Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1938)

If the Windsors Had Come to Hollywood (Continued jrom page 13) by helping to bind the wounds of innocent victims of Signor Mussolini's favorite sport. The Motion Picture Artists Committee calls on the decent people of Hollywood who emphatically dissent from the welcome accorded Signor Mussolini to redeem the name of our community by sending — a carlaod oj medical supplies to Spain. But all this was as nothing compared to the situation that would have greeted the Windsors had they arrived in Hollywood on schedule. The antagonism to young Mussolini was based on Hollywood's distaste for his father's manner of butting in on world affairs outside of Italy, and young Mussolini's enjoyment of war. There was much more involved in the Windsor's case. First of all, it was no secret in Hollywood that the Windsors had Nazi leanings. It will be remembered that prior to Edward's abdication it was reliably reported from England that Mme. Simpson was receiving Germany's famed troublemaking Ambassador, Herr von Ribbentrop, at her Mayfair home where the King was also a frequent visitor. Then, after the abdication, Edward went to Austria to live in the castle of a Hitler sympathizer. And preceding their world-touted marriage at the Chateau de Cande on June 3, the world's greatest lovers moved to Castle Wasserleonberg in the Carpathian mountains, where they entertained many Fascist friends. A couple of weeks prior to making their proposed American tour the Windsors were entertained in Germany by Hitler and many high Nazi officials. And last but not least they were to have sailed on a German liner! How could Hollywood be expected to stomach this when practically all of its big producers are opposed to Nazi theories as are certainly a great proportion of its directors, actors and writers? Let's not forget also that there are a lot of people in Hollywood who are still loyal British subjects. What would Ronald Colman, or Herbert Marshall, or Leslie Howard, or Basil Rathbone, or Wendy Barrie have done, for instance, if they had been obliged to curtsey to Wally, or to kiss her hand? What might have happened to guest lists which must perforce have been submitted to the Windsors by each hostess who entertained them, if the names of certain important people in filmland, whom they (the Windsors) didn't choose to meet, were stricken off? What would have been the fate of uninvited guests who might have turned up after dinner or tried to crash the gates, so to speak, at any large formal affair? And if the Duke or Duchess refused to shake their hands, would this have gone down as film-history's most embarrassing moment? Where would eager hostesses who did entertain them seat them, and how would those hostesses arrange their tables, anyway? Even the U.S. State Department, whose Protocol Officer is authority on the proper seating of royalty at dinner tables, remained silent — aghast, evidently, at the enormity of the work that lay ahead. For any hostess who might have honored the exKing who is "persona non grata" in England, would have flouted her distaste and disapproval of his brother, the King. And that hostess, herself, would have become persona non grata in the British Empire from then on. Then, too, Hollywood is particularly labor-conscious these days. She is in the throes of her own little labor war, which she is taking quite as seriously as is any one of the larger cities throughout the land. Important members of the film colony attend regularly meetings of the SAG (Screen Actors Guild), the SDG (Screen Directors Guild), and the SWG (Screen Writers Guild) . The injection of Charles Bedeaux into the Windsors' tour was immediately frowned upon in movieland. Long before the American Federation of Labor went on record as being opposed to his acting as the Windsors' guide, people in the colony's innermost circles were discussing the Bedeaux system, which was anathema to them. Even the most openminded just couldn't understand the Duke's strategy in employing the services of a man so notoriously unsympathetic to the very essential things which the Windsors claimed they were coming to America to study. Sadly enough, perhaps, Edward was popular in America, when he visited us twice before, for some of the qualities which ultimately cost him his throne. He was unassuming, good-natured and boyishly fond of having a good time. Together as man and wife, Wally and Edward both enjoy many of the same qualities today, and yet there are people who believe these attributes do not belong hand-in-hand with hard work. Thus they would have probably been criticized abundantly for the pseudofun they might have had on their American tour. W, HILE the prime reason for the Windsors' proposed Hollywood sojourn had actually been, they said, to try to find ways and means of bringing to the people to the British Empire peace on earth. Whether this could have been accomplished through a movie campaign of education depicting the horrors of modern war tactics is problematical. However, in any case it is quite certain they would have been gravely misunderstood at the very beginning of their tragic, unfulfilled mission. Of course, it was not impossible that Edward and his American-born Duchess might actually have consented to the making of a film, in which both of them might have appeared. For a long time rumor had it in Hollywood that such was going to be the case. Figures in excess of the million-dollar mark were mentioned time and again. The extraordinary success of "The Prisoner of Zenda" certainly points to the manner in which people take to the mythical kingdom idea. What might those same people have done if the most sensational regal couple in history today should have appeared together in a film? Surely that would