A hundred million movie-goers must be right... (1938)

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loved genuinely by an innocent country gal. She could have alienated less sympathy if she had robbed an orphanage. Yet she was the same Mae West who appeared in She Done Him Wrong. Which answers the question whether or not the public likes movie stars. They do if their role warrants. In short, the idea that a star can compel liking simply because of some magic aura surrounding their person is fallacious in the extreme. Whatever a star happens to be on the screen is first of all in his role, or in his personality if his personality enhances his role, but in the end he is his role, or whatever author, adaptionist, director and cameraman make him. Those yeomen, along with the actor are in turn merely mediums that singularize and further pursuits, adding something of appeal, mystery or authenticity. Always the pursuit or role makes or unmakes the star. Now that we have a fairish idea of what role can do for star, let's see what this thing called miscasting of star roles can do to really great movies. Regarding Chester Morris in The Redheaded Woman, cast as the son of the owner, and managing the store where the redhead clerked, Morris was woefully miscast; much too rugged, out-of-doors or action type; but acceptable as the redhead's victim because her role was dominant, his secondary. Despite miscasting The Redheaded Woman was a memorable hit. The number one pickpocket in the silent version of The Miracle Man was miscast with a very charitable looking, non-pocket-picking type of star, the late Thomas Meighan. Nevertheless, that version was a tremendous hit. Meighan's role in the talkie version was properly cast with a non-charitable type, Chester Morris. The sound version was a disappointment. And not because of casting or because it was a remake with the edge taken off. Romance eased its grip. Chester Morris was miscast as the husband in The Divorcee. Yet that was a hit ; which speaks highly of Morris as a trouper. Chico's role in the silent version of Seventh Heaven was cast with a very superior sort of non-sewer-washing type of actor, Charles Farrell. That version too was a hit. The talkie version, properly cast with a 112