Evening Star Newspaper, October 23, 1927, Page 63

FLASHES BY C E. W. MURNAU came to town ® last Tuesday afternoon, en route to New York, and 3 hours and 45 minutes of his four-hour visit was taken up with answering questions fired at him by Washington newspaper men who are particularly interested in the motion pictures. Murnau, through his most recent work of directing *Sunrise,” which has just started a New York run, and through his early direction of “The Last Laugh,” “Faust” and other outstanding pic- tures, has made himself one of the most-talked-of directors in the pic- ture field. Although almost a new- comer to the motion picture indus- try, having gone into the work at the close of the World War, his pro- ductions have been of such charac- ter as to stamp him a leader. His first efforts, with Ufa, in Berlin, were of a character to focus attention in his direction, and it was not long before he was sought after by the American producers. He came to the United States seven months ago, and he may now be considered a fixed feature of the Hollywood land- scape. It may be best to interview the director and make free use of quotation marks. X “Mr. Murnau, how does motion picture production in this country differ from that of Europe?” ; “There is very little difference in the actual production and the meth- ods. It is merely the training of the various departments. With my work in the Ufa organization the training of the branches was an important factor—and so it has been in this + country. The production scheme of things is the same.” “But, regarding the actors and actresses: Do you prefer those with stage experience? Or would you rather ‘make a star in a day,’ as we do in this country?” “The stage and the screen are en- tirely separate. The star of the stage does not always make a good motion picture actor. The idea of the ‘star in a day’ is a perfect one, and it comes from the fact that we select types—a man or a woman who we thinE will fit into a particular part, or an actor or actress who is able to carry out the ideas of the director. Janet Gaynor, who has ‘ made such a hit in ‘Sunrise, was discovered in this manner. She fits perfectly into the picture and into the plans of the director. She has only started upon her picture work. I predict very big things for her.” “What is_your idea of the big American picture?” “The big American picture which I would like to direct will have New York as a background. The city has impressed me. I have the picture in my mind—a big, broad canvas of the great city—an immense picture. But the picture must be made soon, be- fore one loses the impression gained ? by first stepping into New York.” “And what, in your opinion, is the future of the motion picture?” “That is difficult to say. It goes without question that each new in- vention—the talking picture. for in- stance—does its part toward fors warding the great industry. We will have talking pietures, but they will not displace the silent photoplays: they will make the silent drama all the stronger. We are to have color pictures, many of them, but they will not result in discarding the black and white. It has been found that the latter is the best medium. Re- cently I investigated a new and sim- ple method of color photography, which shows all the natural colors FROM THE SCREEN Joseph Conrad's novel “Romance,” under the name of “The Road to Romance,” and it has been exhibited in New York. But m_the novel Conrad’s villain of the West Indies was an Irishman. The producers have changed him to a Cuban. And now there may come a protest from the Southern isle. PR HE motion pictures are becom- ing family affairs, to an extent. Helen gl'aylor. sister of Estelle Tay- lor, Jack Dempsey’s wife, _and“Col\» stance Lewis, sister of Lois Wilson, have made their initial appearance at the F. B. O. Studios in Ralph Ince’s new story of Comey Island and New York City. Miss Lewis is the second of Lois Wilson's sisters to enter the movies. years ago Diana Kane, whose real name is Wilson, decided to follow her sister's footsteps, and since that time she has played many parts. Sisters scem to have little trouble in obtaining recognition from the film directors and producers. * kK x ‘B JRLESQUE,” the stage play, is being much sought after by the photoplay producers. The stage action is said to be such as to make it especially attractive as a screen story, and among those who have expressed a desire to play “Bur- lesque” parts are Estelle Taylor. Gloria Swanson, Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky. But the play may be brought to the screen a strange and different animal. * ok k% SVTHE CIRCUS,” Charlie Chap- lin's new picttre, has already cost