Evening Star Newspaper, April 14, 1929, Page 70

AMUSEMENTSY, Fiashes From thé Screen By C.E. '~ EGARDLESS of the fact that R the sound mctuu“mt;: become rage day; that they are draw- ing larger crowds than the silent pictures eser hoped to draw; that all box office records have been shattered by recent dialogue pro- duction, the silent picture has one champion who is making himself heard from one end of the land to the other. This chap is Wel- ford Beaton, film critic of Los Angeles, who is also proprietor of : > ttle magazine, the Spec- ator. Beaton writes caustic pieces for hi§ magazine, and, while weekly does not have a large cir- culation, considerable attention is paid to it from the West Coast studios to Broadway. The editor has been a close follower of the photoplay industry. He has watched the growth of this enter- tainment medium, and he dis- agrees with any critic who may have the opinion that the dia- logue pictures are successful. Quot{ng from one of his recent argicles: ere might be some hope for ogue if a picture containing béth sound and silence were a g ibility, but it isn’t. When we r a man utter half a dozen - wards in a picture, we must hear evi rghinfi else he says when his ving lips are ghotographed. l.‘\‘Ehaps, in the future, we may elop an audience that will ac- cgbt a picture in which only a few off the speeches are heard, but there is so little indication of it afj present that we may dismiss it3as a consideration when we are afranging our dialogue programs. Iffthere had been any dialogue in tktvactlon of ‘The Iron Mask’ (the ny Doug Fairbanks picture) every scene would have to be 00 per cent talkie. #While I cannot find any one in Hpllywood who likes dialogue pic- nges. neither can I find any one wHo agrees with me that they will nét continue be successful figancially. I have not heard one saind or sensible argument in fayor of dia.lgfus pictures, al- thpugh the studios have gone over te them with more enthusiasm msan sense. They are osgolng to fipd that it is the m insane thing that they have done in rn influstry famous for its insanities. ‘ThHe history of the theater has tanght producers that it is a rare play that is successful. Our pic- ture barons, however, are unterri- fl;d by the spectacle of the many fallures. They proceed to make 600 or 700 pictures, all of which are going to ‘knock ‘em dead.’ The ngst amusing aspect of the situa- tign is the fact that the producers will assign the writing of these logue masterpieces to the pépple who have written all the plays Ythic have been failures in ork.” * Ok k% ATON, however, in writing of the new Mary Pickford pic- tufe, says: “She has stepped out ofithe art that has made her the st famous woman in the world a) has stepped into another which she dignifies with an amaz- hg performance. ‘Coquette’ is not in its essentials a motion pic- ture, but as a work of dramatic arf 1t is a masterpiece. No one can outmatch me in the admira- iy for the artistry that has ntained Miss Pickford’s status ag; the screen luminary for a detade and a half, but I was astounded at the height she regched in her first dialogue plc-. ture. She has several great mo- ments in ‘Coquette,’ and in each of'them she is magnificent. It is a fipersonal triumph for her, as wéll as a triumph for the new art dium that has come to Holly- Her voice is splendid, and infits use she reveals an apprecia- tign of drama for which all she hg dene previously on the screen cauld not prepare us. ‘Coquette’ ixgno way alters my opinion of wi diglogue pictures. I still maintain that it is a folly for the producers todturn their backs upon the me- d‘l;m that has made the screen sut¢h an outstanding entertain- mént force. £ ‘Coquette’ has the perfect act- ing, perfect story, perfect direct- ing and perfect reproduction, It will make a new audience for the star, but whether it will be as ggat as her old audience remains be seen. Certainly, it