Evening Star Newspaper, April 13, 1930, Page 55

AMUSEMENT SECTION @he Sunday Star, WASHINGTON, D. C, Theater, Screen and Music Motor, Aviation and Radio News 4 T /5\1[3. I an SCREE SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 13, 1930. et — ; HAL SKELLY ors' §re o : DORIS HiLL - / ) Ji i, “Men Are LikeTht" g ' lumbia CHARLES JUDELS and NWALTER CATLET T/ e Big Porty” HERMAN TIMBERG ard BARBARA BLAIR- Drama Quits Road for Palace (53 Yoge) Local Habitation. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The second week of the National Theater Players was distinguished by a hearty and kindly determina- tion to efface some of the severe recollection which distinguishes the record of the dying road sea- son year. “Brothers” departs from pure sunshine comedy and dem- onstrates sufficient versatility to offer melodrama as an incident of 1ts varied program for the local season. The company goes even so far as to assemble enough per- sonnel for rendering a mob scene suggestive of the underworld revelations so effective in “Vaga- bond King,” and harking back beyond many noteworthy ex- amples, even to Hall Gaine’s “The Christian,” which, originally E.roduced at this same National heater with more abiding faith and dauntless courage than financial backing, established the career of George C. Tyler in immediate triumph. * % % X ‘The producing firm which Tyler g0 long piloted was known as Liebler & Co. and, contrary to the usual history of the relationships of producers in large type and managers in modest nonpareil, Tyler always remained the domi- nant influence. His name was in- variably mentioned as carrying real authority. His liking for old drama has never left him, even though his first success was one with material then unknown in the theater. According to his long-established custom, he makes a tour of the country in a dra- matic classic, “The Rivals,” with & playing company. of particular distinction. * k% X The mob scene in “Brothers,” showing the assemblage in an underworld resort, recalls the most striking scene in that peculiar agglomeration of epi- sodes - entitled “Experience,” re- ferred to by the late Charles Frohman as the most elaborate example of mixed metaphor that had ever come under his observa- tion. It representeq a young poet and musician willig to degrade his art for the sake of sustenance, but rendered an outcast by his turbulent audience resentful of instinctive refinement from even 8o pitiable a market for his wares. * % * % The security with which the National Stock Company's per- formance of “Brothers”, met a rather severe test (thanks in large measure to the playing of Walter Gilbert, who undertakes the very difficult task of a dual role) in- spires confidence in announce- ments for the future, which in- clude even so exacting a drama as “The Honor of the Family.” It is remarkable how often a role with which some distinguished player has been identified is taken satis- factorily by some actor hitherto unknown in the part, and much expression of interest through the mails clearly proves a popular confidence that a successor in the impersonation of the picturesque- ly truculent Col. Bridau may be found even for no less a star than Otis Skinner. * % & % ‘The road season was brought to a close, save for an occasional one-night production like that of “The Rivals,” or an occasional interjection of music, sublime or frivolous, by that most re- markable play, “Journey’s End.” It is a concentration of the spirit of hard, remorseless thinking that has distinguished the 1929- 30 theater; the abandonment of usual form and customary striv- ing for superficial literary grace that was first established in dom- inant influence by the “Strange Interlude.” Audiences have learned to set their faces against the storm that new ideas bring into the economic skies, and the mechanistic drama tells a story with a cruel precision that makes it almost a scientific commentary rather than a fulfillment of the vain protest of practical man- agers that the theater was in- tended never to instruct but only to amuse. * X ¥ X The theater has become careful in the discussion of political themes and it is doubtful that even such a play as “The Almighty Dollar,” in which the Hon. Bard- well Sloat depicted the man of great worldly success, = warm- hearted but uncultured, would be tolerated at the present time. Satire pertaining to current events or personalities is not ven- tured upon. The stage reserves to itself the privilege of being the embodiment of the political spirit which may offend good taste and an _individual sense of idealism rather than risk appearance of contradicting the interests of any