Screenland (July–Dec 1947)

photographing possible sites for future location trips. But this trip, like the previous one, is primarily a good-will tour. And what a tour it's turning out! The over-all mileage will be about thirty thousand miles and Ty and bis three men flying companions (the same who went to South America) will have been gone ten weeks this time. From Los Angeles they headed for Dallas, then Miami, then Trinidad in the British West Indies. From there the route was to Natal, Brazil, and across the ocean to Dakar, in French West Africa. Then to Leopoldville, Belgian Congo; Capetown and Johannesburg, South Africa; Mozambique; Nairobi, in Kenya Colony; Addis Ababa in Ethiopia; Karthoum and Wadi Haifa in the Sudan; Cairo and Alexandria, in Egypt; from there the route reads Cyprus, Crete, Tunis, Turin (Italy) , then home. Our lengthy location trip to Mexico for "Captain from Castile" shed further light on Ty's true self. We spent more than a month in Morelia, the capital of the state of Michoacan, using it as Spain for our film. Much of the architecture of two hundred and fifty years ago still exists there. The contrasts in Mexico fascinated us. For example, they love baseball. Ty proposed at a Lion's Club luncheon we attended in Morelia (see how modern they are?) that a benefit for needy children be staged, with a baseball team from the American movie company playing a Mexican team. Ty was captain of1 our team, played first base. And shone! Me? I'm the best grandstand sitter you ever saw! I cheered wildly at every decision of the Mexican umpire. For our scenes showing old Mexico we went on to Uruapan. Extinct Popocatepetl, the volcano rising above Mexico City, had to be doubled by the currently active volcano Paricutin at Uruapan. Ty flew me over it, without telling me in advance we were going there! It was erupting violently that day and we headed into billows of angry smoke. There isn't a single living thing for ten miles around the boiling lava. A once green and fertile valley is now nothing but death and desolation. The Indian village near the volcano is completely buried, except for the tower of a cathedral which will soon be buried, too. It was a terrifying sight. Ty flew half our whole company from Uruapan to Acapulco, where we filmed Cortez's landing in Mexico. And speaking of Cortez, I may as well admit I didn't read the best-seller from which our picture is made. I didn't want to know exactly what Cortez was like, for fear I'd be confronted with mental hazards. It's the first time I've ever played an actual person on the screen, and that way I safeguarded my own hopes of being convincing. At Acapulco we had curious crowds watching us work. A man came over to me and asked, "Do you recognize this lady with the three children?" I had to confess I didn't. Twenty-two years previously, when I was thirteen one Anna Maria had been my mad crush during a New Jersey summer vacation. That's Ty's favorite location tale on me. Ty's unceasing energy still amazes me. No matter how late he stays up he can be up early and full of vim. He used to stall any unwanted task; now he's different— he's a demon for getting it over with immediately. That's hard on manana me when I'm around him. However, on his credit side let me mention his new habit of social spontaneity. He doesn't hesitate to postpone any date if he's not in the mood for relaxing, and I think this is no minor declaration of independence for any man. He still reads his newspapers hurriedly while in his car and waiting for a stop sign to change. He still prefers classical musicBeethoven, Grieg, Schubert, Tschaikovsky, Debussy, Wagner, and Prokofieff, to be definite about his record collecting. His famous leading ladies are as lasting in their friendships with him as his fans — Gene Tierney gave him his white police dog. It was hers until she gave up her Franklin Canyon house, had no fenced yard in which to keep him, and then quite naturally thought of Ty. He's very positively close-mouthed about his intimately personal problems. He doesn't inflict his troubles on others. The more I think of his self-chosen selfreliance, and of this good taste of his, the more I like the guy! The Editor's Page Continued from page 19 good — pure, unadulterated Loy. I hadn't seen you for a long time in person and I was astonished to realize I was beholding Hollywood's Number One Siren in action — yes, the one truly successful Circe who after a career of 65 — count 'em, 65 — pictures can still stop a roomful of blase men and women and make them murmur. What if some do say, "How does she do it? Why, I can remember her when — " You may well smile that mysterious smile. It's your secret. What with your feather cut, limpid eyes, roguish nose and sweet air of a wellbred child as you listen attentively to the other fellow's opinions — it's no wonder you have walked away with so many choice roles ("The Best Years," "Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," and now "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," again with Cary Grant) ; no wonder you're one of the few happily and graciously married matrons in movieland; no wonder at all that you will always be living the best years of your life right now. Your sabbatical during the war years must have given you a rare insight into other folks' problems that you'd never have gained sitting at your studio dressing-table contemplating your own reflection. In your gentle way you're a pioneer woman beating your way from wilds of Hollywood to the complex New York scene, equally at home in both, yet always watching for new worlds to explore. More stars should have big hearts instead of big heads. And more stars should be movie fans like you. 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