will ap- peal to the intelligence of the wérld, but I do not think it will a) Nelson. a mutilation of the film. With the icture, the elimination orcktaiR Darts ‘of the certal ruins the continuity. And, mni to the producers, thal speech. amendment con 2 Just how free is free speech? * ok ok ok JFROM Robert Hurel, executive New York s few days age, came w York a few thee following outburst: “All the Awmefl%;n‘ nt‘!;mm plctur:l M at the new soun is not an artistic advantage to the industry. But the public, al- his|though ignorant, is a t, al ways wanting somet There are black clouds France and over all the Euro) countries. America, too, is hav- ing difficulties in finding its 'lx because of the new current cause b¥ the talking picture. Because of its extraordinary financial situation, it controls the motion plcture industry abroad. But it suffers from a new iliness caused by the producers giving the pub- lic a too elaborate film ente: - ment without first educating the public’s intellect. This has re- sulted in a genen.l public lassi- fi‘é‘c’x’ a.u)nctl glc of l"ppr§clmon for e bu e spectacular.” Mr. Hurel is evidently confused over the motion picture situation in America, or be is sadly lacking in a knowhdxe of conditions in this country. It is true that mo- tion picture audiences know whvat they want, that they patronize t’.e spectacular, but they will not be fooled. They are intelligent audi- ences; they have developed no lassitude as regards the sound picture; the old-time showman- ship and hokum has no place in their scheme of affairs. The ex- hibitor, who is best qualified to talk upon this particular subject, is & student of humanity; he knows what his public wants, and his efforts follow that line. As far as too elaborate film prosnm& are concerned, the public is judge and jury. new. over B I WITH the Noise Era upon us, there is considerable specula- tion as to the future of screen comedies. Charlie Chaplin an- nounces that he will never appear in a dialogue picture, but no such word has issued from the studios of Harold Lloyd, Buster .eaton and others of the funny men. The heights of comedy were reached with the films of Chaplin, Lloyd, Langdon, Chester Conklin, Mabel Normand, Syd Chaplin and Hank Mann. Will these fellows be just as funny in the talkies? Charlie Chaplin is, above .all things, a tomimist. Harold Lloyd has without making a new picture, but his new picture, * V" un- less the title has been changed, has been made with dialogue, al- though there is also a complete silent version. Buster Keaton recently completed a - picture, “Spite Marriage,” with “sound ef- fects” but no dialogue. The short comedy field—two-reelers with Movietone accompaniment—is be- ing monopolized by such stage stars as Eddie Cantor, Clark & McCullough and Joe Cook. The screen comedy outlook is not very bright, to say the least. * ok Xk ¥ A Few Short Flashes. JDOLORES COSTELLO is to be a comedienne in her new pic- will be produced by Warner Brothers. Others in the cast are Ralph Graves, Claude Gilling- water and Audrey Ferris. A new Vitaphone feature will be “The Time, the Place and the Girl,” from the mfi play of Frank R. Adams and Will Hough. The principal players will be Betty Compson, Gertrude Olm- stead, Grant Withers and James Kirkwood. A new refinan under way whereby under the title, probably, of United Artists Consolidated, will plan is well spesch Apollo lowed a year to pass|Birmingham Four; Jesse ture, “The Glad Rag Doll,” which |pal nited Artists | & a distributing company, instead of merely a buf company as has en the case since the corporation was o nine years ago. This is the prediction of Film Daily, “the Movie Brad-. street,” which also states that Harry Warner of Warner Brothers is in Euroge and nothing will ha)ix‘wn until his return until late in May. al to the great unnumbered ons who have loved her as a dowy form in a silent world.” LR SHE