Evening Star Newspaper, February 7, 1926, Page 57

SCHILDRRAUT Mefropoli{am Sere from " "The LOST BATTALION” President Tivoli I ' News ancl Comment By W. H. Landvoigt. the expe guage. w ience of an e sary to properly present to an expectant public the screen offer- ings of the current week. The nccessity appears in the fact that the Movie man is claiming that much has been accomplished re- ently in lifting the photoplay to a higher plane, and the week's program, if its loud-singing | udes quite a grist of new pictures out of the ordinary. It also may invite wider attention to discuss the blessings at b culate upon the probabilities of the here- after, alw; certainty, after all is said and done. The art of cr T s not yet reached the stage of infallibility, how- ~ver bold and authori scem the utterances of the truly wise. It humbly suggested that while it is certain, in the final round- y, the present discussion is mere- songs, ung by the irrepressible word holds good until a higher verdict is ascertained. ralds may be relied upon, i <, therefore, 1p, that opinions are going to d a reflex of tb yress agent, w - TH]. ROAD TO YESTERDAY,” a ct g e es of t England wreath of fame man € as a play. It famous as one compar and, if the whole truth n the incentive to many a delightful, untheatrical Cecil B. De Mille, creator of the great, grand < d to-have found in this pleasant hit of imagination material for a superproduction of such colossal pro- portions and magnificence that Beulah Marie Dix, who wrote the story, probably would stand aghast at what she missed in her original creation. soothing or excit y that links 1 those of to has worn the dream ars fant has bee modern life. rious in screen productions, UT iantasy is nothing to be compared with the outburst of Frank Tut- ight as one of the marvelous crea- ors of screen spectacles. « plagiaristic attempt to steal Flo Ziegfeld's American With the aid of Townsend Gght his inspiration from the magic mud car- nd poured it forth in an original story, Mr. »ut to the Atlantic City beauty contest, seized its chief prize winner, “Miss America,” not to mention her many beautiful bathing *rivals, and with screen talent that ranges from Doug. Fairbanks, jr., into the farthest firmament oi film celebrities, soars in a wild flight of cine- matic ccstasy in scarch of the modern type of the classic Venus de Milo, the Greek lady best described as the beautiful marble with the broken arms. Why, thercfore, should not Mr. Tuttle's cinema creati “The Amer Venus.” command the widest attention and admiration, unless something happene making of which the public has not vet been apprised > tle, who is rapidly looming into profession ofi g Martin, who d ioons of the dail Tuttle has reached ND, by way of contrast. have we not with us “the screen’s greatest character star.,” Lon Chaney, “the man with a thousand faces"—think ot ft! A wider contrast with the daintiness and beauty that have gone before. he comies this time in Tod Browning's conception of “an un- derworld criminal of rapacious tendencies, who hides his villainies from the police under the guise, by daylight, of a benevolent, kind-hearted mis- sion worker” in “The Blackbird.”™ True, he accidentally ends his criminal career by “a too-zealous ctfort to disguise himself as a crippled beggar,” - but that doesn't i the chapter of horror to which hc gener- ously contributes before vice is punished and virtue receives its reward. HOULD your mood prefer, however, to drift down from the realm of fancy, or upward from the wickedness of the underworld, even though be the famous underworld of gay P nd out along the quiet high- ays and byways of simple, presént-day existence, there will be Frank Craven'’s delightful picture of the domestic vicissitudes of a young married ©couple during “The First Year"—a bit of real drama reflecting life as it is ) the homes of hundreds of voung people who sail the sea of matrimony search of joys they know not what, to encounter the common lot of all, times and tribulations when the giggle will pop out, only to be sup- pressed the moment after with a svmpathetic tear. Lifc is so beautiful, <o interesting, if we choose to make