man or enterprise even by the remotest innuendo. Regard for finer sense as it was manifested in days of ancestral courtesy 1is abruptly abandoned in such a lay, for instance, as “The Front age,” revealing the worst possi- bilities of sensational slummery in such deliberate debasement of humanity that what seemed superficially utter vulgarity be- came when analyzed from a philo- sophic viewpoint invested with crude but intense pathos. * % % % Having sought to prowl into a future depicting men as no longer men such as we have hitherto known in history and romance | spec MARION \WELLS- /# S Nancys Private . ” anrs National Players the playhouse apparently aban- dons hope of finding sufficient material in this world and boldly prowls into the next. “Death Takes a Holiday,” whose fate was regarded as precariously in the balance when it left this city after a preliminary engagement, is still running in New York and inspiring press agent material re- garding the hysteria it occasion- ally produces in a sensitive auditor, sufficiently pronounced in thrill to make the story suitable for Nation-wide distribution in print. * % k% One of the current New York successes as described apparently takes a leaf out of Molnar's “Liliom” and imports to this country as dramatic locale the figure of a primitive fellow man, who, in his groping, interprets ideas of future reward and pun- ishment on terms of familiar ex- perience and by observation of civil authority as appliel to the sidewalks. It seems a variant toward tragedy of the fancy which Barry employed in “Kiss for Cin- derella,” when the dainty Maude Adams waif regarded a huge golden street lamp and a magnifi- cently carved barrel organ as proper equipment for an aristo- cratic ball room. * ok Kk ok The welcome extended to a bold and original idea is warm and unequivocal. The factory-made Fruduct may be gaining author- ty in ordinary channels of com- merce, but in the theater the wish for boldness and originality asserts itself with an increasing demand far beyond any immediate pros- pect of supply. Wants to Be Copyrighted. 'RANCES WILLIAMS, singing star in ‘George White’s “Scandals,” wants to copyright her “individual style of stage delivery.” “It 1s unfair to stage artists the world over,” says Miss Willlams, “who develop a bit of business or a certain style of delivery to find that lesser artists have stolen the idea because they cannot de- velop an original style of their own. “My lawyer informs me that he doesn’t think this phase of an artist’s work can be protected under the copy- right law, but we are going to try and establish a precedent. An author is protected and an inventor is protected, and I cannot see any reason why an actor or an actress can’t find the same protection under the laws of the country.” To Manage a Stage His Goal road to Willlam Dietz's present tion as chief of miniatures and 1 camera effects for Pathe Fic- tures has been long, and some- what interesting. This young man, who has photo- graphed trick shots and impressionistic scenes for such pictures as “g‘ge ‘Tres- An- “Swing after was a life guard during Summer vaca- tions, a hl:lrvlce station utmw:h;nd garage helper, s sign painter, show- card writer and _window trimmer, “jerked” sodas at a Portland soda foun- tain after school hours, played a banjo in a dance orchestra and was & sea- man and quartermaster on & South American voyage. i Dietz has earned wages as janitor, ant camera man, process camera man and first camera man in picture houses and studios. “My first ambition was to be a stage manager,” said Dietz. “I began work- ing toward this end while I was in high schoak” . FANCHONard MARCO Fox (S7age) BiLue O'NEILL- Ht+he G’a/vef)/ Dancer - BAR Costs In the Theater. **TN & season when so much pessim- ism has been expressed it is pleas- ant to note that the plays which have attained success, both in New York and on the road, have savored of the classi- cal. This is an interesting commentary on cotemporary theater going and goers.” So thinks Helen Hoerle, repre- sentative of the Erlanger-Tyler in- erests. “The talking pictures evidently sup- ply sufficient lighter entertainment,” adds Miss Moerle, “but for the spoken stage theater patrons are seeking plays that have something more to offer. Two Shakespearean companies have played to capacity houses throughout the country. Walter Hampden on his pres- ent tour is doing likewise, and even the Chicago Leiber company has fared well in New York, while the impending tour of ‘The Rivals' promises to be reco: breaking. “Back in 1896 Joseph Jefferson and an all-star cast in ‘The Rivals’ swung throughout 27 cities in 27 days, gvlgy- ing New