Evening star. [volume], June 18, 1942, Page A-22, Image 24

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Wistful Danielle Darrieux
Returns to Local Screen
But Elfin French Actress Finds Less
Than a Worthy Role in Torpid
Melodrama at the Pix
By JAY CARMODY.
Nearest thing this department knows to an actress able to carry a
motion picture on the sheer piquancy of her face is Danielle Darrieux.
And, the nearest thing to a picture in need of just such an el&n, wistful
face is "Abused Confidence." French-made melodrama which opened
yesterday at the Pix. Save for Mile. Darrieux's look of wide-eyed wonder
at a world which she finds low and cruel, and unremittingly bitter toward
poor, lonely and lovely girls, "Abused •
Confidence" 1 snot a picture to add
to the reputation of the French
screen drama
despite Its
choice as the
Paris Exposition
winner of 1939.
Like most
French movies,
“Abused Confi
dence” is built
•round a fairly
•simple idea. Un
fortunately, it is
also a hackneyed
Idea in this
instance, name
ly that it is
terrible to be a
poor, beautiful
Ju C»rno4>.
and friendless girl.
Specifically, It is the tale of
petite and pretty Lydia whose
yearning to be a lawyer runs head
on into the circumstance that she
has no money for food, shelter or
tuition. Hungry, homeless and mis
erably alone in a world where the
escape from that agony Is another
that is worse, she is saved from sui
cide by the suggestion of a romantic
>- —
“ABUSFD CONFIDENCE,” Frenrh pro
duction starring Danielle Darrieux. di
rected bv Henry Decoin, acreenplay by
Decoin and Jean Boyer, based upon an
original by Pierre Wolf. English sub
titles ... At tbe Pix
The Cast.
Lydia Danielle Darrieux
Jacoues Perney Charles Vanel
Helene Femey _ Valentine Tessler
The Landlady ...... Therese Dorny
The Judge Jean Worms
Pierre Montanet_ Pierre Mlngand
Paul _ _ Gilbert Oil
Alice _ Yvette Lebon
Renee _ Svetlana PltoelT
The Waif_ . Nicole de Rouves
Dieulafoy Bergeron
The Hotel Manager Luelen Dayle
schoolmate that she pass herself
off as the illegitimate daughter of
a gentle, wealthy author. Hating
herself for the deception, and fate
for forcing her to do it, she suc
ceeds in the enterprise. It is only
a surface success, however, for
underneath there is a new misery,
an acute attack of conscience, a
sense of honor sacrificed beyond
repair.
Henry Decoin, who directed as
well as collaborated in the writing
of "Abused Confidence,” could have
achieved a much better effect had
he not been too sychophantic to
ward his plot Idea. His notion that
AMUSEMENTS.
AMUSEMENTS.
M4E L DOVE
ELEANOR RED 1
POWELL # SKELTON \
.SHIP AHO^L
■L\ BERT LAHR*VIRGINIA O'BRIEN^^j*
||r\ TOMMY DORSEY a id ORCHESTRA J
It needed no action, that it could
move listlessly through a series of
moods portrayed by Mile Darrleux,
is one that American audiences are
unlikely to agree with. Brought up
as they have been on the axiom
that even a thinking movie should
move a little bit, they probably will
demur at the torpor which afflicts
"Abused Confidence,’’ Its pace af
flicts even the courtroom scene
which represents the climax, a
good scene save for its complete
dependence for action upon Mile.
Darrieux’s reading of an impas
sioned speech in behalf of girls in
a friendless world.
France’s most arresting looking
actress who has the talent which
rarely goes with so striking a face is
more than adequate to her role as
the poignant, passionate Lydia. She
is surrounded by a cast which in
cludes some of the more competent
French cinema players, Charles
; Vanel as the gentle, deceived scholar;
Valentine Tessier as the under
standing wife whose curiosity un
masks the girl's deception: Therese
Domey as a kindly old landlady who
suffers the shortcoming of talking
much too much.
"Abused Confidence,” we’re afraid,
is too aptly named for those of Mile.
Darrieux’ old admirers who remem
ber her so fondly from "Mayerling”
and ’’The Rage of Paris.”
; So static a role ill-becomes her,
however well ehe becomes anything
•he plays.
* * * *
The bams may be too far in the
country as tire* and gasoline go
these days, but the summer theater
can come to town. That is pre
cisely what It is to do at the Willard
Hotel whose roof next week will be
converted Into a starlit theater with
a Gay 90s presentation of "East
Lynne” by a New York cast. Rich
ard Midgley. who left Hollywood
earlier In the spryig to become a
member of the Olney Theater’s com
pany, since folded, will direct and
act In the Willard company.
An atmospheric presentation, as
In the case of "The Drunkard” of
several years ago. Is the general Idea
which Harry Somerville’s project
will follow.
Mr. Midgley, announcing that the
major roles will be played by New
Yorkers, members of an Equity
company, Is in the market for local
players to fill out his casts.
* * * *
Addenda: In addition to "Tortilla
Flat” and "Gold Rush,” at the Pal
ace and Keith's, two other hold
overs this week are "Ship Ahoy” at
the Columbia and "Farewell to
Arms” at the Little . . . “Her Card
board Lover” at the Capitol and
"The Wife Takes a Flyer” at the
Earle are left as the week’s show
pictures . . . "Separate Rooms,”
AMUSEMENTS.