opening of the Rialto The- ater with “Show Boat” is of Wasnington. “This ofy on. oté‘t”he most beautiful in the Na- al Capital, has been “dark” many months, and its Spring ning with one of the feature ures of the year will be a real nt in local theatrical circles. eduled to follow “Show Boat” tan,” ons extraordinary. Corbin elds is back at Nfild !tang an * ok ok x principal reason why the photogny producers have ed against cen- sound the film. are protesting the practice of some independent producers in e, B B 20 onograph records, w! gorkm sheet metal wor! and electrical workers are at - heads as to who shall handle trical movie signs. il oy ce prof lon while ung me signs at the Central Theater. ‘ork to complete her ‘ap- ge.lnnce tour before to'tga cific Coast to make ‘her first talking picture for Tiffany-Stahl. Willlam Fox is shaking the 3| movie peace of the Southland. He is contemplating & 3,000-seat first e e Rt angtia, Ala., another for at all about the alleged deal wi Warner Brothers.” Charlie has always opposed mergers for his corporation. . is rogotf.edh‘{.:‘at Pumo aramount sul - tion, has bought a “iinurut in the United Artis hal ts theaters in Los | " subjct. Carolina Central kin” _(syneh.). chard "“':* Richard Dix_in e0 * comedy. hone_subject. Keaton in ’ Cameraman.” Comedy. onte Blue, - s Wilson and hn Gilhert in “Desert Nights.” Righard Dix fn “Redskin.” Richard Dix in in” "%fleh). (aynchronized). Vitaphone_subject. Jackle Goosan in Comedies. Wrestling_matel edie: Monte_Bluo in “White Shadows of the South Seas.” Georze O Lols Moran i *Blindfold.” Vartet LW wers' ews. Tin_in e Million. ™ (synchron.). medy. News. Comedy. News. a5 MacLea Carnation Kid" {aym.). Vitaohone reel. Variety resl. Cartoon. G Uarhone fee ). Vifery 'reel. Garioon: er 3. rtoon. i e _?i'om George Bidney [ and Kel- ‘“The Cohens and Kel- d in’ Atiaatie City® Th ty. ). Odd iibert_and Alan Hale and Renee Adores in ' (syn.). ). Helene Costello and Sallen_ Landis i " “Lights of Mew Yorl (all-taikie). d McLagl Dygrow and Browp.tn Doy SANea® b e Wiler Pittien Siere Bow and chi fomln SR Current Attractions (Continued From First Page.) “The Jazz Regiment,” which boasts of & cast of 70 of that race. Very recen compsnyo‘mu{un i the addition of another ‘l". um"-. ot tenors; eight fleet- is sponsoring gn"c’g%uew 'S eater. Helen Hayes, & former Washington girl and a graduate of Smith College, is the star of “Coquette,” which was one of the outstanding successes of the sea- son in New York, where it had a run of over a year. The play is now being filmed with Mary Pickford in the stellar Tt The American Association of Uni- ‘versity Women is ug:moflu this bene- fit performance on behalf of the million- dollar fellowship fund which it 18 rais. ing to endow 30 or more research fel- lJowships for women. G. W. U. TROUBADOURS, MAY 6. Under the direction of Dennis Con- nell a musical comedy, “Sometime Soon,” will be presented by the Trouba- dours of George Washington University at the Wardman Park Theater all the week beginning May 6. The leads will be taken by Harrlette Rissler and John evolve as a producing as well as| W a; Union musicians in Los Angeles|. §§§§ th £ z g William Haines in “Alias Jimmy Valen- tine” “(synchron.). Cartoon. Vita. reel. EVANGEL Helene Costello and Cullen Laadis in “Lights of New York" (all-taikie) . “Husbands for Rent.” esthite Shadows. “Streets of Tilusion.” ives” (synch.). MeCoy in “The Bush Ranger.” Ken Maynard in “Gun Gospel.” irence (synchronized). Yalll and Keith in Fannie (synchronised) Vitaphone subJect. “Alias Shminy” Valen- tine’ Gypchron), Cartoon. Vits. reel. HER GABRIEL nacht lg‘ml\‘l as Judas, Other mem- bers of the Fassnacht family assume the characterisations of Mary, Mary VY BracuiousD, 1opaing ber Sghe. A wi acul cast of 1,000 is planned for the presen- tation in the Hippodrome, with a chorus of 400 and a large orchestra. ‘The sacred music which