it so, and it is in this field that lie the finest possibilities of the art of the photoplay, not in brazen spectacle, nor thrilling horror, nor the unsavory suggestion of forbidden fruit. = * ok ok ok HERE is still another “first production” in Washington in the pic- tured story of the famous “Lost Battalion,” which thrilled the patriotic heart during the World War, and which comes, not to keep alive the bitter animosities of nations, but to bring relief and possible comifort to man; who were disabled by the great conflict. It is well, perhaps, that the sacri- tices of the individual should be kept alive, for with the passing of time much is forgotten that deserves to live forever in the minds and hearts of hose who are quick to forget, rather than in the simpler insignia of dals or the musty pages of history but too little scanned at best at any time. Tt is the individual sacrifice for a great principle that glorifies a ration—and people are so forgetful even of what they should the most remember. he screct with varied offerings designed comes you today Yale to Tell Coueges. Yale department of education announced that it will co-op. = actively with other schools and of the country in order to her institutions the benefit of sive research .’ hing his through motion picture ystematle investigation is being d on by the department of cidu cation to learn from actual practice | ways of co-ordinating motion pictures ' with classroom work. New Prices Sunday a new price schedule A L was inaugurated at the Strand Theater which met with an apprec tion so prompt, so genuine, that the management has decided to continue | it indefinitely. Admission " for age of children under the accompanied by adults, is 15 cents for mat- inees and 25 cents for evenings for a performances except on Sundays and holiday Any seat In the house may be had at these prices. A Birthday of Interest. | OR some unaccountable birthday stories are not of interest to women, particularly concern their own birthdays are times, however, when birthdaj should bé remembered, should be talked about and should be celebrated. Mrs. Harrlet Hawley Locher of tha Crandall educational and public sery- ice department has won a nation-wide fame with her idea of “special pro grams for children” in the photoplay theater. She conceived the idea, fos- tered it, made it a thing of reality and only lately has she received such sup. port from the parents and teachers of Washington as to make f{ts perma- nence assured. Like all women, Mrs. Locher h birthdays, and on Friday, Februars 26, she 18 going to celebrate one of them by being the hostess to her juve- nile friends at the Ambassador The- ater. - Her “special children's programs' are presented every Saturday morn- ing at 10:15 o'clock at Crandall’s Tivoli Theater, Fourteenth street and Park road, where yes Wiggs of the film verston_of : delightfully humorous stor h is no longer 1n c i obtained and shown as a special treat to her special patrons, young and old. But one of the real Lensations yes- terday morning was her invitation to the children to come to her birthday party, Friday, February 26, at o’clock in the afternoon. in Crandall’s Ambassador Theater, at Eighteenth street and Columbia road northwest. She is preparing a special delight for this event. reason, | pecial De Mille’s Opinion. “A GOOD motion picture must, first of all, have a logical, clean-cut theme. A good story can make a star, a bad story will ruin one. “The recent contest which I ran to secure a new idea resulting in ‘The Ten Commandments,’ showed that the public is no longer content merely with a peppermint boy and butter- scotch girl love story. They demand something more substantial and that their photoplays delve the surface. They must get down to the souls and lives of real people.” Mr. De Mille felt this challenge with special keenness, he says, when he be- gan work on “The Road to Yester- day,” his first personally directed in- dependent release through Producers’ Distributing Corporation, which will be shown in Washington today for the first time. ! of salvation to man 1and, perhaps, sorrow. body may especially those 3 And it is all enjoy this