Evening Star Newspaper, January 22, 1933, Page 37

WStage—Screen Music—Radio JOAN BLONDELL Y“CENTRAL PARK METROPOLITAN Screen Holds Stage_in Review of Recent Produ Coming Out of Ho”ywo George Jean Nathan's Charges to the Contrary. By E. de S. Melchex:. R. GEORGE JEAN M philosopher, and one who clings to his faith of not liking more than one or two plays a year, now comes forth with an article called “The Smutty Cen- sors” (in the American Spec- tator), in which he roasts the cinema for being manhandled by those in authority. He claims that since the censors have called a comparative “hands off” on the drama the drama has become as pure as the lilies of the field, and that since the censors have begun to take the screen seriously it has produced many weeds which should be routed with all possible speed. Says he: “In only two new plays produced thus far this sea- son, whether in New York or elser where, has there been any ap- proximation to the smut that used to smear the stage in the days when censorship was more active. And both plays, ‘The Stork is Dead’ and ‘The Great Magoo, were abrupt failures and were removed to the storehouse in short order. “But consider the talking pic- tures. These pictures, as is suffi- ciently known, are under the di- rect censorship control not only of the cities and States, but, in- ternally, of the Hays offices in California and New York. Yet they have become smuttier and dirtier than the pictures ever were before, and smuttier and dirtier than the dramatic stage has ever dared to be. Things have got to such a point, indeed, that the trade journals often have to iden- tify this or that picture as ‘safe for the family trade,’ lest neigh- borhood exhibitors unwittingly book samples of the other kind for their unsuspecting respectable customers.” Mr. Nathan then goes on to prove his point by bringing up such films as “The Cockeyed World,” “The Thirteenth Guest” and “Tempest” and “dozens and dozens of others” -in which “the public has been treated to lines, allusions, bits of business, etc., that the censorless dramatic th ater would not think of risking. PERE T would not be fair to say that Mr. Nathan doesn’t know his|contend with—and vaudeville of |ter, Reynolds Evans, C. Norman Ham- business as far as the cinema is concerned, but we would politely like to suggest that perhaps he has not looked into this as far as he might have, and that his statements, although not false,| are exaggerated far beyond real- ity. On the one hand Mr. Nathan points to “only two plays pro- duced in New York and else- where” which suffered by their baseness — and overlooks such works as “Dinner at Eight,” a grand entertainment, but one which nevertheless would never reach the screen intact. On the other hand, he points to three films, two of which have met with thorough disapproval, which hg accuses of debasing the public’s morals, and contaminating them more than the stage, in its wick- edest moments, ever did. We politely object to Mr. Nathan’s statement that pictures “have become smuttier and dirtier than the dramatic stage has ever dared to be.” We seem to remem- ber vague shades of a certain “Lulu Belle,” and a certain “Pagan Lady,” and one “Constant Sinner” and “dozens of others” which the screen would blush to reproduce. While we do not mean to sa that the films are free from egil influences, it has occurred to us that at this particular moment they are accomplishing such nice things, such new and interesting examples of real dramatic value, that it seems unkind to give them a dig as being more.sullied and sorrier than ever—which they are not. * ok kK OME people seem to want to in- | sist that no good can come from the screen. They are fo set in their old ways, so pro- foundly moved by the fact that the talkies mean Hollywood and that Hollywood means destruc- tion, that it is impossible for them to take the talkies seriously. No matter what they do the talkies are held up as childish efforts, weak and vain and in no way comparable to the drama, And Cleaner Plays NATHAN, erudite drama | Lead Over ctions Shows Better Fare od Than Before, Despite | yet, as Mr. Hammond so wisely pointed out last week, the screen | has done far better with some | | dramas than the stage itself—and | he