constitutes 0, mpran, sement, osagro unfolding of Einar Nilson, musical adviser to Max Reinhardt for the last 20 years and ductor of all of “ ‘The Passion Play” will not be held for an extended run in New York, the A W:}“ il'gt!ll. due to mhuunul cities throughout the United States. Marine,” @ “The Lyon, is sc! for immedial duction, It will be a talkie | lenn Tryon in # Kid's Clever.” Comedy. Serial. . Vitaphone subject. Vitaphone subject. Coming Attractions NATIONAL PLAYERS—“What Every ‘Woman Knows.” ‘The National Theater Players next week will revive Sir J. M. Barrie's cele- tion. quaint love story of Maggie Wylie and John Shand, Barrie, the whimsical, has epitomized most all of life, as seen thm:‘h dreamers. W 'ylie is said to be a pattern of own mother, and this strange little character, who hides her- s2lf always behind the rugged form of John Shand, her hu‘sr!‘a‘?d. proves to be the ideal wife, the helpmate. The National Theater Players have hts for their mark lay. STRAND—“Radium Girls.” The “Radium Girls” will be the bur- their ‘ next week, featuring cxtraordinary. & dancer comedy, excellent acting. beautiful scenes and costumes, as well as a gal- axy of girls noted for more than usual beauty. Sl 2 Bacwed Bivehir. “RIBICCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM,” revived by the National Theater Players recently, near breaking the house record for the Summer seasons. An old stager, perhaps, but it still holds its own. There is always manifest the fact that the general public’s taste is not lacking in love for the good, - tiful and the true, Roiané_flflayea e LE e o5 9100, soe. Opera-Players Club Immaculate Conception Church Presents “The Pride of Virginia” “Fra Diavole” (lo-ll:‘ Opers. ‘!'l≪: and AUBER) April 3¢ and 25 A ™ Fpdeotatth " RE WO ADMISSION (to any performance) TIONAL NATIONAL THEATER PLAYERS Offer and a Thousand Surprises the eyes of the| Wood the beau- | The Moving Picture cAlbam By Robert E. Sherwood. pub~| to ruin that art, or even to replace it against = ie of a :u:fi:'nne have mbjee::d me righteous wra admirers of the silent drama Who detest and deplore the talkies. Hav- wcid-fashioned photoplays, they can- not bring unul\?es top & the dis- turbing addition of spoken shall not m""’qi to reply to & merous arguments, because where tions of opinion and taste are ';:: eernedt.. debate is impossible. No. nlu-m ‘man, however persuasit ‘oon! me that I like 4l MM are However, some of those who have commented on my attitude toward the Movietone have interpreted it as im- plying contempt for that happened on in- troduction of mechanical For instance, Richard Watts, jr., of the New York Herald-Tribune considers it nec- with another one, I should be them. ing been sincere ix their apreciation of | and “The Vitaphone Teel. Mack Senn “Tre Good-by T8 the one biects. Mat., Cowboy , are recorded almoet word f . But such pictures are hardly to merely prove mf&h; diove now movie now ter scof®—that it can include variety of entertainment. The Up to now, the talkies have been ig- nored by most of the real artists of the cinema—Chaplin, King, Vidor, Clar- Harold Lloyd, ameng . | others (though some ,of these are to knee: | medium, and we says Mr. Watts, “that the of Mr. Sherwood and the other defenders of talking pictures is thelr claim that the in influence of e over screen and the ever-grow- ing id for stage practitioners somehow means an increase in mental- fty. It is the amazing belief of these gentlemen that there is some direct relationship between talk and intelli- , rather than an inverse one, and the coming of audibility means the overthrow of the numskulls of the silent res by the superintellects of the oursive stage.” cag 2 Having quoted Mr, Watts, I shall g even further by quoting myself. The following sentences, from the magsazine, are commended to Mr. Watts' attention: “The movie merchants are in a state the screen, and they are shrieking for help from those who have composed dialogue and recited it out loud. Mem- bers of the Dramatists’ Guild and of the Actors’ Equity Association, sad- dened by the present epidemic of starva- tion along Broadway, are now rushing gleefully to Hollywood, engaging in chop-licking coming superfeatures—'Coquette,’ ‘Sho | Boat,’ ‘The Trial of Mary an, ‘Broadway,’ etc.