Modern Screen (Aug-Dec 1943)

NO BELTS NO PINS NO PADS NO ODOR Tampax is a real vacation help GONE are the days when a woman 'would not go near the water at certain times of the month . . . For the user of Tampax has discarded entirely the external pad and belt worn beneath the swim suit and has adopted instead the principle of internal absorption for her sanitary protection . . . Whether the suit is wet or dry, Tampax remains invisible, with no bulging, bunching or faintest line ! Tampax has many other advantages, too. Handy to carry. Speedy to change. No chafing. Easy disposal . . . Perfected by a doctor, Tampax is made of pure surgical cotton compressed in dainty one-timeuse applicator, for quick, easy insertion. No belts or pins are required and no sanitary deodorant, because Tampax is worn internally and no odor can form. Invaluable for the sensitive woman who cannot bear to feel conspicuous . . . Sold at drug stores and notion counters in three absorbencies : Regular, Super, Junior. Introductory size, 20£. Economy package lasts 4 months, average. Tampax Incorporated, Palmer, Mass. 3 Absorbencies REGULAR SUPER JUNIOR Accepted for Advertising by the Journal of the American Medical Association. a lot of trouble. That pipe and the clang of fire engines seem to be practically inseparable. The smell of smoke permeates "Dixie" from the first reel to the last, and through it Dan Emmett (Bing Crosby) smiles his carefree way. Nobody can help liking Dan, even when he does things like leaving his pipe burning on the table in his girl's house while they go out by the river to pitch a little woo. When he and Jean (Marjorie Reynolds) get back, there's no house — just ashes. A trip for his health seems indicated to Dan, and he journeys around the country, followed by fire bells, whistles and smoke. He and an accordionist named Mr. Bones (Billy De Wolfe) join forces, and eventually Dotty Lamour turns up, as Millie, the landlord's daughter. She's in dresses this time, instead of a sarong. Maybe that's why Dan remains immune to her charms. He's still in love with the girl back home. Remember the old minstrel shows? Even if you don't, you're going to love the one Dan and Mr. Bones put on in New Orleans. It makes such a hit that Dan has money enough to go back and marry Jean, who is now crippled by paralysis and in a wheelchair. Dan still loves her, and they tour the country together, eventually getting together again with Millie and Mr. Bones. Dan has been working on a little tune called "Dixie," and he introduces it in New Orleans. As the minstrels sing, the audience joins in, but smoke is curling across the stage. That pipe! The minstrels sing louder, but above the song the clang ■ of fire engines is heard — hold your hats, boys, here we go again! — Par. P. S. This is Bing Crosby's first Technicolor picture . . . Dottie Lamour swathes her torrid torso in tight waists and hoopskirts . . . Marjorie Reynolds wears drabber costumes, plays most of the picture in a wheel-chair . . . Origin of the term ham actor popped up when Crosby and his fellow minstrels are shown in one scene cutting strips of rind and ham fat to help take the burnt cork off their faces . . . Running gag in the picture has Crosby carelessly leaving pipes around that start fires. Opening scene shows his wife-to-be's home burning slowly to the ground. Two days before production halted, Crosby's own home smoldered into oblivion, but Bing swears it was only a coincidence. HEAVEN CAN WAIT Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) is trying to talk his way into hell. Not, admittedly, the usual procedure, but Henry, who has just died of a heart attack, is sure that hell is the place for him. People have always told him he'd end up there, he explains to the Devil, and he'd hate to make a liar out of them. "That's all very well," says the Devil (Laird Cregar), "but what are your qualifications?" Well, Henry tells him, there's the matter of women. There have been a lot of them in his life, although only one of them counts. That's Martha, his wife. . . . The first time he met Martha (Gene Tierney) she was engaged to his cousin. But Henry falls madly in love with her and persuades her to elope with him. Eventually they have a son, Jack — and eventually, too, the little question of other women comes up. None were important, Henry maintains stoutly, but you know wives! The Devil nods sympathetically. Martha, it seems, wearies of Henry's fanciful explanations for his peccadil los and goes back to her family in the middle west. Henry goes after her, but finds her immune to all his pleas for forgiveness. Well, he tells her sadly, perhaps she's right in leaving him and taking young Jack. Already the boy shows signs of being a chip off the old block. Why, only the other day he had two little girls fighting over him. Martha grins proudly in spite of herself and demands details. Before she knows it, she's on her way back to New York and happiness. After her death many years later, the lonely Henry paints the town as bright a red as his declining years will permit. The heart attack ensues, and the doctor prescribes absolute quiet. But there's some champagne in the house, and the nurse is a beautiful blonde. . . . Well, says Henry, that's how it was. The Devil looks at him reflectively. "Have you tried up above?" he inquires. Henry is sure it would be no use. But the Devil thinks Martha might put in a good word for her husband. Suddenly hopeful, Henry steps into the elevator. This is light-hearted nonsense with the gay Lubitsch touch, and a cast that includes Charles Coburn, Marjorie Main, Allyn Joslyn, Spring Byington and Helene Reynolds— 20th-Fox. P. S. Gene Tierney, who plays an understanding wife to Don Ameche, is a faithful real-life wife to soldier husband Oleg Cassini, spent all her spare time on the set writing love letters to him — romance at 1,500 miles. Evenings she worked on a screen story for a Betty Grable musical which Fox is considering . . . Michael Ames' ambition has been to play in pictures with Gene Tierney, realizes his dream in this one, playing role of her son . . . Laird Cregar just out of a Hollywood hospital where he was sent to reduce, is now a shadow of his former self at 260. WINTER TIME As cool and sparkling as iced champagne, this is the perfect picture for August. Sonja Henie skates gracefully through it, and she has a beautiful, shiny, new leading man, Cornel Wilde. Jack Oakie and Cesar Romero provide the laughs — slapstick, maybe, but who cares as long as they're laughs? Romero trying to sneak through the dining room of a Canadian resort hotel clad only in a suit of long winter underwear gives us the funniest scene in years. That Henie girl can certainly make with the skates! You think you've seen her at her very best, and then comes a new picture where she tops every previous performance. She plays Nora, a Norwegian girl who is in the United States with her uncle, wealthy Mr. Ostgaard (S. Z. Sakall). They are told they must go to Canada and come in on new quota numbers. Skip (Jack Oakie) tricks them into going to the Chateau Promenade, a snowbound, run-down old hotel owned by his friend, Freddie (Cornel Wilde). Uncle almost has apoplexy when he sees it, but Nora has a heart attack of a different kind when she sees Freddie. He's for her, and they'll stay right there if she can arrange it. She talks her uncle into buying the hotel and getting it into shape to attract tourists. The catch is that this keeps Freddie so busy he has no time for her. Whenever she looks for him, he's in a huddle with the beautiful blonde press agent (Helene Reynolds). Brad Barton, who sings with the orchestra (Cesar Romero to you) would like to console her. There's (Continued on page 12) 10 MODERN SCREEN