PREVIEW AT STATE

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 18

PREVIEW AT STATE

Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer Starred

“The Nearest Thing to Heaven,” which was released and acclaimed everywhere overseas as “Love Affair,” will open at the State to-day. At a preview yesterday many reasons were seen for the warm praise that has been given by many hardened critics to this film which stars Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer under the thoughtful direction of Leo McCarey. The film’s original name, “Love Affair,” indicates something of the nature of the film: so does the new title. “The Nearest Thing to Heaven,” is the top floor of the Empire State building in New York. There, on July 1, 1938, Michael Marnay (Charles Boyer) and Terry Mackay (Irene Dunne), are to meet at 5 p.m. to discover whether they think they are worthy to marry. That is the mid-point of the film: the direction and the action lead there; and-from there the direction and the action continue, with that meetingplace always just in the background. But to begin with, the audience is clearly shown that Signor Michel Marnay is a distinguished young man; on board ship he is paged, and at last receives a radiogram in the midst of clamours from a bevy of young women anxious to have his autograph. His rebuke is as crushing to them as his charm is enlivening to Terry Mackay (Irene Dunn), who catches the very personal radiogram as it blows through a port-hole. And very delightfully she teases this Signor Marnay, who is so much in demand, and so haughty and assured. The atmosphere here on the ship is gay, untroubled, careless: two charming people have decided to amuse each other; the conversation is witty, the activities are unimportant. But at Madeira, where the ship calls for four hours, all is changed. Michel’s grand-

mother—a part beautifully played by Maria Ouspenskaya—entertains the two in her home —old garden, old lace, pictures, dignified furniture, and excellent grand piano. There is a scene in a chapel; and after that Michel and Terry know that as the ship’s course has changed for New York, their own course has changed, and their lives have a new importance. Irene Dunne’s acting of the few moments from the time before she goes into the chapel until she has come out and sat down to chat with the old woman, is one of the brilliant things in this distinguished film. She has performed that very difficult role —that of a person going through a change in attitude to life, not because of any shattering or obvious event, but because of a mo-, ment’s solemn thought. Mr McCarey’s direction and Miss Dunne’s acting combine to make this difficult scene one of the most memorable in the film. The Madeira interlude changes the lives of-Michel and Terry; and it changes the tempo and tone of the film. By two people the six months till July 1 are worked- through eagerly, the days counted impatiently. And nearly at 5 o’clock on the day appointed Terry, looking upwards to the top floor of the Empire State building, is knocked over, and goes to hospital instead of to her nearest thing to heaven. Up at the meeting place Boyer grows hourly less happy, hourly more puzzled. Exactly at 5 o'clock he is leaning against the parapet; below the sound of an ambulance siren, and then the sound repeated; Terry has been taken away. And from this high light of direction Mr McCarey takes his players through their six months of sadness to the restrained and clever scene in which they are at last united. Walt Disney’s charming cartoon, “Ferdinand the Bull,” based on the story by Munro Leaf, will also begin at the State to-day.