Evening Star Newspaper, June 29, 1930, Page 46

MUSEMENTS. F lashes From the Screen By C. E. Nelson. ITH -Summer at hand, you may be unable to settle yourself at the seashore or in the North mountains, but you should have no trouble in locating a thrill or two this week. The downtown movie houses have taken a hand in the matter, and the stay-at- home ‘may move here and there in an exciting round of thrilling experiences. For instance, he can trayel down to the Palace and see “The Bad One,” which will be all of that. Or he may go to the Metropolitan and view “Numbered Men.” If y~u are seeking thrills of another variety, try the Earle, where “A Notorious Affair” should give a peep into the unusual. The Columbia is showing “The Big House,” where you may view rison riots, and the Fox, not to e outdone, screens “Not Dam- aged.” For chills and thrills that come with the darkness, one may visit R-K-O Keith's, where “Mid- night Mystery” is on tap. This is a hot-weather menu to satisfy the veteran movie fan, and enough goose-flesh is packed into the week’s assortment of pic- tures to make the Alleghenies re- semble a flock of ant-hills. % Thinking back over the new- est Will Rogers effort, “So This Is London,” one is inclined to the opinion that the star comes near reaching perfection in the movie field. That is, as far as the movies have gone to this day and date. His work stands out so far above others, K who have reached stardom, that there is little comparison. His pictures are clean, whole- some, and, above all, really funny. And yet, in ‘them all, is this mixture. of homely phi- losophy, in quaint dialogue. Before the coming of sound pictures, Rogers was mot, nat- urally, a big hit with movie audiences. When he was able to talk, his pictures began to score tremendous successes. In the future, all he needs is a change of scenery once in a while. He should not be con- fined to a certain type of pic- ture just because he happens to have made a hit in that variety. Rogers is an actor who can fill almost any role, with the exception of a college lad. And perhaps he could even do that. * ok ox % THE John D. Rockefeller, jr., in- terests are backing New York’s newest and biggest motion pic- T ture theater project, which will include a block of four great the- aters in the heart of the metropo- lis. These will be leased by Radio-Keith-Orpheum, with Gen- eral Electric and Westinghouse Electric having big interests. When the present plan reaches the. final chapter, probably in 1933, R. C. A, Radio-Keith- Orpheum, the National Broad- casting Co. and Radio Pictures will have at command facilities for world-wide television and radio broadcast and a “source for the development of creative talent with a public experimental station that will guide our mo- tion picture directors in the pres- entation of better entertainment for the screen.” According to present plans, one of the New York theaters will seat 7,000 persons and will be de- voted to variety entertainment. Another will seat 5,000 and will be especially designed for talking pictures. A’ third will produce musical comedies, and the fourth will be devoted to the drama. Also, it is announced that a sym- phony hall will be constructed, | Pl and work on the theaters will be- gin this Autumn. Of special interest to motion icture fans is the fact that S. . Rothafel (“Roxy”) is one of the men especially interested in the new project. Although he is under contraet at the present time and is not willing to com- ment on the subject, Broadway hears that he may become a big factor in the entertainment idea. Others reported directly con- nected with the plan are Owen D. Young, David Sarnoff, Mer- lin H. Aylesworth and Hiram 8. Brown. * ok ox X And, getting back to more personal things, Mary Pick- Jord writes us from Hollywood that the movie players have opened the Screen Star’s Shop, on Cahuenga street, Hollywood, with Florence Turner, well known to the older movie fans, as official hostess. The shop is to be conducted entirely for the benefit of the Motion Pic- ture Relief Fund, and its stock comprises the nearly new ap- parel donated by various stars. Mary’s letter states that “while the patronage of the- general public will be welcomed, the main object of the shop is to provide an economical plan by which actors and actresses of moderate salary can ‘dress their parts’ properly.” Here in the East we did not know there were “actors and aciresses of ‘moderate salary.” We might have started helping them out long ago. * K Kk ok NINETEEN producing com- panies - have * arranged and signed a new advertising code. So, in the days to come, when you see it