The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 11, 1926, Page 13

= “THE SCARLET LETTER.” A slice of almost forgotten early |legian. history of the American colonial days|teaches Latin to our hero. furnishes the text of Nathaniel Haw-|easy to look at that this reviewer thorne’s “The Scarlet Letter,” brot to {knows where she can get another pu- the screen in a brilliant and yet sim-;pil at once. ple manner by the famous Swedish director, Victor Seastrom. It is a banner picture for Sweden, the lead- ing man, Lars Hanson, also calling from that-country. Lillian Gish from our own United States is the star. This is a picture that is different from the ordinary run, yet is not what could be classed as a “super feature,” even though it is playing at a twice- a-day schedule. It shows vividly the intolerance and bigotry of the colonial period. The religious fanaticism of the puritans is brot out to face the light of day in a realistic manner. The opening of the picture shows Hester Prynne, played by Lillian Gish, being put in a stock for running and skipping on Sunday. As the picture continues we see the persecution that our forefathers meted out to those that did not live up to their ideas of religion and morality. Lars Hanson is the best bet of the Picture. The scenes in which he por- trays his love for Hester, are really fine. If for no other reason than its ex- posure of religious fanaticism, it is a picture that should not be missed. It has, however, other points in its favor, namely, good direction and a minimum of hokum. SYLVAN A. POLLACK. Movie Notes In Chicago, The first showing of the Russian movie masterpiece “Breaking Chains” in Chicago broke all records for at- tendance. Three thousand people saw the marvelous film while that many more were turned away unable to gain admission. Another showing has been arranged for December 18 at the Ashland Auditorium with two per- formances on the same night at 7:30 and 9:30 p, m. to accommodate those previously disappointed. On National Tour. After the second Chicago perform- ance, “Breaking Chains” will begin a country-wide tour. Definite dates are being arranged and in addition to those soon to be announced, the pic- ture will be shown in New Haven, Conn., Jan. 1; Milwaukee, Wis., Jan. 9; Seattle, Wash., Jan. 29. “POTEMKIN.” In New York. The Armored Cruiser Potemkin, great Russian movie which has re ceived such universal praise both in American and Europe, began its first A PEEK EACH WEEK _ AT MOTION PICTURES “THE QUARTERBACK.” ‘This is the story: A bright, broad- shouldered young man arrives at Col- ton College which has not defeated its rival in football in 27 (count ‘em) years. The boys give the newcomer & rough greeting. He comes up smil- ing, outwits the boys in the ‘rival co)- lege, wins the favored lady of the captain of the rival football team, dis- proves the charges of professionalism, and—here’s the crooshal moment— wins the annual football game for “dear old Colton” in the last 20 seo onds of play. O my, yes!—real heroes do all these things at (movie) col lege. Atid that’s the story, Fortunately, that's not all there is to the picture. It has a lively, youth- ful spirit, which is, despite a heavy coating of molasses, somewhat collegi- ate. It has also a little humor and some football scenes that look an- thentic. There is a novel and amus- ing stunt of football practice with milk bottles while our hero works his way thru college. Richard) Dix plays the young super- man. He looks old enuf to lead us to believe he must have been a dum bell at high school to enter college so late. But he does a good job and catches the spirit of the young col- Ethel Ralston is the girl that She’s so “The Quarterback” is one of a few football pictures shown this fall to lure the unwary penny of the curios- ity-pricked movie fan in the midst of the football season. By this time it is being shown in the neighborhood theaters at cut-rates. At cut-rates you might try it, Richard Dix in ‘The Quarterback A Paramount Picture A DOZEN IN BRIEF The Winning of Barbara Worth— A_hot desert and a warm blonde. (Orpheum) be ~) Temptress—Greta Garbo sure 8! Breaking Chains—By far the best in this list. Don’t miss it when it comes to your town. Syncopated Sue—She’s lively. The Black Pirate—Fairbanks’ phys- ical-culture fandangles. Don Juan—Barrymore poses his profile. (With the Vitaphone at the McVickers). London—Not so good. «The Better 'Ole—The better howl. Funny stuff (With the second Vitaphone performance at the Woods). Variety—See this one. The Strong Man—A Langdon laugh- ing matter. ay Sadie—Not bad—nor impor- Passaic $trike—Labor in action. ‘ Will do your heart good. TT showing im this country last Sunday at the Biltmore Theater in New York. No Russian picture has created so great a discussion as this one of the 1905 revolution. