Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1943)

^^**^v5pW^fc^ 111 ADEU IIICEIS SI. JOHNS has worn the West Point uniform, he has been a brave officer of our Union Army, he has done the epic deeds of our pioneer forefathers. We have come to identify him with the men to whom we Americans owe so very much, we Americans who are once more fighting to the death for those things they bequeathed to us. It is Errol Flynn who made Custer's last stand come alive for many of us. As a whole we are richer, we are warmer, for the way in which Errol Flynn made "these men come to life, made them into real people and thus inspired us to feel a closer brotherhood with them. The boys who a short time ago yelled and whistled and stamped to cheer on Errol Flynn's rides across the plains are today in the African desert or on the Solomon Islands or in camp somewhere in the U. S. A., getting ready to go over there. And Flynn was their idol. Let's not kid ourselves about that. I sat through too many Errol Flynn pictures with my own sons. That is why it seems so essential to get at the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth of this controversial matter — for controversial it must be upon whichever side the truth now is. It is a tragic thing to lose any hero right now — or any man who has portrayed those heroes and identified himself with them in our eyes. But the times are too realistic for whitewash to stick. When I get just this far I am overcome with a desire to smack Mr. Flynn. Honestly. Whether or not he is guilty of the crime with which he is charged — I for one do not believe that he is guilty as charged and we'll go into that in a moment — he had no business to get himself into such a spot. He had no right not to protect us all from such a mess. He's old enough to know better. For Mr. Flynn now stands charged with a crime at the mere suggestion FEBRUARY, 1943 of which that great sportsman whom Flynn has just brought to the screen, James J. Corbett, would have poked him right in the nose. Sometimes you can hurt just as many people and get yourself in just as bad a jam by being dumb as you can by being bad. However, I think that in view of all these things there are a number of matters which it is essential that we consider at this time. If our timing on the deadline is right, you will read this before Flynn comes to trial in the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles, prosecuted by District Attorney Dockweiler and Assistant District Attorney Cochran and defended by Jerry Geisler, who is not only a fine trial lawyer but a man whose integrity and honesty are highly respected by our judges and law enforcement officials. There and then Mr. Flynn will be charged and tried by a jury of his peers. But in his case, that courtroom widens to take in most of the Englishspeaking world and the jury grows until millions will sit upon it; FOR Errol Flynn must also be tried at the bar of public opinion and you are the jury of his peers in that vast court which is so vital to him — and to you. Your verdict is the most important thing in life to this man whom you have lifted to movie stardom. You will not be present in that small courtroom when Errol Flynn answers "Not Guilty." You will depend upon eyewitness accounts through the newspapers of what takes place and upon printed testimony of the two girls involved and the other witnesses. I know that is always difficult. I have read the transcript of court cases that I have covered and been amazed to find the difference; the ring of truth or the knell of guilt in a voice, the appearance and posture of a witness, (Continued on page 87) . . . on upstanding Naval doctor in the stirring "Dive Bomber" . . . ... as General Custer in "They Died With Their Boots On" . . . . . . and as James J. Corbett in his latest, "Gentleman Jim" 27