Evening Star Newspaper, April 4, 1926, Page 51

| JEWLL CARMEN QfllaCe, R&fi Metropoltta no News and Commenti " By W. H. Landvoigt. Tm_ week brought deta the disastrou of t I'ederal Motion P to bring the | which 1 method of Fede tracts from the Chicago newspap do they give the impression that censorship. accounts .of the conference, if it might be called such, that was held in Chicago recently under the auspices sre Council in America, an organization Jhotoplay to the point of toleration by These accounts, largely ex- ers, do not make pleasant ‘reading, nor the reformers of the movie, who took | part in the conference, men or women, are imbued with the sense of fair- | number became incensed at the rough | nes Indced, one of their own support their complex resolutions, demned by the Chicago newspaper of his fellow reiormers, roundly denounced them and refused to which scem to have been generally con- the controversy with the pros or the antis of that conicrence, but the mts seem to leave to rule or ruin, regarc differ with them i for public entertair Extrem of their ¢ china yod caus ot fair to impose a burden upon the photo- , and it i t because some o play produc : irly or unfair posed, wheth N strikimg contrast, the drama commmittee of the Fe: America, whereby a program of ¢ churches and prominent figures re which “the potentialitics for good ¢ will be developed by support of the of those whose business requires the screen, without being financi _public is adequately competent to what is good and to consign to which its sense of dec y and its tered in the box offices of the varic is good and worthy it directly ser it wants and what it will pay for. of what is not wanted and should ertain a may be mentio the impartial obscrver of the situation e of the sponsors of the conference was facts and feelings of those who might the methods whereby the photoplay might be preserved ists do not make good reformers, and, purpose, they are morc apt to suggest <hop than to give the impres The truly good will always stand ne happens to think it (wght to be im- ed the recent action on the part of deral Council of Churches of Christ in o-operation is to be carried out by the presenting the dramatic world through »f the stage and other amusement forms good.” It has long been the contention a familiarity with both the stage and ally interested in either, that the American take care of itself, to preserve to itself outer darkness—and quickly, too—that delicacy condemns. Its voice is regis- »us theaters. By the patronage of what ves notice upon the producers of what This is reversed by lack of patronage not be forced upon it. But beyond this d fair censorship, photoplay production is now being regulated by men of the highest character and ideals, whether those not familiar vith the facts believe it or not outweigh the truth. Vox pop r America vox populi as cter and quality of well as for the stage. It is the best or articulate. UNDREDS of millions oi dclla Their belief should not be permitted to i vox dei may not be true in some coun- sounded in the theater box ‘office regu- ertainment provided for the screen as censorship known to the theater, silent rs are invested in the photoplay indus- try for the purpose oi providing the people with entertainment to ghten their cares and to help ren It seems a shame that this mo move the dull monotony in many lives. s and this commendable object should be threatened from time to time by a paltry few who think they have seen 1d who proceed, in scason and out of season, to throw the pall and of melancholy over the remainder of the world. Generally n and women who do this are not what are considered authorized workers in the church, but they b elong to a class whose thrift overtops r theology and who, with seli-given commissions, start out to evange- lize the world. More oiten than n ot, they are not just or fair in their at- tacks, nor in the means by which they seek to succeed. Blatant proclama- tions of evil are tl that they oiten ome usually from sections so far that one is tempted to wonder if t vilization in any but a distorted is these people the far more enl 50 htened reir slogan regardless of fact, and the misery of it all is challenge respectful attention. These inspirations away irom the object of their assaults ruth and real religion, indeed, Christian form, has ever reached them at all. It who are seeking to set the standard of morals and man- communities, indeed, for the Capital of ed States, which even now trembles on the verge of the calamity Jf their success. It is not the desire to improve and to perfect the motion icture, it is the assertion of that insatiable human desire of power to run ngs regardless of consequences. It is the inspiration of the tyrant, not of the Christ, and one of the worst foes the church of today has to con- tend with omng in the movies, but not with t s« HE news from all sections of t The police and the courts can adequately deal with wrong- hese quasi