Evening Star Newspaper, January 10, 1926, Page 59

THE SUNDAY LEATRICE JOY - Awbassador STAR, WASHINGTON, D. (., JANUARY o 10, 1926—PART W/ PRALPH [owis Rislto PJGW /. H. Landvoigt. By ¢ re <o of those will “The chiefly is W ye look" lumn connceted m is susceptible to expansion ts the photoplay in its composition ould L of as much interest to the rns merely its cxhibition. This viev everybody from the sage on mora crank the motion_pictu offerec a ussio i on be e most in the vays p 1gEC bonehead natter 1 good for : ma going tc be ng to tions to be many pr real pectacle oduction shounld reac for Th tacle than dra ie should warrant spectacle ertop the reason fi pectacles, and many things oi won- the revue, whose chicf objcct at the Jare the hidden mysteries of life, espe- sation with spectacular beauty. This because there are a great many dear ithstanding the World War, the \dment emancipating woman, have cling to the conventionalities of hocked and aggrieved by that suggested, most hus in th because in the stage— " to o o respect, eman, who, W as to th cxperi unders ique, e drama of the screev by culty apparently has been rs because dramatists and playwrights do Volumes have been written on screen writers for the screen do not sce to b ey started years iie carcful study of the i tho Sha 18 ot tech we wvever ks. 10 used to : ithout words oug! rst tice 1 story And a recoliec s a 1y s The the bit scems appallin stion vhe yuld-be scer ve ights a cue It g that the Je debarred from the screen for want Then, again, it might help a great the studios who prepare scenarios, write 1gs decmed essential in the manufacture of juced to believe that much they are advancing under ts of screen technique is really only plain “bunk” Some of these people have been responsible for ru ood story which they have attempted to “translate” to the scree * *x aters, excused by the plea that screen productions, largely sle on the part of some who g them outside their tors, nothing more. I r than one houscs has resulted in higher admission costs nishment of legitimate drama from the theater, to flashy and indelicate revues, whose aim, sometimes, is the exploitation of femininity that otherwise might never reach the firmament pre the In those cases money makes the mare go, and it money c vhich lures the theater owner. Some believe that these misfortunes will put “the American theater” farther from the pale of sealization than it has ever heen. If the same thing happens in the movie easy to speculate what will be the result. Co-operation on the of producer. distributor and exhibitor, the sage suggestion of our v Crandall, < to be a very desirable consummation devoutly hed in the utiook for 1920 * e * NOTH ich may serve to brighten the outlook is that ictures will u more money in the coffers of wnd e <hibit pictures, and much greater satis- faction on the part o cral public. Phrases are often juggled by there arc always many who want to be among those ned and world's greatest playwrig wowledg if the and winuity and do other t tures could be i of a ¢ of screen rique deal in mble for in no other let HE mad < ed nd for also i Wit like ed theatrical proc sh stars. scer movie « 2o be 1} whd make the iny ere, and T indv se. his “present wher portant decisions are reached affecting the ure photo- in the box office, yre the desideratum of these people than a genunie product. Mare sincerity and less hypocrisy is recommended as an im- I is confidently believed that no one instrument in the world today wields it appeals to so many millio 0 The power oi romantic and dramatic sug- public virtue. So much greater, then, is the crime when plays or photo- interested, or ! be. in good morals and the suppression of bad man- rely in his own home he will find vouth and innocence that he would want for the sake of mere dollars to promote that which he knows in veyors of the theater, and it is bitter experience, not the censor, which And by the same token it behooves all who wish this to lend encouraging censor. Lack of patronage will do more to suppress the manufacture Th ¢ jugelers who couple “bigger” with “better” in speak- esire to reasonably thrive by the production