Evening Star Newspaper, December 30, 1929, Page 26

26 The Week’s Attractions in Local Theaters Reviews of New Photoplays and Stage Productions If any one doubts the future let him see METROPOLITAN “Show of Shows” 3f the talking picture, “Show of Shows.” who doubts the versatility and great- ness of John Barrymore, let him wit- ness the soliloquy from “Henry Vi” in “Show of Shows.” has ever been dome in screen enter- taipment. (he sole criticism that might be di- rected agaust “Snuw of Shows,” which has opened at the Metropolitan Thea- | ter, is that it is too colossal; encom- passes, perhaps, too big an area, But 1t is kaleidoscopic magnificence, never- theless. Stars flash across the screen so rap- idly that one scarcely sees them. Per- haps the picture was constructed on that basis—that an appetite should not be overindulged. But, whetted, it re- mains keen and eager for the next morsel. So many stars appear that it would be difficult to list them. It is said there are 77. With Mr. Barrymore, there are certainly Richard Barthelmess, Ted Lewis with his band, Georges Carpen- tier, Irene Bordoni, Winnie Lightner, Douglas Fairbanks, jr.; Monte Blue, Beatrice Lillic, Alice . White, Betty Compson, Lila Lee, Noah Beery, Ben ‘Turpin—but th’s is beginning to take up space. Take the high spots from about two dozen of the best reviews you have seen, dress them up with absolute origi- nality, new tunes (good ones), new and elaborate dances and enormous stage effects; string them along together with no attempt at such serious-minded business as coherence, and there's a remote idea of what the “Show of Shows” comprises. It is carried along with Frank Fay as a witty and alto- gether interesting master of ceremonies. Of all praise accorded the various parts of the picture, perhaps that lav- ished upon Barrymore's colorful solilo- quy stands out most clearly. He is allowed to drift from his familiar ro- mantic types into Elysian fields of act- ing—and how he does it! Genuine thrills are produced by the military number in which Monte Blue appears as leader. The tune contrib- utes. The black and white ballet is another to fill the old heart with satis- faction. ‘Take, for an example, the Floradora Sextet. The thing first is done by wom- en in the original garb. Then al come a cast of ugly-looking fellows, headed by Ben Turpin, who do the number probably better, after a fashion, an their immediate predecessors. A novel departure from established acreen customs also occurs in this pic- “y. whereby four rows of dancers are shown, each in distinct line on the shadow board. Some of the jolliest moments of the film beyond reasonable doubt come in the times in which Winnie Lightner appears on the screen. It should be mentioned that an all- colored revue, featuring a dancer of rare agility, is an outstanding bit. In- deed nothing seems overlooked in the alcture. ‘There’s even Georges Carpen- er. But if you want the full cast of play- ers and what each does you really must see the picture. J. N. P. Due to the capacity crowds, through- out the engagement of “Show of Shows,” except on Sundays, the doors of the Metropolitan will open at 9:45 am. The feature will be shown at 10 am, 12:15, 2:32, 4.49, 7:06 and 9:23 p.m. " As a laugh manufacturer, FOX Victor McLaglen is & past “Hot master, judged by his perform- for ance in “Hot for Paris,” the Paris.” current attraction at the Fox ‘Theater. Playing the part of & happy-go-lucky, globe-trotting sailor, McLaglen proves he knows how to make his public merry to the ‘'nth degree. captures his audience early in the first reel. Everything he does is mirth- provoking. By the time the picture ends every laugh in one’s system seems to have been exhausted. El Brendel, comedian extraordinary of “Sunny-Side Up,” McLaglen's chief supporter, is a riot. With the coaching of McLaglen, Brendel develops into a lover of parts. He puts himself over with the girls after a fashion all his own. Nevertheless, it works. ‘When the film begins, McLaglen, as First Mate Duke, canvasses his ship while nearing port and attempts to sell & lottery ticket for a song in order to obtain a bit of coin of the realm with which to play barnyard golf. Duke has no idea that the ticket is worth a cool million. Nor has any one else and he is forced to keep it. On arriving in Havre, Duke dodges two men sent to inform him he is the lottery winner. He thinks they are detectives. They believe he is crazy, but follow him from pillar to post. Meanwhile Duke falls in love ‘with Pifi Dorsay, a dancer. She realizes he is a ladies’ man and he has a deuce of a time proving he is sincere. In the process he permits the “detectives” to catch him. When the final curtain falls, Duke has ample cause for happiness. The film is very snappy and reminds one of McLaglen's success