16 STARS PLAY HAPPY FAMILIES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 205, 27 May 1944, Page 9

16 STARS PLAY HAPPY FAMILIES

All Together In “Star Spangled Rhythm”

( By

T.L.)

The suggestion in the Hope-Crosby-T.amour ’’Hoad to . . . films tliut the stars on Paramount's payroll are just One Big Ilajipy Family, reaches its ultimate projection in "Star Spangled Tihythm’ ’(.St. James). This time the spirit of tomfoolery extends to practically everyone round the studio —W stars, 2(1 featured players, three directors and any number of shapely chorines'. The result is an opulent vaudeville show, rather than a clever one, hut only the most critical could possibly demand more for their money. . ~ , , , Sufficient unto the daydream is the idol that keeps this mass array of talent in some sort of order. The adventures ot a studio gateman who impersonates a chief executive for a day, involve \ ictor Moore us the gateman. Eddie Bracken and Bettv Hutton as love interest, and Walter Abel as B. G. De Soto (a Jibe at one of Paramount s own top-night executives). Three directors—-Preston Sturges. Cecil 8.. de Mille and Kalph Murphy—-appear as themselves. Lie nub of ’'Star Spangled Rhythm is the inevitable benefit show staged lor Ihe Brtive Boys. While some of the sketches could be a lot better, none of them falls Hat. A guaranteed laugh is Bop Hopes trial bv water as a suspected wife-stealer who hides in the lady’s glnss-eneased shower while her rampaging husband takes time out for a bath.

For the rest, the super-variety ranges from Mary Martin and Dtek I owell. topped by the Cafe Society’s Golden Gate Quartet, to Vera Zorinas ballet, to a three-cornered threnody called A Sweater, a Sarong and a Peek-a-800 Bang.’’ in which Paulette Goddard Dotothy Lamour and Veronica Lake bewail their respective occupational ruts. Also among those present and not taking.themselves at all seriously are Bing Ctosby (and son Gary), Ray Milland, I’ red MaeMurray. Lynne Overman, b ranchot lone ami Alan Ladd.