advertised you will at least know the' picture is being ex- hibited. The new code does not come from the office of Will Hays, but was adopted by the producers with a certain amount of arguing from Mr. Hays and his men. Here is a word or two prefacing the code:. “With the universal acceptance of the talking motion picture, the producers deemed it wise and necessary to adopt a new and amplified ‘code" of principles to ide the production of this new orm of enfertainment. It is ap- propriate that those responsible for the advertising of motion pic- fures. should take steps to empha- size their kindred purposes, and to make certain that motion pic- ture advertising shall reflect the same high ideals and alms which inspired the new code for produc- tion. - Therefore, to make our maximum _eontribution to. the progress of the motion picture medium, help it<fulfill its obliga- tions ™. znd T — mmunity ‘val q%h:"fdve e TRoRRG P e, th v ting for the Moon,” h scribe to a code for motion pic- ture advertising.” * ¥ % % Queer things happen in the movies. Perhaps you have noticed that fact. Gloria Swanson—sometimes known. as Glorious Gloria — discovered that she had a voice when she ;luwa the star's role in “The respasser.” She sang a song. The song was a good one. Mr. Vallee and the other crooners discovered that it was splendid radio material. And even Gloria was asked to sing the song for “those millions of an _invisible audience.” * Well, Gloria discovered that she had a voice, and special ef- forts were made by the pro- ducers of her picture to prove that she really sang the song when the picture was made a record. Not long before that tim-~. ~ star had “rendered” a tcilae ‘n such a manner that ar’ investigation was started. g: fans were doubtful. Came expose. The star had opened and closed his mowuth like a real Tibbett, but not a sound had issued. His song had issued from unseen lips; a Jat opera tenor had been hid- den behind a convenient palm. But this was not the case with Gloria. She really sang about love and its spell being here, there and everywhere. The mnewspaper critics were called to hear her sing in the studio. Gloria’s voice has gone around the world in a tin can —but she announces that she positively will not leave the motion pictures for a concert career. The Los Angeles Phil- harmonic Orchestra invited her to appecur as guest soloist. A series of concerts in the larger cities of the country was also proposed. And other of- ficers came from abroad, some of them requesting that she take part in European opera. Gloria, however, announces that she will not give up mo- tion pictures. “For the time being,” she says, “I feel I should remain true to pictures. I would not want to attempt public appearance without properly preparing myself, which _requires considerable time. Pictures, unfortunately, leave little time for anything else.” And all on account of a song about love being everywhere. i SHORT FLASHES. HE comedian, Eddie Cantor, has signed a contract with Universal to write a scenario with the title, “Selling at the Top.” Eddie wrote the foundation story for the Polly Moran-Marie Dress- ler picture, “Caught Short,” which was a recent comedy success. First National announces that little Virginia Grey, 12 years old, who has a prominent part in “Queen of Main Street,” is the “head of her family.” She sup- ports three persons, and does it nicely on her film earnings. Vir- ginia’s parents and grandmother are invalids. P Lieut. Rudolph Schad, German war ace, has been engaged as a technical advisor for the new Richard Barthelmess picture, “Dawn Patrol.” In the support- |ing cast of the picture are | Douglas ~ Fairbanks, jr; Neil Hamilton, Clyde Cook, William Janney and Gardner James. Joe Donahue, a brother of the dancing Jack, will play opposite Marilyn Miller in the screen pro- duction of “Sunny.” Joe was un- derstudy for his brother in the stage production of the same ece. “Father’s Son,” from a story by Booth Tarkington, has Leon Jan- ney, a boy actor, in the leading lmle. William Baudine is direct- ng. The screen story of “Kismet,” with Otls Skinner in the leading role, will have a large cast, 4,000 extra players having been en- gaged. Edgar Allan Woolf, well known playwright and news‘fa er man, has been appointed dialogue di- rector for First National Pictures. This is the first case of a dialogue director being employed by any of the photoplay studios. It seems that the name “Ari- zona Kid” was used in one of the Art Accord silent pictures of some company has been enjoined from using that title. The Fox attor- neys state that it will cost in the neighborhood of $100,000 to change