Screenland (May-Oct 1937)

Miriam is, with the possible exception of Sylvia Sidney and Madge Evans, the most avid collector of books, both old and new in Hollywood. Name it, and Miriam has read it. On a rear terrace is a swimming pool around which are placed lounging chairs and tea tables, and nearby a tennis court. There is also a wine cellar, and if you think you can ever trip Miriam up on the vintage of a wine you have another think coming to you. Don t ever bet with her, it's fatal. At Miriam s you are served the proper wine at the proper time and in the proper glass. And next to a bore Miriam loathes a person who takes gin to the table. Miriam loves food and wine and beautiful service. Her \nna a Czecho-Slovakian, she will tell 'vou ' cooks divinely in four different languages. Wiener schnitzel, leberbraten, n-habzigcr, m-andeltorte, les pommes aux marrons, crepes suzette, what dreams, what dreams ! Miriam's dinner party that evening was more or less typical of Miriam's usual small and informal buffet dinner parties. Everyone had been invited at the last minute, and there were many more men than women as Miriam likes it that way. Miriam talked a mile a minute, she may Lie from Georgia but she does all right with tempo, and radiated such gaiety and charm that if anyone happened to bring a mood with him it vanished— poof. 'I want to see your new picture," someone said, though all "shop talk" is frowned on at Miriam's. "Well, you certainly won t have any trouble," our hostess replied, "I hear that there are always plenty of seats in the theatre when a Hopkins picture plays itL Do vou think I'm slipping? Should I begin to worry? Oh, please have one of these delicious hors-d'oeuvre. Anna will be so hurt if you don't." That girl absolutely refuses to take her career "big, as is the custom on these sun-kissed shores. As a matter of fact I have often suspected that Miriam, though a superb actress, doesn't wish to take her career at all, for every time she gets two dollars ahead she sweetly says, "Now I must let my soul catch up with my bank account, and runs off to Europe to have herself a lot of fun. Bridge tables are never dragged out after dinner at La Hop's (the boys at the studio nicknamed her that) for which I am truly thankful. Nor does Miriam get up and suddenly announce, "Everybody get pencil and paper, we're going to play games." No, Miriam doesn't believe m forcing things down her guest's throat. She thinks everyone should be allowed to do what she or he wants to do, and the hostess should be a help, not a hindrance. That night she had a roaming guitar player and a fortune teller. The guitar player was given stiff competition by Ernst Lubitsch who settled himself at the piano and played Viennese waltzes for hours. Madv Christians danced a few of them and then decided it would be more fun to discuss modern art with Charles Boyer. Rouben Mamoulian prowled around m search of victims upon whom to display his hypnotic prowess that usually doesn't come off. Sulka Viertel, Ethel Borden, and the Basil Rathbones discussed plays. One of the Gershwins un-seated Lubitsch at the piano and played the new Gershwin music from "Shall We Dance." Billy (Austin) Parker and Charles Brackett exchanged compliments on their new scripts. Billy is Miriam's ex-husband, though I don't know why she took the trouble to divorce him as 'he is constantly with her. Jean Negulesco and Pat Paterson decided "that a set or so of night tennis was exactly what they needed. Miriam was ecstatically happy— she was gay, witty, and abstract. When more informal parties are given, Miriam will give them. Make your beauty a gift of Corday's Voyage a Paris perfume. 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"Dahlia" is a dusky blue-red that's ever so smart with navy blue, black, wine or pastel shades. The real aristocrat is Glazo's "Imperial," a rich new red with its depth of color misted over in the modern manner. The popular Glazo polishes. Natural. Shell and Flame, are now available in cream form, too. 69