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford viewed the picture in Germany while on their way to Rus- aia and called it “the greatést motion picture ever made.” Emil Jannings, German star of “Va- riety,” in an interview printed in_a current issue of an American movie magazine says: “No, I_do not care for the Volga Boatman. ow can I when i have already seen “Potem- kin”? doe Plotkin. TROPIC DEATH, by Erie Waldrond. Boni & Liveright, Publishers, New York. The great move- ment of the Negro worker from the South into Nortb- ern industry and from farm to city in all sections, in the war years of * 1916 and 1917 and continuing to date, brot with it great strides in all direc- tions. A new con- sciousness wa 5s born. The Garvey movement crystal- ized this into organization of power. The American Negro Labor Congress followed. The Negro worker began to form uniong and knock more insist- ently on the doors of organized Jabor. With strideg in all directions came al- 50 authentic development én culture. Gilpin in “Emperor Jones” followed by Paul Robeson and others reveal- ed the Negro reaching into the dra- matic field, which with the rare ex- ception of the inimitable Bert Will- jams, wag reserved for whites, In 1916, the poetry of Claud McKay (in the group of the Masses and Li- berator) revealed new powers. Since then many other Negro writers and poets have given notice on the prog- ress of the Negro in poetry and litera- ture. In the past year this progress is witnessed in such work as Walter F, White’s “Flight”, Langston Hughes “The Weary Blues” (a poet whose early work appeared in the Workers Monthly), “The New Negro” edited by Locke, the work of Countee Cullen and other contributions of merit. “Tropic Death” -by Eric Waldrond is the first book of another young Ne- sro writer and part of the authentic bid of the Negro for place in contem- porary American literature. The first work, however, of this talented writer is not a great one. The collection of short stories has merit in its color and movement—a bright-hued painting of the tropics of which he writes, The story does not concern itself like most works of the spirited, new- ly conscious Negro writers, with the American Negro and his life. The au- thor, a West Indian (now on the staff of Opportunity) sets his ten stories in the tropical atmosphere of Guiana, Central America and the West Indies. fn an almost detached way he paints the life of the Negro in all settings. It is a realistic picture, done with the knowing, skillful hand of one who has observed life there closely. Like the colors of the tropics also, these stories are riotously colorful—almost gaudy. One thing Stands out however. Pro- ducing harmony, the style of the writ- er is nevertheless jangly and skeleton Book Reviews like. Outline and color is there but the word painting lacks body to give more weight. Lacking smoothness, these stories however are not lacking In value. Lacking fire, they contri- bute in color. A more aggressive in- terest and consciousness and more ease in style on the part of the author will make it worth waiting for his future work. The worker who finds interest in the new consciousness of the Negro in America because of its great im- portance to American labor, will do well to keep step with its strides in all directions, including literature. It will help us to understand it better and give us the pleasure of truly au- thentic literary ability. “Tropic Death” by Eric Waldrond is one of the new fall books worth reading. w. G. “Come to the Lord,” one of the un- — usual. drawings of Alexander King, from the art folder “Alexander King —An Intenpretation, a Credo, and Ten Drawings” issued by Boni & Liveright in Whose New York offices this art- ist’s work has ‘been on exhibition, It Does Not Always ~ Pay to Advertise At the last moment, Manuel Gomez, author of the article advertised in Friday's issue of The DAILY WORK- ER, “Canton Tells The World,” was obliged to withdraw it for additional treatment in view of eleventh hour developments in the Orient. The finished manuscript did not arrive at the plant in time for the mechanical staff to do the right thing by it. Therefore we must regretfully beg our readers’ patience to wait another week for the second part of the article | that appeared ‘last week.—Editor. THE TINY WORKER A Weekly. Editor, Louise Reizen, Chicago, III. Johnny Red, Assistant Editor. Vol. 1, , Saturday, December 11, 1926 No, 29 OH BOY! THAT'S ME! SOME GIRLS! aie So many of our little comrades sent in such nice things for this issue that We can’t use be- cause this is only a “Tiny Worker.” But we will surely use them Lot of other issues com- ing, kids! But I tell ya fel- lows, the girls were good this week. But just you wait. —_— THE GIRLS By Yetta Barshefsky, Chicago Vanguard Group, I am a very little irl gir With ragged cloth- ing and torn shoe But I’m a little Pioneer, Now —ahy aren't you? GET BACK! gicbsidpion That’s a good You can't keep a good little Red down and you can't keep him OUT! Come on Johnny Reds. ARE YOU READY? ‘em snappy and shoot ‘em in! THE PROOF By Edna Wallace, Washington, D. Cc. — The boys don't own All brains, that’s true We girls are REDS That proves it too! Last week the boys sent in BVERY- THING. We told our little Rosie Reds about it and they sent in so many good things they pushed the boys right out of the TINY WORKER! QUEEN MARIE By LOUISE REINZEN, Chicago, Vanguard Pioneer Group. 1 Most people make an awful fuss Cver that old queen who visited us, 1 don’t think that she’s so loud Just because she gathered the crowd. 2 As the queen rode down the street Hundreds of guards stood at her feet; I know I'd go on the rainiest day To see her get “crowned” another way. question to ask of any little bey or gir). Yetta! Keep on asking that of ev- ery one you meet. And welcome to the Tiny Worker— come again! THERE IS NO SANTA CLAUS! But we got a pieture of a bird who thinks he is and we're going to show him up in the next issue. Watch me trim his whisk- ers! Better next Saturday's TINY WORKER, 7