Star-dust in Hollywood (1930)

Star-dust in Hollywood that he half unconsciously blessed, with pontifical fingers, a row of children waiting to appear in the next act. Once we watched Adolphe Menjou playing a French count, and it was amusing to observe the gradual return of the actor to his normal and quite American self. Stars may use their wealth to make a stage dream come true, sometimes with odd results. It is related of one well-known star, notorious for the magnificence of her film weddings, that she determined to warm her new house by staging in real life a wedding such as she had often graced on the screen. But at the moment, unluckily, she was married, and so was forced to content herself with the role of hostess. She searched among her friends for one in a fit state to be thus magnificently wedded. The only possible candidate was a young and already eminent film authoress who was living in free union with an almost equally well-known author. But the young lady, in spite of the many severe Acts of Congress specially designed to put a stop to such free American unions, was satisfied with her condition, and saw no cause to change it in order to give her star friend the opportunity of nuptial manifesto. She feared the result of legal ties on the affections of her, thus far, quite satisfactory lover. But as the gentleman had a leaning toward stricter bondage the lady bent to pressure. A sumptuous weddingfeast was prepared. Many times before the young couple had enjoyed the star's hospitality with a full recognition of their unlegalized union, but on this occasion she said : " I simply can't allow you two to share a room on the night before your wedding. I mean, it wouldn't be respectful. . . ." Perhaps the enforced solitude caused the prospective bride to reflect, or perhaps the panoply of white satin, train, and orange blossoms brought with them a keener realization. The huge drawing-room was banked with flowers ; attendants in rich fancy dress stood marshalled in files ; the guests, [158]