Hollywood's Kings and Queens

Four years ago, for the first time, a poll was taken of the American people for its opinion of the best actresses and actors of the past year. And for four years now this poll has been repeated at the end of every year, and its results compared with those of the past. The organizing of this poll and the keeping of its statistics is undertaken by the most important of the magazines concerned with the cinema and its stars: they ask their readers, men and women, throughout the length and breadth of the country, to give their opinions of the past year's motion-picture output, and their correspondents spread through the villages and cities and come into contact with all classes of the people, in the concern to obtain the soundest results. No sooner is this poll announced than the replies pour in upon the magazine's management from every quarter. And no wonder: the American people is a merry people, fond of amusement, and it is therefore among the peoples most devoted to the movie houses and most inclined to declare its opinion openly of films and players. Hence, given how often they frequent these houses, it is hoped that their opinions come as close as may be to the truths that we see most of our young men and young women eager to learn.

This magazine awards the stars who win the majority of votes gilded medals, in recognition of their artistic genius and of the public's confidence in their acting. After the results of the poll appeared, it turned out that the king of the actors in Hollywood for the year 1947 is Bing Crosby, without a rival. This is the fourth time Crosby has been elected to this lofty office. There is no need for us to pause and explain the reasons that have let Crosby monopolize the throne for four consecutive years and secure in the hearts of the American people a boundless love. It is enough that he acted in two of the ten pictures that success befriended in 1947, namely: "Welcome Stranger" and "Blue Skies." But, if we give the subject a thorough study, we cannot help asking: was Crosby the direct cause of these films' success? Or were these films, and their inevitable success, the cause that guaranteed Crosby's success and his keeping of his position throughout these four years?

After Crosby in importance and high standing in the world of the cinema come Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Alan Ladd, and Gregory Peck. The only actor to be re-elected for the second time is Gary Cooper. As for Peck, Ladd, and Bogart, they took the places of Bob Hope, Van Johnson, and Spencer Tracy — those three who were elected for 1946 and fell in the election of 1947.

The reason for the superiority of Peck, Ladd, and Bogart is plain and clear: all three of them acted in a number of films during 1947, and the appearance of these actors one after another on the screen is what endears them to people and brings them to the front of memory. For that reason we do not attribute to them much of the credit. The fullest credit goes to the one actor who kept his place and whose election was repeated a second time — Gary Cooper — this actor who was re-elected despite the standing fact that he took part in not a single film throughout 1947, and who kept his high place despite his absence from the public's eyes for a whole year; and a year of retirement in an actor's life is enough to consign him to oblivion. But Gary Cooper is sure of himself and of people's love for his acting, and he is certain that when he returns and appears on the screen after a year's absence, the public will, without doubt, receive him with cheers and applause.

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As for the queen of the actresses, in the opinion of the American people, she is none other than Ingrid Bergman — that brilliant artist who has captured the hearts of the entire people and who sits serenely upon the throne of hearts, a throne that no other throne can equal.

Ingrid Bergman's case is exactly like that of Gary Cooper: her election as the first actress in Hollywood — or the queen of the actresses — was repeated for the second time, even though she did not put out a single new film throughout the year 1947. The films of hers that were showing in the movie houses were of the production of the year 1946. This result is nothing but honest proof of the American people's loyalty to Ingrid and their great appreciation of her rare art. It is enough to hear her voice a single time and witness a glimpse of her acting — this small portion assures us that she has taken root in our imagination, and that we shall never forget her!...

As for the rest of the five leading actresses for the year 1947, they are: June Allyson, Bette Davis, Greer Garson, Rita Hayworth.

This is the second time Bette Davis has been elected among the first five actresses; likewise Greer Garson, who, besides her re-election for the second time, had already twice won the gilded medal from one of the cinema magazines as a reward for her art in acting.

As for June Allyson and Rita Hayworth, they took the places of Lana Turner and Judy Garland from last year's poll.

By a pretty coincidence, each one of these four winning actresses for 1947 took part in one film and no more; and despite the smallness of this output, public opinion did not neglect to choose them, for it is still under the influence of the films of 1946, which stirred its admiration and appreciation, and so it kept a fine memory of their outstanding actresses!

Such is the summary of the poll in America. What, then, would the result be if the Arab world were polled for its opinion of Arabic films and Arab stars???!

That is what "The Woman's Voice" puts to its readers...