the name. Maureen O'Sullivan, who makes quite a hit in the Will Rogers pic- ture “So This Is London,” has been signed to play the lead in a screen musicale, “Just Imagine.” Others in the cast are El Brendel, Marjorie White and Frank Albert- son. Miss O’Sullivan also has a prominent part in the John Me- Cormack picture, “Song o My Heart.” At present the vogue is for flrlson pictures, and Washington as two of them this week. It is noticed that . seven producing companies are now working on prison stories. Jack Holt has signed a long- term contract with Columbia Pic- i b uglas Fairbanks announces that he will discontinue the prac- tice of producing his own pic- tures after the release of “Reach- is newest ef- fort. It has not yet been decided whether the star will make “The Dove,” as he is looking into other of his earlier successes. But Doug denies that he will retire from the screen, despite several rumors to that effect. Circle AT g:t— THI Circle Theater, at 2105 Pennsyl- vania avenue northwest, which has taken rank with the leading neighbor- hood motion picture palaces of Wash- ington, announces that in conjunction with its unique mirror screen and im- provements that make its projection booth as safe as it is humanly possible to make it, the most modern De Forest sound equipment has been installed to insure picture and sound presentation second to none in the city. To add to the comsfort of its patrons, its hoon fan installation has been remodeled to make it noiseless, further insuring pic- ture presentation under the most favor- able in addition to comfort, time back. Therefore, the Fox |g; THE SUNDAY _STAR, School Graduates Honored. HONOE graduates of Washington's high schools and academies were signaled out for special tribute Thurs. day night at Warner Bros.’ Earle The: ! ter, when Gus Edwards, acting as mas- ter of ceremonies, presented each of the‘ xl:roud diploms holders with a wrist watch. This was a special feat.re of gradu- ation week of family month, which is being celebrated nationally by all War- ner theaters. The watches were pre- sented as a tribute from Warner Bros. to the “future leaders of Washington life.” The watches were donated by Selinger's. The recipients were Richard Herman, Central; Clara, Critchfield, Eastern; Joseph Kennedy, Gon , - Catherine Schlag, Business; Isabella Dagneaux, Holy Cross Academy; Misses Lucrezia Ricuccl and Genevieve Finzel, Immacu- late Conception Academy; John Ship- man, McKinley; Eleanor Rattigan, Sacred Heart Academy: Philip Mitton, St. Anthony's; Mary Murphy, St. Ce- cilia’s; Violet Sullivan, Western, and Genevieve Oliver, Immaculate Semi- nary, New Apollo Some T_heflter. S announced in The Star last Tues- day, the new Apollo Theater, which is being planned as a magnificent addi- tion to the Warner Brothers' scheme of neighborhood theaters, will be a colos- sal structure, especially adapted to the new requirements of talking pictures. ‘The new wide screen will be among the most important features of this monster picture house and it will serve to introduce :mhlly magnified, three- dimensional films, Muitiplane lighting, modern cooling system, tasteful fur- nlshmg; and an unusually attractive lobby display will be additional features of this new theater. Didn't Leave Hubby Home. \ ITH all the grandeur and glory of her environment as “the golden gitl of the screen” and the added praise of her singing and dancing abilities, Esther Ralston, who is biding a wee wi' us this week at the Earle, is & wise kid. Why? Listen! Love and marital loyalty are just the super-best delicacies on this jazz-loving, wicked old earth. You can't beat ’em, and down with the pessimist who makes the attempt! But— Esther married a bright young news- paper man, George Webb, and George has turned his back on his profession. Hence Esther decreed that George should accompany her on this “in per- son” trip she is making. She didn't need a press agent to boost her charms, 50 Esther created” a job for George He's her business manager. Guess why? Following upon the success of “The Trespasser” comes Gloria Swanson's new picture, “What a Widow.” “NOVCI" Planl. “THE world's book shelves are pro- viding much entertainment for talking motion picture audiences,” said Jesse L. Lasky recently. “For the silent screen it was neces- sary to select stories that could be told pictorially. Many of the great books will not make great pictures, because action is the first requisite. “The advent of sound has changed this situation considerably, and the coming months will present more popu- lare novels on the screen than ever before.” Lasky cited three examples of best | sellers that recently have been brought to the theater almost intact 'All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Sarah and Son” and “Young Man of Manhattan.” ‘Among the well known novels to be translated to the screen during the 1930-31 entertainment season will be 8. 