and exhibition of pictures provement of the outlook in pictures for 1926 and the years to follow. greater power for good or cvil than the photoplay. The reason is that are found in all walks of lif making public_opinion, public manners, Jplays contribute to the promotion of evil habits and insidious suggestion. ners as_any one el Money will give him but little of comfort or hap- give ever fe to prote What is great wealth worth in a home Jis heart is arf injury to the world of decency. Happily, the picture in- has prompted them to it. Therc is every reason to believe that the photo- support by patronizing the pictures that are free irom offense, rather of evil pictures than anything clse in the world. d9eu in il ing of picture “knockout.” as they term a picture that produces joy that might entitle the to utilize the term “art” in speaking of its ® K K K of people through the e These millions gestion is almost illimitable t The man who ing to get rich, quickly or even honestly, is as much shoul piness if he helps to people the world with thieves in making it. And w re debauchery reigns? Why. then, will any play or picture producer dustry has been giving m thought to this than have the modern pur- play in the matter of morals and manners is growing better every day. +han by consigning all picture production to the mercy of an individual 4 . XCEPT for these in -~ develops which | . | Mathis In the | ontlook for ! very bright indeed, and— jilie present necessary scramble to get o S and Comment The Moving‘ficture By Robert E. Sherwood. vears of preparation, sl and incalculable ex 18 4 moving pleture Dbeen revealed to the public known in exclusive filn s held at the George M. Cohan Theater. on the night of Wednes. was the usual movie 2, with the inevitable jam of peo. ple at the main entrance and the at ndant galuxy Hall of Film directed spicuously Enid Bennett. who impersonates Messala, was Fame Ht present Fred Niblo, whe " was incon with his wife, rcis X. Bushman the Roman cad on hand, but 150 R | ) “the world premiere” was opening of celebrities from the 1 failed to note the presence of Ramon Novarro, the reul sion, although his ance was schedu Kirkwood, Lila Joyce, V Lasky Marq eveni tero of the oc personal appear I say Mae Astor, that 1s d Lee nt 1n Allis Adolph diminu . Jesse magnate mtributed to the cold, nment atly = in enter! were also in the tlemen who received | Tut 10 attention whatsoever in the { hullabalico. They Wallace and M e son and the grandson of that fine old sold who devoted five v his useful and active life to the wition of the story which w tined to achieve a circulation han any book in history, wit ohvious exceptic Bible What 1tic of these tw entlemen we T do not know Tc “Ben Hur” is a sacred heirloon handed down by their distinguished rhear and intrusted to their care. v, “Ben Hur" has been a nd ‘singularly fruitful source not_on so for that astute theatri- i0, Mr. Abe Erlanger. who roduced it on the e, he profituble for associates Pictures moot 1y Ity com s des large: the em mily, but Jl impres: v a painfully X is in question. “Ben purchased (on basig) by the hich promptly of business as a res of its snditures on this one pra Goldwyn had selecte to direct “Ben Hur, to write the adapta Walsh to play the ®ead company had been sent to | wake the exterlor scenes. { When the Goldwyn Corporation died fon feet and the remalns were | absorbed by Metro, Brabin, Walsh and Miss Mathis, and all their collabora- tors, were recalled, and their jobs were assigned to Freb Niblo, Ramon No- varro and Carex Wilson, respectively A new “Ben Hur” company went to Ttalv to make an entirely new set of scenes, and when they returned it | was found that these scenes would not do. F one thing, the famous charfot race was filmed in the Circus Maxi- mus in Rome. Then it was complete- Iy remade in 2 fabricated Circus Ma imus that had to be buflt for the pur- { pose in Culver City, Calif. T failed to detect one legitimate Italian background in *“Ben Hur,” 8o | I assume that all the money spent in 1 sending the two companies to Europe | was utterly wasted. | What the total cost of production has been it is Impossible for