Modern Screen (Dec 1949 - Nov 1950)

are the big stars too old ? (Continued from page 56) that a change in story weakened the picture, the change was made. Eventually, when the film was released, the verdict of the critics was, "It stinks!" Let it be known that the star in question was not Joan Crawford. Admittedly 42 years old, Joan was for some years so violently sensitive about her age that any writer who mentioned it was subject to cold reception. Today Joan doesn't bother to deny that she has passed into the older star bracket. True, she plays women younger than her actual age. True, too, that her closeups are a problem. In closeups she may have as many as eight or ten baby spots playing on her from all different directions to erase those lines. Actually, Joan was much older five years ago than she is today. At that time she had the fear of aging so firmly imbedded in her subconscious that she was seldom her natural self. It is a truism among women the world over that it is not age but the fear of age that makes a woman old. It wasn't until Joan realized this fact that her career, which had fallen into the doldrums, was suddenly revived. Bosses at major studios are worried over the number of stars, both male and female, who are signed to airtight longterm contracts. In the privacy of conference rooms, these people are referred to as "over-age destroyers." They draw down huge sums of money and must be used in pictures in order to return some money on the investment made in them. Still, some courageous studio executives refuse to be "shoved around" by older stars who fail to realize that even a strong contract cannot protect them against waning public popularity. Typical of the new type of thinking is this statement made by Stanley Kramer, young producer of Champion, "It is the idea power behind a picture, not the name power, that will bring the public the type of films it really wants. In time, a steady succession of pictures like Champion, which sent Ruth Roman and Kirk Douglas into the select circle of stardom, will revitalize the star system. Nothing is so good for a star as a good idea for a picture." This is simple common sense that a great many stars cannot accept, because they actually believe that they know more about stories than do trained writers and producers. What many of the stars are really doing is insisting on characterizations they think will show them in a youthful light. Such was probably the object of Ginger Rogers a few years back, when she attempted scenes in a picture during which she wore pigtails and acted like a little girl. The results were painful. Similarly, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, aged 41 and 50 respectively, appeared in a picture called Adam's Rib. Hepburn played a female attorney which was not unreasonable. Tracy, however, allowed himself to be cast as an assistant district attorney. This was not so reasonable. Assistant district attorneys who are worth their salt are usually young men in their twenties, fresh out of law school. Not only that, but the kittenish manner in which Hepburn and Tracy played the little love story against the background of a fancy apartment and a country house was hardly in keeping with the new realism demanded of Hollywood. In one theater a ticket-buying critic rose from his seat, exclaimed, "At their s age they should be ashamed!" and left. A touch of hilarity was added to the seriousness of the whole subject of aging 100 romantic . stars by Barbara Stanwyck. When asked why she went around with no attempt to hide the fact that her hair was completely silvergray, she said, "Only the young dye good!" Many of our older stars who insist on appearing in stories of young love are so difficult to photograph that important cameramen make every excuse to avoid taking on the job. One cinematographer, who must remain nameless, recently stood in the middle of an outdoor set looking at a strip of film. The scene was a daylight closeup of a male and female star who will never see forty again. "I'm either going to quit the business after this one," he moaned to his assistant, "or ask for a Lassie picture as my next assignment." His objection was not to the stars or to their age, but to the fact that they were pretending to be people in their early twenties, and none of his artistry could cover up this obvious phoniness. Nor "would this cameraman have voiced such an objection to Barbara Stanwyck, who throughout her career has insisted on uncompromising honesty. Barbara has appeared in pictures which she herself will classify as "stinkers," but her personal integrity has never suffered. Always acting within five years or so of I SAW IT HAPPEN Outside the Coliseum Theater in London a large crowd had besieged Gregory Peck, giving a charity show there before returning to Hollywood. I stood far back in the crowd beside a lady who seemed unperturbed by