over a million dollars, accord- ing to reports around Hollywood, and it is not yet ready for exhibi- tion. The expense is only topped by one other picture, “Ben-Hur.” The picture is being completed, and Merna Kennedy, who plays the leading feminine role and who was picked from Hollywood's “nobodies” by Chaplin, is reported on the bright road to real stardom. She will play in Chaplin’s next picture, work on which will start soon after the first of the year. NELSON. * k% SCAR PRICE, formerly of this city and well known to many Washingtonians, has_announced a new connection with Pallas and Graf Brothers Studios of San Francisco. He states that he will produce, with the assistance of nationally known directors, actors and actresses, 12 widely known and largely circulated stories written by prominent au- thors. Price, after leaving the Capi- tal, was the organizer and first presi- dent of the United Artists Corpora- tion. . . . South Wales does not allow children to attend motion pic- ture shows. during school hours. . . . “Metropolis,” despite its man- ufacture in Germany, is drawing big crowds in London. . . . Estelle Taylor, wife of Jack Dempsey, has joined the “free lance” players. She is now in Hollywood, awaiting offers from the directors, . . . The Har- old Lloyd picture unit has returned to the West Coast after making “Speedy” in New York. Several more weeks will be required for the filming of interiors before the pic- ture is ready for exhibition. . , . Trouble is being experienced in find- ing a_suitable leading man for the Leatrice Joy picture, “The Blue Danube.” "Production work has been held up for several weeks. . . . George O'Brien has returned to Hol- lywood after several weeks in Eu- and shades, but the plan for using ' this would be a terrific one. m- position is a difficult matter in the simple black and white; imagine what it would be with the clashing of colors in a big picture! The col- ors would have to be put together even more carefully than the words of a spoken drama. The motion pic- ture has a great chance to grow. It|. is the artistic expression, and the trend today is more toward artis- tic pictures. I cannot say that we have an overproduction in this coun- try. The thousands of theaters make a constant demand. They de- sire all sorts of pictures, and all sorts * of pictures must be made.” “What is your ambition, Mr. Mur- nau? “To make a big picture.” “And what do you call a big pic- ture? What is the meaning of a big picture?” “This big picture of mine will be such a picture that when, after I have completed it, I may see it ex- hibited, and I will view it from one end to the other, and then I will sit back in my chair and I will say, ‘I am satished.’” Director Murnau, who stands just 4 inches over 6 feet in height and is crowned with a great shock of red hair, came to Washington from Richmond, Va.. where he completed a tour with the Barnum & Bailey & Ringling Brothers circus. The tour ‘was not made for the fun of the thing, but to absorb local color for a_ circus picture, “The Four Devils.” The scenario was prepared by Berthold Viertel, but it is prob- able that the French circus will be used as a model instead of the Amer- can organization. Walter Roehig and Robert Herlth, who designed the sets for Murnau's “Faust” and “The Last Laugh,” will have charge of the same branch of work for “The Four Devils.” Production starts at the Fox studio, in Hollywood, a week from Friday. *x ok ox 4 BEFORE he enlisted in the World ? War Murnau played small parts with Max Reinhardt, the German stage genius. He was born in West- phalia 38 years ago and secured his academic training in Heidelberg. At the close of the war he started work ‘a8 a director of motion pictures, and *he has been unusually successful. L 'AL JOLSON'S vitaphone effort, “The Jazz Singer,” is being hailed as a success by the New York + critics, being termed “an impressive triumph of sound over pantomime.” The picture follows along the lines of the play, which was in Washing- ton last week, and it would not make an especially strong cinema produc- tion without the voice of the singer. The sound is not used as a back- ground, but it is an integral part of the action. Al Jolson is seen and heard in action. A new invention, after many efforts, has caught the manner, the method and the quality s of one of the great stage entertain- ers, according to those who have viewed the picture and heard Jol- son’s voice, *x %% EGISTER a victory for the pro- rope. . . . Elinor Glyn will write an original story for First National, and Ben Hecht, who wrote “Under- world,” will _contribute another. Rupert Hughes, the novelist, has been re-elected president of the W\:’u;:; Cllv.