Word: hector
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...milliner (Susan Strasberg) has been summoned by the Duchess in order to impersonate the Prince's dead beloved; in acting both herself and the dead ballerina, the milliner successfully wrenches the Prince out of his deep freeze. Finally, after the happy Duchess and her wonderfully inept friend Lord Hector shoot a symbol down from the wings--a bedraggled phoenix, representing the finally defeated spirit of the ballerina--the play ends. It is an aristocratic fable, an intellectual fairy tale...
Unfortunately, Susan Strasberg, the third star, seems a mere satellite. She is miscast, and downright dull, speaking in a disagreeable adolescent voice that fits Anne Frank perfectly, but adds little brightness to Anouilh. Fortunately, there are some extremely amusing supporting actors. Glenn Anders is ideal as the glorious Lord Hector, and Sig Arno serves his role as a timeless headwaiter with a skillful dash of farce...
...strategic portent lay around them, bright as the Mediterranean sunshine, as the Marines fanned out widely in five-man teams in accordance with the Corps' new antinuclear tactics of "separation and concentration." Flying in, they had glimpsed the Trojan plains where 3,000 years earlier Achilles fought Hector for mastery over the straits dividing Europe from Asia. Just across the bay from their landing point were the cliffs of Gallipoli Peninsula, where in World War I the British, French, Australian and New Zealand invaders suffered 250,000 casualties trying valorously but vainly to capture Constantinople and open a supply...
Melville Cooper has a wonderfully sheepish face for the role of the chief thief, and is hilarious in his series of outrageous disguises. The roles of his proteges, the ardent Hector and the morose Gustave, are well entrusted to Lawrence Spector and John Reese. Guy Sorel makes the most of his mainly silent role as the hen-pecked Lord Edgard. David Bauer is properly reserved as the older Dupont-Dufort; and the endomorphic slob the latter sired is highly amusing in the hands of Tom Bosley...
...tantrum. Siebert gave a sensitive interpretation of Troilus, showing an understanding of his composite personality. Regina Oliver was commendable as Cassandra, although she needed more variety of voice. William Harris, as Cressida's father, suffered most from overacting and a reliance on stick gestures. The Prince Regent, Hector, was strongly reminiscent of Marshall Tito, but needed a more imperial air. Paris was overplayed as an asinine nincompoop by Gardiner Tillson. Among the minor characters were three very good Palace soldiers of which Sol Schwade was outstanding...