Evening Star Newspaper, August 10, 1930, Page 43

Theater, Screen and Music Part 4—10 Pages AMUSEMENT SECTION he Sunday Shw, WASHINGTON, WILLIAM PONWELL, KAY FRANCIS and SCcoOTTKOLK- /7" For the Defense” — e‘h"opoll‘!’an JACK PEPPER, PAUL GARNER ard JACK V/OLF:- Palace (Stage) EARLE—“The Dawn Patrol.” HE Dawn Patrol,” a thrilling First National - Vitaphone _drama of the Air Service, starring Richard Barthelmess, is the attraction at Warner Bros’. Earle Theater. Following close on the heels of such successes as “Weary e € Gods,” the newest Barthelmess pro- duction is confi- dently expected to create a sensation and draw even a | Jarger fan follow- ing for the young star than anything he has heretofore done. “The Dawn Patrol” teems with dramatic situations, action and humen interest. The story COD- Richard Barthelmess eerns a group of young fiyers in the early years of the World War. War fs not its theme—it rves merely as the background, against which star and director and author have painted a vivid picture of the soul-struggle of fighting men who soar above the clouds, face the enemy against great odds and in it all find something greater than war to make a sacrifice for. “The Dawn Patrol” was written originally as a screen story by John Monk Saunders, author of “Wings” and other motion picture stories. It was directed by Howard Hawks, brother of the ill-fated Kenneth and himself a licensed pilot. Barthelmess plays the role of Capt. Courtney, commander of a British air squadron in 1915. Under his command is Scott, played by Douglas Fairbanks, jr., and a group of “schoolboy” fiyers rushed into service by the exigencies of war. Courtney loathes his job because he is compelled to send men into the face of death against the tremendous odds of superior airplanes, yet although these men glare and scowl at each other and drown their emotions in drink there is underlying a great and splendid affection each for the other built upon understanding—the central motivating force that makes “The Dawn Patrol” & most unusual and dramatic vehicle. Added screen attractions will be new Vitaphone Varieties and the Earle news Teel. FOX—*Hell's Island,” “Coral Idey.” fJACK HOLT and Ralph Graves-are the stars in “Hell's Island,” the cur- rent screen attraction at the Fox ater. The supporting cast includes Dor- othy Sebastian, Lionel Belmore, Richard Cramer and Harry Allen. The early scenes of the story are lald with the Prench Foreign Legion in Al- geria, and the final thrilling scenes at the French Guiana penal colony, known as “Hell's Island.” Jack Holt and Ralph Graves are cast as hard-fisted Americans, members of the Foreign Legion. A rift arises be- tween them over a Prench cabaret en- tertainer (Dorothy Sebastian) at the desert oasis, Bel-Abbas. It develops into a deadly enmity and leads to a sur- prising climax in the closing scenes. Frankie Jenks, youthful and good- looking mastef of ceremonies, who has established an enviable reputation on the West Coast, is featured in the stage program, led by the Fanchon-Marco “Coral Idea,” set in a background of the South Sea Isles. Maurice and Vin- cent, “the Royal Samoans”; Eddie Han- ley with Tejaz, Petite Marie, Oscar Tay- lor and the Sunkist Beauties provide the dance numbers, comedy bits and novelties. Ron and Don, popular organists, are making their farewell this week. They present an unusual novelty, and a fur fashion show, an important unit, com- pletes the bill, with Leon Brusiloff and | the Fox Orchestra in the overture “Miniature Recital. ‘“QINS OF THE CHILDREN,” the current screen attraction at Loew's Palace Theater, persents Louis Mann, Robert Montgomery, Elliott Nugent and Leila Hyams at the head of the cast of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production. Adolph Wagenkampf, a barber, sacri- fices himself in order to give his chil- dren advantages he never had. His sacrifices and love are rewarded with grief, for one son married into a higher social stratum and is too good for his parents; another embezzled funds in the hope of perfecting an invention and is barely saved from a prison term, while a daughter gets into difficulties with a man who will not marry her. The old German sticks by his children, however, nd finally is rewarded for his devotion as the engrossing story unfolds. On the stage Jack Pepper of Wash- ington and points South appears in a Capitol Theater, New York, revue, “Get Happy,” with “the banjo manlac,” Bobby Gillette, acting as M. C. Two ‘Washington boys who made good in the big city, Paul Garner and Jack Wolf, also appear in the unif Gordon and King “glorify the Americi May Joyce is & petite mistréss of songs. The Chester Hale Girls complete the cast. Dick Leibert, still going strong in his seventh consecutive week, presents an- other original organlogue, and the Hearst Metrotone News, short subjects and the Palace Orchestra under Harry Borjes complete the program. METROPOLITAN—“For the Defense.” 