1960-07-30 — Page 21

THE CHINA MAIL SA

DAY JULY 30, 1960,

JILL ST. JOHN young, pretty, and rich. (See; 30 BORING,"

Laurence Harvey lands

star role in the Chapman spy story

CAN REVEAL that the astonishing wartime exploits of Eddie Chapman, former safecracker and double-spy, are finally to be filmed despite stiff official opposition. It will be a sensational film, for the Chapman story is one of the most bizarre to come out of the war.

When the Germans invaded Jersey, he was in prison there. They re- leased him, trained him as a spy, and parachuted him into Britain.

When he landed, he went to British Intelligence and told them what he was doing. Then, with considerable courage, he went back to Germany to operate as an undercover British agent.

At the end of the war, naturally enough, Chapman tried to I do not think they need tell his story. And the clamp came down, He was prosecuted worry. Fey burglars have the under the Official Secrets Act.

cheek of Eddie Chapman!

Seven years ago, when a book about him was published, M.1.3 stepped in and censored all passages relating to his activities SO BORING

as a British agent.

**But the full details were known abroad, and Hollywood began

Miss Jill St John who is

world-and then Miss Novak

more dis-* has to spend some guising herself so that it won't, SHOCKED

Mr John Ireland is a pleasant-

Hollywood

showing interest. But as soon as Hitchcock and 20th Century-Fox married to. Barbers Hution's ly unconventional made any moves, they were warned off. -'

"It Chapman tells of his experiences as a British agent he is lieble to prosecution again under the Official Secrete Act, wald the War Office.

He was threatened.

American producer Fred Feldkamp did not give up that easily, He bought the film rights to the story. And, be consulted Sir Lionel Heald, the former Attorney-General. Now, assured that his Jegal position is safe, he is going ahead, or women

"

son, Lance Reventlow-is in actor who always appears to be London at the moment in con- in an advanced state of shocke section with her new film The Lost World.

This may, of course, be due to the fact that he has just

-

She is pretty and refresh- spent the major part of a year. ingly franks.

making a £4,000,000 eple called Spartacus

"I'm not really interested in being an actress-only movie "Spartacus is something. star," she told me. "Being a new," he said, when we met the ectress sounds so serious, you other day, "An intimate epic see, and I flod that distinctly I have great hopes for B, How- ever, I only did nine months boring:"

work on the film, and so much cutting has been going on that I may no longer be in it.

She thought for a moment, "As a matter of fact" she said, most people in this business

are boring, 11 you talk about "The film ran £2,000,000 over

Laurence Harvey-one of the hottest box office bets on either side of the Atlantic-was recently signed to play Chapinan. Filming begins in Paris next month with Roy Boulting directing.

Sald Feldkamp the other day: "I was threatened with the Official Secrets Act and several times I felt like giving up. But a story like this only comes along pace in a lifetime, so I didn't" I talked with Eddie Chapman himself. He is to act 85 technical adviser on the film.

"I'm delighted that they're finally going ahead," he said, "And anything other than film, a budget, and everybody was very Roy Boulting is an old hand at tiling at officialdom, so there glazed look comes over their worried, except me: I left the faces. It's rather odd. you cast and caine over here and →should be humour as well as drama in the film."..."

I'm made another fillim, and then Why, I wonder, have the War Office opposed this story for so know, but in Hollywood long? Does such an old-school-te stronghold find it distasteful thought of as something of an went back and finished my part, to admit that an ex-safecracker was once recruited as a British intellectual. If that is so can and I still don't think anybody agent? Are they afraid that, once the story is admitted, Alfe Hinds you magine how stupid the really missed me,

others must be?" and assorted gellgalte boys will be lining up applying for work?

Two men, one job. A big job. President of the U.S.A. What are these men really like? Two books provide the answers

THE KEY TO KENNEDY - BY

HELD stiffly in a spinal jacket, a young veteran

of the war against Japan lay in hospital sur rounded by books. Not many weeks previously after a dangerous operation the last rites liad been administered to him.

He still did not know whether he could ever return to an active life. But already he was busy..

once wrote about. For he is Senator John F. Kennedy.

