This changing world is giving Walter Wagner no end of trouble with. his flm version of Vincent aneean's "Personal History." Robert Benchley has been engaged to work 9n the script—an addition that gives the yarn almost as many collaborators'as sit in on a routine Samuel Goldwyn epic. these who have contributed to the Sheean picture story are John Howard Lawson, John Meehan, James Hilton, Charles Bennett and Joan Harrison, with Hitchcock guiding the final shaping.
When Wanger purchased the book, it was planned to use the events in the narrative for background. But history sped by so rapidly that the Wanger writers substituted tne Spanish civil war for the original Asiatic disturbance. Then the invasion of Czechoslovakia became paramount, but before the cameras could turn, the Nazi issue had broadened and so the script was re-written to embrace Germany's present ambitions. The final version and the one that will be fülmed sends an American correspondent on a roving assignment, with European news as the background.
At the Arcadia The Arcadia having been closed last night for a wedding party, will resume tonight with the usual floorshow, the Schubert Serenade being one of the outstanding numbers—all under the direction of Nick Kniazeff. The gypsies still have place of prominence on the programme, but several of the smaller items run them a close second. One prefers the "Snake Charmers," which is not entirely according to the motif, nevertheless gives general satisfaction. Serge Ermoll and his men, in a resume, should not be forgotten They are no small part of the programme.
Smaller Historical Problem Universal has not had any such historical problems in fashioning "House of seven Gables," but its weners nave ween nara put tightening up the Nathaniel Hawthorne yarn to fit into 80 minutes on the screen. it has been necessary to omit the events leading up to the curse of Matthew Moule and to rearrange relationships somewhat, suf the spirit of the novel is retained and it can hardly be charged that Hawthorne's eerie tale has gone hollywood.
Jeffrey Pyncheon, the uncle in the original who accused his nephew or murder, has been changed to a brother, portrayed by George Sanders; Clitrord and Hepzibah Pyncheon, brother and sister in the novel, are now cousins, which permits the injection of romance. Vincent Price is Dlaying Clifford and Margaret Lindsay, nepzibah. The youthful love interest is being carried on by Nan Grey and Dick Foran in the characters Phoebe Pyncheon and Matthew Belgrave, While there is no authentic House of Seven Gables to guide the set builders, Jack Otterson, Universal's art director, has accepted the word of the Massachusetts guide books which refer tourists to the dwelling at 54 Turner Street, Salem. An anti. quar ian society has restored the building, which was erected in 1668, and has furnished it according to descriptions in the book. Otterson took photographs and measurements Of the structure and it has been re-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.