holds ub the Hemingway story, | “A Farewell to Arms,” as a perfect example. Just why, at this time, Mr. Nathan should want to slap the cinema for being naughty is) something beyond us. While it may and should be chastised for | |such weakling offsprings as | | “Laughter in Hell,” “The Dream | Kiss,” “Rain,” and one or two | others, it is sponsoring on the whole better productions than | |ever before—productions which |are done deliberately and taste- fully. The stage, for instance, has ino better entertainment offerings |at this time than “The Animal | Kingdom,” “The Bitter Tea of | General Yen,” “Cynara,” “A Fare- | well to Arms,” “Rasputin and the | Empress,” ‘“One-Way Passage,” “Trouble in Paradise” and “Silver | Dollar.” While one may be an- Inoyed with the foolishness of |“The Mummy,” and complain | against, the insinuations in “No Man of Her Own” (which never- |theless was a highly diverting | | film), the screen is not rich with !th_e thing which Mr. Nathan de- cries. After all, the theater has never | catered primarily to juvenile au- | diences. The Grecian theater wasn't kindergarten, and its his- | tory in England has not always | blosomed with serene and goodly | gospels preached for the benefit | of gentle audiences. Yet, while many of its mements have been |rough and ribald, tempo has been sophisticatedi rather than bad, and clever| rather than salacious. You havé | only to turn to current-day Mr. Coward to realize that the the- | | ater’s juciest moments are apt to | | be provided by a sudden verbal | i plunge from the heights to the | depths (not too deep). | | The screen has had its downs, | | of course, but at this time it is| having a decided up. It bristles {and shines with splendid acting, splendid directing and words | which are cften believable. Its | general average is a far higher javerage than Broadway—which, besides the strictly strict drama, | has “scandals” and “revues” to | the general 4‘ such a low order that if any | {charge is made against the| | cinema the latter should be con- | demned a hundred fold. In fact, | and it is a fact, right here in| ‘Washington many pleasant screen | entertainments are spoiled by the | commonplace and even disgusting vaudeville acts which appear | every now and again. Why audi- | ences cometimes don’t”jump up | Lall in a bocy and chase some of | | these delinquents off the boards | is a question we have often de- ' bated within ourselves. Vaudeville Review. VAUDEVILLE review is scheduled for presentation in the parish hall of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, New Hampshire avenue and V street on the evenings of February 2 and 3. The ‘Young People’s Fellowship is sponsoring the performance. One of Three ‘ A third of “The ters,” who are feat: ‘Warner's Earle, is- Mysterious X 8| fhis week at | ing AMUSEMENT SECTICN he Sunday Star. WASHINGTON, D. C, EDNA MAY OLIVER X THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER’ KEITH'S WALTER HAMPDEN ACAPONSACC! NAT Y CLAUDETTE COLBERT=FREDRIC MARCH NTONIGHT 1S © NATIONAL—Walter Hampden, Thursday. | ALTER HAMPDEN will bring | to Washington audiences | two of his greatest successes, | “Caponsacchi” and “Hamlet,"” beginning next Thursday night at the National Theater. “Ham- let” is to be presented at the Satur- | day matinee, and “Caponsacchi” the three nights. | Mr. Hampden has had many success- | ful engagements in Eastern cities in the | role of “Caponsacchi,” and has played it before New York audiences over 400 times, establishing a world record for the romantic drama by a modern play- wright. | “Caponsacchi,” based on_ Robert Browning’s dramatic poem, “The Ring | and the Book,” and written by Arthur | Goodrich and Rose A. Palmer, deals | with a celebrated historical murder ! trial which took place in Rome in the seventeenth century. The chief char- acter of the play is Caponsacchi, second “warrior-priest” of Arezzo, who bravely attempted to save the beautiful child- wife, Pompilia, from the savage b tality of her husband, Guico Frances- chini. The role of Caponsacchi pre- sents three phases of characterizations, those of mountebank, cavalier and priest, and affords Mr. Hampden onc of the most varied parts of his career. The players of Mr. Hampden's com- pany include