8. Van Dine’s “The Scarab Murder The Spoilers,” by Rex Beach: Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” and his *Huckleberry Fin “Skippy,” by Percy Crosby; Zane Grey's “Fighting. Cara- vans”; Charles E. Mack’s “Two Black Crows in the A. E. F.”; Alice Duer Mil- ler's ‘“Manslaughte: nd the Susan Glaspell story, “Brook Evans,” to be filmed as “The Right to Love. you remember, was (Continued From First Page.) plays the romance of prison life, in- cluding Chester Morris, Wallace Beery, Robert Montgomery and Leila Hyams in the leading roles, with Lewis Stone, George F. Marion and J. C. Nugent fur- nishing important characterizations. Added attractions will include “Below Zer,” presenting Laurel and Hardy in an ' amusing Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer talkie, the Hearst News and the Colum- bia Orchestra, under Claude Burrows. FOX: THE Fox is now presenting Lois Mo- ran in “Not Damaged.” and, it is | announced, with “the most outspoken dialogue of any characters in the talk- ing motion picture.” I deals with the eternal triangle of one woman and two | men, but with an entirely new twis ‘The girl wishes to advance her position, and men with plenty of wealth are the only means by which she can accom- plish it. How she goes through the pitfalls to attain such an ambition and comes through “not damaged” is the keynote of the picture. and Robert Ames “the boy” without wealth, Others are Inez Courtney, George “Red” Corcoran, Rhoda Cross and Ernest Wood. On the stage Sam Jack Kaufman, master of ceremonies, introduces Fan- chon & Marco's colorful and elabo- rately mounted “Ivory Idea” with the following: Will Aubrey, Four High Hat- ters, Hy Meyer, Betty Lou Webb, Goetz and Duffy, Peggy Carse and the Sunkist Beauties, Other features of the program include Leon Brusiloff and his orchestra with WASHINGTON, D. C., JUNE 29, MR. AND MRS, At Del Monte, Calif., where they are spending their honeymoon. Mrs. Lyon, nd will be) Bebe Daniels. ‘Walter Byron plays the man of wealth ! : SCREEN STARS ON HONEYMOON BEN LYON it —Associated Press Photo, | his special arrangement, “Music of the Modern Bouth” rto; organ, and Fox Movietone News, which speaks for itself. METROPOLITAN—"“Numbered Men.” FXRST NATIONAL'S sensational dra- ma of a prison riot, entitled “Nui bered Men,” is being shown locall; | Warner's Metropolitan Theater. |on Dwight Taylor's play. “Jall Break," | it is said to disclose the secret spy system of prisoners connected with u | wholesale delivery from behind the bars, | also scenes of the furious mutiny. The story is laid almost entirely in & prison and a convict iabor camp. In spite of its locale, the romance of & youthful | convict and a girl on the “outside” is | the predominating element in the dra- | matic tale. Conrad_Nagel as s “good conduct” prisoner, Bernice Claire as the girl and | Raymond Hackett as the youth are the | three featured players. = Others are | | Tully Marshall, Ralph Ince, Maurice Black, Willlam Holden, Blanche Fred- erici, Ivan Linow, George Cooper and Frederic Howard. “Numbered Men" is said !ibrlng a new phase of crime life to tM screen, | and has been called one of the most | novel ot stories of crooks and the law. It was directed by Mervyn Le Roy from | the screen adaptation of Al Cohn and Henry McCarty, | Supplementing the feature will be the educational two-reel comedy “Campus | Crushers,” featuring a group of heau- | tiful girls; the first of a new series of | Vitaphone Varieties, with Robert L. | Ripley oddities, and The Evening Star- | Universal newsreel, with Graham Mc- each of the news “AERAHAM LINCOLN,” D. W. Grif- fith's audible picturization of the life of the martyred American Presi- dent, with Walter Huston in the title role, has been completed at the United | Artists’ studio in Hollywood and, it is | understood, will be exhibited for a lon run and at advanced prices in a Broad- way theater this Summer. Steven Vincent Benet, who won the Pulitzer %xgu with his poem, “John Brown's dy,” went to Hollywood at the invitation of Mr. Griffith and there wrote the scenario for the Lincoln film, a story that takes the character from the log cabin of birth to the theater of | death. | Mr. Benet, whose poems have also won for him the John Masefield prize, | the Albert Cook prize, the Ten Eyck prize and the Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, says