solace. to. satisfy every whim for entertainment. This, when you come to +hink of it seriously has so many cnemics it doesn’t deserve, It is a fine accomplishment to 'a Nation as big as our own America, 3:30 |- —_—— - take a million people out of their thoughts and worries and to hold them interested and even entertained for an hour or two a week. It savors more strongly of holiness as re i flected in the simple sincerity and love of the Good Samaritan than in | the persistent, militant occupation of driving the world to be good. It cer- is one of the great achievements of the Movie, which | tainly accomplishes more for the welfare of a community, and, indeed, of Cenh’a]L MARY PICKFORD Amnbasrador Thie Wk At the Photoplay Houses This Week. METROPOLITAN—“The Road to Yesterda: noon and cvening. COLUMBIA—“The American Venus.” evening. Shown this after- Shown this afternoon and RIALTO—"The First Year.” Shown this afternoon and evening. PALACE—"The Blackbird.” TIVOLI—“Little Annic Rooney.” AMBASSADOR— and evening. CENTRAL—"Rose of the World.” ning. LINGOLN (Colored)—“That Ro evening. le Show n this afternoon and evening. Shown this afternoon and evening. “The Road to Yesterday." Shown this afternoon Shown this afternoon and eve- Girl.” Shown this afternoon and —_— METROPOLITAN—"“The Road to Yesterd: Cecil B. De Mile's first super-produc tion for Producers’ Distributing poration, “The Road to Yesterday, will be shown at Crandall's Metr: politan_Theater this week, beginning this afternoon. It is an adaptation of the well known play by Beulah Marle Dix in which Eleanor Rob- son was the original sta Other features of the program will include the Metropolitan World Sur- vey, musical Investiture by the Metro- | politan Symphony under Danie) Freeskin, and Blizabeth Thornberry, soprano, who attracted attention by her vocal selections last week. “The Road to Yesterday” is an ad venturous romance initiated in tha present era of quick loves and in- stinetive attachments and antipathies. revealing the distrusts and affections of a group of Interesting young people, who set forth upon a journey by train and in the dead of night are made the victims of a terrible wrec During an interval of unconsciousness that ensues each is transported back to the days of medieval England and the action then reveals the causes of present day loves and animositie The four pivotal roles are played by Vera Reynolds, William Boyd, Jetta Goudal and Joseph Schildkraut, Julia Faye and Trixie Friganza also con- tribute to the appeal of the picture, COLUMBIA—“The American Venus.” A novel beauty speclal, background- od against the Atlantic City pageant Tt is a sort whose constant companions are care done so cheaply that almost every- of 1925, will be shown at Loew's Co- lumbia_this week, starting this after- noon, in Frank Tuttle's spectacula production, “The Amerifcan Venu: orful and romantic story that glorifies some of America’s lovelfest girls. The cast o includes “Miss America® Fay Lanphier), Esther Ralston galaxy of Atlantic City bathing in addition to Ford Sterling, Lawrence Gr Ernest Torrence, Dou Fairbanks, Jjr.. Edna May Oliver and W, T. Benda, the noted artist. The story concerns the struggle of girls, two rival manufacturers of beauty cream to select an entrant who will win the Atlantic City beauty prize and thus nationally proclaim the merlts of their product. The picture was filmed by Paramount in techni. color and includes a_fashion show and tableaux as well as'thrilling episodes, The picture is hailed as one of the novelties of the 1925-28 photoplay season. RIALTO—"The First Year.” “The First Year,” starring Matt Moore and Kathryn Perry, is the photoplay at the Rialto this week. It is an adaptation of the play by Frank Craven, who also starred in it. It is a story of young married life and begins with the courtship of the bashful Tommy Tucker, who has been coached by the kindly old Dr. Living- ston as to how one should propose. After he has surprised both himself and the girl by asking her to him, the plcture goes on to show how they get through “The First Year.” In the supporting cast are J. Far. rell MacDonald, Marguerite Living- ston, Frank Currier, Frank