι American about #

giant, bearded If the concoction is aimed at

Theirs would be serious. It "lock," they sald, in effect. "Man the yards! Crack on all wrestler who helps an heiress to why bring in children, then

would cost 2,000,000 dollars. It "This'll make

her them roll in the canvas Gather round, lads and retrieve

family fortune: borrack-room jokes that would have Burt Lancaster for aisles. Boys, it's a flop." tutty

lassies, father round. You've The setting is an English castle, could only bring atter to old thrills, Eva Bartok for romance, But here is where I come in. been shanghaled aboard for the the only property left intact by men in their third childhood?

fleet of gallcons

girl's father-a (boarding Burt and I, chatting over the last cruise of the Crimson Pirate the I grown-ups are supposed to parties for the use of: "Gee, boys, gloomy subject of those end-

a long, long time ago in the, far, millionaire sports promoter. be diverted, then-

why bother those fights'll be stoopendous!") less costume extravaganzas in for Caribbean. Remember, in a Ever since, her acting

with Little Jack Adelaide, Dec. 80.

Horner, and an army of pirates for blood-London last year, had decided pirate's ship, in pirate waters. and the rest of curdling screams and hand-to- that the real picture

end all to

in д pirate world, Ask no career has been a two-way

Australia today retained Mother Goose

hand fighting.

costume pictures was one that questions; believe only whal stretch: her face is in the Davis Cup when Frank the human menagerie?

The trouble is, of course, that

What's more, there would be tock the mickey out of them.

you see!" nocently petite, her figure Sedgman and Kent Mc-and

pantomime

ume is on its last legs.

So you will see The Crimson no nonsense about the making.

fake Pacific Pirate. And your reaction wispy-but her personality Gregor beat the American it's symptomatic that London's None of your

He swings back to the first lke America's ship. The camern moves in, is man-sized. So she's either pair Vic Seixa and Tony West End has only two samples locations Almed from the edge is anything

and Lancaster winks: and laugh, this year; last year it was three.

studio of a

In you'll laugh. cardboard simpered as a

With the fever of dying men, California, but a real trip to Trabert, 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

LAUGH. a heroine or she's taken to

To keep try

Yes, Bart Lancaster had been Austraila had won the first producers

real pirate istand (called Ischia crime.

very much They put "Jack- pallent alive. two singles yesterday..

In check, and back in tongue The Australian pai were on and the Beanstalk" on ice-andook it up on the map) in the working in Ischia And,

a non-poisonous

Hollywood, seeing the long faecs, Throughout the match so turn Jack into a cousin of

THEY WERE GLUM

"intro" to drink in her Park-lane flat, sheep

he suggested a new when "Rose Marie" on ice.. told me of a film she'd like to except in the third not

They filmed it. They called the Alm.

Burt it The Crimson Pirate. They Now showed the footage privately, in swinging from the must-top of Hollywood before final assembly, one ship to another. As the Then they stared at each other camera goes into close-up he glumly.

uver

makse in Europe next year. concerns two women,

It

the

Seixas and Trabert were quick Last year the Palladium had one of to take advantage of an un-Terry-Thomas teetering about accountable lapse of form on the the stage in punto get-up. He looked almost as embarrassed part of Sedgman.

as me until he broke into his radio routine.

whom has lethal ideas about the other. Which is the bad girl is anybody's guess till the last reel. FAMILY AFFAIR

now

3-0 lead.

wus

The Americans' chance came Her latest nim assignment has in the third set when they took

the

thal

been the toughest. She has Sedgman's service in the second They say that Michael Wilding

Mediterranean.

water tank

says

It opens

with

DANNY THE DANE

DILYS By

POWELL

in some

"No, believe balf of what you Man the capstans! Up soe. anchor! Move, you lubbers!""

After that you can let yourself aching, take a rest and get some thrills at Burt Lancaster (no stunt-mon from yordarms or diving into the for him) swinging

go. And when your sides ato

800.

P.S. A horrible thought occurs to me. Suppese you all tako it seriously!

אות

MY SPIES TELL ME

Hongkong C.C, v Royal Navy in

I his Hollywood commit ments allow, Joel McCrea hopes to come back and ploy the Beast a Quadrangular” Competition matchi

with, possibly, Gene Tierney at Chater. Road to-morrow, commeno

Ing noon.-N. E Arthy. 1, Stanton,... as Beauty. That would surprise. A, FERTCD, G. T. Rowe, J., Shan- nan, C., B. Leader R. M. Mac- his public all right.

pherson, H. G. Craig, J. R. Jekyll, C.

