Evening Star Newspaper, January 28, 1929, Page 21

OPENING ATTRACTIONS IN WASHINGTON . THEATERS (Continued From Twentieth Page. Sway as lgng as. they did without things. And one sees an implacable challenge to the stage, here made ab- solute; the detail possible in close-ups, the very quiver of an eye, plus the shud- dering “sound of breath itself, brings the action and- the feeling of the play to every member of the audience with Almost cruel exactness. Every seat is a Iront row.seat: the wide .and swinging gestures of stage technique, rendered necessary in order to magnify impres- sions to auditorium proportions, so to speak, are here made waste. The small gesture, the delicate gesture, the su-| remely inportant restrained gesture, ere come into their own, for the voice goes with them at last in moments of utter harmony. & Thus ~In Old Arazona” is a step for- wafd in talking-picture production, what one might almost call a symptom of the new technique. Intrinsically, as far as its cinema qualities are concerned, it is hardly startling. Its pageantry has been exceeded in such films as “The Covered Wagon,” even though some of the photographic effects are magnificent, and its acting has been surpassed in any number of films one could name ofthand. It is shot full of joke and laughter. wisecracks and bright gags, and moves swiftly and smoothly. There is no question of the public’s approval of its style; one had only to watch the faces of people going up the aisles after the last click closed the film on Tonia’s faithiess body to realize that it was tell- ingly handled. Edmund Lowe's sergeant, a nasal, impertinent, irrepressible, ering Mickey Dunn, would be an outstanding characterization without his voice, but his grasp of the value of tone and sarcastic twang makes the role the ‘whole peg upon which the film is swung. ' Warner Baxter, a sentimental, romantic, impassioned Cisco kid, is very ac- ceptable, Dorothy Burgess playing ‘Tonia—O'Henry’s mixture of Carmen and Madonna'—Overacts dreadfully is overpassionate even for a torid Spanish lady who loves mony; too dulcet in voice and carriage, an awk- ward figure for all her snaky gracc; her voice, at times, has an unfor- tunately sharp quality, strident and un- Ppleasant. ‘The stage production on the Fox's current bill is a conventional janiboree, including the inevitable clever tap dan- cers, a quartet with a long and lanky basso, & group of seven trumpters, a Mexi- can dance artist, and the ensemble in crinoline. The feature merges into the opening title page of the film with a lot of shooting, all very exciting. Mr. Brusiloff directed the orchestra in a rendition of Schubért's “Serenade,” his fine. strings and brasses a chance to feature, but why did he have to jazz it? Newsreels, a color style feature, and a novel trailer adver- tising & coming production, rounded out the bill. F. O. PALACE—“A Lady of Chance.” Norma Shearer seems to be one of the few comediennes of the celluloid With a sweeping view of the shell- scarred battlefield, of dog fights in the clouds, thoughts roam back to the days of the war and the héart is ripped open by the terribleness of it all. Machine guns spitting venomously, barking, booming cannon, whirring | the propellers and a thousand other sounds are heard through King Sound’s om- nipotent trumpet. One sees and hears the plane take off and soar above the clouds, a bird of prey, to do battle. The steady drone of the motor; chang- ing to a pounding stutter, is heard as a bullet plows into the belly of the plane. Then the plercing ‘whine of ‘the craft diving to doom, with a comet tail of flame. : ‘The picture, depicting the struggles and adventures of two -boys, insepa- rable pals, who Ilaugh at death, is graced with the greatest aerial photog- raphy of all time. Battles in the clouds, with death as pilot, thrill one till his heart pounds in time with the rat-tat- tat of the guns. % After herolc service “in the face of given a furlough. to Paris, to the Folies soldiers’ mecca where all lost joys and pleasures are. There the boys drink their toasts to death, always laughing. Then comes the big push and the fur- lough is over. The story finds its out- let at this point and quickens to a fast pace. The most gripping of all scenes :rf flashed in view, with the allies’ last rive. Richard Arlen and “Buddy” Rogers are the flying aces, and Clara Bow the “girl from back home.” Gary Cooper of “Lilac Time” plays Cadet ite, who “never carries a talisman for luck.” The acting is splendid = throughout, with Lieut. Dick Arlen, Air Corps, U. 8. A., rerhnps taking the edge. Clara Bow looks entranicing enough in a nurse's uniform to makefany sick soldier well. Supplementary features are Fox Movietones, M.