Cooley, John Patrick and Carolynne Snowden. An added feature on the stage will be Marfe MacQu und six girl harpists in a concert. The numbers given by this ensemble, which recently came from the Pacific goast where it was organized by Miss Best Box-Office Pictures. THE Ten Commandments” was i named by the exhibitors as the best box-office picture of 1925, accord- ing to a recent report {n the Exhibi- tors Herald, which asked a large num- ,ber of exhibitors to name the 10 ple- tures which brought them the most money during the year. The pictures were ranked in the or- der in which exhibitors named them— | that is, the one named among the first |10 by the greatest number recei first place and so on “Charley’s Aunt.” “The THundering Herd,” “The Covered Wagon,” *“The Freshman, Abraham Lincoln,” “Sal- 1v,” “Riders of the Pur .” *“The Hunchback of Notre Dame were in the first 10 in the order giv The list of pictures suows that the | tendency s toward action pictures and comedy, and an analysis indicates that the public is beginning to support the rest pictur MacQuarrie, have been especially ar- nged for' harp interpretation and selected for their popular appeal, lss Stella Hymson, soprano, will 50 be heard in selection: An extra attraction will ba the showing of the vivid and authentic film log of the Amundsen-Ellsworth expedition to the North Pole. Mem- bers of the crew took the camera shots which have enabled mankind to glimpse into the frozen North and wit- ness the struggle for existence in the region about the Pole. The Rialto Orchestra, Mischa Guter- son conducting, will play Rossini’s “Willlam Tell” for the overture, which, together with the International News, will complete the program. PALACE—"The Blackbird.” Lon Chaney is said to offer his most remarkable enactment since “The Miracle Man” in the new Metro-Goldwyn melodrama of the London underworld, “The Blackbird,” at Loew’s Palace this week, starting this afternoon. Owen Moore and Renee Adoree of “Big Parade” fame support him “The Blackbird” is Tod Browning's production of his own story, and its backgrounds are the sinister precincts of Limehouse, the famous London slum quarter. Chaney has the dual role of a desperate London criminal who covers his misdeeds through a trick of contorting his limbs into a baffiing resemblance to his benevolent brother, the keeper of a slum mis- sion. A sudden fancy for a beauty from the music halls brings the Blackbird into conflict with an aris- tocratic West End crook, who also loves the girl, and in the resulting warfare, the Blackbird is betrayed to the police. He madly attempts to thwart the police by assuming his old contortion pose, but his haste results in a locking of his muscles in such a way that he cannot resume his orig- inal shape. He decides than to be a mission worker in reality, and his ex- perience proves a lesson for his op- ponent, who wins the girl and de. cides to go straight. The Glenn Tryon comedy, “Flaming Flappers”; the popular Masked Play. ers Contest, Pathe News reel and mu. sical embellishment will add to the bill. TIVOLI—“Little Annie Rooney.” Mary Pickford will be pictured the first two days of this week at Cran- dall's Tivoll Theater in “Little Annie Rooney,” an original film play sug- gested by the famous old song of the same name, supported by Willlam Haines, Vola Vale, Carlo Schipa and others of note, and the Pathe Review and “Topics of the Day” will be shown al | sic by Otto F. Beck and Ida V. Clarke | Tuesday and Wednesday Edmund Lowe will be pictured in a screen ver- slon of Channing Pollock's ““The Fool," together With 4 Aesop Fable, Thuss- enhanced by the pipe organ mu. ! Fllmogl_'gms. { JT would appear trom a story In Film Daily, February 3, that the United States Marine Corps is under | contract to appear in pictures exclu sively for the Metro-Goldwyn-N Corporation, although it is explained this i3 only for & picture exploiting the corps itself. Fay Lanphier, America,” appears in “The American Venus,” the young woman accused of be worked into the Atlantic City he { contests for managerial purposes. | Carroll and the Famous Plavers w | mentioned in this connection. It will ! be remembered some of