England and the Middle West. Five dollars was the price of an orches- tra chair to see that worthy - tion, the first time in the history of the theater that this high price was charged. “Now, however, when a similar tour has been arranged for an equally im- posing cast of players in the same far- cical comedy the top price is but $3. Contrasting the expenses of 34 years ago with those of today, the difference in the ticket price is worthy of notice. Salarles, both to cast and stage crew, in those days were appreciably smaller, rallroad fares were about half what they are today, and advertising costs, bag- gage and scenery _transportation— everything, in fact—was considerably less than now.” “The Rivals” will present Mrs. Fiske in her incomparable characterization of Mrs. Malaprop and James T. Powers as the Bob Acres. The remainder of the cast is equally distinguished, includ- ing Andrew Mack, Pedro de Cordoba, Margery Maude, Betty Linley, Rollo Peters, John Craig, Georgette Cohan, George Tawde, Edward Powell and Dann Malloy. Connie Want: to Be Herself. rd CONNE WILSON has registered at the Central Casting Bureau, Holly- wood, as Connie Lewis so that she will not be generally known and advertised as the younger sister of Lois Wilson. Connie was & member of the beauty chorus at First National, who was graduated into a small part in Dorothy Mackaill's new picture, “Strictly Mod- ern.” But she refused to play in “Wedding Rings,” in which Lois had a featured role, because le might say she got it through pull. Connie is operating on her own charms, regard- less of relationship. Stage and Screen Attractions This Week NATIONAL—National Players ‘Tomorrow evening. GAYETY—“Take a Chance,” burlesque. evening. PALACE—"“Lummox.” FOX—“The Big Party.” METROPOLITAN—“The Furles.” in “Nancy’s Private Affair.” This afternoon and This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. COLUMBIA—“Men Are Like That.” This afternoon and evening. EARLE—“Strictly Modern.” This afternoon and evening. R-K-O KEITH'S—“Ladies of Leisure.” evening. This afternoon and KB WARNER: / e Fories” Me"'rOPol Itan . BARA STANWYCK- /n “Ladies of Leisure” R K.QKkeiths 'HE Rialto Theater, at 9th and G streets, will reopen next Saturday, April 19, with John Boles in “Captain of the Guards,” the spectacular talking and singing romance of the French Revolution, which is now in its second week at the Roxy Theater, New York, and which recently opened in Balti~ more at road show prices. Boles is sup- ported by Laura La Plante and a cast of about 5,000 people. The Rialto has been completely reno- vated and composition panels attached to all the walls so that the sound con ditions will be perfect. Many other im portant improvements have been made and it is promised that several other big productions will follow “Captain of the Guards,” all to be offered under perfect conditions. It is planned to bring Paul White- man in “King of Jazz Revue” mnext week and then “All Quiet on the West- ern Front.” The Boles picture is sald to be one of the most pretentious to come from the West Coast for some time. In it Boles sings several numbers, among them “For You” and “You, You Alone.” “Green Pastures” Described "Tfll GREEN PASTURES,” the much-discussed comedy now in- ligion is that of thousands of egroes in the deep South. Unburdened the differences of more educated theo- logians, they accept the Old Testament as & chronicle of wonders. In its heav- on the angels have magnificent fish fries through an eternity somewhat resem- um: @ series of earthly holidays. The Lord Jehovah is the promised comforter, s just but compassionate patriarch, the summation of all the virtues His fol- lower has observed in the human beings about him. The Lord may look like the Rev. Mr. DuBols, as the Sunday school teacher lates in the play, or He may resemble another bellever’s own grandfather. In any event, His face will be familiar to the one who come for his reward. All this is presented with supreme naivete by a cast of colored actors who play their parts with enthusiasm. Cho- ruses of Negro spirituals accompany the action and are sung by the Hall John- -mt.lwr\u.l has | luxuries Fox ¥ Dororuy MACKAILL and SIDNEY BLACKMER- /flm‘r/'c*/)/ Modern™ Esrle The Moving Picture cAlbum By Robert E. Sherwood. IS SERENE EMINENCE WILL H. HAYS, czar of all the cine- mas, has been particularly vocal of late. He has been sounding notes of optimism and issuing threats for release Monday. His emerg- ence is due to two causes. One of them is the desire to co-operate in the resto- | ration of prosperity, and the other is the determination to silence all the up- roar about screen censorship, which is becoming