-G.<M. news reel and an overture by the Columbia Concert Or- chestra, Claude Burrows conducting. « METROPOLITAN—“Able’s Irish Rose.” Here for another week to continue to please the public at large and to make the highbrows tear out huge handfuls of hair in despairing gesture, “Abie's Irish Rose,” granddaddy of all Hebrew- Gaelic tangles, proceeded to pack them in to a standing-room finish. For, whether you are interested in the story of a love that conquered two irate fathers-in-law and converted them into smiling grandpapas or not, a play that netted its author a substantial five million and delighted theater audiences for an unheard-of number of years commands attention for those two cold facts alone. But it is not hard to understand its phenomenal success when one realizes that neither art nor greatness of any sort achieved it, but the human lik- ableness, the obvious, but delightful humor, and the thread of a homely, none too profound, philosophy running through it. Nancy Carroll as Rosemary-is thor- who can completely overcome a weak story to turn out a consistently good rformance. Such is the situation in r Jatest vehicle, “A Lady of Chance,” ceurrent at the Palace, for certainly the plot of the hard-hearted little gold dig- r who finally falls in love with a no~ g:dy is not new, but Norma makes up for any script.shortcomings. She is at all times beautiful, clever and the com- mander of the picture; with ‘but' one outstanding exception (in the final clinch and fadeout) she is exceptionally chic to an almost unbelievable extreme. Norma would probably have scored in this comedy-drama with only an ade- quate supporting cast, but as it is, those who form the integral back al far more than that, for they all fit nicely into their respective parts. Lowell Sherman, playing with a much lighter touch than usual, and Gwen Lee, blond but not too clever, are excellent as the co-workers of -the “racket” of mailing the rich but dumb, “daddies.” Young and statuesque John Mao< Brown is cast opposite Miss Shearer, as the boy friend who finally melts her cold" calculating heart. Polly Moran inserts one of her inimitable bits of character work, Buddy Messenger is seen as the young brother to’ Johnny and Etgenie Besserer, lends a touchingly human mother portrayal, much to the ad- vantage of the picture. The film is synchronized with orchestral score. Much in keeping with the sophisti- cated tone of the feature attraction is the newly mounted revue, “Beauty Shop Blues,” which offers more than the usual quota of hit numbers. Karavaeff almost stops the show with his amaz- ingly difficult tapping, in which he in- troduces Russian technique. His female counterpart is found in the talented Gibson Sisters, Eva and Audrey. in a French doll novelty and a truly re- markable acrobatic dance number, oughly delightful, the most charming Irish miss in the Hollywood colony, with all the irrepresible vivacity of her race and a flair for good acting besides. Her singing, her dancing and her person- ality put her easily at the.head of a cast. F - But, to be sure, everybody plays ex- cellently, with TS mkh? s boyish Abie and Jean Hersholt an ideal Jewish papa. ‘The movies have .done th» story in a big way, have flashed back into the early love affair of Able and Rosemary until the picture is nearly half over be- fore it reaches the point where the | stage play started. ‘The war is dragged in, which proves T€ | that the epidemic is still on; in fact, there are trench scenes, hospital scenes | and camp scenes galore, all done on a lavish scale. ‘When the picture finally gets down THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY. JANUARY 28, 1929. to the actual plot things move swiftly and merrily en althe the movies have spread on huge bits of sentimentality and have punctuated the story with innumerable sobs. ‘The subtitles also are rather ancient, h‘lxc 80 is Able, and both still go over big. ‘But what the picture loses in spar- kling dialogue it gains in sparkling Nancy Carroll; personality alone makes up for the rather wearying and obvious “tear jerkings” of so many of episodes. A “synchronized score weaves “The Wearing of the Green” and some plain- :1:: .lrewuh melodies into an appropriate ngle. Owing to the unusual length of the picture a news reel and s Vitaphone “trailer” are the only subsidiaries. LITTLE—“Peter the Great.” Peter, Czar of all the