ébA A5 Donald Reed an try Kent will play opposite Colleen Moore in*her new :?cluru. . . The new picture starring is being directed by Frank Borzage. The story has to do with a waif and a circus, and the temporary title is “Cristilinda.” Farrell plays the part of an artist. . . . Charles Ray, Lowell Sherman and Louise Dresser support Coringe Griffith in “The Garden of Eden” which is near completion at the studios of the United Artists. . . . Mary Philbin, Tully Marshal, Don Alvarado and Lionel Barrymore have important parts in the D. W. Griffith picture, “Drums of Love.” . .. Charles Rogers plays opposite Clara Bow in “Get Your Man.” He also plays the lead in the new Mary Pickford pro- duction, “My Best Girl” . . . No title has been selected for the next Emil Jannings picture. The story is by John Goodrich. . . . May McAvoy is being starred in “If 1 Were Single,” directed by Roy Del Ruth, and in the supporting cast are Conrad Nagel, Andre Beranger and Myrna Loy. . . . Owen Moore and Helene Costello have a new picture called “In Name Only,” directed by Henry Lehrman. . . . Ufa has com- pleted production of 25 “Oddities,” which are single reel pictures, to be released through Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer during the .coming year. Among the new pictures re- leased for exhibition are “A Sailor’s Sweetheart,” with Louise Fazenda and Clyde Cook; “Two Girls Wanted,” with Janet Gaynor and Glenn Tryon; “Combat,” with George Walsh and Gladys Huylette; “Ladies at Ease,” with Pauline Garon and Gardner James; “Red Raiders,” with Ken Maynard and Ann Drew, and “The Nest,” with Herbert Holmes, leo‘:nas Holding and Pauline Fred- erick. Will Supervise Films Abroad AY ROCKETT, who has been pro- duction manager for many First National pictures, has sailed for Ber- lin, to supervise German production for First Natlonal. Mr. Rockett expects to remain in Germany about six months watching the progress made by Defina, the Deutsche First National Corporation, which is now producing pictures for the world market. Mr. Rockett's long experience in production and in the business end of pictures is said to have well qualified him for this as- signment with Defi ‘The latest First National picture of which Mr. Rockett was production manager was the new Richard Bar- thelmess picture, “The Drop Kick. He first came into prominence as a producer with his brother, Al Rockett, now West Coast production manager for First National, when they made “Abraham Lincoln.” Defina has already produced five pictures—*“Dancing Vienna,” with Lya Mara and Ben Lyon; “The Alpine Tragedy,” by Richard Voss; ‘“The Wild Man,” “The Train De Luxe,” testors! The producers have st completed the film version of and a screen version of Alphonse Dau- det's povel, “Fromont, Jr,, and Ris- iler, Sr.” n About two, Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor |. THE SUNDAY -THE.- STAR, WASHINGT NEIL HAMILTON, OLIVE BORDEN and MARY ALDEN- Fox- CONSTANCE “TALMADGE- /V\efropolfian_, J'C‘efle /Dmm“ i JIhe CHINESE PARROT “ — Rualto FILMOGRAMS Bits From the Studios and Theaters. 'HE ‘research men” of the movies are researching in various direc- tions and for divers purposes. It is now announced that the Synchrophone will help to supplement the work of the Vitaphone in theaters that cannot afford an orchestra. Tom Mix says he has quit Fox Films; United Artists is said to be still negotiating for him, and rumor says Mix is considering an offer from the Ringling-Barnum & Bailey Circus. Norma Shearer will next be starred by Metro.Goldwyn-Mayer in an orig- inal story by A. P. Younger, with Ralph_Forbes playing opposite and 8am Wood directing. Al Boasberg is to be ‘“comedy constructionist. It has been announced that Sam Rork_expects to have his production of “The Texas Steer,” starring Will Rogers, ready for showing in New York Thanksgiving week. Banking interests contending for a dividend on the class A stock of the Roxy Theater, New York, claim to have discovered that the gross in- come from March 19 to and including September 30 was $3,040,654, a weekly average of $104,800, and that the aver- gza weekly expenditure has been $83,- 56. Robert Fdeson is not to appear in “The Blue Danube,” but will have a role in “Chicago,” at the De Mille studio instead. F. W. Murnau, the German director, intimated, while in Washington last week, that he preferred responsive young talent to movie stars in work- ing out directional problems in picture making, Stars, he intimated, are gen- erally “sot in their notions." The enthusiasm that was expended in working up a $3,000,000 audience for the Tunney-Dempsey prizefight also, it appears, worked up a strong move to urge the repeal of the law