that his | approach to the Civil War period is unprejudiced and that in presenting such characters as Lincoln, Ann Rut- ledge, Phil Sheridan, William Herndon, Mary Tood, John Wilkes Booth, Robert |E. Lee and others he has adhered as consistently as possible to the known and revealed truth. Lord Charnwood, the distinguished English biographer’ of the American | President, quoted Lincoln as having said, shortly after his nomination: | “Why, it is a great folly to attempt | to make anything out of me or my early life. It can all be condensed into a will find in Gray's ‘Elegy’: ‘The short and simple annals of the poor.' That's my life, and that's all you or any one else can make out of it.” However, Lord Charnwood pointed out in his biography that although Lin- Sweeps Through One Exciting Night of In- trigue and Romance! * o« o« Action-Packed From the First Stroke of the Witching Hour Swift, Spine-Thrilling Melodrama . . . Shooting Around the Clock Into a Surprise Dawn And An_All-Star Cast Includi; , Hugh Trever, June Clyde, R-K-O Keith’s Salutes the 1930 July Tribute to “Patriotic 4th and Pays Week” with ‘& Special Holiday Bubject, Entitled “INDEPENDENCE DA) New Lincoln single sentence and that sentence you | Eilm. coln always spoke of his youth reluc- tantly and sadly and really only re- vealed parts of it with his queer anec dotal reminiscences of the backwoods. his friends “have eBllected and recorded concerning his earlier vears quite as much as is common in great men's biographies.” Thus, says Lord Char: wood, “there are tales of the boy giant's gentleness and prowess.” One of these tales, of the young Lincoln's joust with a bully named Armstrong, is part of the film'’s tale. The Ann Rutledge story is part of the | picture and in the role of the lady Lin- coln once loved there appears Una Merkel, the young actress who was t | gangling girl in the New York ‘Fll “‘Coquette,” and who used to “stand in' for Lillian Gish in the days when D. W. Griffith was turning out special film | productions with that actress as star. | Mr. Griffith regards Miss Merkel as a | real “find” for talking pictures. IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY PROVIDE YOUR MIDWAY OF FUN MECHANICAL GOLF MUSIC EVER OFFERED BY Me (WEEK NIGHTS ONLY 8:30 930—PART FOUR. 0 Opens Belasco's New Season VID BELASCO'S first production of the new season is being rehearsed at the Belasco Theater, New York City. 1t is called “Dancing Partner,” and with it the season of 1930-31 will be formally opened 80 far as Mr. Belasco s concerned. It has required months of persistent labor by Mr. Belasco to engage his play- ers and make revisions of the manu- script. It is said he interviewed several hundred artists begore finally engaging a cast that met all his requirements. Pclhvffi his custom of the past, Mr. Belasco will open his season with comedy. It is the collaborative effort of Alexander Engel and Alfred Grun- wald, and has been adapted by Frederic and Fanny Hatton. The new play is described as distine- tive in theme and plot, and from & humorous viewpoint should prove a worthy successor to the play which it will replace at the Belasco after ai- most a year's run. Featured in the cast will be Lynn Overman, Irene Purcell, Henry Stephen- son and Charlotte Granville. Suzanne Caubaye, Jules Epailly, Gustave Rol- land, Claudia Morgan, Mauricette Du- cret, Germaine de Renty, trice Grid- ler, Ivan Servais and Claire St. Clair will provide the support. Actresses Buy Costumes. SOREEN actresses often are so pleased with their costumes that they pur. | % chase them for private use after a pic- ture is completed, according to Miss Carolyn Putnam, who is in charge of the costume de) 'nt at Paramount’s New York studio. “The studio purchases costumes for All actresses except ‘wardrobe extras, Miss Putnam explained. “The latter are pald a higher salary for providing their own dresses. “Paramount employs only the most expert designers and gets the latest fashions from Paris as soon as they are originated,” Miss Putnam continued. “The finished product combines ele- gance with aimplicity and is the best that can be produced. It is for this Teason actresses often purchase part or all lr»i“thelr acreen wardrobes for use in real life.” Wants to Play Shakespeare. THAT two-fisted, hard-hitting, square- jawed gentleman of the screen, Edmund Lowe, who is most adept. at “pushing people in the face,” and win- ning his lady-love by the might of his brawn and the wickedness of his smile —Aat present performing daily at Loew's Palace—has an ambition to play Shake- speare. ‘That ambition has a foundation al- ready laid, for Mr. Lowe, back