unduly vociferous. Concerning prosperity, Czar Hays wishes it to be known that the film in- dustry is doing its bit. In a speech over the radio he said: “The motion picture carries to every American home and to millions of po- tential purchasers abroad the visual, vivid perception of American manufac- tured products. Our standards of liv- ing are steadily on the upward trend. ‘We appreciate more the good things of life. We want more, we work for more, and we buy more, and to all this in- creasing spiral of demand motion pic- tures contribute more every day.” ‘This is not bunk—even though it was offered in a bunkful spirit. Indeed, there is far more truth in this utterance than the czar himself would care to admit. ‘The motion pictures are advertising American-made goods. They are cre- ating an inestimable demand for these goods at home and abroad. But the question may well be raised, Is this demand limited to such simple, whole- some luxuries as electric ice boxes, jade g _ ool Queen Anne radio cabinets, 16-cylinder automobiles? Isn't there the possibility that motion pic- tures are also proclaiming the desira- bility of such essentially American prod- ucts as gats, pineapples (Chicagoan, not Hawalian), synthetic gin and equal- | 4, 1y synthetic sex consclousness? * Kk K ‘” JHILE viewing showings of American films in foreign countries it has been my observation that the great popularity of these films is attributable to the fascinating gospel that they preach—the 100 per cent American gos- pel of “easy money.” Rare indeed is the American film which does not start with poverty and end with fabulous wealth. It is not enough that at the finish the lovers shall be joined; they must also be en- dowed. How does wealth come to them? ‘Through a lifetime of serious. strenuous endeavor? Obviously not. crowd a lifetime into six reels. Wealth and the nationally ldvcrtls%g’ that go with it must achieved on the screen suddenly, for- tuitously. There is no time to wait for the rewards of long and faithful labor. Usually, when such rewards come in real life, their recipients are middle- aged and no longer romantic. ‘The movie hero and heroine may gain ' Hi One can't| the requisite amount of buying power while they're still young by triumphing as jazz singers, or by hastening a rich relative to his grave, or by striking ol in the back yard, or even by sticking up a jewelry store. Or—and here is a point that the czar neglected to mention in his radio speech—they can accomplish the leap from rags to riches by going to Holly- wood, where the most fabulous dreams come true. * ok ok K HOWEVER, be it said that Czar Hays has done his utmost to prevent the propagation of false doctrines on the screen by issuing a code of morals to which all the movie magnates must subscribe. A more severe code was outlined by Louis B. Mayer some years ago and then instantly forgotten. In fact, among the first to forget it was Mr. Mayer himself, as he proved in his own sub- sequent_productions. ‘The Hays code (which also may be instantly forgotten) is a model of cir- cumspection. For instance, it provides “that sympathy shall not be created for the violation of the law,” and then goes on to say “the use of liquor in Ameri- can life shall be restricted to the actual r?q:xlrements of - characterization or plot.” Thus if the leading characters (both male and female) in a photoplay are inveterate drinkers, and the plot deals with bootlegging and hijackery, then the use of liquor in erican life is rmissible. It is absolutely forbidden, owever, if the characters in the photo- play happen to be teetotalers, as they 5o often are. Similarly, the czar issues the ukase at scenes of passion shall not be in- n’mtiuuced “when not essential to the plot.” With all due reverence to Czar Haj I beg him to cite one of the ltlndfl‘yfi movie plots in which scenes of passion are not essential. Remove all passion from plots, and where would the motion picture industry make the money with which to pay the salary of the czar? Near the end of his code Czar Hays gives expression to an admirable thought. ~ Listing certain Iuhjec‘a he says that they must be treated “within the limits of good taste.” If only he had reduced his whole code to this one commandment: “Abide within the Nm- its of taste.” He could have ped there with fine effect. That didn't is due to the realistic shrewdness which he gained during his political career. He knew enough not to de- mlvrlxd the l.lngi:llble. ‘ere good taste prevalent in - tion picture industry there waul'&hlbemx‘:o more need for troublesome censors or for insulting critics, and there would certainly be no more need for Will H. ays.