Connett. C. Ure. "Hongkong C.C. v. Royal Air Force in a cluadrangular Competition niatch at Chator Road on Busday, commenc ing 11 am-1. Stanton. G. T. Rowe. TA. Pearce, J. L. C. Pearce, H. Owen Hughes, G. 11. 2. Pritchard. W. Leeg. I. O. Hubble, K. a. . spink, R. G. Craiz, T. Mahon,

"It would-be a part entirely unlike anything I have done before," he says, "But here in England I have found acting very congenial-it has suddenly given me the urge to extend And now myself as an actor. is the time to do it, if ever."

The supposedly lazy, newly ambitious Mr McCrea he is stil only 47-ooked at the and set off for work. hotel clock, which said 11 p.m.,

He was due for, some all-night acting at Waterloo Station.

I

Royal Air Force ÿ Army in a Qua- unpoo to-morrow, commencing 11.30 drangular Competition match at 800- am. 8qn/Ldr Kingsford (Capi), W/ Edr. Keltlewell, Sqn/Ldr Chapman, Stappard, Cixer at Scot Walker. Sgt Spence, Opt kae- Mahon, LAC LAC Orbel, AC arrep. 12th man-Fit/ON. Lee. Umpire - AC Bruce, Scorer,-- AC Hopgood

Iawloon C.C. 2nd XI v Club de BETTY AS SOPHIE.

Recreio at Cox's Road on Saturday at 1.30 p.m.---E, C. Fischer, G. Coffey, has Betty. Hution

special w. I. Cowie, F. R. Ketmani, A. Lang, rtison for recovering the W. Pepperell. C. S. Ramage. C..

Smith, Y. C. Seymour, A. P. Welt, Shusht It's a big secret but weight she lost on her variP, Wood. Umpire.-8. Ac Gray,

Im- Kowloon C.C. v Combined Schools Bette tour in this country. sples tell me that

Christmas cheat Cox's load on Sunday at 1.30 pan. mediately after

Dodge, E. C. Fincher, P. Hall, N.

Davis has made a new picture. begins, filming the life-story of-9. v. Cilins, F. Broadbridge, P. V.

Nobody knows

which company

the role would

The following School Football League. fixtures are down for

mire him in the epileptic mood injunction restraining her from Misg Huiion told mo, decision on Sunday, January 4:

'JUNIOR DIVISION

At Happy Valley EKA.M. V Junior Tech. 10 am.

Referee.-Armstrong.

The match opened with Me- Gregor and Sedgman winning

But the pulse of pantomime the Brst game McGregor's

ол

beats slower and slower. It will Australians Then Ida wants to make the story service, The

that broke through Trabert's service stop altogether unless someone with Joan Fontaine-and

interest. And, as a first step, would make it almost a family to lead 2-0 and went on to of imagination and taste takes

an I suggest all producers should affair. .For Miss Fontaine is

with re The gemes then went she Mrs Collier Young;

trip underneath take Australians to Charing

Cross arches, where usurped the title from Misa services for the

the tiny Players' Theatre has re- Lupino, who divorced her second win 0-3. husband last year

-Seigman and McGregor won furbished a version of "Babes.in the second set 6-4.

London, Fonts, some good dancing and Bled it or how much it cost, Sophie Tucker-finishing up-to-Hari-Tinker, T. E. Lee, J. Leriou. The break the Wood," first performed in

conventional choreo or who (except Bette) is in itale "will" her 70th birthday tutdoon, C. 1. Stapleton, AP.-Weir. Ida hankers after the raw and came in the third game when 1859.

It is possible that the vital.

graphy, and a gentle and indeed and even the Utle (The Star) is next year. She turned Alm Seixas was serving. Throughout

Here's the proot

climates still colder and beautiful performance by Danny only tentative.

What does Mira Tucker think Schools' Football director with "Not Wanted," a | this set Stagnan's serving

pantomime need not be a corpse. Alm that cleared the air about outstanding.

Here are wit and visual enchant-nastier than ours (if they Keyc.

But I gather that the story of the idea? A little anxiously, even the children

Again unmarried motherhood,

wart: let me

my is about a top contract star who she asked how ment. Here, above all, no, one exist)

be played. may be melancholic enough

opinion of this performance bas a row. with her bosses, is "I looked her straight in the mentions Gilbert Harding. PRINCE MICHAEL

to find solace in the work of may

to Britain to not be chored by Mrfired and comes Hans Andersen.

Kaye's true idolaters, who ad-film. Her old bosses win nu directed an all-male cast in a game. This spurred them to the

to take that part in crime story tentative title, peak of their form. They played refused

Lovers" because he

In this country the taste of which despair

of finding making the picture and the star A KILLER IS LOOSE that she superb tennis, pressing home "Latin

returns to Hollywood, patches up not get the girl in the

the very young for his stories funny. helped to write. It involved a every advantage.