in the days of his alma-matering at the Uni- Tsity of California, enacted such roles as Hamlet, Iago, Romeo and Cassius. Not only that—one Winter on Broad- way, the lusty Edmund played a rap- turous Marc Antony opposite Florence Reed, at a benefit performance for the Actors' Equity Association. Since then various celluloid impres- sarios have succeeded in squashing the Shakespeare out of Lowe. But says he: “I'm bullding for financial indepen- dence. When that little thing is real- ized T hope to form my own Shake- 5 an company and rut on every- thing the bard wrote, if for nobody's smusement and entertainment but my own.” I Stage to Screen I EVELYN LAYE, English musical comedy star, photo- graphed while en route to Hollywood, where she will take a leading role in a new picture. Miss Laye recently starred on Broadway in “Bitter Sweet.” ssoclated Press Photo. AND DAILY FROM NOON TIL MIDNITE ONE OF THE SWIFTEST AND PEPPIEST ROLLER COASTERS DERBY RACERS AEROPLANE SWINGS WHOOPEE WHIPS GIANT FERRIS WHEELS FUN AT GREAT GLEN ECHO CHEERFUL CATERPILLAR SCENIC RIVER OLD MILL SKOOTER AUTO RIDE MAGNIFICENT CARROUSEL COURSE FREE PICNIC GROVES MANY SMALLER AMUSEMENTS SANITARY REFRESHMENT STORES AND THE FINEST AND BEST AND HIS ELEVEN ENTERTAINERS FOR DANCING IN THE PALAIS DE DANCE TO 11:30 P, M.) TAKE YOUR CHOICE OF OPEN OR CLOSED WASM. Y. & ELEC. CARS MARKED CABIN JOHN R GLEN ECHO, RUNNING EVERY FEW INUTES DIRECT TO PARK LNT| M 'ES DI v".r%. BUXE THRU ng 8:90,9 P. M. AT A :‘llmn T CIRCLE Ai‘u OF 38 PER PASS AMUSEMENTS. l The Moving Pictyre cAlbum By Robert E. Sherwood. ARE, indeed, is the newspaper| that doesn’t contain a report that some eminent reformer has denounced the cinema as a| demoralizing influence. We are being told constantly that countless millions of children, and adults with childish minds, are being corrupted, polluted and condemned to the Prome- thean flames by the shadows that flicker and squawk on the screen. During the latest general conference of the Methodist Church the movies came in for an unusual amount of seri- ous lambasting. They were classed with such evils as companionate marriage as “enemies of the home.” Bishop E. D. Mouzon described the motion picture theater as “the greatest menace to| morals and religion the church has hld“ to face in many years.” He added: “Methodism will be false to herself and to the future should she fail to say to her membership that undiscriminating | attendance upon motion pictures s | perilous not only to Christian charac- ter but to common decency.” Not many blocks from the hall in| Dallas, Tex., in which Bishop Mouzon uttered this warning, crowds, including many Methodists, were surging into a film v&nlor o see a production entitled Lovin’ the Ladies.’ Perhlr Bishop Mouzon noticed the electric sign on his way to the hall, ‘The question of how much (if at all) the cinema influences its patrons’ morals is one that has been debated voluminously, and will continue to be debated 50 long as there is any one left to view with alarm. I doubt that it will ever be settled. For it can be argued with devastating logic on either side. One can say, truth- fully, that the liquor guzzlings, the | manifold crimes of violence and of bad | taste on the screen can't fail to put improper thoughts into the heads of impressionable spectators. One can say, on the other hand, and with equal truth, that the ultimate | paradise represented in almost every fhowplly ever produced is respectabil- ty. The heroine may have been a wild, unbridled, reprehensible madcap throughout six reels, and the hero may have n one of those licentious club- men. But with the final fadeout co the beautiful, pure light of reform— trimony, fat, ruddy children; ter wagon Buch is the “happy ending” demand- ed by the film-loving public and de- livered by the Hollywood manufacturers. Virtue is rewarded. Vice is punished. Happiness is achieved in that form of existence which was given the official | indorsement of her late majesty, Queen | Victoria. o * ok ox NE of the most popular and profit- able films ever produced was “The Miracle Man.” (And, by the way, why not revive it now in talking picture form?) “The Miracle Man" represented a sublimation of all the moral lessons that ever were taught. It exerted the same fervent appeal to the heart and to the conscience that is made by the Salvation Army orator who says, “Five years ago I was in the gutter—a drunk- ard—a bum—Ilike you, and you, and | you!" At the start of “The Miracle Man” | we saw Thomas Meighan as a thor- oughly unscrupulous, cynigal crook. | Betty Compson was his hard-boiled | sweetie. Lon Chaney was a loathsome | accomplice. The