Esther Mitchell, Ernest | Rowan, Whitford Kane, William Sau- mond, Mabel Moore and Edwin Cush- man. LOEW’S FOX—“Tonight Is Ours.” LOEW'B FOX THEATER is presenting Mary Garden, famous grand opera and concert artist, in her first motion picture house appearance this week. The screen play is “Tonight Is Ours,” with Fredric March and Claudette Col- bert. Other stage acts include the Radio Rubes, featuring Rufe Davis, Arty Hall, John and Neal Laby; “Bits | of Musical Comedy,” by Sidney Marfsn with Marie Duval assisting; “Hits of Personality,” by Ethel Parker and Sandino, with the O'Connor sisters and Bob Davis, and Janet May, “aerialist " complete the stage presenta- hil Lampkin is conducting the orchestra. The film is a story of clever, amusing people, outwardly giddy but actually devoted and tender toward each other. Miss Colbert is cast as a girl who has thrown aside the responsibilities of a kingdom for a fling at Paris, and March 1s seen as a young wealthy Parisian who insists on taking the fling with her. Alison Skipworth, veteran stage act- ress, heads the supporting cast, which includes Arthur Byron and Paul Cavanapgh. RIALTO—“Daring Daughters.” HE blond star Marian Marsh is at the Rialto this week in “Daring Daughters,” a modern dramatic pro- duction which was directed by Christy Cabanne, recalled for his work in con- nection with many of the D. W. Grif- fith screen successes. Miss Marsh is supported by Kenneth Thomson, Bert Roach, Joan Marsh, Allen Vincent, Richard Tucker, Arthur Hoyt and Bryant Washburn, jr. The Rialto also offers the first screen treatment of that famous and very much discussed word ‘“technocracy.” The film feature attempts to bring the baffling theory to the layman so that its significance will be understood. Con- cluding the Rialto program are several selected shorter subjects and Graham McNamee in his popular role of Talk- Reporter. PALACE—“Hot Pepper.” OEW'’S Palace Theater is presenting L “Hot Pepper,” with thcse two fa- mous comedians of ‘the *“Cock Ey2d | World,” “What Price Glory?” and “Wom- en of All Nations,” Edmund Lowe and Victor McLaglen. Lupe Velez is carry- ing the leading feminine role, with El Brendel and many others in the cast. | story. | McGrail and Robert Greig. |screen” attraction at Warner URS” — FOx hatted owners of rival Broadway night ciubs and their chief bone of contention is “Peppe: sensational dancer. 1 dded ttractions inciude “Pree | Wheeling,” a silly symphony cartoon, “Bables in the Wood,” and ‘Micro- scopic Mysteries.” COLUMBIA—"“Robber Roost.” LOEW'S Columbia Theater is offering “Robber Roost,” a Fox picture | starring George O'Brien and Maureen O'Sullivan. Based on one of the many incidents that have colored Arizona's history, this is taken from Zane Grey's The wholesale plundering of the cattle on a ranch in the southern part of the State some 20 years ago forms the historical basis of the tale. How O'Brien, playing a double game of pre- tending to side with a band of thieves and at the same time secretly bringing an avenging posse to the “Roost,” man- ages to rescue the girl he loves and square matters with his enemy forms the climax of the picture. Besides Miss O'Sullivan, the support- ing cast includes William Pawley, Reginald Owen, Maude Ebrune, Walter EARLE—“Employees Entrance.” ORETTA YOUNG is starred in “Em- | ployees Entrance,” the current | Bros.” Earle Theater, with Alice White, blonde favorite, returning to the screen, featured in an important role. The film is a romance set against a back- ground of a huge department store. It depicts the lives, loves, joys and tragedy of the thousands of people who daily pass through an employes entrance. Running through the action of the film is a tender love story. The stage program is headlined by the mysterious Three X Sisters, musical instrument imitators, who have, in the past few months, become one of the outstanding attractions on the air. | Other acts are Clara Barry and Orval | Whitledge in a hodge-podge of non- | sense; Eddie Garry, America’s foremost mimic, presenting a laugh tour of Hollywood; Harris twins and Loretta, dancers, and Maxine Doyle, mistress-of ceremonies. Completing the program is a new Bing Crosby short reel romanc® “In the Blue of the Night”; the new issue of the