'EE methods of a big-city criminal lawyer are pictured by Willlam Powell in “For the Defense” at Warner l;m:k * Metropolitan Theater the current week. “For the Defense” is described as & thrilling romantic drama of love and the law. Kay Francis, last seen here in support of Powell in “Street of Chance,” has the role of the suave star’s sweet- heart in this picture, Powers is a crimi- nal lawyer, phenomenally successful— me are under Miss Francis is seen as an actress, deeply in love with Powell, but despairing that he ever will . To incite his jealousy the girl becomes associated with a soclety . One night when Powell thought her elsewhere the girl driving in & “(Continued on Secon. | wooded spaces, | varied amusements, one or more of D. C, Outdoor Amusements GLEN ECHO PARK. UPPLEMENTING the artificially cooled theaters of , the city, which go on now as uninter- ruptedly as if the cold winds of ‘Winter were blowing, are the nearby outdoor parks and the lordly Potomac, which rolls by our very doors. Glen Echo Park invites with a de- lightful car ride along the banks of the river to its lovely trees and with more than 50 which will meet every taste. There are land and air thrillers, including the airplane swing, the Ferris wheel, the Derby racer, the coaster dip, all of thenf making their own cool breezes. And there are also the Old Mill, the carrousel, the midway and the penny arcade, which are said to raise breezes of mirth. In_ the evening, except Sunday, from 8:30 to 11:30, the dancers may breeze in their own way to tantal- izing music that incites action. And here and there throughout the spacious | park there is little doubt that truant PALACE—“Sins of the Children,” “Get | Happy.” breezes may be found sweeping through the trees even on the warmest evenings. Besides the cars of the Washington Rallway & Electric Co. there is the new bus line operated from Dupont Circle and—if you're fortunate enough to have one—your own swift fying mo- tor car for transportation. RIVER JOYS. BUT if you are fleeing the parched land and hunting the cool of the flowing waters, the Wilson Line steamer offers two outlets. One the morning trip to Chapel Point, where a sandy beach invites countless bathers to a refreshing dip, with up-to-date show- ers, when you come out, and with diving boards, water slides and the waterwheel as long as you stay in and enjoy the fun that only cool water in a thirsty land can afford. There are also 20 acres of picnic grounds—special playgrounds for the children—equip- ped with swings, seesaws, slides and other diversions. At night the beach front is flooded with electric light and bathing goes on the same as during the day. The other city outlet does not lead to green pastures and the joys of an ymusement park, but every evening it affords a “moonlight trip” down the Potomac and back, whether there be moonlight or not, and every evening of the week. Cool breezes are always to be found sweeping the decks of the moving steamer, and those who long for the doings of the maddening crowd will find Happy Walker's Orchestra tempting them to the dance on the spacious deck provided for that purpose. On the first deck will be found any number of miniature games, such as the derby racer, golf, foot ball, K. O. fighters and whatnot. SEASIDE PARK. NE short hour away from the city's bustle and festive sights, along the shores of Chesapeake Bay and, to be a bit more spacific, on the site here- tofore known as Chesapeake Beach, & new outdoor resort rears its head un- der the name of Seaside Park, where every Wednesday there is a bathing beauty contest and every Friday a fam- ily bargain day, with the kiddies get- ting a special break in the matter of the cost of things, especially the train fares on the Chesapeake Beach Rallway and for the various rides in the park. The trains leave the District line early and often, and the new motor highway from that point is inviting to those who have their cars. The rail- way cars land excursionists right at the entrance. Attractions? Scores of them, headed by bathing in the life-giving waters, and including airplane, coaster, carrousel, whip, skee ball and a miniature rail- way. There are also a fine ball room and the bathing pool. What'’s Killing Romance? Is romance disappearing with the ad- vent of sound pictures? Do spoken lines take away the love interest? Few romances seem to be budding among the screen stars since they began to