forbidding the transmission of prize- fight films In interstate commerce, Samuel Goldwyn, independent pro- ducer, has now been elected an owner- member of the United Artists Corpora- tion. Her first picture, “Playmates,” was made when Baby Peggy was just 20 months old. Within the next three vears she made and was the star in nearly 100 two-reel comedies. In ad- dition she was co-featured in many big productions in which adult players were starred. At Crandall's Colony Theater today Harold T. Pease, concert organist, will offer the seventeenth set of specially made song slides in his series of orig- inal novelty organ recitals, the latest offering being designated “Ye Olde Songs.” in Ronald Colman “The Magic Flame,” current picture, is at once the villain and the hero. In the course of the film he ‘wrestles with himself, kills his other self, impersonates his other self and wins the girl from the another self. The last scenario written by June Mathis, famous writer of Alm stories and discoverer of Rudolph Valentino, was “The Magic Flame.” There are three laws which every foreign motion picture actress must learn on coming to Hollywood, in the opinion of Vilma Banky. They are the immigration niceties, the income tax intricacies and American slang. Scottish dogs of every description were imported, from wolt hound to terriers, for Lillian Gish's new Scot- tish romance, “Annie Laurie.” Each Scotchman in the picture has a dog —of national variety. Louise Clerc, who about & year ago was chosen by Ernst Lennenkamp as one of the seven most beautiful women ‘(;‘1 lAmErlcl. has a part in “The Joy i Mary Ann Jackson, baby star of the Mack Sennett lot, has a new film play- mate, She is Magnolia, 3-year-old col- ored girl. Magnolia was so good in Mary Ann's last picture, “Smith’s Bar- gain, that she was signed to appear in some more of the “Smith Family” series with Mary Ann, Ruth Hiatt and Raymond McKee. -, D. ¢, OCTOBER 23, 192 PART 3. VILMA BANKY and RONALD COLMAN- ORMAN KERRY and ILLIAN GiSH - Jhe B ION'= éifié-'rmeafer CO[pmbla it PHyLLIS HAVER- Earle The Moving Picture Album BY ROBERT E. SHERWOOD. HEN “The Last Laugh” was first revealed before an American _audience a large number of critics and other observers announced that the day of the great movie awakening had dawned—that the cinematograph had at last taken its place as inde- pendent art form. Many were the verbal laurel wreaths that were tossed across the ocean and deposited at the feet of an obiscure young German, F, W. Murnau, who had directed “The Last Laugh.” The American public, be it said, failed to support the critical opinion to any appreciable extent. There was some- thing about “The Last Laugh™ which failed to excite the fans’ enthusiazm, and they avoided it carefully. Nevertheless, though his picture was a financial flop, Mr. Murnau had scored his point; he had proved that it was possible to tell a story on the screen without words. He had estab- lished, beyond all question of doubt, the amazing eloquence of moving pic- tures. His influence on movie tech- nique became instantly apparent. Every American director who saw “The Last Laugh” started to use the Murnau method—and, of course, ex- aggerated it absurdly. Camera angles and various freakish forms of trick photography were over- done, in pictures wherein this fu- turistic style of treatment did not legitimately belong. However, the trend was a generally commendable one, Thanks to “The Last Laugh,” the movies were beginning to explore new flelds, and thus were departing from the spoken play form and the written novel form, to which they had been wrongly allied. Last year Willlam Fox announced proudly that he had persuaded F. W. Murnau to transfer his interesting activities from Berlin to Hollywood. Murnau worked for many months in Southern California and expended an enormous number of Mr, Fox's favorite dollars—and now the results nll his labors are evident in “Sun- rise.” A few of those who cheered most loudly . for “The Last Laugh” are rather faint in their praise of “Sun- rise,” but I for one can't understand why. It seems to me that ‘“‘Sunrise” is measurably superior to “The Last Laugh,” and that F. W. Murnau emerges from it with a brand-new supply of laurel wreaths. Furthermore, it establishes beyond all debate the pre-eminence of the di- rector as a factor in movie making. ‘When the first German pictures were released over hére every one lamented the fact that we had no actors in this country comparable to Emil Jan- nings, Pola Negri, Werner Krauss and the other talented Teutons. In “Sunrise,” however, Mr. Mur- nau has produced starting results with the local talent. ‘Taking George O'Brien when he was nothing more