reformers. * % % he country of the erection of new the- aters, and especially of new theaters for picture exhibition, seems to ate that there is.a lot of surpl . and that it is willing to take of dollars are being expended lost by some one, picture entertainment to the -vertheless, it is true, for the cos ately bob up as overhead cost of mean higher prices for what they I 1 £ us capital somewhere that seeks invest- mighty big chances to secure it. Mil- in this way which, sooner or later, must and this ultimately will mean an increase in prices public. It may seem paradoxical, but, t of the unsuccessful theaters will ulti- the theaters that survive, and that will have to offer. An overstock of theaters thus far has never resulted in a decrease in prices of adinission. * ¥ Xk D this suggests a word on the new law eliminating the tax on the- aters. Already its effect is apparent in the vaudeville houses, all of 1 have current announcement ith t s of reductions in admission prices; but he photoplay theaters it is different. The law of a year ago eliminated tax on all admissions up to 30 cents, and Julian Brylawski, chairman the committee of the picture h that law was passed the local houses readjusted their admi ome instances making them basi exempts the tax on admiss be no lowering of the p sions, the lowering NOT\\'fT}lS'I’.\XI)IN&j the cont be apparent to all close observ ful forces in the picture industry i ouses on this subject, states that when ission _prices, in ally lower than they were before. The 75 o that probably rices in local photoplay houses because aving taken place last year. inued effort of the press agent, it must ers that the keen competition of power- s tempering the intrepidity which, here- tofore, has dared to venture thousands, and even millions, of dollars in the production of extraordinary “scre advertising writer romps on with h: new picture he is called upon to exi discovering that the picture itself notices. en classics.” From force of habit the is exuberant language in praise of every ploit. The seasoned picture patrons are falls short of his extravagant advance This means probably, that the big producers are seeking a less pretentious standard, and that they are devoting extraordinary effort each to outshine the other in excellence of detail in acting and in theatrical effect. It is not a bad idea by any means, for it will tend to elevate the quality of what is known as the program picture, which is the usual entertaimment of- fered in the picture houses. A dra ture, even a melodrama, or a mystery play screen, is more likely to increase the garish spectacle of bewildering heen put over by a lavish appeal t matic story, a romance, a tale of adven- if well staged and acted for the the popularity of motion pictures than magnifice Many a daring scene has o the eye'in order to distract attention from the morals oi the chief incident that caused its creation. Babylonian revels and the like are as unwhole dave of their pristinc glory. delicatedramatic excellence, some in the present as they were in the Better the less pretentious picture of more 1t is not the purpose here to get into | ion that | THE, SUNDAY STAR, WASHI CRAVTIORD "\ . NGT( 1 MrNoou Central WALLACE . BEERY Ambasrador The. Constant Variable. **] MAVE always held that humor does not vary with age or place, but that the great and constant vari- able is the audience,” says Eddie Dowling, vaudeville headiiner. “I don’t agree that the thing that gets a laugh on Broadway will get a laugh in Chicago. Physically there is a greater distance between New York and Chicago than there is be. tween London and Paris. We don't expect the English to laugh at the same things a Parisian might, so why expect New York to laugh at some- thing that might send Chicago into hysterics. ake Boston, for example, If one went to certain sections of Boston one might imagine himself in a certain part of England. And in any section of New York one can imagine himself in Moscow or Shanghai.- And because of these geographical and social differ- ences it is difficult for a humorist with headquarters in New York to routine his stuff so that it will appeal univers- ally to 48 States made up of peoples from all the countries of the world. “The Hebrew comedian has l'ttle chance below the Mason and Dixon line, but the Irish comedian finds Chi- cago and the Northwest always friend- ly. The fly or flip comedian who deals in the so-called wise crack brand of humor finds a ready response from the ‘butter and egg’ people who sup- port the theater on Broadway. “So it's not. actually the brand of humor that makes a comedian, but the types and demands of the audi- ences. s Real|;; 5 a—iace. ** QTRAINING thoroughbreds in the stretch! Jockeys in flaming colors, crouched over their mounts! Laboring lungs and taut muscles! Flaring nostrils! Great hearted horses, expending their last ounce of courage, their last gasping breath, in a neck- and-neck finish as they flash past the judges’ stand! That is what the press agent says of “King of the Turf,” the photoplay announced at one of the local theaters this week. “‘And the climax, even more exciting than the ‘race on the flat’ which begins this stirring classic of horse- dom, is a steeplechase—the most sen- sational of races—between two silk- skinned thoroughbreds. Down the homestretch you see these two great monarchs of the track fighting desper- ately with the favorite for first place. Then lo! and behold the pattering of hoofs is heard, the silver screen is sud- denly raised and there they are—two of them, live. race horses, running the race and driven by living jockeys, their legs going like pistons, breath whistling through their distended nos- trils, and thus you see the actual finish in the flesh of a thrilling horse race, the details of which have previously been unfolded to you on the screen. “The winner is announced, the silver screen is again lowered and the zleauuful love story unfolds to its ose.” iy Screened Under New Title. THE First National epic of post- war Vienna, “The Viennese Med- ley.,” will reach the screen under a new title, “The Greater Glory,” ac- cording to John McCormick, general manager of First National's West Coast units, This is an adaptation of Edith O'Shaughnessey's book, which = was produced with June’ Mathis as edito- rial director. Conway Tearle, Anna Q. Nilsson, May Allison, Jean Hersholt and Tan Keith are a few of the play- £rs-1n the casle N, D. C., APRIL 4, MARIO (‘o]ubla ERNEST TORRENCE Photoplays evening. METROPOLITAN and evening. “Sally, ning. PALACE—"The Bat.” ‘and evening.- CENTRAL—“Paint and Powder.” ning. LINCOLN (Colored)—“The Wanderer.” evening. METROPOLITAN—“Sally, Irene and Mary”—Waring’s Pennsylvanians. Irene and M Metro- Goldwyn's screen version of Iddie Dowling's delightful musical comedy of the same name, and the returnp after a year of Waring's Penns vanians, the popular orchestra; a sprightly O. Henry comedy, a new issue of the Metropolitan World Sur- vey and a musical score that embodies several selections never before heard in the Capital by the Metropolitan Symphony, under Danlel Breeskin, are the highlights of the Easter week pro- gram announced by Crandall's Metro- politan Theater. “Sally, Irene and Mary” is the third of the season’s triumvirate of enliven- ing musical comedies to reach Wash- ington in photo-dramatic form. In this Edmund®Goulding production, the three stellar roles are played by Con- stance Bennett, Joan Crawford and Sally O'Neil, respectively. Others in the cast include Willlam Haines, Henry Kolker, Kate Price, Aggie Her ring and Sam De Grasse. The story concerns three girls who adopt the stage as a profession, each with a different motive. Sally is the sophisticated show girl, who accepts the masculine attentions showered upon her; Irene is the easily led young woman, who attempts to pattern her life after Sally’s with dire results, and is the youthful innocent, en- dowed with sufficient mental balance to protect herself from the allure- ments of Broadway and safely marry & young plumber who lives across the areaway from her tenement home. Waring’s Pennsylvanians, under Fred Waring, with Tom Waring as vocal soloist and pianist, will be heard in a group of their most popular hits, appearing four times daily throughout the week—today at 3:20, 5:25, 7:30 and 9:35 and daily at 1:50, 0, 7:30 and 9:35 p.m. Since their last engagement here. their personnel has been aug- mented to a total of 18, including spe- clally engaged solo artists. The themes of the interpretative score arranged by Mr. Breeskin will include numbers from Belasco’s “Lulu Belle” and Ziegfeld’s “Palm Beach Follies,” played for the first time in this city. The exit number will be “Lulu Belle.” Doors will be thrown open to the public at the Metropolitan this after- noon at 2 o'clock, instead of 2:30, for | the accommodation of those who will | wish to insure satisfactory seats. COLUMBIA—“Beverly of Graustark.” One of the outstanding screen pro- ductions of Easter week, to be pre- sented at Loew’s Columbia this week, Peginning thig atternoon, pictures Ma« Irene and Mary.” RIALTO—“Skinner’s Dress Suit.” Tuncolw This Week At the Photcp]ay Houses This Week. COLUMBIA—“Beverly oi Graustark.” Shown this afternoon and Shown this afternoon Shown this afternoon and eve- Shown this aiternoon and evening. TIVOLI—“Behind the Front,” Shown this afternoon and evening. AMBASSADOR—“Sally, Irene and Mary.” Shown this afternoon Shown this afternoon and eve- Shown this afternoon and rion Davies in her latest Cosmopoli- tan production for Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer, “Beverly of Graustark,” a spectacular visualization of George Barr McCutcheon’s famous romance of an American girl and European royal intrigue. Agnes Christine Johnston adapted the story to the screen form and the production was directed by Sidney Franklin. The cast includes Antonio Moreno opposite Miss Davies, Creigh- ton Hale as an American who