speak lines. Good old-fashioned love marriages, such as John Barrymore and Dolores Costello, Louise Fazenda and Hal Wallis, Irene Rich and David Blanken- horn, Anthony Bushell and Zelma O'Neal, do not seem to ripen now. Most of the engagements current among the film stars, it is said, had their inception before talking pictures. ‘When Bebe Daniels was married it was the outgrowth of silent picture romance. “I think it 1s because so few location scenes are undertaken now,” Louise Fazenda ventures as an explanation. “The most natural place in the world to fall in love is in moonlight, on & desert or high in the hills. Propinquity is the secret of many weddings, and location work throws actors into close companionship.” Erno Rapee, director general of music at Pirst National and Warner's, says he does not blame young actors for not falling in love now. “Looking down your leading lady's throat all day while she sings is not conducive to encouraging sentiment. A girl must be greatly interested to su vive romance after singing and listen- ing to the same song hour after hour while work goes on.” Alexander Gray may have hit the nail on the head. He maintains that 80 many lines spoken in pictures are so ridiculous that no girl could be ex- pected to fall for the man spesking| them. SCREEN ATTRACTIONS FOR THIS WEEK This afternoon and evening. EARLE—“The Dawn Patrol.” FOX—“Hell's Island”—"“Coral evening. PALACE—"Sins of the Children”—"“Get Happy.” noon and evening. METROPOLITAN—"“For the Defense.” evening. COLUMBIA—Norma Shearer in “Let Us Be Gay.” This after- noon and evening. R-K-O KEITH'S—Joe Cook in noon and evghing. SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 10, 1930. RICHARD DARTHELMESS and DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS Ur - ard NORMA SHEARER /" " The Dawwn Patrol Scere from - D HeLLS IsLaND Fox Ancient Origin of Jazz. TUNES popular when Pharaoh was al prince and played on instruments and when Cleopatra was a flapper in | Egypt are seen in “Hell's Island,” a production of life in the French Foreign Legion and in the desert oasis, Bel- Abbas. One of the important scenes in this powerful story is a reconstructed Du- pont's Cafe, thg center of night life in Bel-Abbas. Here Yussouf Ben Ahmed's Riffian musical ensemble furnishes a major part of the entertainment for a hetero geneous audience. The hobby of Yussouf’s “harmony boys” is syncopa- tion—the tantalizing rhythm that has made “Tin Pan Alley” what it is today. The syncopation used by these Orientals, however, is said to be the type that was popular nearly 2,000 years ago. Investigation discloses—and Man- agerial Director Meakin is the author- ity—that this particular phase of har- mony is one of the earliest known forms of musical expression. Back of the weird sounds coming from the unique assortment of instruments there is a definite tempo structure which is the forerunner of that which we now call e The musical portion of “Hell's Island,” however, is not_strictly limited to Oriental music. Dorothy Sebastian as Marie, the French cabaret entertainer, furnishes tuneful modern numbers, both vocal and terpsichorean. " Motor, Aviation and Radio News MARIE DRESSLER N, h ‘et Us BeGay” Columbia “Sins Louis MANN -/ of the Children* ——————— JoE COOK=- /n s scene from Norma an Artist. WITH her foyous picture message, | “Let Us Be Gay,” Norma Shearer, one of the really popular stars of the | screen, will again provide entertain- ment for her host of friends and ad- mirers at Loew’s Columbia Theater the currendt week. There are artistic reasons for Miss Shearer's popularity, aside from her personal beauty, and these were fully demonstrated in “The Trial of Mary Dugan” and in “The Divorcee,” to- gether with other picture efforts that might be mentioned if it were neces- sary. But Metgo-Goldwyn-Mayer, her producing firm, are well aware of them, for the cast in “Let Us Be Gay,” in which she succeeds as star Francine Larrimore, the star of the play which has now been adapted for screen ex- ploitation, contains names that are themselves impressive and none more so than that of Marle Dressler, who now spends the serious side of her efforts in being naturally, abnormally and unusually amusing. It doesn't need a perticular kind of story, an artificially constructed plot, or the like to enable Marie do the things she does. She takes them all as they come and often, for the most. part, makes them something more than they would be without her. Norma has another very effective support in her latest picture in Tyrrell Davis, who plays the role of the poet. in the story. A war disability forced Tyrrell into the movies, and he himself is forcing a great deal out