in “The Cock-Eyed World.” Raoul Walsh is the director. If there is any one | |PALACE It is probable that nothing greater | He'| In addition, there is a bang-up stage program headed by Horace Heidt and his Californians. The Fox Orchestra is_at its best In a special New Year offering. An interesting Fox Movietone News completes the bill. J. C. Willlam Haines and his side-kick, Karl Dane, are teamed in another wisz-cracking comedy hit, “Navy Blues,” at the Palace s week. Certainly, it is guaranteed to drive the blues away. Haines, of course, is the main attraction, but the tall, lanky Swede makes the most of the secondary role in this story of two bluejackets on shore leave. There's nothing new in the plot, and it's not overburdened with plausibility, but it is full of laughs, thus fulfilling its sole mission as a vehicle for Bill Haines. The story concerns young Jack Kelly, sailor on one of the destroyers of the Pacific fleet—and these destroyers are the real article, by the way—or we miss our guess. The scenes at sea were taken through the courtesy of the Navy and include some interesting shots of target practice. But, to get on wiih the tale, Kelly, on shore leave, meets a girl, Alice Brown, and, after she has recklessly discarded parents and home in his favor (after about 24 hours’ ac- quaintance), he breaks the news that he's not & marrying man and, after telling her to go back to mother until he has another shore leave, he departs, sailorlike, for other climes. Alice, however, doesn't go back, and when the handsome jack tar returns, having decided that he must claim her as his own after all, he finds himself in an awkward situation, her parents hav- ing imagined all this while that the two were married and had sailed away to- gether (which, unfortunately for the plot, no sailor and his wife could do— the ships just aren’t built that way. Of course, after a wild search of the town, Jack finds Alice, on the road to destruction, and brings her home, “Navy Blues” where everything is straightened out | tp, nicely. Anita Page, as Alice, acquits herself well. The supporting cast includes Wade Boteler in the role of a hard- boiled petty officer; Edythe Chapman as the high-strung Mrs. Brown, and J. C. Nugent as Mr. Brown, mild and mellowed by 20-odd years of married life. Allan Rogers bids a temporary fare- well to Palace fans with his offering of ong | «Miami Night,” an effective stage fea- ture with the usual artistic costuming and scenic effects. Mr. Rogers sings several popular favorites by request, among them, “My Fate Is in Your Hllxl\dx," which he does exceptionally well. Burns and Kissen, comedy team, steal the spotlight on the stage with their parody song numbers. Horton Spurr gives an amusing slow motion inter- pretation of a novice golfer taking his first' swing: the Chester Hall girls sing and serve as a colorful background for the finale. An adagio quartet has a feminine member who misses death by inches in their breathtaking demonstra- tion of their art. Metrotone and M-G-N newsreel and a New Year greeting complete the program. Entr'acte or- gan interludes by Charles Galge are pleasing. C.R.F. The beautiful Dolores EARLE Costello is at top form in “Second Warner Brothers’ 1k] ‘Theater. She is supported by Jack Mulhall and Chester Morris. “Second Choice” is a delightful pic- ture, which depends for its success on the charm and ability of the leading player. A happier choice than Miss Costello could hardly have been made. She sings, buf her material Soon disappear Grove’s i 200at all druggists uecessful Since 1889 Edmons't;n & Co. Exclusive Washington Agency PHysIcAL (GLTURE SHOES We can now see the end of our aim to CLOSE OUT all the styles and LAST DAY OF THE anslgu. (@1 0.85 Sale of HOES THE EVENING great expression. But with what is given her to work with she turns out a highly creditable and pleasing per- formance. She is cast as Vallery Grove, a small- town beauty of limited means. Jack Mulhall plays Owen Mallory, her mil- lonaire second-choice husband, while Chester Morris is seen as Don Warren, a r but socially ambitious suitor. Vallery and Owen both are jlited by their fiances. They meet at the countr club and few days later decide to marry to save their faces. They have hardly exchanged vows, however, when Don decides that after all he wants Vallery instead of an heiress. The greater part of the picture deals with his efforts to win her back, which, needless to say, fail. In the end the second choice marriage turns out to be the real thing, which, from a masculine point of view, is not at all surprising. In the supporting cast are Edna Murphy, Charlotte Merriam, Anna Chance, Jimmy Clemmons and Edward Martidel. “The Dance of the Paper Dolls,” a Technicolor fantasie, is the outstanding feature of the supplemental