than a handsome, virile and rather expressionless leading man, he has converted him into a tragic actor of heroic proportions. Janet Gaynor was an unidentified extra when she was selected for the leading role in ‘“‘Sunrise,” but she passed from the Murnau picture into “Seventh Heaven" and there achieved stardom. * ok ok X Bulletins. HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Pola Negri has evidently made good, as she is to be signed to a new contract with Paramount at a reported salary of $10,000 per week. niversal is still postponing its epic of the Navy in the war, “The Big Gun” , . . if Mr. Laemle doesn’t hurry up his pic- ture won't be ready before the next war starts . . . “Over the Andes.” the latest Douglas Fairban, uct, is ready for release . . Lloyd returns this week from New York, where he has spent the last two months waiting for the sun to come out. (Copyrixht, 1927.) “Big Boy,” Educational's baby star, emulating older comedians, is making a Jewish-Irish type of comedy, his second on a mew contract with Educa- tional, which calls for eight comedies this vear, although he will not be 4 next monl “Sham- the title, . s | treats of Palm Beach and palaces— Photoplays SILENT DRAMA PALACE—"“Annie Laurie.” METROPOLITAN—"“Breakfast at evening. RIALTO—"The Chinese Parrot.” COLUMBIA—“The Magic Flame.” evening. FOX—"The Joy Girl." At the Fox Theater this week begin- ning today, William Fox will present as the film attraction, “The Joy Girl,” the Saturday Evening Post story by May Edginton, with Olive Borden, the screen's most youthful star, in the title_role. “The Joy Girl” is a narrative ot naive youth and faithful love, and Gotham and the glitter of gold. Di- rvector Allan Dwan assembled a cast of well known players in her support, including Neil Hamilton, for the lead- ing male role; Mary Alden, and Marie Dressler. In addition to an entrancing ballet, there will be another effective ““Rox: silhouette, ““The Spider and the Fly, and Mignolette, French coloratura so- prano of “Roxy’'s” Gang, will be the featured soloist. PALACE—*Annie Laurle.” Annie Laurie, beloved to the world for centuries in song and story, has come to life again—on the screen- through Lillian Gish, queen of roman- tic drama, who enacts the historic heroine in her latest Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer picture, ‘“Annie Laurie,” a dramatic spectacle of the Scottish Highlands, now being shown at Loew’s Palace Theater. The stage features Ted Weems and his Victor Recording Orchestra. Added features include M-G-M News, J. Virgil Huffman, organ music, and a special overture, “Reminiscences of Scotland,” by the Palace Orchestra, under Don Felice. Miss Gish plays a role totally differ- ent to any in her previous career. As Annie Laurie, noblewoman and mistress of the great Maxwelton Castle, and then as a woman, braving the spears of her own tribesmen to save the man she loves, she has a role that plumbs the elemental depths of a woman’s soul. The new picture is a gorgeous pro- duction, with hugh replicas of famous Scottish castles and bearded Scottish warriors, in kilts and tartans, battling in the rugged highlands with claymore and shield. Norman Kerry plays the leading male role. METROPOLITAN—"Breakfast at Sunrise.” This week until next Saturday Crandall's Metropolitan Theater will present First Nationzl's production of “Breakfast at Sunrise,” starring Con- stance Talmadge; a new Bobby Vernon comedy, “Wedding Vows,” and one of LITTLE THEATER—"The Birth of a Nation.” WARDMAN PARK—"A Doll's House.” xx7 This ATTRACTIONS eek FOX—“The Joy Girl.” This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. Sunrise.” This afternoon and This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and This evening. ized the movies and lead the way for the better motion picture entertain- ment of today. Against a background of historical episodes, battles and the rise of the original Ku Klux Klan there is re. lated the simple story of two families, one Southern and one Northern, whose friendship is turned to hatred by the circumstances of war. To have played in “The Birth of a Nation,” it is said, is to belong to the aristocracy of moviedom, the large cast including Lillian Gish, Henry B. Walthall, Josephine Crowell, Ralph Lewis, Donald Crisp, Mae Marsh, Wal- lace Reid, Miriam Cooper, Bobbie Har- ron and many others. Owing to the length of the feature the program this week is longer than usual, short films and the Little Thea- ter Trio's music completing the bill, Performances begin at 3 today and during the week at 1, 3:30, 6 and £:30 o’clock. WARDMAN PARK—“A Doll's House.” P The screen version of the celebrated drama by the Danish playwright, Henrik