Prosiness in Purple

Page 34 of the current issue of an immensely popular periodical devoted to furthering world knowledge and understanding of movie stars features the all but life-sized likeness of a rather pleasant-looking young man in a bathing suit. His name, the caption says, is Tab Hunter, and furthermore, the caption says: “Bet if we asked you . . . you could write a book —about the way he talks, and whispers and . . . looks.” (Punctuation theirs.)

national review, one assumes happily, could not base a successful fund- raising drive on a bet of this kind. You, for one, certainly could not write a book about the way young what’s-his-name talks, and whispers . . . and looks, for Pete’s sake! Well, it just happens, dear reader, that you are, as usual, in the minority. The readers of Filmland, Hollywood Stars, Modern Screen, Movie Album, Movieland, Movie Mirror, Movie Show, Movie World, Photoplay, Screenland, Screen Parade, Screen Stars, Silver Screen, etc., who outnumber you by many, many thousands, will take that bet and win it.

About the Author

Aloïse Buckley Heath

Aloïse Buckley Heath (1918–1967) was the sister of National Review’s founder, William F. Buckley Jr.

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Page 34 of the current issue of an immensely popular periodical devoted to furthering world knowledge and understanding of movie stars features the all but life-sized likeness of a rather pleasant-looking young man in a bathing suit. His name, the caption says, is Tab Hunter, and furthermore, the caption says: “Bet if we asked you . . . you could write a book —about the way he talks, and whispers and . . . looks.” (Punctuation theirs.)

national review, one assumes happily, could not base a successful fund- raising drive on a bet of this kind. You, for one, certainly could not write a book about the way young what’s-his-name talks, and whispers . . . and looks, for Pete’s sake! Well, it just happens, dear reader, that you are, as usual, in the minority. The readers of Filmland, Hollywood Stars, Modern Screen, Movie Album, Movieland, Movie Mirror, Movie Show, Movie World, Photoplay, Screenland, Screen Parade, Screen Stars, Silver Screen, etc., who outnumber you by many, many thousands, will take that bet and win it.