Monty Woolley has doffed his smirk and wisecracking manner, but he's retained all his spark and individuality as the gruff title character of the "Pied Piper." The saga of one Englishman's battle to escape the rush of the Nazi armies through France, and of the waifs he picks up on his way, the "Pied Piper" is an original and highly effective film account of one of the dramatic episodes of this War.

Woolley is more than capably assisted by a cast of able youngsters, each of whom does his best to steal scenes from an incomparable scene stealer--and they come awfully close every once in a while. Roddy McDowell--the youthful Huw Morgan of "How Green Was My Valley"--and Ann Baxter give the old maestro quite a run for his money. And there's a wonderful portrayal of an unstereotyped Nazi officer to round things out.

"The Pied Piper" is escapist fare, to be sure, but it'll leave you with the feeling that here, at least, is a movie that recognizes and presents some of the less obvious problems of World War II.

"Highways By Night," with Richard Carlson, is the second feature on the bill. Did we say anything?

Incidentally, the U.T. has announced a new policy whereby the feature attraction of each program will be presented at about 8:10 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. That will get you out by 9:30 on those nights, if you want to see the principal attraction alone.