Russias, sel- dier, sallor, destroyer, bullder, de- bauched, inspired—this strangely com- mingled creature is the subject of the Little Theater's current feature pic- ture which opened Sunday. Emil Jan- nings has the role. This impetuous and cruel man, one of the most fascinating in all history, who took as his bride a stocky girl refugeed in.his own campaign, is ably presented i this picture, an UFA pro- duction under the direction of Dimitrl Buchowetski. The chief criticism which arises is one shared by another recent biographical picture on the Little Theater’s screen—Napoleon, that time— namely, that the picture is too largely incidental in nature, concerning only & portion of the life with which it deals, and none too capably connected by the selected incidents. It is logically an impossibility in a single instaliment to give a man’s whole varied career when it was as full and rich as either Napo- leon’s or Peter the Great’s, and the best thing, after all, is to concentrate upon one period. In so far as such a procedure can give ‘a rounded impres- slon of a life and & character, the pres- ent film needs no apologies. The han- dling of the title role by Jannings is excellent enough to make it stand dramatically over. the others as the majesty and power of ita original tow- ered over his associates. His emotional work, following the murder’ of his son, is impressive; Jannings is too skilled an actor to overdo a passage of this sort. Dagny Servaes, playing Catherine, renders that character's stocky, healthy, loyal, unpolished nature with good ef- fect. There, too, is most certainly & life to be screened if it can be done without moral offense. One remembers the amusing oaths in the stage play “Big Kate.” Prince Alexis, church- bound, religion-drugged, fanatical cow- ard, with a weak suffering face, is por- trayed by Walter Jannssen, but is some- how unconvincing; his make-up, for one thing, is not good. Bernhard Goetzke, in the role of the perfidious Menshikov, son of a pastry cook who held almost Peter's power, also ap- proached Peter for acting honors. Other features on the "Little Thea- | WoobpwARD & lLOTHROP 10™ 1™ F axnD G STREETS This 4-Piece Bedroom Group, Special, *195 Offered tomorrow for the first time in the Semi-Annual Selling The four-piece group sketched above is offered at this special price in the Semi- Annual Selling. A dresser, chest of drawers, toilet table and double bed comprise this special group, in finely paneled veneer of American butt walnut and gumwood, with quartered-vak drawer construction. FOUR-PIECE BEDROOM GROUP, in combination mahogany, of fine Colonial de- sign. The group includes .a poster bed, dresser with shield mirror, chest of drawers and dressing table of modern styl- ing. Special in the Semi-Annual Selling . vosos $195 FORNITURE, S1xTR FLOOR. New--Plated Portables TEN-PIECE DINING ROOM GROUP, of American walnut and gumwood. This ex- quisite dining group echoes the charm of the Jacobean period in its skillfully wrought design. Buffet, china cabinet, server, table and six chairs. Special in the Semi- Annual Selling $365 The above group with twin beds, $230. THREE-PIECE LIVING ROOM GROUP, upholstered in fine tapestry, and com- posed of Chesterfield, club chair and bunny chair, that makes one pleased to entertain in one’s. living room. Very specially priced in the Semi-Annual Selling. 5250 Special in the Semi-Annual Selling Bridge Portable, $10 3-Light Junior, $15 We havé‘sécu:.ed Fffie vPlatcd' Portables at substantial re- ductions from regular prices. The Bridge Portable sketched has opén work base with new twisted shaft in gold-plated finish, nickel-plated features in shaft. The 3-light candle effect Junior Portable sketched has new flat base and octagon tubing in etched Fine Quality Cretonnes Special in the Semi-Annual Selling 38c vad Here 'is an’ opportunity to purchase Cretonnes at ex- ceptional savings. We have taken great care in their choice, and you will find your selection the easier for our care.- -Most attractive stripes, flowers and modern- istic designs in all wanted light and dark colorings. ik which were well received. Stanley ‘House revived the old hit, “Oh, Gee, Georgle,” and put it across, follow- ing it with more tomfoolery. Helen Lynd attempts an impersonation of Le- nore Ulric’s “Lulu Belle.” Wesley Eddy and his Syncopators score with the cur- rently popular number. “That’s How I Feel About You, Sweetheart,” in which Mr. Eddy sings. The Foster ' Girls dance in their usual. clever routine through several unusual numbers, Fox Movietone ard M.-G.