Modern Screen (Dec 1954 - Dec 1955)

Cannes Cinderella Betsy Blair stole the spotlight, dethroned every queen there except Grace Kelly who KELLYS MEET: GRACE, GENE, BETSY. KELLY GRIPS PAL VAN JOHNSON. DORIS DAY GUIDES HUSBAND, SON. REPORT FROIVI CANNES Grace Kelly saved the day for Cannes publicists when her romance with Jean Pierre Aumont put the Film Festival on the front pages. The Festival was getting no attention before Grace arrived. Many big stars had come from near and far, but no headliners. Marilyn Monroe had canceled her trip to Cannes at the last minute. Gary Cooper had turned the committee down fiat. Where were the delectable scandalous tidbits of other Festival years? The spotlighted quarrels of Zsa Zsa Gabor and George Sanders, the tender romance of Richard Todd and Nicole Courcel, the historic meeting of Olivia de Havilland and Pierre Galante? Without Grace's love story the Festival would have fizzled. Proof that the Kelly-Aumont news was no publicity stunt: The Country Girl didn't win at Cannes. Van Johnson refused to cooperate with the press agents who tried to fire the Festival with some Johnson scandal. Van persisted in talking about wife Evie to the glamour girls instead of getting involved. Did he remember the juicy publicity Gary Cooper created with his Gisele Pascal interlude at the Cannes Festival two years ago ? Not that Van wasn't seen with Italian actress Sophia Loren, but he stuck close to the Marty Melchers and other American couples. The best-liked American star at Cannes this year, Van gave so many autographs the black market on his signature fell from 500 francs ($1.50) to 300. Terry Moore took a few days' leave from her London picture-making to join the crowd at Cannes. Dropping hints all along the trail from Paris that her heart was at liberty, she lost no time in leasing it. An introduction to young French actor Daniel Cauchy was the springboard for a short but torrid affair. They romped together on the hot sand of the Carlton Beach and held hands constantly. Terry's mother kept them well-chaperoned and buttonholed everyone to ask anxiously, "Who is this boy?" Luckily for Daniel she found out he was an up-and-coming young actor but didn't hear him confide to a pal that the Moore romance would boost his career. When Terry left for London, Daniel gave her a medal inscribed, "The sweetest of joys is to be loved when one loves." Esther Williams reigned like a queen at Cannes. She threw kisses to the crowds of fans in front of the Festival Theatre; she swam in the royal pool for the Aga Khan and his Begum. She was interviewed and photographed round the clock. Paris-Afatc/t even shot her swimming in the Dubonnet pool, a series of photographs unflattering enough to make Esther blow up in front of the Begum. You can't blame her. She'd been on stage every minute, carrying the ball for the U. S. A. Only time Esther relaxed was when she retired to her rooms during the afternoon Gina Lollobrigida came to Cannes and conquered the Festival the way she does every year. Doris Day and Marty Melcher turned the Festival into a family picnic. They avoided most social functions, embarrassing the Festival committee. While other stars put on their most elaborate dresses for the evening affairs, Doris and Marty slipped out, camera in hand, for a quiet dinner in Cannes. Doris even refused to participate in the Battle of Flowers, the French version of the Rose Parade. She sat it out on the front row while Esther and Grace exchanged floral bouquets with the crowd. Doris and Marty may not have been enchanted by the Festival but they liked Cannes enough to postpone their sailing to North Africa, where Doris was due for the first scenes of The Man Who Knew Too Much, until the last minute. Betsy Blair stole the show at Cannes, won first prize for Marty and everybody's affection. She loved every bit of it, in contrast to husband Gene Kelly who has a horror of big shindigs. She didn't miss a party or reception, except for the few days she attended a U.A. convention in London. She returned to Cannes by plane the same day Gene arrived with daughter Kerry by car. Gene couldn't take it for more than two days and returned to London for work on Invitation To The Dance. Betsy makes no bones about her love for France and everything French. She remembers the five months she and Gene spent in Paris during their voluntary expatriation two years ago. After the Festival Betsy resumed conferences for the picture she will make this summer in France with Jean Gabin. No Cinderella could wish for a finer Prince Charming. 56