Graham McNamee news reel, and the Earle orchestral prelude. METROPOLITAN—“Central Park.” ’I'H!: current program at Warner Bros.” Metropolitan Theater boasts of two attractions with Joan Blondell in “Cen- tral Park,” a First National picture, as the major feature, and “With William- son Beneath the Sea,” a drama of be- neath ‘the sea, as the supplementary offering. The action of “Central Park” takes place in one central location. The place, as the title indicates, is the great playground in the heart of New York City. The story was written by Ward Morehouse. He has hit upon a ro- mantic phase of park life with which the famous playground is teerhing. Supporting Joan Blondell are Wallace In Washington Th NATIONAL—Walter Hampden in ‘“Ca) T | duction but will also be the first show- HI“HAMLET” ONAL SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 22, 1933. Automobile and Aviation News LORETTA YOUNG SEMPLOYEE'S ENTRANCEY €ARLE GEORGE O'BRIEN MAUREEN OSULLIVAN “ROBBER'S ROOST” COLUMBIA VICTOR McLAGLEN-EDML}ND LOWE YHOT PEPPER/ PALAC E An Impdf’tant Opening. Priday evening at 8:30, will mark not only the first appearance of all three Barrymores is one pro- ing outside of the Astor Theater in Kew York. After the opening there will be but two performances daily and all seats will be re- served. e Miss Barrymore's part in this produc- tion is said to be most realistic to her as she and the late Czarina were personal friends. Miss Barrymore first met the Rus- sian Empress in London, at the time of the funeral of Queen Victoria. “The Czarina was originally the Princess Alix of of Hesse - Darm- stadt,” relates Miss Barrymore. “She was raised partly in England and partly in Germany, and was a grand- daughter of Queen Victoria. There was always an air of tragedy about her. She was an orphan, raised by two grandmothers. Her honeymoon con- sisted of masses for repose of the late Czar's soul and recel of visits of official condolence. Thé Russian peo- ple_never took the German princess really to their hearts. “Most royal marriages are arranged by statesmen, but this one was a real Ethel Barrymore. HE opening of “Rasputin and the | love match. Nicholas and Alix were | Empress” at Loew’s Columbia, on | really devoted to each other. | were intensely happy together, save for ‘They the iliness of the little prince, the thing that injected. Rasputin in their lives and really led to their downfall.” Miss Barrymore's intimate knowledge was useful in the production of th2 pic- ture, in which she wears exact replicas of the gowns of the late Czarina, in- cluding the great ceremonial costume, weighing 80 pounds with its great train, medals and loads of jewels. With this | is warn a copy of the imperial diadem, designed by Posier, the imperial jeweler of Alexander I. In this headpiece were 13 mammoth pearls, 113 smaller pearls, 500 diamonds and 84 brilliants. The famous Orloff diamond, the “Moon of the Mountain” and other elaborate items in the collection of Russian crown jewels were also reproduced in imita- tion by an American jeweler for the huge picture. “Rasputin and the Empress” was di- rected by Richard Boleslavsky as one of the biggest spectacles since the in- ception of the talkies. Hundreds ap- pear in the great cathedral and throne room scenes, the military review and other reproductions of the pomp of the Russian court, contrasted with the in- trigues and debaucheries of the monk Rasputin who ruled the royal family. Lionel Barrymore is seen as Rasputin and John plays Prince Chegodieff, his nemesis, while the Czar is enacted by Ralph Morgan, all in make-ups that make them virtual reincarnations of the originals. Diana Wynyard, Tad Alexander, C. Henry Gordon, Edward Amold and Gustav von Seyffertits have important. supporting roles. Ford, Guy Kibbee, Patricia Ellis, Henry B. Walthall, :Charles Sellon, Spencer Charters, John Wray and Harold Huber. As a supplementary attraction to the feature, “With Willlamson Beneath the Sea,” & pictorial adventure filmed among the mysteries of the deep, is shown. - The remarkable revelations of little know life, together with the thrills of men fighting the sea monsters in their own haunts, is made possible by eaters This Week. cchi.” Thursd&t{, ponsat Friday and Saturday