an out- sider to estimate. I have heard it 1s run six million dollars, but this sounds a trifle excessive. One reasonably refer to it as a whole lot of money and let it go at that. of 1oy Company, dwyn tio rabiy George its ! * { The picture tremendous itself is sure to be a popular success. Al- though it lacks the profound impre: veness of Gen. Wallace's novel, | ind much of the dramatic thrill of the play, it is a fine picture, as pictures 2o, artd endowed with al] the elements | that make for popular appeal on the | sereen. It starts, as does the original story, { with the Nativity—a series of scenes, photographed in color, that are in- credibly beautiful. Raphael himselt | never imagined a Madonna ! than is Betty Bronson as she the gifts of the Magi The picture moves ahead in time to the Hur home, in Jerusalem, and fol- lows Ben Hur to the galleys—marvel- lously stirring episodes, these—to the home of Arrius, in Rome; to Antioch, where the great chariot race is held, jand finally back to Jerusalem, where voung Ben Hur and his family are re- | united in the shadow of the cross. Of course, the great moment of “Ben Hur" is provided when the hand- »me hero and the equally handsome villain dash for supremacy about the Cirecus Maximus in their ratuding charjots. I have seen many chariot races in the movies, and in the Bar- num & Bailey shows, but this one is the most magnificent of all. Twelve { drivers and forty-eight horses streak across the screen at a breathless rate of speed, and the audience is moved to hysterfcal cheers—just as though receives rs of | ¢ for the Wallace | the ! Corporation | may | lovelfer James us Loew, who had d audience abso- were Mr. | Lew Wallace, oLty LANDIS® Central RuDoLPr * VALENTINO Columbia {eis i vietdr iVphotoplglj\fs This Week ‘ At the phompl METROPOLITAN-Lean Shown this after | COLUMBIA—Rudolph \ noon and eve i RIALTO—"The 1 PALACE—Mac Murray noon and evening TIVOLI—"Hecll's Highroad.” AMBASSADOR—"Clothes Ma and evening CENTRAL—"Enemy of Men." LINCOLN (colored)—"Cobra.” ay noon Show St St METROPOLITAN—"Clothes Make the | Pirate.” Leon Errol, famous comedian of the | Ziegfeld productions, will be seen for the first time in Washington individual screen star at ¢ Metropolitan Theater this weel. be-| ginning this afternoon. in First Na- | tional's production of “Clothes Make | the Pirate,” a whimsical and highly amusing adaptation of the novel by Holman Day, in which he is supported | by Dorothy Gish and a pretentious cast. A new and exclusive comedy release. short reels, which include the Metropolitan World Survey and a scenic subject, and music by the Met- ropolitan _Symphony under Daniel Breeskin wiil be added attractions. “Clothes Make the Pirate” is the story of a timid little Boston tailor who reads vivid storfes of the Span- ish Main and hopes some day to be able to offset the ominous threat of his shrewlsh wife's rolling pin. | When he is mistaken for the leader of a crew of bloodthirsty buccaneers s an | ndall's | there were any the outcome. Fred Niblo and his staff of techni- cians, artists and camera men have done a_wonderful job, scenically, with “Ben Hur.” They have made pictures that are gorgeous and stirring. They have not been quite so careful gt their continuity. Ramon Novarro is a splendid Ben Hur, Nigel de Brulier gives a start- lingly vivid impression of Simonides, . the elave, and Claire MacDowell is tenderly sympathetic as Ben Hur's mother. Otherwise, the cast did not seem to me to rise appreciably above the movie average. * ok ok F “Ben Hur” will be “road-showed" about the country, which means that it will be shown first in the larger citles, playing two performances a day at increased prices until such time as it is ready for general release. The picture contains almost all the qualities of spectacular thrill and re- ligious fervor which have brought such unprecedented success to the novel and the play, and there is every reason_therefore to be optimistic as to its future. No one, outside of Marcus Loew's private office, will ever know whether “Ben Hur” actually manages to clear expenses. My personal guess is that it won't. possible doubt as to (Copyright. 