have been the McCoy. But, regardless of whether the Windsors actually would have appeared in a picture or not, they would probably have brought with them that exceedingly interesting film of their courtship from its inception until today, which their close friend and admirer, Herman L. Rogers had taken. To date, because of his devotion and friendship for the subjects, Mr. Rogers has repeatedly turned down all offers made him for this eight-reel thriller that could be made the tops of all newsreel productions of the year. At any rate, with so many handicaps staring them straight in the face, weren't the Windsors taking an awful chance to think of coming to screenland at all? They, themselves, felt they weren't. Why? Because, as far back as last May when I saw them in France, they believed that their popularity in America would enable them to circumvent all of these "trite reasons" — (those are Edward's words, not mine) when I suggested, as I did at that time, that there were these obstacles to be met. And, finally, in the Duke's recent statement that he and his Americanborn Duchess hope to come to America "anyway" later on "when public opinion will have changed," you have the full measure of a man who, because of his royal upbringing, still cannot grasp public opinion as it exists. From one day to the next, one doesn't know. Perhaps by the time this reaches you, the royal couple will have descended on Hollywood. But at least for the moment, cinema town has settled back, glad of the respite afforded them, temporary though it may be. Photoplay's Own Beauty Shop (Continued jrom page 60) your while to match your make-up to your clothes. MORE MAKE-UP TIPS— While I was wandering around being very Technicolor-conscious, which I hope you're going to be, too, I picked up a few more tips for you on how to apply your cosmetics. First of all (and all the make-up men I know agree on this one), don't put on your foundation until at least ten minutes after getting out of the tub. You see, the warm water (unless, of course, you're one of those virile souls who takes cold showers) opens your pores, and they won't get back to normal before that time. So wait at least that long, or your powder will cake. Perc Westmore follows that up by saying that after you have put on a thin coating of a good powder base (of course, you use one) you should rub your face with ice wrapped in a chamois cloth. And then apply your make-up after the skin is completely dry. This helps keep your powder base on longer and makes the powder and rouge go on smoother. Here's a little trick I picked up from a group of the stock girls and dancers in "Ali Baba Goes To Town." After removing their cleansing cream at night, they rub their faces and hands with a mentholated cream which they leave on all night. That's the secret of their smooth, clear skins. If you have a faint tendency to break out (and who hasn't?) just when that attractive man has finally come through and asked you for a date, this treatment will clear up the disturbance in no time, and save you from having to turn your right profile to him just because the left cheek has a blemish on it. I watched Jack Dawn make up one of the girls over at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he heads the make-up department, and noticed that he didn't put any mascara on her lashes. So, of course, I had to ask him why. He said that when a girl has straight lashes or lashes that go downward instead of curling upward, she should never use mascara because it weights the lashes down and they hide the eyes. You can, however, use a cream mascara very sparingly. The best way to make mascara go on smoothly and have your lashes appear thicker is to apply a light coating of vaseline or oil to your lashes and then powder them lightly. Be sure, however, that the oil is all dusted with powder. Then apply your mascara with an almost dry brush, and only put it on the upper lashes, as this makes your eyes look larger. If your brush is too wet or you use too much water on it, your eyes will look too obviously made up. CHRISTMAS KITS— In between dashing around to get you these beauty tips, I've been popping in and out of department stores trying to get a little last minute Christmas shopping done, and I found two new things on the market which not only make splendid gifts but are wonderful for you to use all year round. One is a new vanity and lipstick ensemble which was created by a famous Hollywood make-up authority. The compact is of burnished gold, has rouge in it and a perfect powder sifter for loose powder. The lipstick is super-indelible. These sets come in color harmony shades for blondes, brunettes, redheads and brownettes. The other is a make-up kit, with make-up that matches the eyes. SHORT, SHORT SUCCESS STORY— Gloria Dickson came to Hollywood as a pretty, fairly attractive young actress. She was signed by Warner Brothers and met up with Perc Westmore. Perc arched her brows, widened the space between them, gave her a heavier eyebrow line with a light-brown pencil. He decided a darker powder and bluegray eye shadow would bring out the color of her eyes, and he created an individual lipstick for her to blend with her skin. He said she was a dramatic type, so he brushed all the waves out of her hair and left just a little curl at the ends. Gloria looks simply gorgeous; she and Perc are stepping out together, and as for her career — well, you'll be properly amazed when you read page 79. Which just goes to show what the right make-up will do for you. Let this be a lesson to you and me. // you Irish persona] advice on your beauty problems, write directly to Carolyn Van Wyck. Photoplay Miukitine, 7151 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Cal. Be certain to enclose a STAMPED self-addressed envelope. 72