of them, arently, for it is said that ‘when h? Waxes very poetic “he plays you,” whatever that may mean. Gallery Gods Still Live N this day of modern device for pop- ular entertainment, when the talkie, the radio, the automobile and the out- door symphony insist upon dividing the patronage which once was that of the theater alone, even the mention of the “gallery god,” a genus supposedly van- jshed forever from the histrionic heights, might seem like harking back to prehistoric times and the mists of the ages. But has the gallery god vanished? Has that mystic personage that once stiffened the doubting hearts of timid managers and fairly breathed inspira- tion, if not genius, into the souls of once great players really disappeared, and forever? One might not believe it if all that goes on behind the scenes could be flaunted before the public gaze, as most of the happenings of the day are now flung to the breeze. The National Theater, the famous old Rapley playhouse on E street, not far from that sizzling weather kiosk, has two balconies. The lower one used to be called the “dress circle” in days gone by, but the upper balcony was once known as “the gallery,” and it was in its day the abode of the gods who sat in judgment upon all that was then the theater. Now, however, instead of the old Idea.” This afternoon and This after- This afternoon and “Rain or Shine.” This after- straight-back wooden pew-like benches, whereon sat the gallery god in highest _assumption - of d‘l.gmty and power, the “second balcony,” no longer “the gallery” of old, has been equipped with spacious, comfortable, individual seats in an air of refinement, and. their occupants may loll in the same com- parative comfort as the gentry on the lower floor. Literally hundreds of playgoers re- serve these upper seats from week to week during the Fall and Winter sea- , the same as when the Summer stock company presents its plays. Stranger still is the fact, even during the sweltering days of Summer, when playgoing seems as remote as & visit to the South Pole, or a walk in a fur coat, these reservations for Fall and Winter performances already have com- menced to pour in. Indeed, the thea- ter books show even now that some 250 “gallery gods” have availed them- selves of the privilege, and have re- served their seats for the coming season. As the entire capacity of the second balcony is but 375, the fact that two- thirds of the seats already have been reserved seems to make it evident that the spirit of the gallery god at least yet lingers with us, even though further hampered by the customs of a civiliza- tion that never were existent in the days when one god used to say to his neigh- bor, “Wake me up when Kirby dies,” or with down-pointed thumb and lusty voice made all too clear “what the pub- lic wants” and equally forceful what 1t declined to accept as just as good. ‘This favor of the gods, long, long in advance of the time when a demonstra- tion might reasonably be expected, is looked upon by the management, which still has its old-fashioned supersti- tions, as a favorable augury of the suc- cess of the new season. And it well might be, for through the mists of & heated Summer term it really looks as it the old National might be the only human le_of Thespis left to the Capital of the Nation. 'RAINor SHINE” Affairs on By Percy HE renewal of “Journey’s End” at Henry Miller’s Theater again emphasizes the debt that valor owes to strong drink. In it the foes of abstinence can see a coward made a lion-heart on the battle- grounds through imbibing the magic waters—timidity changed to dnflns, and the misery of a soldier’s life turned into relative comfort. It is said by his- torians that the Union was preserved in the war between the Blue and the Gray because Gen. Grant wet his whistle on the eve of conflict, and there are legends that Hector's chariot was drawn by steeds inflamed with wine. The records are full of stories about men who were made supermen by toxics or stimulants, and_‘“Journey’s End” another convincing“affidavit™ that poison is sometimes useful in what the drama occasionally refers to as “this thing called Life.” There were two or three effective drunkards in “What Price Glory?” Richard Bird, one of England’s most actorious actors, plays the ootish hero in the current revival with his custo- mary enthusiasm and is, I believe, more faithful to the role than others who have overdone it. His performance convinces one that the captain is a noble cad, now excessively a cruel bounder, then excessively a tender fighting man, but always under the in- fluence of liquor. Mr, Miller's cast, selected from the players of his several companies, is a troupe of