Tbsen, “A Doll's House,” will be shown for one nrore week in Wash- ington by the Motion Picture Guild at the Wardman Park Theater, begin- ning tonight. Nazimova, noted Russian actress, has the leading role of Nora Helmer in the production, a characterization which has been played by Eleonora Duse, Ethel Barrymore, Mme. Rejane, Mme. Modjeska and many other stars. Alan Hale, Nigel De Brulier and Phil- lippe de Lacy appear in her support. The story on the screen is said to preserve the lines and situations of Ibsen, bringing out the famous theme of a woman's right to her indi- viduality. Short subjects and music are also cn the program. - Coming Attractions NATIONAL—“The Barker.” Walter Houston in “The Barker” ' will be the attraction at the National * Theater next week, opening, October 31. This unusual play of carnival life by Kenyon Nicholson, produced by Charles L. Wagner in association with Edgar Selwyn, is described as a grip- ping, throbbing story of carnival life, 8o real, so human, that it is considered one of the best dramas seen in the theater in many decades. It ran at the Biltmore Theater, New . ‘Will Rogers pungent travelogues, with contributions by the Metropolitan Orchestra under Daniel Breeskin. “Breakfast at Sunrise” is described as a breezy Parisian comedy from a French play by Andre Birabeau, adapted by Gladys Unger, with scenario by Fred De Gresac, noted playwright, and made under the di- rection of Malcolm St. Claire. The find the road to romance rocky. One of the couples is Madeline, a beauti- ful Parisienne, and the Marquis de Cerisey; the other Pierre Lussan, bankrupt for the second time, and Loulou, a cabaret dancer. On a gala night at the Hotel Splendide in Paris Madeline seemed to be abruptly aban- doned by her betrothed and a sim- flar fate obviously had overcome Pierre, deserted by his dancer sweet- heart. Thrown together in the moisy dining room Pierre and Madeline de- cide that the smart thing to do is to be promptly married in order to teach the renegades an apparently much needed lesson in fidelity. From this situation is bullt a series of episodes which are said to abound in good humor. Bryant Washburn is seen as the marquis, Alice White as Loulou, the dancer, and Don Alvarado, a new lead- ing man, as Pierre, the real hero of the story. Others in the cast include Marie Dressler, Albert Gran, Burr McIntosh and Nellie Bly Baker. Will Rogers lends his “Tour of Switzerland and Bavaria” a note of au- thenticity by the excellence of the pictured scenes and incisive humor in his subtitles. The Metropolitan World Survey will feature the week’s news. RIALTO—“The Chinese Parrot.” “The Chinese Parrot,” which is the feature at the Rialto this week, was filmed under the direction of Paul Leni, from Earl Derr Biggers' serial novel, and is said to be replete with adventure, suspense and a love theme of strong human appeal. The story has to do with Sally Ran- dall, daughter of a rich Hawaiian planter, who marries Phillimore, the man of her father’s choice, thereby jiiting Phillip Madden, to- whom she had sworn her love. Tearing from her throat the priceless pearls that are Sally’s wedding gift from her fa- ther, Madden declares that he will one day buy her at the same price. Twenty years later Mrs. Sally Phil- limore, now a widow in financial straits, returns to San Francisco to offer for sale through her jeweler the last of her possessions, the pearls. Accompanied by her daughter, she goes from the ship to meet the pros- pective purchaser, who turns out to be Hadden. From this point the story moves with tense interest, culminat- ing in an unusual climax when the widow follows Madden to his desert hacienda to deliver the jewels. The cast includes Marian Nixon, Hobart Bosworth, Edmund Burns, K. Sojin, Anna May Wong, Albert Conti, George Kuwa, Edgar Kennedy, Fred Esmelton, Dan Mason and Slim Sum- merville. The stage presentation (features Lockett and Page, in a novel diver- tissement entitled “Say It While Dancing.” The overture by the Rialto Orches- tra, under Rox Rommell, is Strauss’ ‘“Tales from the Vienna Woods,” and the Collegians’ comedy, “Dazzling Co- eds,” and International Newsreel are added attractions. COLUMBIA—"The Magic Flame.” Henry King’s production of “The Magic Flame” for Samuel Goldwyn is ntuw showing at Loew's Columbia The- ater. Throughout the entire length of the film, the characters assumed by Ron- ald Colman and Vilma Banky. are in constant pursuit of their own dream of happiness achieved in their own manner and in their own sphere of life, and through a constantly rising :empo of thrills and dramatic climaxes, they finally attain their desire. A hair-raising balloon ascension and parachute