the autograph-hounds who jostled her continually. "You don't see many British stars standing in the street like this to sign autographs," I said to her. "I raise my hat to Greg Peck. He could easily have walked out the back entrance and avoided this." She replied with a smile, "You don't know my husband." L. Vigon London, England her actual age, which is 43, Barbara retains a tremendous personal sex appeal whether in person or on the screen. To illustrate, a group of writers recently were passing remarks about various actresses who happened to pass by their table at the Metro commissary. These actresses were examined with bold masculine scrutiny, and classified according to various degrees of sex appeal. "A very sad crop of dollies this season," one writer commented. At that moment Barbara Stanwyck, fresh from her first scenes with Clark Gable in To Please a Lady, swept in. The writer's head seemed to spin like a top. "Ah," he said, "look at that sex appeal! Anyone present who wouldn't want to show Stanwyck his etchings is a liar." In other words, there are exceptions to every situation. Another exception is Loretta Young, who will be 37 next January sixth. Almost anyone in his right mind will admit that by some unaccountable miracle Loretta seems to grow more beautiful and youthful as time goes by. Perhaps it's because Loretta has always been completely indifferent to age. While other stars have been known to start covering up their real ages after they pass 24, Lor etta always looked forward eagerly being an adult and the idea of compk maturity has never caused her anxie As a friend of hers put it, "I know half dozen girls in Hollywood who arei yet 21, but they worry so much abo growing old that compared to them Lo etta Young could pass for Elizabeth Ta lor's twin sister." And right here is indirect proof th most of our stars are far too old for r mance. Even before she was 17, Eliz beth Taylor was cast in torrid romam roles. Of course, she appeared a litt older than her tender years, but the pui lie accepted her immediately. Elizabe Taylor is the unofficial queen of the Met lot today because people everywhere wl were around -Elizabeth's age welcomed h affectionately both off screen and on. Meantime, there are at least a doz< girls in Elizabeth's category who ear break down the doors to studios. Things are not quite so tough for tl young male seeking a break in Holb wood, probably because women all ov the country make their male preferenc strongly felt. Montgomery Clift, who is not exactly a young sprout, knockc tnem for a loop in only one picture. Jof Derek scored similarly, along with Jor Agar, Scott Brady, Richard Todd, Dav Wayne and Marlon Brando. These young men are all grabbing c important roles, and every time they d some established actor must step into tl background. You never hear what haf pens to the older actors who lose ou Some of them have gone into televisioi others have dropped completely out < the business. For the most part men c not fight so bitterly to hang onto vour romance in pictures as do the feminir stars. Nor are they so sensitive aboi their ages. For instance, Bing Crosby, who is 4 and remains one of our top favorite star has only one policy— that is to act his a| and treat any romantic situations inl which he is put in the most casual man ner. The net result is that he cuts aero; all age lines in favoritism and remair way at the top. Clark Gable is in a simi lar position. Next February first Gab) will be 50, but let him make an appearance on the street and he will imme diately be surrounded by young admirer: The gray-haired Mr. Gable, who coul have married any little glamor girl thirt years his junior but chose a mate almo; his own age, has never tried to kid anv one about his birthday. Because of th'i: he's still King Gable of Metro-Goldwyn ! Mayer. There are many stars of his gen j eration, however, who have fallen bv th ' wayside, simply because they cheats < themselves and then the public' by refus ing to act their age. They spent hour having their hair dyed. They bough toupees, which is normal enough for se j rious work, but an affectation otherwise It is an almost unbelievable contradic tion that Hollywood studios, while sellinboth youth and glamor to the world, clin; to stars past thirty-five for the main por tion of their romantic stories. Where does the fault lie? Not entire!' with the stars. You can't blame them fo not wanting to jump into retirement. No entirely with the producers. Producer get their financial assistance from bank ers. Bankers aren't movie fans; they're interested in making profits, and they'r reluctant to gamble on newcomers. Until the stars and the producers an the bankers get together and take a ti from the public who knows what : wants, the ridiculous contradiction wi continue to exist, will continue to threat en the very foundations of the movi industry. The En