-M. news reels and “The Prelude,” by the Palace Orchestra under Harry Borjes, add to tmhe cfifiwleu enjoyment of an entertain- g . ’ ¥ design, antique gold finish. 4 ) . i Slip Cover Stripes, 78¢ yard Protect your furniture and give it longer and more attractive life with these Slip Cover Stripes, in a wide range of colors and combinations. Also a display of Floor Lamps and Torchieres greatly reduced for this Semi-Annual. Selling. Lawrs, Seventr FLOOR. EARLE—“Naughty’ Baby.” The First National:has released a typical “it” picture featuring Alice White, one of its noted exponents, and her quarry, Jack Mulhall as the Bos- ton millionaire, now playing at the Earle Theater to capacity audiences. In this instance “it” was supplemefited by the huntress instinct and the “I want to go where you go, do what you do, then I'll be happy” motif. If the end justifies the means one must admit that her tac- tics were successful Rosie McGill, the little blond hat checker, sces the young Boston mil- lionaire among the guests of the Van- derveer Hotel and falls in love with him and from that time on her one purpose in life seems to be to attract his atten- tion by fair means or otherwise, conse- quenly getting into all sorts of difficul- ties, including losing her job. This does not deter her from following up what- ever advantage she has gained and a series of laughable adventures lead up to a climax in Room 301, where it looks , 8s if the whole party is due for a ride to the station house on various counts. Rose has three faithful boy friends who entertain her en masse—Max Cohen, whose uncle has a pawn shop: Jimmy Malone, a2uto osteopath, and Tony Bo- nelli, who works in Mme. Fleurette's modiste shoppe. Through their desire to please her she gets the loan of cxpensive gowns, jewelry and, means of transpor- “tation. ~ These friendly rivals have no idea of Rosie’s designs and they form a surprised, dejected group of rejected Los Angeles San Diego% E | . The rich colors and unusual designs of these Seamless Axminster Rugs immediately add a new warmth to the living room. Some have plain fields and others are cov- ered with small geometric figures. Touches of color here and there lend just the necessary life to the rugs. Harmonious borders of colorful design. Size 9x12 Size 8,3x10.6 $3675 $34.50 Choice Chinese Rugs Lovers of beautiful rugs will do well to see these luxurious Chinese Rugs in our Semi-Annual Selling. A few of the extraordinary values are listed below. Ix12 dize, SPoeial:.. .. coiivysonn e 3000 Ox12slxe, SPecIal . .. yocisnssnne sisnn-3280 . . 8x10 size, Speciall’. ..coolis % vansivie 3245 : 6x9pize, Shecial....... .0 .0 e 0eq 9165 AxTalie, Spevctal.... .. i500000. 005088 3x6 size, Special........c.c......... 35450 Rucs, CareeTs AND LiNoLEUMS, Firrm FLOOR. Size 6};9 Size 4.6x6.6 . Inlaid Linoleum $1.55 3265 square yard At $1.55 square yard. High-grade Inlaid Lino- leum in choice patterns and colorings. At $2.65 square yard. Super-quality Imported:In~ ~ laid Marbleized Tile Linoleum. A wide choice of patterns and colors. . - suitors at her wedding to her million- Pho enlx nire, pilhe concert orchestra, conducted by oh:b:d reeskin, delighte e audience — Jrih it Tendiion of ~The Three: Mus The Santa Fe omltu four other fine transcon- eteers,” composed by Rudolph Friml. tin trains e ‘alifornia The bm:ngrlhe snon reels a ?evn dlst:'l- Chf:tm ym C f tures the changing seasons; “Camera e «, e Herves” shows ome hasardous moments management “all the way”. The Fred Harvey n the lives of Joseph Rucker, Robert i o1 i Bonshue. Altin” Kasehel spi oty dining service Ili the best in the transportation nights of flickering news; Al Abbott h[a serve ,'ou amuses with his perfect impersonations Wor Y 'we z of a Swede parishioner advocating a - steam whistle for the church; a colored roustabout relating his ghostly dream; an interpretation of a Chinese lullaby and as Hank Higgenbottom sting of bhis “Gal, Irene.” In_anothér Vita- phone short reel, “The Alibi,” Kenneth Harlan demonstrates that there is no such thing as a perfect crime. . Earle Topical Review pictures com- plete the program. COLUMBIA—"Wings.” Memories of the boy who went away in 1917 and never came back are brought vividly to mind in “Wings." Paramount’s tribute to the gallants of the air, held over for a second week at the Columbia. @. C. Dillard, Dist. Pass. Agent, Santa Fe Ry, , 601-602 Finance Bldg.. Philadelphia, Pa. Phone : Rittenbouse 1464-5 A limited quantity at this specially lowered price, in 9 and 12-foot widths. Choice of taupe, green and heather colors. - Early selection is advisable.