But as he moves farther away her quarrel, and gains her is, I fancy, a fable invented by dusty and windy location in the

The fate of the Cup was de-end. Now he gets his reward.

M.-G.-M. are planning to film

from the kind of playing which second Oscar. the elderly and sentimental. blouk Mohave desert-and Ida cided in the fourth set when

made him celebrated I admire

follow. She More quarrels Victoria was not too keen on this man- Seixas lost on his service to en- the Laurence Housman sequence

about plays

rate I have never met him more and more; there are At handling chore at Blist..

rble the Australians

win of to

any

here when Regins." Wilding will be Prince any children who enjoyed his moments

his leaves aguin. Bad flins fellow, then a triumphant como-back Albert. And the girl he gets in fairy tales, and I well remem- sympathetic playing gives the

another company, OFFER BY KRAMER

of this one wit beber the distaste with which at story the quality of sweetness pletute with

a-successful stage na carly Deborah Kerr, who is cast as

age I drove myself which

of Hans followed by tho enjoyers Melbourne, Dec. 30.

Victoria.

through the lugubrious adven- Andersen find in

their hero,

appearance in a musical. Jack Kramer, the American!

Jeanmaire

as the capricious picture ends with the star re- professional lawn tennis

Wilding, us a felt-hat hero, tures of darning-needles, false pro-

an enchantress, and turning to her original bosses. noter and former Wimbledon helped Anna Neagle to make one collars and Little Ida's Flowers: dancer is

It is

Recognise IL? a pleasure to see Roland

Yes, it's the champion, has asked for a de- of Britain's most profitable Alm

That may explain why in Petit for cislon by January 3 from Frank partnerships.

As the isn't wholly true. You see, Bette Hans Christian Anderson' when Little Mermaid mint in the life story of Bette Davis. But it Sedgman and

Danny Kaye as the hero is dis- young apprentice, friend of never returned to her original

Joey hosses. covered tempting the school Andersen, a newcomer, children of Odense from their Walsh, is likeable, and in the the ballerina's lessons, I found the suspension duil part of of disbelief even harder than husband' Farley Granger Wears usual to achieve.

an air of exasperation under- standably in excess of the re- quirements of the role.

"But the director went sick."8-3.-Router.

she says, "and I took over at n weeks ndlee. I had to. But

if you like men, you understand them. And I like men.”

PAY....CHECK

Multiply a star'a salary by two, three, or four-and you have the weekly pay-check they like to see in print.

A fortnight ago an American magazine said of Claire Bloom: "Her fame has far outsiripped her fortune. She got £70 week as Chaplin's loading lady She gets 240 a week at the Old Vie,"

Crocker.

།

Miss Bloom, I'm glad to say, wy o modest to comment.

JACK GOES WEST Jack Buchanan, now Alming with Fred Astaire in WAGON, wrote me from Holly- wood a while ago; "Although the

could

would

the end

But she

In

Ladies' Hockey

first five months as a profession- Trial On Sunday hagen to make his fortune and,

T

а

'ballet.

The

And that rules out onă com- pany who might have made it: Warner Brothers..

DID THEY JUDGET The Come-down Dept., No. 1: Two years ago James Mason told me he was to make his first independent

Lady film,

SHEK-O GOLF Posessed, from a novel by his

wife, Pamela Kellino. He said.

Ken McGregor I couldn't wait to tell her the on whether they will turn pro- news about Wilding. fessional, it was reported to-day. was touring in her Coronation

play, "The Glorious Years," The Melbourne Herald quoted

34 course, she appears Kramer as saying in a

11, of radio Queen Victoria. telephone talk from Los Angeles that he was "on tenderhooks,"

I've got to get them," he

To be fair, we are not asked added.

to believe that the film bears Kramer is reported to have

any relation to the facts about slated

that Sedgman

Andersen, the shoemaker's son who as a boy went to Copen- the journal printed make more than $100,000 In his Receriy an urgent cable: "Claire Bloom

next to no obstacles. got £430 a week, plus £100 al fouring the United States

Kurmounting weck expenses." It came from with McGregor, Pancho Segura,

The following players are made it, the "bony bore who

The 36 holes qualifying round then: "Let the public Judge ine Chaplin's personal alde, Harry the Ecuador, professional, and

himself. Later, the circus" requested to be at Club provoked Dickens into sucking in the Shek-O Country Club on this picture. It will be made

on the dressilig- card

at Shok-O on Sunday last ro would go to Europe and South de Recreio on Sunday at table looking-gloss at Gad's Hill: Match Play Competition player as I want it." Africa,