three of them decided | to exploit & blind old faith-healer who was gaining something of a reputation | in the rural distriets. They figured they could advertise him, draw crowds to watch him practice his miraculous cures, pass the hat and clean up a great deal of money. When the racket was played out, or when exposure be- came imminent, they would skip easily with the funds. It all worked beautifully for a while, | until one after another of the des- picable trio fell under the old man's spell and' saw, through his blind eyes, the glorious vision of true faith. At the end they were three of the most amazingly virtuous churchgoers ever imagined. Now there were plenty of scenes in | “The Miracle Man" to which exception | might have been taken by righteous | people. There were views of drinking and plotting in back rooms of saloons, episodes that involved violations of the Constitution and most of the Ten Com- mandments. Any one of these scenes, or all, might have been cut out by a censor board | on the grounds of obscenity, indecency {or tending to incite to crime or vio- THEY CALL THEM bry! burn. Their hearts still ery for they vision through steel bars. —to love!—even as you and I Is the ONLY true INSIDE story thoughts and strange secrets Now Playing at lence. Yet I doubt that any censor board would have dared to touch them, for they all fulfilled an ultimately moral purpose. They provided a highly ef- fective contrast which served to make the final regeneration seem all the more impressive and inspiring. Of course, there are few motion pic- tures as worthy as was “The Miracle Man.” But almost all motion pictures, including the Clara Bow underwear operas, are bullt upon that same right- eous model. What happened to Mr. Meighan, Miss Compson and Mr. Chaney in “The Miracle Man" has happened to every other star in Hollywood, hundreds and thousands of times. * ONCI a judge in Canada, in sen- tencing a young man who had been dabbling in banditry, sald that the culprit's downfall probably had been brought about by seeing too many Douglas Fairbanks movies. The Fair- banks picture current at the time was “The Thief of Bagdad.” in which Doug had to spend some six reels fighting his way through fire and torment to atone for his previous sins, because he had read in the stars the words, “Hap- piness Must Be Earned!" It is highly improbable that Douglas Fairbanks has ever influenced a single youth to take up banditry as a career. On the contrary, he has unquestion- ably impelled countless numbers of them to join the Boy Scouts. (Copyright, 1930.) Talkies Brmg Men,ou Back. DOLPHE MENJOU seems to be coming back in a big way. This erstwhile sartorially perfect gentleman, who went into a complete eclipse with the advent of sound pictures, is to emerge from the shadows to try a little English via the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer sound devices. Up to now Mr. Menjou has been working on the Paramount lot making foreign versions of pictures. Fate, sud- denly, has smiled more genially on him, and under the supervision of Metro he will do dialogue pietures in French, Spanish and—and this is his big news— English as well, Billie Dove's Beauty Wins. ILLIE DOVE, star of the Pirst Na- tional and Vitaphone picture, “A Notorious Affair,” has ust been chosen “one of the three most beautiful women on the screen” by judges connected with the movies. Dorothy Mackaill was selected as the blond and Audrey Fer- ris the auburn type. Miss Dove, of course, represents the brunettes. Studio executives, directors and cam- era men from several studios wers chosen as judges. Hal Wallis, produc- tion executive of First National, Di- rectors Frank Lioyd and William Seiter and Camerman Ernie Haller represented First National on this board. Miss Dove was chosen for her perfect features and her coloring. Marshall Hall Excursion Every Day Steamer Leaves 7th St. Wharf 10 A.M,, 2:30 and 6:45 P.M. Dancing—Swimming— All Amusements Adults, 50c Children, 25¢ CHAPEL POINT reduced rates kiddies’ days Mon. & Fri. Children 3 Adults 75¢ 9:00 a.m. Daily (except Tues.) WILSON 7th ST. WHARVES Tel. NAT. 3440 Come Where It's Cool UMBERED M Gone are their hopes—their loves—their coun- Just numbers among other numbers. But their souls still live. Their desires still the pleasures Is it any wonder they go stir erasy?—to live NUMBERED of the hidden which drive FORGOTTEN MEN to JAILBREAK! A First Natinal and Vitavhene Picture, Warner’s Cool and Comfortable METROPOLITAN Added Features—— Comedy Fun Fest “Campus Crushers” STAR-UNIVERSAL NEWS ham MeNamee Announcine Vitaphone Variety " Robert L. Ripley, “Believe it Or No#: