Director And Actress Change Jobs

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 139, 8 March 1941, Page 16

Director And Actress Change Jobs

rpHE famous; director Alfred Hitchcock probably did not know what he was letting himself in for when he invited Carole Lombard to direct in his place for a. day while he undertook to play a role in the latest film he directed, of which she is a star. The film is the comedy, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” It was nearing the finish. Hitchcock, director of “39 Steps,” Rebecca,” ‘Foreign Corerspondent, always appears in a minor role in his pictures. Hitchcock’s Falstafflan form encased in a business suit, with a soft hat

on his customarily unhatted' dome, came to work on the fateful day. His scene was to be played with Robert Montgomery, the co-star. It called for him to loiter outside Montgomery’s New York apartment and greet him as he emerged with: “Good morning, Mr. Smith. How Is Mrs. Smith?” To that Montgomery, fresh fom a quarrel with his wife (Carole Lombard) was to reply absently, and go on. They played that scene and they replayed it all morning long. Director Lombard, occupying the directional chair in the shade while Actor Hitchcock loitered on the sidewalk in the sun, seemed hard to please. She said variously: “Do it again. It’s no good. Too overdone, Alfred.” Hitchcock said at nightfall: “This day should be labelled ‘The Actor's Revenge.’ v ”