dis- covers himself crown prince of a Eu- ropean kingdom; Roy D'Arcy, Albert Gran, Paulette Duval, Max Barwin and Charles Clary. Miss Davies will be seen as Beverly “alhoun, a young American beauty, who returns from boarding school to discover that her cousin Oscar is helr to the throne of Graustark, and that she will be permitted to accompany him abroad for the coronation cere- monies. Before the new crown prince can arrive, however, plots against him phave multiplied, and when he is acci- dentally injured en route the girl is persuaded to impersonate him to al- lay the fears of the populace. A young nobleman guards her, not knowing her real sex, and, through his loyalty and chivalry, the girl is not only protected from conspirators all about her, but & romance springs up when her guardian detects her in women’s raiment, not realizing that she and the prince are the same person. A Tuxedo shori-length comedy, ‘“Home Cured”; the International News Reel and a special program of Easter music by the Columbla Orches- tra, under Leon Brusilof, will be other features. RIALTO—"Skinner's Dress Suit.” Reginald Denny in “Skinner’s Dress Suit” is the photoplay at the Rialto this week, starting today, is taken from the novel by Henry Irv- ing Dodge. 2 It tells the story of Skinner, an underpaid clerk,. ‘and’ “Honey,” his -adoring wife, who can-think of him only as a power in the business world, held down by fate and lack of opportunity. Yielding to his wife's urge, Skin- ner finally plucks up courage to ask his employer for an increase in sa ary. Jt refused, but, unwilling to | dampen his wife's spirits, he tells her he has gotten a ten-dolar raise. She immediately makes plans to spend the money, and from then on things move with surprising rapidity until a surprising denouement isreached. TFeatured in the cast.is Laura.La Plante, and the supporting players 1926—PART 3. VIES RRGINALD DENNY TRailo Belasco Poetic, N disposing of the screen rights to “Kiki, David Belasco, dean of American producers, dedicated the fol- lowing poem descriptive of Norma Tahmadge's interpretation of the fa- mots Paris “spitfire”: “The door flew open and came; No boxes nor bundles—not name. She’s an eye for a hearth, a tooth for sweets, And a chai streets. in she even a cter founded on corners of tnclude Hedda Hopper. Arthur Lake, Lucille Ward, E. J. Ratcliffe, Lionel Brahm, Ben Hendricks, jr., and Lila Leslie The stage presentation consists of a Kiddies' Spring Fashion Show, staged by Mischa Guterson, when a group of Washington's clever ju- veniles will participate, each offering an_individual specialty. The Rialto Symphony Orchestra will be heard at 2 p.m. in the fourth of the series of Sunday concerts. A special program has been selected for Easter. These concérts with an en- semble of 40 musicians, directed by Mischa Guterson, have scored an em- phatic success and are now a perma- nent attraction each Sunday. For thé overture the Rialto Con- cert Orchestra will' play selections from “Blossom Time.” The Interha- tional News and scenic subject will complete the bill. PALACE—"The Bat." The I aster week attraction an- nounced for Loew's Palace, starting this afternoon, is “The Bat.” a spec- tacular_photoplay version of the fa- mous’ Broadway stage mystery by Avery Hopwood and Mary Roberts Rinehart. Roland Wi dapted and directed this great mystery thriller, and the cast includes Jewel Carmen, ack Pickford, Emily Fitzroy, Louise Fazenda, Robert McKim, Eddie Grib- bon, Arthur Houseman, Sojin Kana- yama, Tullio Carminati, Lee Shum- wa) nd others. Willlam Cameron Menzies designed the settings, which are said to be remarkable. Roland West is said to have inten- sified both the thrills and the laugh- ter of the famous mystery play, which ran two years in New York, one year in Chicago, 44 weeks in Boston and was carried from one end of the coun- try to the other by no less than 20 road companies during the four or five seasons that followed its Broad- premiere. The Bat” takes its name from the sobriquet of an audacious eriminal, who laughs at the authorities and even tells them the scene of his next crime, following a daring rob- bery and murder-in the skyscraper home of an aged recluse and after selecting the Long Island mansion of a wealthy spinster for his further operations. A Charlfe Chase comedy, “Charlie, My Boy": the Pathe news reel, Topics of the Day and a special pro- gram of Easter music by the Palace orchestra, under Thomas J. Cannon, are added attractions. TIVOLI—“Behind the Front.” At Crandall's Tivoli Theuter the first two days of this week, begin- ning this afternoon, Paramount’s comedy, “Behind the Iront,” - will be the attraction with = Wallace Beery,’ Raymond Hatton and Mary Brian {n the featured roles, supported by Richard Arlen and Chester Conk- llin. It is an adaptation of Hugh (Continued on Fourth Page.) LEEN MOORE. CoL Strand Filmograms. OVIE stars must be rich. They say Blanche Sweet recently bought a mountain on which to erect a cabin