nights. “Hamlet” at Saturday maf nee. GAYETY—"“Female Follies.” This afternoon and evening. LOEW’S FOX—“Tonight Is Ours,” and vaudeville; with Mary Garden. This afternoon and evening. EARLE—“Employees’ Entrance,” noon and evening. PALACE—“Hot Pepper.” This R-K-O KEITH'S—“The Penguin +and evening. RIALTO—“Daring Daughters.” METROPOLITAN—“Central Park.” ning. COLUMB; —'Robbers’ Roost.” * and vaudeville. This after- afternoon and evening. Pool Mystery.” This afternoon This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and eve- ‘This afternoon and evening. the flexible metallic tlbe invented by Williamson and his father. R-K-O-KEITH'S—“The Pengyin Pool Murder.” EDNA MAY OLIVER is back again on the R-K-O-Keith screen, this time as an Iowa school “marm” turned cmateur detective in “The Penguin Pool MBUE solely to 0] ive this laughter- 1y gl ug! ver, the cast includes James Gl Robert Armstro: d — Heason, ng anc ented by a Masquers’ ’s Bereavement”; a | wing oddities of the world in color, “Strange as It Seems,” an Aesop fable and the Pathe News. GAYETY—"Female Follies.” ANAGER JIMMY mu:! of the ‘Theater will offer another S icoctions, MARIAN MARSH - DARING DAUGHTERS” RIALTO Old Man pl’Oflt and NO( Cut-Price Admissions, | ¥ N arnouncing s reduction in the high cost of drama-loving the pro- ducers let it be known that they | are not moved by any spirit of philanthropy. As Mr. John Golden said when he applied his knife to the | quivering tariffs of “When Ladies | Meet,” it is_more profitable to sell two | tickets for $4 than one ticket for $3.| Other brilliant economists of the thea- | ter, after consulting their arithmetic, | come to a similar conclusion, and now most of the Broadway “hits” are in the | bargain basement. All that is needed to prove that thrift will follow fawning | is co-operation frcm the public. Anx- | ious accountants are at present audit- | ing the box-office statements with a | hope — which the cold and skeptical | editor of “Variety” considers forlorn— | | that this tardy rubbing of Alladin’s lamp will result in overflowing tills. | been a substantiated theory of show business that it was above the sordid laws of finance. If its patrons wished to see a play they saw it no matter how painful the price. It was a Broadway axiom that “if they want it they’ll buy it at any cost; if they don't you can't give it to them.” Out- | Taged ‘customers frequently complained about the drama’s rapacity, but sub-| mitted to it as an essential evil. They | seemed to regard the theater as a ne-| cessity more urgent than food or cloth- ing. I, whose playgoing costs me little, used to try to tell them that it was| one of life’s luxuries, and that if they refused to indulge in it no harm would be done. Bfit my clamoring, as usual, | | was as a voice in the desert, and until | the cinema grew up to be mature and | | gigantic, the populace permitted its | wallets ‘to be filched by a voracious | stage. Now, when the drama is no | | longer a menace to_ the budgets, we | shall see how amenable are the vacil- lating play fanciers to the new deal. It has been said by Mr. MacIntyre, Mr. Brisbane or some other sage that “when the devil is ill, the devil a saint would be.” Let us, therefore, welcome show business to the mourners’ bench, trust- ing a little doubtfully that it will kneel there until temptation lures it again into the sodden realms of avarice. x ok k% AT the trifling expenditure of $1.50, or twelve bits, as Senator Long might say, you can sit in one of the best seats of the Times Square Theater and there observe amusing imitations of Bernard Shaw and Luigi Pirandello as they are thrown together in an asy- lum for the insane. “Foolscap” is the | jaunty title of the entertainment, and it justifies that designation by its fan- tastic and irresponsible raillery about two of the drama's most majestic over- men. Mr. Eduardo Cianelli, one of the authors of “Foolscap,” impersonates Pi- randello as a flighty Sicilian dramatist, eruptive at one moment, gentle at an- other, but always a suave and tempera- mental volcano. He is, in Mr. Cianelli's reproduction, just what you think he is, the composer of “Six Characters in Search of an Author” and other bra- vado explorations into the bare and arctic spaces of the