2.15 p.m. for the second Ilans Andersen slept insulted in 10 players qualifying since the end of last year it has After lying on Republic's shelf five weeks which

The draw for the first round Kremer said the basle guaran- Ladies' "Interport" hockey room for

seemed to the family ages." to be played by January 25. been quietly put out on

"dooling releese" which means tee on one year's contract for a trin): start would be $75,000 for Sedg-

D. Ozorio B. Rouse,

The story on the screen shows /1963. is us follows:

y E.W.B. no circuit booking and no West man and $25,000 for McGregon Noronha, M. Blenkinsop, B.

the author as a cobbler who fall

End showing. "3. G. Byington | D BAND--Reuter, “

McGregor (0) J Greaves, F. Ferreira, 8. Correa, in love with a ballerina;

are (10) v A. G. Donn (12); 3. Did Widour Street - It- L. Collaco, H. Hale, E. Leonard,

number of the fairytales

Mould (18) v E. B. McBain, and judge?' C. Marchetti, A. R. Marques, C.

introduced in the form of song (12); E. Boycott (10) W. P. Gel. J.

Peach, J.. Avnsin, M. "The Little Mermaid", as a ballet Coltman (11); D. B. Evans (15)

AFTER THREE YEARS Hevic, M. Meikle, L.

This is not a biography, it lay D. McLellan (8) R. J. Now

The Come-down Dept, No. 21. M. Fincher, N. Simmons, S. Bolton,

C. Thompson Lim, with

D. Jillolt, un entertainment making freeton (8) vT. A Marlin (18);

fanious name and famous W. S. Vaughan (8) v Sir John Three years ago Paula Valenika

made Three v

Men and A. Girl.. J. Crighton, J. Hynse,

Kinloch - (9); A.

Producer Anatole de Grunwald stories. competitors, Wheeler, M M. Stevens, J.

the E. J Cowell (18), ayo (12) N. Hill, B. Campbell, cham Bedford,

Since I have never liked the

A. Klorman and W. Harper said it would raise her to Read, E. mortes, finding many of A. Sainsbury, D.

the best of them cruel in a paralined with net scores of stardom. The male leads, were 141 for 18 holes re- America's Burgess Meredith) In the 28th annuni Handyside, R. Scott, D. Barten, ticularly nnuating way, I am pecively, but their absence France's Jean Pierre Aumont and of the most Haunting

mynteries

by their from the Colony during the Britain's Richard Murdoch, Where are about British Alms.

Jillett, Ramaxy, P. Badham, trotment in the film. But the knock-out stages makes it im

ow retitled Golden - Arrow Andersen

should be possible for them to complete it has been released in the West loverop N. Clayton and P. Bliss. the musicals? Whenever a British

the competition... All players are requested to wamed. trics its hand at /

ve players and Italy, Spain,

End as a supportby feature. But the rewall is as Swizerland, Canada and the turn up in whites, and bring a

"Hank Christian Anderson" For this competition handicaps why the delay, and why “a, sup"" buoyant as a dumpling.**

United States with one each coloured shirt, as wel 2. I would – fake Joan Carson ard” represented in the premier The umpires will be P/Bgt. F comes out as a long,, cuckoo- are on at date of draw as above, porting foabire? It's better than (from "Love from Judy), Warde section. The winner receives L Leigh and F/I 1.35 Core Clockish (musical wili, ono ent- and for the difference is a dozen so-called "main", British.

bellon)'dogie-arid a lot of routine | given,

plètures I could name. Donovan (from "Zip Goes a £50-Reuter:

don.

film is not yet finished, already 'sweet old gentlemen with con- tracts are taking me on one side and asking me to sign."

HASTINGS CHESS CONGRESS

Hastings, Dec. 30. Apparently one of the sweet

One

hundred old gents has conquered. For I hear that Jack will be back in ranging from national Hollywood for another film next plous to ordinary club players. J

July

from many parts of Britain arg Pernambooy,

part

Brandt,

Which brings to my mind one nazional Chess Congress H. Fowler, V, Chuma Vnot deeply offended

which

ord-Britain

here today.

th

even

Mrs N. P.

Now

Bald I wanted to act, the story of an ugly girl who suc- ceeded despite her ugliness, who became famous and liked-but knew she had never been really I waited for an loved. Then explosion.

Instead, Sophie patted me on

the head contentedly and sold: "That's good girl I

A

Hennessy Road. v Salesian, 10 am, Referee.-Loule C. Ping.

E.K.P.M. V Northeate, 10 am. Be

teres,A.K. Barnett.

At It... Football Club Clemenu v St Louis, 10 am.

ferceP. Manson.

Re-

Queen's v St Joseph's, 11 wan, · Re- terer Willcocks."

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