Hollywood Spectator (Apr-May 1939)

average ingenuity. They lack spirit. Two nationally popular singers, Jessica Dragonette and Lanny Ross lend their voices to the princess and the prince, who, of course, supply the romantic element. None of the singing sounds particularly endearing. In fact, the first soprano solo song is marred by a continuous and jittery tremolo, and Lanny Ross does not sing evenly all the time, despite the simplicity of the melodies. Artistic Skill •J Gulliver’s Travels is such excellent entertainment, and such a high blend of mirth, satire and inventively applied artistic skill, that the weaknesses I have mentioned matter little. I know that Dave and Max Fleischer have spared no efforts to serve beauty quite as much as necessary box-office considerations. They have served the screen well and I am sure with due material gain as well. Both Fleischers have planned and made Gulliver’s Travels with acute understanding and concern for musical possibilities. Not only had every scene been calculated in terms of beats and measures, so as to leave Composer Young room to make naturally and dramatically coursing music, but the visual action has been designed with a sense of phrasing, rhythm and long sustained cadence, which makes the complete picture something enjoyable in the sense visual action rhythm and flow. This has. of course, helped Young in writing the score, difficult as it must have been to compose music for a picture containing so much minute and so much simultaneous, and often speedy motion. He has succeeded brilliantly, in terms of action and moods. Clever Ideas fl Perhaps the Fleischers thought it wise to provide points of rest in the constant movement of story-action when they left space for seven songs, although two of these tunes are lively enough, especially the All’s Well. For that matter one of the chief action motives in the entire film is based on the quarrel and the war between two Lilliputian kings as to which song shall be sung at the wedding of their children. It would blunt the point of Fleischer humor to tell more, except that later on both songs are aptly combined into one. This is a film-musical idea, much to their credit. Young has written capital music for the grand “alarum” when Gabby races up hill and down dale like streaked lightning to spread the horror tale of the presence of the giant on the beach. The mobilization music preceding the war is neat, too. One of the most adroit and minutely elaborate pieces of musical writing occurs during the tying and hoisting up of Gulliver, ending with genuine sunrise music. Badly reproduced at the preview, it sounded then monotonous. The search for the Giant at night on the beach, when Young counterpoints the flitting lantern lights, the music of the waves, also episodes for Bombo’s spies and for his bird-messengers, are but a few instances in a fascinatingly illustrative cartoon score. * * * Columbia Recordings include a Balalaika album featuring Ilona Massey and Nelson Eddy. Decca has two more picture albums in the offing. One is to contain all the film songs Marlene Deitrich has sung, beginning with Blue Angel. The other album is devoted to Disney's Pinocchio. Curiously enough, the musical director for the last named is Victor Young, composer-conductor for the feature-length cartoon Gulliver's T ravels. ;jc * * Edmund Goulding will direct a Warner Brothers re-filming of Margaret Kennedy’s amusing and yet by no means entirely light novel The Constant Nymph. It contains psychological problems of broad character, complicated by a composer’s temperament. Whoever will be assigned to do the score has a wonderful chance for pointed and poignant musical hinting. The film contains a concert episode in which a symphony is being premiered. In the London-made film a part of a Sinfometta by Goossens has been interpolated. Warners should have music written for the occasion, and it might be based on thematic material used earlier in the film. Goulding, it is good to know, is a music-minded screen director, but so are Jack Warner and his production chief, Hal Wallis. and JilinA By Ina Roberts <J The Foster Memorial Library at Pittsburgh LIniversity (Stephen Foster was born at Pittsburgh ) produced photographs and drawings of his birthplace that enabled Twentieth Century-Fox to re-create the house for Swanee River. In addition the library helped materially in showing the studio what Don Ameche, Andrea Leeds and A1 Jolson should look like in their respective roles of Foster, his wife and E. P. Christy, the minstrel man. Closer cooperation between films and museums is to be desired. This is still another strand among the many that are weaving films into the fabric of our national life. That films are realizing their responsibility in the matter is evidenced in the article following. I have mentioned before the fact that recent films based on the history of various cities is bringing those cities closer to all of us; the premieres held in the towns bring actual business, something most places and most people neec today. Perhaps the time is coming when we shall realize that it is not competition that is the life of trade; it is cooperation. Competition helps one (perhaps) ; cooperation helps all concerned. The $75,000 Dr. Paul Ehrlich collection gathered by Warners for props in The Magic Bullet will be sent to New York for exhibition at the premiere. Let us hope this collection will finally find its way to the appropriate Museum. Films and Museums <7 I quote in the following Walter Wanger* newly elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences : “"The 8,500 creative artists of Hotly woocTand the 85,000,000 weekly theatregoers of the LInited States have more in common than mere entertainment,” says Mr. Wanger. “The screen is the greatest single social influence, expanding as well as interpreting the American way of living for the whole world. There should be closer understanding between the film creators and their audience.” Wanger Speaks CJ The premiere of Abe Lincoln in Illinois at Lincoln Memorial Universty. Harrogate, Tennessee, January 27th was a triple jubilee, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the University and the film industry, also of the nearby city of Middlesboro, Kentucky. As part of the celebration, the Lincoln University is offering two prize scholarships to high school seniors in the United States who write the best essay on the subject, “A Student Looks at Abe Lincoln in Illinois.” The first prize will be a four-year scholarship covering room, board and tuition; the second, a scholarship covering one-half these expenses. The contest will begin on Lincoln’s birthday, 1940 and end at midnight May 15, 1940. Winners wil be announced June 3, 1940. Robert E. Sherwood, author of the Pulitzer Prize play and adapter of the film, wil be one of the judges; the others include University officials. * * * We never know which minute will be our next. Nan Grey’s interest was aroused in a new hobby when she saw the aray of pewter ware used as props in the kitchen and dining room sets or The House of Seven Gables now in production at Universal Studios. As soon as she finishes work on the film Nan will concentrate on getting a collection of early New England pewter ware. ★ When block-booking is abolished the exhibitor will need a source of unequivocally reliable reviews. The Spectator affords them. MARCH 1, 1940 PAGE ELEVEN