1926.) b1 st we forget—it really ought to m the sick and weak people whe want —————— 1ake provision for reserved seats for to see good picturcs, but who dread | thedter, /& HOUSCS 1 K hown eck. | Pirat This W won and evening s afternoon and eveniung own this afternoon d evening. d evening this afternoon a thi fi hown rnoon a wut in command of a pirate ship. | snaps into it” as if born to the dangers of gentlemanly plundering. The action of the drama, despite the | fact that it is e 1ly comlc. is en- | livened by a serles of sea raids and | boarding parties that provide thrill i ind suspens Dorothy Gish is the shrewish wife | and other important roles are played | by Nita Naldi, James Rennie, {n pri vate life_the hushand of Miss Gish George Marion, Edna Murphy and Frank Lalor. Maurice Tourneur directed the pic- ture. The orchestral contributions will in- clide “The Jolly Rohbers" overture hy Suppe and the recurrent theme of the interpretative score will be “A Frivolous Patrol” and the exit num ber will be “I Want a Lovable Bab; from the George White “Scandals of | 1925."” and [ COLUMBIA—"“The Eagle.” Rudolph Valentino will be presented “nited A production, “The 1t Loew’s Columbia Theater | week, beginning this_afternoon. | romantic drama of Russia and the court of Catherine 1. Based on | Alexander Pushkin’s Russian classic. | “Dubrovsky,” directed by Clarence Brown, and concerns a young Cossack | nobleman, who offends the imperious ‘atherine’ II and is forced to turn bandit. Vilma Bank: the _Hungarian beauty, is Valentino's leading woman and Louise Dresser is Catherine II, of eccentricities and erotic tendencies. The young nobleman offends the great Catherine and is forced to flee the court with a price on his head at | the very time when his father needs him at court because of litigation brought against him by an enemy. Maddened at his own degradation and the eviction of his father from his estates, the young man turns bandit| ond captures the beautiful daughter of his family enemy, who promptly wins his heart. i The Mermaid comedy, “On Edge, the International Newsreel and other supplemental attractions are promised. RIALTO—"“The Last Edition.” Emory Johnson's “The Last Edi- tion,” starring Ralph Lewis, which is the photoplay attraction at th2 Rialto this week, 1S a vivid drama, vitalized in the absorbing atmosphere of a big newspaper plant, showing its most intimate details with all the glamour, romance and tragedy. The story concerns Tom MacDonald, the humble assistant foreman in the pressroom of a great metropolitan daily, and one of the cogs in the gigan- tic wachine which spews the streets with Uaring extras. Iow s beloved| ]Tl.x | ing King Vidor” ! Burns in “My Swedie’ “The Big Parade.” companies, orchestra-equippe: and with complete crews und stag | have started their tours present picturization of Laur- ence Stallings’ story. “The Big Pa rade,” in 10 zones of the United States. The picture will reach Washington January 18 at Poli's Theater, accord ing o advance reports ing, | false, a machin wresses pl wrecks th: churning rrest and powe The explc plant and the dls out the rmy of fire tional climax The special Mischa Gutersc casting.” It is a fon and_the talent irtuguese Trio, wi selectlons arrange md cello Manny alist Dorothy him h kes out the by “Broad radio includes the » will be heard in! for 1 King, the Day. diminutive yncopation dancer: Eddie Clark comedian: ilooks Kennedy. Scotch bal and recitations: Romeo Guaraldi, baritone singer. The Riulto Concert Orchestra will play for the overture ‘The Blue nube Waltz” by Strauss, which gether with a Buster Brown comedy, | entitled “Oh, Buster.” and the Inter national News, wili complete the pro am. . PAl Mz " travest s and CE—"The Masked Bride." Mu 's 1 Che Masked Bride. Montmartre and the Pa vorld, will open a week's er noon Buased on a story by «nd directed by Chris rector of Ramon Navarro's <hipman.” its cast includes also Frar Bushman, Roy D'Arcy, Bas tathbone, English character ‘hester Conklin, Pauline Neff ‘rankie Bailey Mae M ay's d lir for exotic cos have been ziven Director Cabanne of the v, deflant Montmartre dancer with Apache lover who undertook