human soul. Among Opera Star MARY GARDEN, and concert singer, who 'eakfllth"d[ Big Broadway Shows Go to Bargain Basement Philanthropy Figures in and Now All the Box Office Needs Is Co-operation From Public. By Percy Hammond. the sights that Mr. Shaw must see when in his girdling of the globe, he reluc- tantly touches this ornery port, is Mr. Frederic Worlock's photographic mime icry of George Bernard Shaw. It is re- markable for its shallow accuracy, and I pray that “Foolscap” will last until Mr. Shaw has had an opportunity to see himself as he is seen by Mr. Wor- lock and a few others. Excepting the caricatures of Shaw and Pirandello, “Foolscap” 1is merely an abnormal “Alice in Wonderland,” and if Miss Eva Gallienne will permit me to say 0, much more of a recreation. x x ok % ‘VHEN Mr. George Cohan reduces his prices he is to be excepted from the problems of big business in the theater. He, like Miss Barrymore and Miss Taylor, is a trouper, consecrated to the entertainment of his fellow men. I believe him when he says that he cares less for money profit than he does for the routine Broadway laughter that greets his every gesture. He is, as he says he is, on the level—a four-square magic-man, the best of the theater's conscientious hypnotists, and George M. Cohan. Being among those who prefer Mr. Cohan’s serious to his antic comedy, I was a little piqued last week when early in the first and only act of “Pigeons and People” he began to woolgather. A glossy young insurance magnate of be- nevolent instincts had discovered him on a bench in Central Park, surrounded by a fibck of affectionate pigeons. Hav- ing learned from him the sad story of his life, this nice rich man invited. him to his residence, and there endeavored to ply him with food, champagne, shel- ter and advice. But Mr. Cohan, though a bewildered derelic was proud and wary. his smooth, rough Cohan sincereity he declined his host's hospitality and begged to be let go upon his forlorn paths. His had been a tragic past, and all he asked from life was to be allowed to run away from it. Sup- pose, said he to the insurance agent, supoose that my pathetic story is un- true, and that you are nestling a homi- cide in your penthouse. Whereupon his amiable Emtectol’ puiled a gun on him, ordered him to hold up his hands and threatened to deliver him to the police force. THEN. suddenly, Mr. Cohan began to disappoint me with exhibitions of restrained and humorous dementia. He showed signs of being quietly crazy and turned himself into one of those thoughtful maniacs who try to prove that it is the sane who are insane and that it is better to have a light head than a heavy one. He raised the devil in a respectable Park avenue apart- ment, causing the police to be called by his many delirious devices. He was on the stage steadily and unsteadily from 9 o'clock until 10:30 without an intermission, seldom uttering a sentence that is not magic in its effect, no mat- ter how shallow its context. My guess is that “Pigeons and People” is a stunt in which the first actor forgets his duties to his. forgettable.art, in his conscientious anxiety to entertain his public. He leaves us in doubt as to whether the hero was maniac or sage, assassin or sleuth, bum or millionaire. A lively veteran of the stage he changes its methods, concentrating the usual three acts into one without an inter- mission. It may be said in compliment of “Pigeons and People” that the hon- estly mesmeric Mr. Cohan is vigorously active throughout the process. He sings and plays upon a piano, a song called, if I am not- mistaken, * Lit- ignite the sentiments of the semi-thoughtful playgoers. . . . Mr. Cohan and his confusing play are to be had for two dollars, a price that seems to me to be reasonable. d\ild Role Cast. WA!.LY ALBRIGHT, Jr.,, will play the role of Paul in “Zoo in Buda- pest.” Wally’s parents and 1 guard- ians have signed for him. engag- ing young Albright made his screen debut as a toddler only a rew seasons ago, giving a dominant performance as the nursery interest of “The Trespas- ser,” opposite Gloria Swanson. Jesse L. Lasky, who is produ “Zoo in Budapest” for Fox, chose to play Paul, an -~ ée chnl-‘l.mn Loretta , Gene Raymond O. P. wu“nl'u the others cast 50 far * ok x *