bill. It portrays the better known of the mythical juvenile characters in an ex- tremely well executed dance number. Whatever the individual may find lacking in the skit, “Finders Keepers,” more than made up for by the ridiculously funny “Barnyard Battle” of Mickey the Mouse. The Evening Star-Universal and Pathe Newsreels show excellent views of the White House fire, together with other snap shots of world interest. Concluding the bill is the orchestral presentation, “Reminiscences of 1929,” an arrangement by Rudy Schramm of the year's most popular song hits. The selections are well chosen and the entire offering most pleasing. J.c. LO-KEIT Popular demand RKO-KEITH , Zoeviar demend “The Vagabond cV;r for kthe sec- ”» ond week at R. b pec K-O Keith's The- ater. ‘The capacity houses which his first picture, “The Vagabond Lover,” is drawing in its current New York showing are being duplicated here, and —but need it be said?—there are many men among them. Surely the appeal of Rudy, perhaps e most “maligned” public idol since the late Rudy Valentino, cannot be purely feminine. He and his band are productive of too much genuinely pleas- ing music for that. Everybody likes a tuneful song, one that he can whistle— or, if he’s given to more self-expression, “sing in the bathtub”—and Rudy is an unequaled master at the rendition of such. His work as an actor shouldn’t worry any one. He has a capable cast in his support, this including the ever-uproar- !sl):fi l\(snlrle Dr;salell- and the personable ly Blane, who plays opposite Rudy. The story concerns the rapid nmy n- | Fine STAR, WASHINGTON, sion of a small-town saxophone p! who finds himself mistaken for a mu- sical genius at a Long Island house party. Through the interest of the social climber who so mistakes him— the social climber Being Miss Dressler— he gest his chance to into the front page of the amusement world. ‘And wins Miss Blane by so doing. A number of tunes are played and sung written especially for the picture. Several are of the hummy nature. Elliott Nugent also is in the sup- porting cast. In;erestln‘ short subjects complete e 1. . ‘The Gleasons—James RIALTO and Lucille—remain over “The at the Rialto until Tues- Shannons day of this week. Their picture, “The Shannons of Brodaway,” is done in a talkle, with some sing- ing, from their New York play of some time back. Rollicking comedy this. The plot may be built along familiar lines, but its background is sufficiently different to make it of sustained interest. To elaborate, the formula is the same, per- haps, but the dress is original, James and Lucille Gleason enact a typical “song and dance” combination, playing the small-time circuits, hoping some day to reach Broadwa: ‘The opportunity doesn't seem to come. Partly as a gamble, partly as a hope for a better “break” through financial independence, they buy & country hotel. Here occur most of the scenes impart- ing comedy. There are secondary figures, but the Gleasons are the out- standing ones throughout, There’s a bit having to do with Mrs. Gleason and the village Scrooge, who wants to buy their hotel property at a figure considerably less than that which they paid for it. He intends to sell it to an airport group at considerably more. He tries, but can't get away with it. His own son, enlisted by Mrs. Gleason, trips him up. Result: The Gleasons sell the hotel property for con- siderably more than they paid and move off to New York, where they finally have their act staged. The world premier of “Hell's Angels,” starring Raymond Hatton, is scheduled for the Rialto Theater Wed- nesday of this week. P. COLUMBIA _Trom the Prench ils 1Island, off the “Condemned” coast of South Amer- ica, two men escape, toward the climax of the picture, “Condemned,” now being shown at the Columbia Theater. It is doubtful if the screen, over any given period of years, has contributed any- thing more exciting than this escape and the pursuit by the prison’s guard. One of the two men has become enamored of the warden's wife, played by the delightful Ann Harding. This convict, portrayed by Ronald Colman, o Broadway” Frocks penitentiary on Dev- | D. C, MONDAY, is a Parisian thief and has been acting in ial duty as house boy for the n, & role admirably played, but in a villainous e, by Dudley es. Unwittingly, Ann and Ronald have fallen in love with each other and do not discover it ‘until the village citizenry begins to talk. The warden is roused to action when he finds most of the town’s women lined against his garden wall, whispering, “Poor Vidal,” that be- ing the warden’s name. Lively scenes ensue. The convict-servant, Michel, is sent into solitary confinement. The wife is ordered to return by the next boat to Prance. The escape follows, with Col- man, aided and accompanied by the ad- mirable Louis