—and realizes that the big cellulold dealers have beeni buying up all the recent theatrical smash-hits, whether they have any legitimate place on the screen or not. & raids on Broadway are in- the belief, prevalent in and movie business, that a talk- icture is necessarily no more than y as it is of the e. of its own, through the medium of such pictures as ‘The Last Laugh,’ the Chap- printed subtitles) fails to alter this identity in any essential respect. “The movie people will learn a great deal in the years to come. Some of it will be new knowledge, but the bulk of it will be a relearning of old les- sons. Tt will that if the former white hopes of Holly- don't understand how to write, | direct or deliver spoken dialogue, neith- ter do the bright boys of Broadway | understand the art of expression in terms of pictures that move.” | * ok ok % | i My profound respect and admiration | for ! pictures that meve are unchanged, | I thought that the talkies were going | lesque attraction at the Strand Theater | Teresina, This show Is said to sparkle with ' | Wed, Eve. | Thurs. Eve. | Double B Sat. bhmt—Orchutn. o I8 8 B2 B B SHUBERT ELASC Mot Loe and ), 4 Shubert JANE WVES. §lo to 5. WED, MAT, of panicky indecision as a result of the |} unexpected dawn of the noise era on | ished for itself an identity | lin comedies and even the news reels. | and the fact of added talk (Instead of | be discovered (and soon) | Al ent M i3 PERFORMA;:&ES—APle 17,18, 20 be heard from soon).| When such ar- tists co experiment with the new are permitted to see results of their experiments, we 1l realize that the moving picture 1‘:“);2:. not lhel‘k ruthiessly butchered— merely learned how to be more articulate, " (Copyright, 1020 ——— Warfield Praises Play. David Warfleld has written & letter to Edward G. Robinson, star of the New York play, “Kibitzer,” praising the latter’s acting, which, it might be noted, has been likened to Warfleld's own. The letter reads: “I must not let another day pass before telling you how greatly I was entertained the other day. Your performance of the Kibitzer is a remarkable one; you have present- ed the theater with a brand new type, ‘hat's more, a very lovable char- 50 you must let me congratulate “Pope Pius . XI” N 4SigR Keizhts of Columbus Hall 3 Days Only encing Saturday, April 13 wing ly 2:30, 4 and § Children, 25¢ [STRAND 9th & Dee Sts. omy THEATRE 1~ Tows Only PLAYING BURLESQUE Starting This Week WAVA WHITE And Her “RED HOTS” With BILLY ‘G?IDOH MILT FRANKFORD { | | . | wresTLING Every Thursday Nite COMPANY | i Opera H | e, New York City ral Mansger eral Manager ant. G rs. Wilson-Greene THEATE! “MANON"-- Bort, Gigli, De Luea. “CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA"—Fonsete, Tibbett, Tokatyan, “PAGLIACCI"—F1ctscher, Eaward Johnson, Dantse, “AIDA" — Ponselle, Telva, Lautl-Volpt. 65—Corps de Ballet ‘Wilson-Greene’s Concert Bureau—Droop's and Box Office, Polis Theatar TOMORROW MONDAY NIGHT At 8:30 Ailliam A.DBrady Jr. & Dwight Deere Wiman prunt CowL in Stephen Phillips' PAOLO o FRANCESCA” PHILLP MERIVALE-~ KATHERINE EMMET~GUY STANDING §0c to §3. BAT, MAT. e to 0300 , cutting merely resul s in the Mystery Thriller - WEEK OF SUNDAY, APRIL 38TH MAIL ORDERS °™° Fia*Tx'Vow ™ °= BEGINNING ] Poli’s womi bign Apr. 22 oLl é‘%-&ifls %Eé“gflhfim?;nm“": nfi}'fi na em;;;‘ogom GRAM of . R vl N fures, has become a friend of EL . : [ ‘ = 115, “The Ghost Talks,” “Hearts in . B ¢ Dixie,” t Eyes,” ‘Speakeasy,” “The Valiant™ and a QRS LSy sy and Curtain of the Talking Pictures of 1929