KENNEDY HIMSELF

He

By PERCY HOWARD

What is he like, this potential President with the boyish Van criminals at Nuremberg. Awkwardly, in the Hospital Johnson face? How is he likely had no love for them; but he bed, he pencilled marginal to behave if elected?

became convinced that the trial noles. Already he was pre- paring a book of his own about Already he has baffled the was against all principles of courage not in war, but in a commentators by naming his Anglo-Saxon Justice. These men, field of life which was far more bitter rival, Lyndon Johnson, as he told himself, were being sentenced under a retroactive. important to him. Courage in his choice for Vice-President. law. He decided that, however politics"

Yet perhaps they should not vainiy, it was his duty to oppose died of cholera in St. Lous than execution. And so he go into convention with such a have been baffed, I have been their reading a remarcable guide to spoke out deliberately causing a gang of scamps." Kenandy's conduct, "It is nation-wide, wave of rage and make PROFILES IN COURAGE (not anger which perhaps drowned Does it seem likely that a man with heroes such as et miblished in Britain), the all his own hopes for ever

Benton would be merely book he wrote as an invalid.

That, wrote the crippled smooth nonentity of a Kennedy, was frue courage. Yet President? For it is men of the was it not also a kind of cour Berton anould who dominate age for Kennedy to make his Kennedy's books. Such was Marshall whole book lead up to such Sepator Humphrey praise for an enemy of his own who despite popular anti- British fervour-backed George party?

with

Into one volume he, brought the men he admired most-the politicians of the past who had deliberately wrecked their careers for the sake of principle. BAFFLED

That was five years ago Today the face of the sick young author is known every where. Almost within his grasp he has political power beyond the dreams of the statesmen he

And for

your bookshelf

I have been amazed by the vivid light It throws ch Kennedy himself.

Take for example, his choice of Lyndon Johnson as running mate a move not only of shrewdness but of magnanimity too. The spirit behind it can

'SCAMPS'

Bell in 1785.

Enraged by his attrude, a

be detected on almost every Then take the allegation that mob dragged Marshall from his page of Kennedy's book-end in che chapter in particular. For Kennedy is a polical smoothie, home to duck him in a river. -a fixer whose, well-olled. But at the water's edge Mar- whom did this rising young Democrat politician choose for political machine has deftly shall managed to get in a want. bla final, example for political edged him into the nomination. He said "My friends all this is fregizlar in the ordinance greatness and courage? A man Having read his Prodles in of immersion as practised in the detected by the rant-and-be Courage, believe that this good old Baolist Church if de

Democrats on whom the author's view of him as a smiling the rule lo require the candle rown future depended the late machine-man swill be proven dates to relate his experience

before his baptism is per formedis

Republican leader Robert Taft, utterly wrong.

Do you remember Taft? Do you remember the ugly, deter

For look at the men in the mined face of the man whose at whom he most clear

mires, They are the

LEVEL 1, by “Mordecal Rosh one ambition since childhood men who stuck out for wald (Reinemann, 15m), OR was to be President, but who beliefs in spite of every vius, uninginative Tetional was besten in his final bid for description of the world's lead" nomination by Eisenhower, in

ing morona, both sides, going 19527:

deep underground and destroy-

ing the world and themselves

with nuclear

hero

SMOOTHIE?

Such

Bensfor

Hart Benton; He wa From: the slave-owning State of

Missouri In 18592 determined that the

takes de back to an compromise over

in Tafta career of order to keep the

1946 the together. For that

Just willingly incurred fes and contemet of.

ed the mob Jet Mershel

ard findily the lash of

THE CHALLENGE

“I think it will be great. FOOTNOTE:" Although mar÷Especially Flag ve left in the ried to one of the richest young scene where Jean Slomons men in the world, Miss St John bathes in the nude. There's does not take money dor never been anything like it in granted. Her studio wanted to pictures. But I'm afraid the borrow ber Mercedes Benz cenzor will cut the scene after 300 SL for some in one of ruming it through half a dozen her films. "Cerizanty,” said Miss times. St John, "As long as you pay me, gxactly what you'd pay to hire one from a renting com-

ABOUT FACE

FILM NOTE: In her. new picture The Grass la Greener Miss Simmons has a scene where' she appears in her under- wear, Frit nudity now this. What has happened to the once. demure Miss. Simmons?

TN

When she was growing about London recently and wished to be smobserved, Miss Kim Novak West End restaurant List donned black wig and horn. week, a young solor I know. rimmed. glasses

asked the head waller to bolne- 'out·s pròâncer, s

man famed What a curious profession for his fight-fistednem, here is!

(55 wyou'll recognise him easily" Miles Novak's studio "spends said the water, indiosting the hundreds

thousantis od producer's table." "He's the one publicising her so that sitting with his back to the

will be instantly bIH"

the

-{London Express Service

The mellowest...

The smoothest...

TRULY A 600D MIXER

JOLD PENSIONERI

No, I don't hare televisien ont

I have a bath towel

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