Modern Screen (Dec 1948 - Oct 1949)

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Harrison, Chicago 44. And the strange thing is, there's been nothing more than that to many of Hedy's so-called "flings." The public hears — sometimes from Hedy, sometimes from others — that certain men are crazed with yearning for her — indeed, they wish to marry her. Then, sadly enough, nothing develops. In the realm of stern reality, Hedy has had three unfortunate marriages — to Fritz Mandl, when she was only a young, inexperienced girl of 17; to Gene Mar key, with whom she actually had little in common; and to John Loder, with whom, for a time, she seemed to have found happiness — until fundamental issues arising in part from the inequalities of their careers put the marriage on the rocks. And aside from her ill-fated matrimonial ventures, she has had several affairs of the heart that were by no means mere newspaper rumors. Somehow, these too have all ended on an unhappy note. Why has this fabulous woman been unable to find the right man to love — the man who can give her the deep, stable devotion she so clearly needs in her life? Why does Hedy Lamarr, one of the most hauntingly beautiful women that ever walked the earth — wealthy, famous, intelligent, admired and envied all over the world — why does a woman of such legendary attractiveness have so little success in her most vital relationships? That very question, in the various forms it takes, is a mystery that has titillated Hollywood for years. The incident with the San Franciscan simply added new fuel to the old fires of curiosity. to please the public . . . Like any major star, Hedy has been to a great extent a victim of that curiosity. It goes without saying that the public has an insatiable appetite for fresh-from-theoven tidbits concerning the private lives of celebrities; and the newspapers, in supplying this demand, are under a natural pressure to make the most of such items as may come along. Thus, the strange and over-blown accounts of Hedy's affairs are, much more often than not, no fault of hers. It sometimes has happened, however, that fanciful reports about her have been given their initial impetus by Hedy herself. She's a very candid, honest person. She says what she believes to be true. If her belief in the validity of a "romance" leads her occasionally to make unguarded statements that later on appear to have been exaggerated, you really can't hold it against her. Every one of us is controlled, far more than we imagine, by the workings of our subconscious. And Hedy, with a deep and understandable need for the devotion of the man who could fulfill her life, seems sometimes impelled to mistake her own wishful thinking for reality. Recently, George Sanders was reported to be wildly avid for Hedy. Soon afterward, I watched them do a scene together for Samson and Delilah — in which Hedy, as the champion siren of all time, made love to George. When the panting scene was over, he calmly walked away from her without a word. I was amazed — for Hedy herself had told me that George had even planned where they'd spend their honeymoon— in New York and Europe. A little later I heard a different version of the Lamarr-Sanders relationship from the fascinating Zsa Zsa Gabor. Of course, Zsa Zsa might have been faintly prejudiced — she was engaged to marry George at the time! '• I "They had two dinner dates," she said. "That's all there was to it. In fact, he left Hedy in Hollywood to come to me in New York, without even saying goodbye to her." I Then there was the strange case of Billy Wilder, the very eligible and top-flight 1 director. I saw him with Hedy at a big movie premiere. Billy was being very attentive and Hedy was beaming — obviously loving the attention. For weeks afterward, the columns were filled with rumors of impending wedding bells. "I hear you and Hedy are getting married," I said to Billy when I encountered him at Romanoff's. "Don't be ridiculous," he smiled. "I've had one date with her." As I've already indicated, Hedy can't be held responsible for all the romantic items about her that appear in the public press, since sometimes even the wildest fantasies are grist for the hungry columnists' mills. An example of this was the coupling of Hedy's name with Cary Grant's in the papers for a time. Well, Cary didn't have even one date with the lady. Possibly he wanted to — but it never happened. But the fact remains that Hedy herself has on a number of occasions given currency to such fictions. I asked her not long ago the routine question, "What's new in your life?" She hesitated — then said, "Oh, I've met a fascinating Frenchman — Jacques Frangois. He calls me all the time." It so happened that I was lunching next day with some people at Universal-International when Jacques Francois joined us. After coffee I said lightly, "How's Hedy?" Jacques looked surprised, and then said, "I don't know. We had one dinner date three weeks ago — but I haven't seen or heard from her since. I must have bored her — she hardly spoke to me all evening.' Now, why did Hedy want me to believe she was interested in Monsieur Francois? critic's corner WHAT PAPER DO YOU READ? The best fiction film ever made about extra-sensory perception has opened at the Paramount Theatre under the spectacular name of Night Has A Thousand Eyes. What it will do to the peace of mind of those who experience it has stimulated this department's comparatively feeble powers of prediction. Approximately one thousand newly fledged mentalists will be leaving the theater after each break. The rest, along with this observer, will be cursing their own blunted extra senses . . . Archer Winsten The New York Post For a time 1 this account of a fake vaudeville mental wizard who becomes endowed with prescience of terrible events is mildly fascinating. It settles too soon for the customary contrivances of a mystery melodrama of the shrieks and clutching-hand variety . . . If Night Has A Thousand Eyes gives you pause, it is because of a preposterous theme and a lame ending rather than eerie overtones . . . Howard Barnes New York Herald Tribune r