"SEND 'EM AWAY HAPPY."

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1938, Page 21

"SEND 'EM AWAY HAPPY."

: "Send 'eni away happy,""'trie^d, and true dictum of the' entertainment world, has been adopted by. the screen in the'opinion of George Fitzmaurice. ojie of Holly wood's veteran directors, whose latest-production is "Live, Love, and Learn," co-starring Robert Montgomery and Rosalind ..Russell. "The change: from the dramatically tense to lighter 'mood is a logical, one," declared1 Fitzjnaurice -in: -a recent interview. "It must be realised: that the movies constantly seek, to adapt.their efforts in' whatever direction the public calls for. Even the women,, of whom it is said they like best to see a picture in which they can get .a good cry, like to leave the theatre with a la-ugh on their lips. They definitely seem to prefer such .an exit to the handkerchiefimopping ; finishes of a few years ' back.". The burden such a laugh-finale requirement imposes; on the x director, Fitzniaurice continued, is a great one.' He must, he explained, so pace' his situations and so arrange his direction tjiat the merriment ..-. of ' the final ' sequence will hot undo the dramatic phase and artistry.of the remainder of the picture. "At the Same time," he said, "the, drama must end in a logical laugh, if one is to be used as a climax. Nothingidies a more abrupt death than a dragged-in gag at a picture's end."