jump by Vilma Banky, a double murder by Count Casati and an amazing rough-and-tumble. fight be- tween Tito, the clown, and the count, which ends in the death of the latter when he falls from the window of his hotel room into the sea below, are out- story concerns two young couples who | gy, York, seven weeks. KEITH'S—Lew Cody. Lew Cody, the motion picture star, will make his first personal appear- ance at B. F. Keith's Theater next week in a humorous offering, and Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Barry will be featured in their newest character ' study, “Clinging Ivy,” rry. EARLE—“The Side Show.” “The Side Show,” miniature musi- * cal comedy, will headline next week s bill at the Earle Theater beginning Sunday afternoon. Others will ing clude the Carr Brothers and Betty, McCool and Dovin and Sandy and Douglas. The photoplay feature will be “A Harp in Hock,” starring Rudolph Schildkraut, and the short reel sub- Jects will include Hal Roach’s “Love * and Hisses"” with Stan Laurel and Jimmy Finlayson. GAYETY—"Bare Facts.” Lena Daley will head her own pro- duction at the Gayety Theater next week. The new show is titled “Bare Facts” and has a chorus of twenty- four girls in addition to the large cast of Columbia favorites. STRAND—“High Flyers.” “High Flyers” will be the attraction next week at the Strand Theater, with a cast of Mutual Burlesque favorites and chorus of sixteen singing and dancing girls. The show is in two acts with four- :;en scenes and sixteen musical num- rs. BURTON HOLMES, November 10. Burton Holmes, who has given travel-minded folk many delightful hours as an observing world traveler, artistic photographer and fascinating story-teller, will begin his new series of five illustrated travel revues at the National Theater Thursday afternoon. November 10, with “Happy Hawaii” as his first offering. This, it is said, is in response to a demand for pictorial knowledge of our own country and its island posses- sions. “Hawail,” the traveler says, “is the happiest country in the world today,” and to prove it he has made up a pictorial composite of its vast- ness, varied scenery, prosperity, life and boudless resources. In dramatic contrast to the tropical loveliness of Hawail will come “Days in Paris,” November 17; “Nights in Paris,” December 1; ‘The New Austria,” December 8, and “The Heart of Italy,” December 15. All of these dates are on Thursday afternoons at 4:30. The sale of sub- seription tickets for the entire course opens at the National Theater on Mon- day, October 31. by Jimmy . Unique Scenes in ‘Serenade.' ONE of the oldest forms of enter- tainment is combined with the newest in Adolphe Menjou's picture, “Serenade,” in which the shadow- graph, which centuries ago, was the only type of stage production in vogue, provides a unique scene. A great white gauze screen, 60 feet wide and 40 feet high, was placed in front of the stage in the large theater setting built for the film. By special lighting effects behind this curtain, the director was enabled to get some particularly attractive scenes, show- ing in shadows a gypsy camp. In front of these lights 30 dancers whirled, while an orchestra of 20 mu- sicians played. The cameras were set back of the audience, in the rear of the miniature theater, picking up the dancing shad- 3;";.. m:l thle sc;leer:l over a foreground otionless heads of the peopl the opera chairs; s o Weem's ol‘Cl’IGl"I. JUST when the modern girl had about decided that dance music ‘was pretty, even if much alike, along came Ted Weems and his crew of horn-tooters. with a brand of shivery syncopation and its- pep and pretty music was at once divorced from the standing thrillers. ‘There is a tense moment when Bi- anca waits, pistol in hand, for the royal procession to pass her hiding place that she might shoot the prince. Added features are M-G-M News, a comedy presentation and the Columbia Orchestra. LITTLE THEATER—"The Birth of a Nation.” This week's at the Little Theater will feature D;.W. Grimith's “The Birth of a Nation,” the famous spectacle and drama of the Civil War and reconstruction days uu!outh.l which is claimed to hayg, revolution- terpsichorean evolutions that followed. The Weems aggregation has been accounted a sensation from one end of the country to the other. Incid tally, they were chosen to play at At- lantic City during the last beauty pageant at which Miss America was chosen, and the big auto show at De- troit followed. The organization seems to have the |abllity to please theatergoers in all parts of the country. This week probably will witness its only appea: in Washington for some time rrangements are now being made to star it in a Broadway musical production,