ize a I AT T ment of success double-crossed by Cupid in love with her intended m and was unable to withstand b appeal. Glenn Tryon's laughmake Cuckoo Love”: the P e News Ree Topics of the Day nd orchestral em bellishment are also anr TIVOLI—"Hell's Highroad.” urice Joy will be this week at Theater nning de Mille’s prodnct the 1 g for v and an Aesop Fablc i tesday and Wednesday \Warner Paster, Ksther Ralston and Kathlyn Williams in Sidney Oleott’s produc tion, “The Best People.” a screen ver- | on of Avery Hopwood's also Our Gang” in Hal Roach’s “Your | Backward” and “Topics of the : Thursday and Friday. Dorothy Revier, Ford Sterling. Robert Agnew, | issle Fitzgerald and Lthel Wales in ixhibitors’ Film Exchange release, Steppin’ Out”; also Mack Sennett's wer Thereabouts’ and a enic study of “Volendam™; Saturday, Jack | olt and Rillle Dove in mes Oliver | urwood’s “The Ancient Highway,” | rected by Irving Willat: “also Neal | and a Lyman | “Hodge Podge.” | AMBASSADOR—“Clothes Pirate Leon Tirrol, supported by h, Nita Naldl, James Edna Murphy, Tully George Marion, will be seen as the | star of “Clothes Make the Pirate” at | Crandall's Ambassador Theater the first three day of this week, hegin- ning today. In this adaptation of folman F. Day’s story the comedian is cast as a timid little tailor who hecomes a vicious scourge of the s The supplementary offerings will clude an Aesop Fable, other films and pipe organ music. Wednesday and Thursday Tov in Cecil B. De Mille's ton, “Hell's Highroad,” and Sennett’s “RButter “The Tower of Lies," Victor Seastrom, with nd Norma Shearer, Graves in Mack Sennett's Doctor”; Saturday, Monte Patsy Ruth Miller, Louise Fazenda | and Willard Louls in Warner Broth- ers' production, “Hogan's Alley,” a tale of adventure and the, law, also | Walter Hiers in “Hot Doggie” and the first installment of the new chap- ter play, “The Green Archer.” * CENTRAL—“Enemy of Men.” | Dorothy Revier, Cullen Landis, Cae- sare Gravina, Charles Clary. White and Virginia Marshall v seen In “Enemy of Men” at Crandall’s | Central Theater the first two days of | this week, beginning today. The story is deScribed as a romance with many unexpected climaxes. Harry Langdon in “The White Wing's Bride” and a Grantland Rice “Sportlight’ will ‘also be shown. { Tuesday and Wednesday “Bobbed Hair,” with a cast including Marle Prevost, Kenneth Harlan, Louise Fa- zenda, John Roche, Emily Fitzroy, Reed Howes, Pat Hartigan, Walter Long, Francis J. MacDonald and Tom Ricketts, together with Earle Foxe, former Washington stock favorite, in Booth Tarkington's “The Sky Jump- er”; Thursday and Friday, Buster Keaton, supported by “Brown Eyes," his cow star, in “Go West,” also “The Bachelor's Babies,” a juvenile comedy, and a Lyman H. Howe ~Hodge Pedige”: Saturdas. Sydney_Chavlin i | Moutinued on Fowtlh Laged I « and I e said to play by an a disc be was wn the 1 it ivoli B. lig! ntitled : Rev H. Howe | Make the | Dorothy | Rennte, | Marshall and | in- hort Leatrice produc. Mack Lon and Chaney Ralph | “Hurry, Blue, | 1G widely known pe public eye today, is better known An indicatio: ious fo to mi of the Howing lies in the f ‘ork there 1 one evening radio here lUmpse s later to become so His first one of what \ street’s mammoth department Even ut that period of his care ion urged, and he rom one job to another was the no with the advent his nature urging him on the United Stat received those cip he Marines, - where b t manliness and which many vears him_well his world's serve the in the Boxer aAfter en rines, went through China, and per fron dischargec th hir place h Me{mpohfih ~-That's All. artisti | recognize ot {est of his drear Ker's parior Wi r his own cit: lfe he mont! an. dic atmos mnsi patre n; gave the 1 uses, ter motior ceptior «nd motio: pe time the ic on Broa: was selected o have spots in appoint r beyond the wild he store shov wk ¢ ment. size ittle . with experimented For City st audience devotee eater, aside nius i he hich he ions of home Everybody Filmograms AUTHORITATIVI and special der o le by Ufa-Films of 1540 Bre Tempera E “Rag “A Brass Night in Manger generation ce Town,” Baby Monkev,” A New York.” “A Dc and “A