rest-retreat for herself. Gee! A whole mountain! Marshall Neilan, who has gone bacl to Famous Players, after nine ye: separation, is to celebrate by making a picture from a story b a well known author, which fs centered in France and chiefly in Paris of half a century &go. Anita Loos’ story “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” is to be utilized by Famous Players for a photoplay. Mr. Lasky is “combing the industry” for the two girls of the sto Florence Vidor now takes her place in the ranks of the public-made screen stars, and her first picture will be “Love, the Magician,” written by Er- nest Vajda, the Hungarfan author, with William Wellman directing. Rex Ingram had better come bac! to America to make his future pic tures, in_the opinion .of James R. Quirk, editor of Photoplay, or who knows what? Some one called his “Mare Nostrum” “horse linfment.” Alberta Vaughn, star of “The Ad- ventures of Mazie,” says that letters received from all over the country in- dicate a demand for an, humorous entertainment. Do gag men fur- nish it? David Wark Griffith is out again with a denial of friction with the effi- ency department of Famous Player: n the production of “The Sorrows of Satan.” He must make one more pic- ture, and adds “Wiat I shall do after that is indefinite. It is as likely as not I shall continue to direct for Para- mount.” Another announcement from Para- mount states that D. W. Griffith is to produce Theodore Drelser’s story “An Amwerican Tragedy.” the screen rights for which have been secured. It is de- scribed as an epic of modern American life and will disclose the perils con- fronting American girls and boys. James Young has commenced pro- duction of “The Bells,” with Lionel Barrymore as its star. Gradually photoplay houses are bol- stering up with vaudeville and vaude- ville houses are bolstering up with photoplays. A Baltimore attorney general has ruled that Sunday entertainment is illegal if it is commercial, but not if it is devotiopal, charitable or for the promotion of health, peace and good order. Tod Browning is to direct Lon Cha- ney in “The Road to Mandalay.” Berlin has filmed “Secret of a Soul,” explaining some of the Freudian theo- ries and Dr. Freud assisted in making the production. “The Three Wax Works.” which is to be released in September, and of which Emil Jannings is the star, will be known as “Three Wax Men."” last year: First National 60, an increase of 10; Metro-Goldwyn-May er, 52, about the same as last ) United Artists, 15, with a possi bility of more, as against 10 last ve Producers Corporation, 36 to 44; Uni- versal, 50. an increase of 13; the War- gainst 40 last year; Fox, 49, Exhibitors,” 100 tional's “Stnners i . whi story was adapted by June Mathis. . B. . Is KA(i s atton Porter storfes, “Laddle” and Magic Garden.” signed Victor McLaglen to Flagg in “What Price kas, another Hungarian is writing an original to be Love Me and the World T« for Mary Philbin, and which . Dupont, the Ufa director now contract with Universal, will d Imre author, called Mine, A under. rect. z Kig Baggot has started “Loyey Mary,” with Bessie Love heading the cast Famous Players is reported to have secured the much-talked-of Raquel Meller, the continental actress, and Werner Krauss, the German _director It is announced also that James Cruze to make * ". R.” in Europe when is completed. 1 Rida Johnson Story of Mother urch: Youn; he Machree.” .augh Month, proved of sug tion of sho recently celebrated. lue in the exploita comedy subjects and brought such returns to the box offices that Fox Films has increased its output from 44 to features. A single reel series of four pictures, featuring the Charleston, with Ned ‘Wayburn, Virginia Bacon and Zieg feld Follies girls, has been an nounced. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer announces the purchase of two stories, “Shadow Lane,” by Edmund Goulding and “The Rivals,” by M; B. Mullett, and also a French play. " by Jose Ger main and Paul Moncousin. Mack Sennett has signed Johnny Burke, vaudeville headliner, to a long contract for picture work. Ann_Pennington has returned to New York to cavort around in two- reel comedies for Arthur J. Lamb, Robert Z. Leonard will direct Norma Shearer in “The Waning Sex" for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Lew Cody will play opposite. A New York assistant dramatic critic has been engaged to write an original for Richard Dix. His name is ‘Wells Root. Edward Sleman will direct Laura La Plante in “Butterflies in the Rain” Lois Weber, the woman director. is for Universal. to make four pictures a r for two years under contract with Universal. Isadore Bernstein is preparing an original story for Universal, which will be a sequel to “His People.” For the season of 1926.27, Famous Universal doesn’t let 'em go, it farms 'em out. Jean Hersholt has been farmed out to First National for Col- leen Moore's picture, “Delicatessen.” M. H. Hoffman, vice president of (Continued on Twelfth Page.)