AMUSEMENTS.
miz
Mm -teMM
1 jttke Ctrl
She had thoae "woman's wiles" and
how she used them! Slinky clothes
and flirtatious ways made her a
magnificent menace. (A great role
for Norma!)
To pay his gambling dabt ha bacama
"Har Cardboard Lorar". Just a "hirad
man" to light har battlas in tha world
oi man. (Bob's at his bast in this ona.)
He was a "lova thief". His phoney kisses
enthralled flirtatious Norma until the"card*
board lover" demonstrated how it should
•be done! (George Sanders in a soeko part.)
UST SHOW AT
. *05
On the Stage
SHEILA BARRETT
HYLTON BILLY WELLS and 4 FAYS • HAVEL BROS.
SISTERS RHYTHM ROCKETS
SAM JACK KAUFMAN fir ORCH. • LYNN ALLISON • ART BROWN
F St. at 14th ■
which Washington saw last with
Anna 8ten, will be the Cross Roads
Theater's second attraction . . .
Izetta Jewel will return to play the
lead.
Where and When
Current Theater Attractions
i and Time of Showing
•Capitol—"Her Cardboard Lover,"
with Norma Shearer and Robert
Taylor: 11 a.m„ 1:48, 4:25, 7:05,
and 0.50 p.m. Stage show: 12:55,
3:40, 6:25 and 0:10 pm.
Columbia—“Ship Ahoy,” songs and
dances by Red Skelton and Eleanor
Powell: 11 am., 1:05, 3:10, 5:20, 7:25
and 0:35 pftn.
Earle—"In This Our Life,” the
prize novel, with Bette Davis: 11
am., 1:40, 4:25, 7:15 and 10 pm.
Stage shows: 1:05, 3:50, 6:40 and
0:30 pm.
Keith's—"The Gold Rush,” the re
vised original with commentary by
Chaplin: 11:55 a.m., 1:55, 4, 6, 8 and
10:05 pm.
Little—“Farewell to Arms," after
Hemingway, with Gary Cooper and
AMUSEMENTS.
[ mr inenoi m r*wa<i,
Tniunns
HISER-BETHESDA 7Z7.^
dumc AmSmmN
T* -Jcuuumvoti
f TOMORROW. 8:JO r.M. »|
National Symphony Orehostra
SUNSET SYMPHONIES
AT THE WATER GATE
MARIA GAMBARELU
Firma Ballerina, Metropolitan Opera
GUY FRASER HARRISON
CuAicLr
BmU: Mar. tail: Mr :5r. 11 1*. *1M.
SraohMy Box Offie*. Kitt's
ISSt G 81. N. W. XA. -illt
NOTHING BUT FUN
AT GLOKlOL'g 40-ACKE_
DAILY 1 TO It PM.
FROM NINE THRILL RIDES
SWIM 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 P.M.
DANCE 9 to 13 P.M.
Helen Hayes: 11 a.m., 12:50, 2:35,
4:20, 6:05, 7:50 and 9:40 p.m.
Metropolitan — "Reap the Wild
Wind,” a la Cecil B. De MUle:
11:30 am., 2. 4:35, 7:10 and 9:40 pm.
Palace — "Tortilla Plat," alter
Steinbeck, with Prank Morgan,
Spencer Tracy et al.: 11:20 a.m.,
1:55, 4:30, 7:05 and 9:40 pm.
PI*—“Abused Confidence," with
Danielle Darrieux: 2:55, 5:20, 7:40
and 10:05 pm.
Dr. Han on Job
Dr. Yu-shan Han, authority on
historical and modern China, will
act in an advisory capacity on RKO
Radio's Aiming of Pearl Buck's novel
"China Sky.”
AMUSEMENTS.
TONIGHT 8:30 ftS^VW. IP#
•STARLIGHT*
Cluabtr Mails Ciuirli
BRITT STRING SEXTET
Wirki hr Berekerlnl, Dlaif aaS Brafcau
Choice Soots, SOe sai 8«e. at
CsppH Concert Bnresa
In BsUsM'i. 184* O St. Td. RE. MM
or st Pork Alter 7 P.M.
AMUSEMENTS.
AMUSEMENTS.
Tomorrow Doors Open 10:30 a.m.
Lave gives goosestep
pers the business...
in this laugh-filled fable
of the RAF man_
the lovely saboteur...
and the hailing heel!
%
A Columbia Picture
Unconditionally '
GUARANTEED...
the FUNNIEST
Picture of
the Year! (
plus on stage •
Ina Ray HUTTON NEW ORCH. £
V^WaTSsT Warner Bros. Mk A ■ ^
\ & Stamps atj Air-Cooled Near F SL
ust times today • • Bette Davis • Olivia de Havilland • George Brent
Dennis Morgan ■ “IN THIS OUR IIFE” stap Sh*
HAVE YOU SEEN 'TORTILLA FLAT’...
Shi’s thi Tias•
of Tortilla Flat I
NOW
r STREET AT 13TH
DOORS OPEN
10:45
dmuK?. “Ten Gentlemen from West Feint" LAST ™