the cont 'anls withdrew, at least for a while wh is | “The Flaming Frontier” {s to & Carl Laemmle’s twentleth anniversary picture, it is announced. and Jame Oliver Curwood’s “The Flaming Fo; jest” is to be Reginald Barker's fir for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Seena Owen 1S the latest to an accident on location broken ribs to her credit this location work. Nice work, Maurdce Tournier has signed to di- rect “The Mysterious Island” for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. ‘Theda Bara's first two-reeler for H Roich is called “High Explosives. Theda still “looks good. Agitation against 1 Americ: hot day and Friday, Leon ¥rrol, famg Ziegfeld comedlan, in First Nation funny film version of Holman Da story, “Clothes Make the Pirate, ported by Dorothy Gish, James Ren- nie, George Marion, Nita Naldi, Tully Marshall and Edna’ Murphy. and Hal Roach's “The Soft Pedal short-reel laughmaker; ter B. Kyne's story of “The ed Hill” will be presented in play form with Jack Holt, Florenc the stellar parts. and Chariie Chase in “The Uneasy Three,” and “The Scar- let Streak,” No. 6, will complete the bill. AMBASSADOR—"The Road to Yes- terda Joseph Schildkraut, Vera Reynolds, Willam Boyd, Jetta Goudal, Julia Faye and Trixie Friganza will be seen in ‘Cecll B. de Mille’s production of “The Road to Yesterday,” at Cran- dall’s Ambassador Theater. Also the first three days of this week, pegin ning today. Wednesday and Thurs day, Patsy Ruth Miller, in_“Rose of the World" a new Warner Brothers' release, featuring Alan Forrest, Pauline = Garon, Rockliffe Fellowes, Alec Francls and Lydia Knott, together with Cliff Bowes, in “Brotherly Love”; Friday, Rin-Tin- Tin, the famoue canine star, in *Be. low the Line,” with important human roles played by Johnny Harron, June Marlowe and Pat Hartigan, supple- mented by Johnny Arthur, tn “Clean- ‘ng Up,” and the Pathe Review: Sat- urday, Mary Pickford, in “Little An- nie Rooney,” an Aesop ¥able and the fifth installment of “The Green Archer.” CENTRAL—"Rose of the World.” Patsy Ruth Miller, Pauline Garon, Alan Forrest and Rockliffe Fellowes Wwill be seen at Crandall's Central ‘Theater the first two days of this week, in the Warner Bros. produc. tion of “Rose of the World. adapted from the story by Kathleen Norris, which concerns a girl who discovered by a unique method when she was truly loved. A Christie two-reeler, “Slippery Feet.” featuring Bobby Ver- non, and other short reels will be shown. Tuesday and Wednesday, D, W. Griffith’s “That Royle Girl,” fea- turing Carol Dempster and W. C. Flelds, with James Kirkwood, Harri- son Ford, Ida Waterman and “Bobb Watson, 'and a new Aesop Fable; Thursday Trida; “Lovers in Quarantine film version of the play of the same name, featuring Bebe Danlels and Harrison Ford, and “The Uneasy Three,” starring Charlie Chase, and the Pathe Review; Satur- day, Reginald Denny In his latest Uni- versal comedy-drama, “Where Was 17" with a shorter comedy, “Sweet Marle,” and a new issue of Grantland Rice's “Sportlight.” Each daily bill will include short reels and pipe organ music. LINCOLN—“That Royle Girl."” “That Royle Girl,” D. W. Griffith’s romantic melodrama of the colorful underworld of Chicago, will be shown at the Lincoln Theater the first five days of this week, beginning this aft- ernoon, with Carol Dempster and W. C. Fields in the featured roles, sup- ported by James Kirkwood and Har- rison Ford. The picture is alive with odd situations and unexpected cli- maxes. The auxillary attraction will be an Aesop Fable by Paul Terry. Friday and Saturday will be shown Paramount’s film version of the play, “Lovers in Quarantine,” in which Bebe Daniels and Harrison Ford have the leading roles. The play is full of amusing situations and moves with refreshing briskness. A juvenile com- edy, “Baby, Be Good,” and “‘Screen Snapshots” will augment the biil. Saturday the eighth installment of “The Green Archer” will be added. APOLLO. Today and tomorrow, Edmund Lowe in “The Fool”; Tuesday and Wednes- day. Leon Errol and Dorothy Gish in T (Contiaued en bouwsth Paged photo- | Vidor, Noah Beery and Mary Brian in | plays prevails in 1o foreign countries according to Film Daily—not because the; are “‘too bad,” but because the: are Laemmle is bringing W Germai actor for the films, Andre Mattont, azenda is to be starred o t ith Willar the Clty won nt's beaut £ contestants contest las: roles in Para ial based on this itest, “The Ar an Venus,” whicl es to Washington this afternoor for a week. The beauties in the pic ture Miss Bronx. Miss Newark Miss San Franclsco, Miss Bay Ridge rm am, JMiss Seattle and Miss Fay Lanphfer (“Mies America”). who was Miss California i the contest. beaut film -spe ce 1 Director Frar te is willing v admit that there may be girls witl thick ankles in America, but they have iven movie studios a wide berth uttle wanted a thick-ankled type for certain comedy scenes in “The Ameri can Venus” 1 gave up searching ir 0 Py ude a girl with— n ankles, to put on extra woo! art. e Adoree, who audiences at great contrast " Lon ( °y'S new picture will be seen here this afternoon Renee is seen as a beauty of the Lon- don music hal |rected “The | wood directo Blackbird,” is one Holly- who_frequently stages Browning's produc- o-Goldwyn of *The was from a story he wrote as s directes The real old-time marionettes which once charmed patrons of the Lon don music balls appear in Lo: Chaney’s new picture, at Loew’s Pal ace this week. Danfel Breeskin, conductor of th symphony orchestra at Cranda tan Theater, has chosen for e this week selection from during which Elizabetb Thornberry, soprano. will again be rd. The theme of the interpreta e accompaniment will be ¥y Heart,” from *“The Prince,” and the exit number * Be Love,” from *Merry Merry. Director Rupert Julian has secured Raymond Hatton, humorous character actor, for one of the featured roles in silence,” which is now being filmed at the De Mille studio. Among Hat- ton’s film successes are “The Whisper ing Chorus,” “The Affalrs of Anatol,” “Manslaughter,” “To Have and to Hold,” “The Hottentot” and “The Tie That Binds.” “Silence” is Beulah Marie Dix's screen adaptation of Max Marein’s melodrama. his overty ““Maytime, “Bachelor Brides,” a spine-tingling mystery drama, interspersed with hi larious humor, has been announced as Rod La Roque’s next starring picture. C. Gardner Sulllvan has written the screen adaptation of this play, by Charles Horace Malcolm. It gives La Roque a distinctly different type af role from any in which he has ap peared in recent pictures—that of a nervous bridegroom-elect, Pierre Collings, adapter of Adolphe Menjou's “A Social Celebrity,” has gona to the Lasky studio in Holiywood to prepare the screen version of “The Show-off,” in which Ford Sterling will be featured in the role made famous on the stage by Louis John Bartels. The motion pictures have done more to spur imagination than all the other inventions or discoveries of all the centuries that have gone before, ac cording to Basil King, world-famous writer. in his latest hook, “Falth and Success.” Mr. King points out tha magination has been suppressed in a great many people who have mot been able to patronize the arts. All the world, he says, can and does go to the motion picture theaters. Georgia Hale, the young woman who sprang from obscurity to fame when Chaplin chose her as his leading wom an in “The Gold Rush,” has again been awarded one of the prize roles of Hollywood. It is that of the girl in “The Rainmaker,” Gerald Beaumont's thrilling rucing story, which Para- mount is to produce as one of its Spring specials. Willlam Collter, Jr., will play the principal male role Clarence Badger will direct. Bryant Washburn, one of the vet eran’idols of the movies, has been en gaged to support Raymond Griffith in the comedy star's next Paramount film, “Wet Paint.” Washburn has been appearing in vaudeville recently. ‘Theodore Roberts has just completed his first appearance before the movie camera in two years and is preparing to make a short vaudeville tour. Mr. Roberts returned to the screen in “The Cat’s Pajama,” by Ernest Vajda, in which Betty Bronson and Ricardo, | Cortez are arred. Wersholt's f star picture will be called “The It is also reported that “The Old Soak,” for Jean’s next ve Jean for Universal Squarehead.” Don Marquis' pl is heing prepars § hiciey