sagacious a ists, the most competently believabl that has performed Mr. Sherifi’s fine drama. * K K * N Mr. Belasco's dossier for 1930-31 there Is an item about another ghost play, the first since he and David War- field frightened us 20 years ago with “The Return of Peter Grimm.” Al- though a believer in spiritualism, Mr. Belasco is not a propagandist, and the undertaking, therefore, will be that of a showman rather than a preacher. But it will be a dignified exhibition, and as a scoffer whose blood ran cold and whose teeth chattered recently at a seance, I look forward to this play with quivers of anticipation. Mr. Belasco told the late William ‘Winter about an adventure he once had somewhere in the mists between here | and heaven. “An interesting account of a strange experience.” said Mr. Winter, as he recorded it as follows: “For many years I had asked mysell the question,” said Mr. Belasco, “ ‘Can the dead come back?’ * * * One morn- ing, after a late rehearsal of ‘Zaza,’ I reached home at 3 o'clock, completely hfxed out. No sooner had I fallen asleep than I seemed to waken, and there stood my mother by my bed. ‘Davie, Davie, Davie, she said three times, smiled and, bending over me, kissed me good-by. She said other things—told me she was happy—not to grieve. I could not stir, but kept my eyes fixed upon her as she moved toward the door and dmgpenram How long I lay staring into the darkness I do not know, but at last I managed to collect myself, put on my dressing , azed, went downstairs to a little sitting room. My family heard me. ‘What are you doing down- stairs?’ my youngest child, Augusta, asked, and she tried to coax me back to bed. I went to my room, but I could not sleep. When of my vision and that I believed my mother was dead, they that 1 was overwrought and tired and had seen my mother in a dream. “T went to next morn- told my family | that the R.KO Keiths: Broadway Hammond. at Churchill's"—then & goffee. house—"with a member of teP staff. Isat there, much troubled, - ing of the figure of my mother as she appeared in_the dawn. My com) noticed my silence, and when I told him of my fears, tried to reassure me. AS we rose to go he harided me some letters and telegrams he had found in the bux office. Among the telegrams was one telling rae the sad news of my mother’s death. Later I found out that she died at the exact time she appeared at my bedside. At the very moment I saw her she was passing out of the world. Sev- eral years after, when I paid a visit to San Francisco, my brothers and sisters told me my mother smiled and mur- mured my name three times before she died. . . . I do not know that 'the dead come back. I do know that at the time of passing the spirit sends & thought through space, and this thought is so powerful that the receiver can see the sender. This was pro by my dear mother. She came to me no more, however.” ! * % % X% VARIETY, the megaphone of show business, has s department . in which is reported the devices employed by mnasgers of cinema theaters to lure the public to their bazaars. When & threatens to make the box office stag- nant these up-and-doing managers lash themselves into furies as the result of which is large and excited at- tendance. At one theater, for instance, there is a wrestling match in the i at another a candy kitchen, sweetmeats free of charge. Baby shows, marriages in the center aisle and nose- blowing contests, with handkerchiefs as the prize, are commonplace features of the cenema’s ballyhoo. It is said that in a theater not far from New Yark the pictures of Admiral Byrd's expedition were made prosperous by a particularly wide-awake advertiser. = He "hired the cook of the excursion to fry flap-jacks in the lobby while an actor, disguised free ice as the :dml?l. distributed cream cones from a refrigerator tributed by the local furniture empo- rium. Which reminds me that an 4 lish critic, reviewing the Byrd films, sald that “only an American could have vul- garized the South Pole.” * ok ok X JT is the belief of many mourners at the couch of the dying drama that it its projectors had an advertising en- terprise similar to that of the “‘movies™ it would linger quite a while longer, In Pittsburgh the other day the ushers at the Stanley Theater paraded the streets disguised as hospital attaches carrying a stretcher on which was & WaX corpse. ‘The figure represented a patron of the Stanley who had laughed himself ta death at a picture called * 8 P, From its correspondent in We Canada, Variety receives the following dispatch: A stunt used by Manager Forhan was horse: und the streets “Caught Short.” Hearse had on each side with the i 8 § ¥ ing and during an int had luncheon i >