Hole in the ( The Architectural nection with the cal - construction, ve been ord i ,783,000, in 1 “in the ound.” in f theat that pla 0 houses states Milt Gross, who traveled all way to Holiywood to w gag: Charlie Chaplin, is said to have a split with the screen comedian Kauffran’s novel, has been purchased production hy Gotham . according to a mews re for had Reginald Wrig “Money to Burn,' for screen Productior port. tner's play, “‘Puppets, will be the first production to be su vised by Al Rockett. one of wucers of “Abraham Lincoln st National. George will direct it. Frances Li * for Archainbaud Trance is going to have wood of its own near the Biarritz : wAar a Holly famous Ferguson proclamatic of Januar Texas Las indorsing the as “Laugh signed month month. “Forbidden Waters,” an story by Percy Heath. ha lected as the basis for Pri next picture. original been s cilla Dean’s “Paris at Midnight,” a new Metro- politan picture, will have Lionel Bar rymore for its star, along with Jet oudal, Mary Brian, Edmund Burns, Emile Chautard and Lillian Law- rence. E. Mason Hopper will be the director. Samuel J. Briskin of Banner Pro- ductions, proposes to star Lionel Bar- | rymore in “The Man With the Brood- ing Eyes,” by John Goodwin. With Richard Wallace Theda Bara has started work on those short comedies that are to be pro- duced at the Roach studios. Famous Players has changed title of “The Golden Journey,” Raoul Walsh production, to Lady of the Harem,” Players companies that things clean, etc. a new is golng to keep Cesare Gravina will be a count in onte Carlo,” which Christy Cabanne is directing for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Anna Q. Nilsson has recovered from her accident and is back at work on “The Second Chance,” which Lambert illyer is directing for First National Adulphe, Menjou's new pictur the | jroad show directing, | { | | BT | Amateu Celebrity.” which filr much in recent one the of the new year nderful things « Fred Niblo. o The Warners are to form a o pany” «nd “Don Juan,” hn Barrymore as its star, will picture to be handied by Lubitsch to make twuo to be also handled by t Y od er admissior *roan with > the it nest Decials “The Wedding Song. starrins Leatrice Joy, has been handed a knock out_wallop by the local censor board Dallus, Texas “picture to Miss_ Nobod rebo Colleen Moore's ollow T ¢ ances Marion is reported to have ned by Samuel Goldwyn at a salary of $130,000 per annum. She now at work on a new story for Henrs King similar to “Tol'able” David. Imess' two Pictures will Montana” * by Oleott will d Bartt piration Kid From Gentlemar Sidney pictures include and “The Jeffre direct 1 The Farnol them John Barrymore's picture Beast,” was seheduled premier at Warner Friday ““The Se a world th eater las in Cr wed at Crandall ek, when Leo 1S an individual Make the Pirate exclusively comic. i nth 15 L be ina Metropolitan this Errol make® his det Clothes The bill will b dall ‘houses andall Colony Theate ore and apartment building, =« Georgia avenue and Farragut strect northwest, is rapidly tak final and definitely ‘determinable form. and it promises to be one of the most attrac tive theater structures in northwest residential Washington. The Colony Theater will have a seat ing capacity of 1500 on one floor. The new ( Some idea of the settings in Rudolph Valentino’s first United Artists’ pro duction, “The Eagle,” may be gained from the fact that in it the Kremlin famous palace of the Russian Czars, {s reproduced with a wealth of detail riking Cossack uniforms and court costumes make this scene particularly colorful. Two theater figures noted in other the lqays are staging comebacks as mem W | hers of Mae Murray ., to “The |in “The Masked Bri yet Famous |cis X. Bushman and is one of those .producing | Frankie B s supporting cast e.” One is Fran the other is ley, she of the immortal legs, who is now working upward in the film ranks after a sensational Broadway vogue of yvears ago. A clause in a unique $250,000 in surance policy applied for by Douglas MacLean, screen comedian, and which an insurance company has agreed io underwrite, provides for complete pro tection of the famous MacLean smile