Screenland (Nov 1939–Apr 1940)

THE WIZARD OF OZ— M-G-M MOST enchanting motion picture fantasy since "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs !" Some of you may like this even better than the Walt Disney classic, for here are real people rather than animated drawings — performing not a foreign fairy-tale but a favorite story of millions of American children, L. Frank Baum's divinely silly "Wizard of Oz." Here are the cherished characters of childish memory brilliantly brought to movie life: delightful, fresh, gifted Judy Garland, a true little girl as Dorothy; Bert Lahr, a shaggy riot as the Cowardly Lion; Jack Haley, the lovable Tin Woodman; Ray Bolger the Scarecrow Baum must have had in mind ; Billie Burke and Margaret Hamilton as good and bad witches, respectively, are just right. While Frank Morgan as the wily Wizard is still Frank Morgan, he is fine for my funny bone. Dazzling scenes in color of the poppy field, of the forest, of the Emerald City; songs with just the proper lilt and tinkle you have every right to expect and, for once, get; a hair-raising cyclone — Hollywood's most spectacular — to blow Dorothy and Toto into the Magic Land of Oz — and to blow you back into childhood unless you're one of the few unfortunates who wasn't raised on the Oz Books. If so, it really isn't too late to catch up with the rest of us. Producer LeRoy is Public Benefactor No. 1. THE STAR MAKER — Paramount BING CROSBY is knee-deep in kids in private life, and now he's up to his neck in them in his new picture. He must like them — and you must like them, or stay away from "The Star Maker." It's simply swarming with children of assorted ages and talents, singing and dancing and mugging away like mad, but Bing holds his own — no other actor could do it — by giving his best and certainly the most active performance in years. The great crooner actually works in this one, rather than lazing through it; he hoofs, he hurries, he stooges for the latest Deanna Durbin, Linda Ware — and he manages to achieve a real and very likeable characterization somewhere in the mad melange. A dreamed-up version of the life of song-writer and kid Columbus Gus Edwards, "The Star Maker" has many a merry moment and never a dull one as Bing in his impresario role picks and trains talented youngsters for vaudeville with enormous success until the children's society steps in and closes his shows, and then — ah, then in steps Walter Damrosch, himself, to lead Linda Ware in song with his symphony orchestra ; and much applause for little Miss Ware's clear soprano and amazing poise ; and a bright future for Bing in radio, that new-fangled crazy invention. You won't want to miss the Crosby crooning of School Days. You'll like Louise Campbell too. 52 Reviews of the best D ; ictures b y WHEN TOMORROW COMES— Universal NOT quite another "Love Affair" for that ever-lovin' couple, Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer — but near enough to hold the rapt attention of every sentimental feminine movie-goer. What their boy friends will think of it, I don't know — or yes, I do too, and it isn't very polite. But just let the ladies alone, you big strong men, with their dreams and visions of Monsieur Boyer. The fact that we go for him is an indication of the most exquisite taste, for M. Boyer is not only powerful personality but one of the world's great actors, so it's all in the interest of Art after all. This is an "intimate" drama of incident rather than action, crammed with the characteristic John Stahl directorial "touches" which I happen to like, but which may make 'some of you as restless as Harpo Marx. Nothing much happens except that Miss Dunne, playing a most unusual and clever waitress, takes an order from M. Boyer, as a famous pianist— what was he doing in a tea-room, anyway? — and naturally falls in love with him, and he with her. All right, but he is married; not only that, but his wife is a mental case. And so — after a brief and charming interlude — they part. And personally, I don't think Mr. Stahl ever intends to bring them together again. Still, there are her parting words, "I'll be waiting." So, if a sequel comes, I'll be there too. And so will every other woman in the world.