Wolheim, as Jacques, a life termer, who has ‘‘nothing to lose.” The pursuit leads through the most hopeless of jungle tangles, down rivers and to a transpacific steamer, on which the warden's wife and Colman are sup- posed to meet. ‘What promises to be a sad climax is averted when Wolheim, the life prisoner Jacques, climbs aboard the vessel to seize the warden of Devils Island, who | had hidden on the ship carrying his wife, in his determination to put an end to Michel. Jacques and the warden go overboard together, neither to return, Michel then surrenders to officers to be returned to Devils Island to serve the balance of his term, while the widowed wife returns to France. If the film has any sort of discrepancy, it occurs here. For Michel, by rights, should have been given an even longer term for his part in the drowning of the warden. But the audience wants a more satis- factory ending and gets it. The final sequence shows the widow greeting Michel as he alights from a train in Paris. Colman’'s performance is strikingly Cash & Carry 807 14th St. N.W. Metro. 7433 For dining and dancing on New Year’s Eve Gay Party Frocks | For Misses and Women The Misses’ The Women's Frocks 8.95 ' 2.95 For that highly important New Year's Eve party —you MUST have a new dress. 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GAYETY Gavely Theater yester- a; = s in Fred (Falls) Binder, assisted by a talented cast and a chorus of surprising prettiness and all-round quality, Binder, who brings with him his “Speed Girls,” sponsors a sparkling line of comedy, tuneful songs well sung. some excellent dancing and a generally entertaining afternoon or evening, whichever you choose. Some of the best of the singing and dancing is done by a pretty young girl called Evelyn Whitney. Vern More, a striking soubrette, is equally interesting in a melody or two. Earl F. Meyer A new star made also does a major share of pleasing| work. “Sunshine” Pritchard is there, as usual, with his comedy. Others who perform capably are Harry Seyon, Irving Jacobs, Margie Thomas and Joan ‘Tanya. A special midnight show has been prepared by Manager Jimmy Lake for | % New Year eve, at 12 o'clock. STRAND “The Sepia Vagabonds" The curtain will rise Jimmie Lake, the enterpris- ing manager of the Gayety, opens the Strand Theater today with a matinee performance of “The Sepla Vagabonds.” ‘This is in no sense a burlesque show, HE mission of our “Cash & Carry” Flower Stores is to put more Flowers in the Home. Cut Flowers Potted Plants “Economy Prices” Flower Stores 804 17th St. NW. Franklin 10391 a successful debut at the but a jazz revue, with an all-s music. Novelty dance offerings humor. Among the entertainers are Julla | & high-stepping yellow girl; Eloise Be! | nett, a sweet-voiced singer; “The Gre: Day Singers,’ of capable comedians, singing and dancing feature. A whirlwind chorus Jjoyous time at the midnight perform- ance New Year eve, when many acts and novelties in harmony with the occasion will be added to the bill. The curtain will rise promptly at midnight. | Government Films Scored. | Latvia's decision that the weekly news films, which must be included in every film program in the country, will be produced by the ministry of public in- struction, is being scored by press and public. It is feared that the rule, said be the first of its kind in the world, will result in merely & filmed govern- ment report. The government rule that all talkies shall be in Lettonian, Ru: slan or German, and all subject to cen- r, s also arousing indignation. T cast of colored players, who present & pro- gram rich in syncopated song and by some of the best colored dancers in America will compete with eccentric Moody, “jazz queen”; Elizabeth Smith, | “The * Jungle - Dancers,” “The Jubilee Singers,” “Shrimp" Brock, king of colored funsters, and a corps is a Manager Lake will give his patrons a R. T. WILSON, TURFMAN AND BANKER, DIES AT 62 President of New York Firm Also Was Steward of Westchester Jockey Club. | By the Associated Press. | NEW YORK, December 30.—Richard | Thornton Wilson, banker, prominent on | the turf, died of broncho-pneumonia at his home here yesterday. He was 2 years old. He was president of the banking firm of R. T. Wilson & Co.. founded by his father, ‘the late R. T. Wilson, coms missary general of the Confederate Army, and also of the Saratoga Associa. tion for the Improvement of the Breed of Horses. He was a steward of the jockey club and a director of the West- | chester Racing Association, which owns | Belmont Park. | "He was largely responsible for the enlargement and beautification of the race course at Saratoga. He owned a large stable himself. Among his out- standing horses were Sunfire, Flying Phantom and Campfire. 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