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THE BARB 3 ©A.y-IN© T© THE MCYIES With Steve Warren Mary Loos describes herself as “third genera tion Hollywood,” and de scribes Hollywood as “a legend--it isn’t a place where everything happens; it’s name for a fantasy which is spread all over the world.” Her Grandfather wrote for silent films, tier aunt, Anita Loos, who went on to write “Gentle men Prefer* Blondes” and work on such screenplays as “San Francisco” and “Blossoms in the Dust.” Now in her 80s, Anita Loos is still turning out mem oirs and novels at a pro lific rate. _ Though she grew up amia the glory that was Holly wood, Mary studied to be an archaeologist. When I met her she was wearing a necklace made from an Az tec relic she had dug up herself. She was dressed in an attractive navy blue pantsuit, and a divine pur ple coat which she had also unearthed--at a garage sale. “It’s incredible what you can find in a garage sale in California,” she says. On tour to promote her first book, a novel about the movie industry from 19 13-1947 called “The Beg gars Are Coming” (Ban tam Paperback X8540), Mary Loos was happy to discuss the Hollywood gay scene. Her attitude boils down to “Some of my best friends are...” But then, some of her best friends are. “I have known lots of in dividuals in Hollywood,” she says, “who I presume belong to the gay scene. As someone--I think it was Ethel Bar rymore--said when they asked her if a certain actress was a Les bian, “I really couldn’t an swer because I was never under the bed.” “I think in the arts par ticularly, the gay society is accepted without any ques tion. My own point of view is that I don’t care what anybody does unless I want to do it with them. “I think the finest de signers and the finest di rectors and the finest pro duction designers and the finest actors have belonged to the gay scene, and per haps smothered it before. “As a matter of fact, the situation is in my novel, “The Beggars Are Com ing.” It’s a young man who is brought into the film business through his rela tionship with a very power ful newspaper reporter and critic. And he grows to be one of the great stars of the film business. And in the beginning of my book, he attempts to conceal it by having an unhappy romance with a leading lady because he thinks it will get him along. “I think there’s a great relief in gay circles now that they don’t have to go underground. Mary Loos as she looked in 1937, lunching with Clark Gable, and as she appears today. Ja me s Caa n “I know some gay peo ple who have had very happy marriages, and I know some gay people who have had marriages with gay people; and I know children who who are the product of gay fathers and mothers who took the other route. “I don’t think it’s as di- strubing as it used to be. People are more oriented to people now than they are to moralities, because mo ralities change. “The only ones that con cern me are the bisexual people, because I think they might not be as happy as someone who is admittedly gay. “The latest phrase is tri- (try?) sexual--anything goes!” Among the screenplays Mary Loos wrote, in con junction with her former husband, Richard Sale, are ‘ ‘A Ticket to Tomahawk’ ’ (Marilyn Monroe’s fourth picture); “Gentlemen Mar ry Brunettes” (an unsuc cessful attempt to capita lize on “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”); and “Mr. Bel vedere Goes to College” (a successful sequel to “Sit ting Pretty,” retaining the Clifton Webb character). She must be pushing 60, but she doesn’t look it; and her novel proves she either has young ideas or a good memory. CEAU-CEAU Most of us could stand to be more humble. But I find Marcel Marceau’s lack of modesty refreshing. He is solely responsible for the current popularity of the art of pantomime, and he know’s it. (I’m not talking about the lip-synching done by some female impersonators. Marcel Marceau Mime, as practiced by Marceau, is a way. of com municating thoughts, feel ings and stories, without Using any words.) “To be very honest,” he replied when I asked who would rank as the world’s second-greatest mime, “the second-greatest would be a company, I think, be cause it would be difficult for somebody else--he would be accused of copy ing me. “In the future--maybe in America, you have such a potential of young people --in a generation, there will be a new Buster Keaton, Chaplin, or a new Marceau, why not?” The occasion for our talk was the release of his movie, “Shanks,” which I praised in this column last month and again encourage you to see. Although he’s made short subjects and documentaries and appeared briefly in “Barbarella” “Shanks” is the first feature Marceau has starred in. He’s been an international celebrity for more than two decades, so why did he wait so long? “Because, you know,” he says, “it was very difficult for me because I am who I am, doing what I do on stage....! could not make just any talking film, just to prove that I’m an actor, it would destroy the magic I do onstage. I had to find the material that-would be a Fairy tale or a film where magic would be strong..... “Then (director William) Castle saw me in Hollywood when I played last year...' and he had this story writ ten by an English writer, Ronald Graham, who writes for the Theatre of the ab surd “Bill Castle, who always did horror films, this time did not want to make a hor ror film. Since “Rose mary’s Baby,” he’s chang ed...he wants to bring some beauty in the minds of peo ple-through fantasy. “The he saw me and he said “Marcel Marceau is the man who can create this....” Tm very happy that I did it because I think, for me, it’s very important. It’s the start of my career in the film industry.” After this aupicious be ginning . - that career- will- Susannah York and Roger Moore in "Gold” continue in another film for Castle. Marceau doesn’t know what it will be, but says, “I want to make a film which will combine pathos and comedy; but I would like very much if mine always is present.” And mine always will be present, thanks to Marcel Marceau and the genera tion of young people he has inspired. THE GAMBLER Fans of James Caan will enjoy him in “The Gamb ler,” his meatiest (no pun intended) film role to date. If you’re not as taken with his charisma as he' seems: to be, you’ll be less im pressed with his perform-: ance. % He doesn’t get a lot of help from Lauren Hutton, a: model-turning-actress. But the rest of the cast, includ- ; ing Morris Carnovsky and; Paul Sorvina, are ex-; cellent. Caan plays a college professor who is a compul sive gambler. James To- back’s well constructed screenplay shows us that such men have self-de structive urges. This point is brought home in the real ending, which follows a scene that looks so much like the end that you might leave early. “The Gambler” is a very good movie, if you enjoy serious drama. “Gold*’ If you go to the movies for sheer escapist enter tainment, “Gold” is as good as you will find. It’s one of the few recent re leases that doesn’t appear to cut corners because of budget limitations. The basic plot is about a conspiracy to flood a gold mine, killing hundreds of men in > process, 1 for com plex financial reasons. But there’s also a love story, between Roger Moore and Susannah York. She happens to be married to Moore's boss at the mine, Bradford Dillmani who is also one of the conspirators. The spectacular mine di - saster ; provides 1 a '.sus; penseful climax to an eii : tertaining picture that’ goes first-class all the way. “THE CRAZY WORLD OF JULIUS VROODER” Timothy Bottoms ‘ and Barbara ' Seagull are ' a,s convincing as can be l iti “The Crazy World ’ Of Julius Vrooder, “the love story of a mental patient and his nurse! The picture itself is a cinematic trifle! pleasant but unmemorable. It has elements of satire, pathos, social comment- anything that might win segment of the audience, if only for a moment. It’s not all put together terribly but it will carry you along if you’re not too demanding.