Evening Star Newspaper, December 16, 1936, Page 44

c+4 AMUSEMENTS. New Keith Film Speaks Savagely About Injustice; “We Who Are About to Die” Is Harrowing Affair on Theme of Much Recent Screen Concern. BY JAY CARMODY. Otherwise they are going to drive society intd some dark retreat of shame from which it never will emerge; not even to go to THE stage and screen had better be careful. the theater or the movies. Just a few more “Wintersets,” “Furys” and “We Who Are About to Dies” and the people will have no place to go but back to the woods. There they can sit on logs, or maybe hang from limbs, they made of that to which they gaves the name “justice.” All of which is one way of getting into the announcement that “We Who Are About to Die” opened yesterday afternoon at Keith's. It is an R-K-O Radio picture which has to do with crime and punishment. It is not the sort of crime-and-punishment drama | which paints the moral that crime does not pay, but rather one which tends to show that innocence does not pay either. Until the last few feet of the film it appears that an innocent neck will be stretched for a murder in which its owner had no part; stretched because justice is blind and its servants have political ambitions. This time, however, Hollywood has kept the faith with the happy ending. Justice triumphs at the very door of the death chamber. * % k% WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE” is a composite. There is a bit of “Fury” in it. There is a dash, too, of “Winterset” and rather a larger portion of “The Big House.” In the eye of the beholder it does not have much chance to be its fairly simple and completely harrowing self, be- cause these comparisons are inevi- tably being made by the audience. Yet, viewed as box office, “We Who Are About to Die” has its undeniable appeal. It sticks always to its knit- ting instead of wandering off in the realm of abstraction. It is a story about a chap who is sentenced to hang for a murder which circum- stantial evidence says he committed. You see him in the death house, a thickly populated death house, while his loyal sweetheart, a sympathetic detective and his fellow prisoners try to save him from the noose. From the moment the convicted innocent enters the death cell the film settles | down to one of those neck-and-neck yaces between justice and the clock. It is all action, rapid action, wearing the familiar garment of suspense. What eloquence it has is of this character. It is never the mere elo- quence of words, as was the case with “Winterset.” The new film may profit thereby, although poesy will not. * %k % IOHN BEAL plays the part of the | youth so cruelly victimized by cir- cumstance and what passes for civ- ilization. He is no Burgess Meredith nor Spencer Tracey, but he is up to | the demands of the rather more sim- ple drama which is entrusted to him. The detective who attempts to help him is Preston Foster and the girl is Ann Dvorak. Rather stock parts are theirs, but done convincingly. Organ Skill Of Bernier Outstanding Interpretations of Great Composers Win Audience. ONRAD BERNIER, solo artist for the second recital spon- sored by the School of Music of Howard University, offered his authoritative interpretations of the greater organ composers last night on the somewhat limited resources of the oconsole of Rankin Memorial Chapel at Howard University. Organist at the Paris Cathedral of Baint Eustache for three years and at Catholic University for the last nine years, Mr. Bernier convincingly dis- played the masterful skill which war- ranted his appointment to such promi- nent positions. He strode through productions of composers ranging from the 16th century to the present with such confidence and ease that the entire program might easily have been written by but one man instead of several with varying styles. Throughout, Mr. Bernier's manual dexterity was marked by essential evenness while his manipulation of the pedal keyboard was outstanding in farming a smooth, perfectly rhyth- mical background, The first haalf of the recital was devoted to compositions of those prin- vipally responsible for establshment of organ music—Henry Purcell, George Haendel and J. Sebastian Bach. The “Passacaglia and Tema Fugatum” (Bach) with its sonority and intri- cate fugal development provided, per- haps, the acid test for the organist. Mr. Bernier proved himself a Bach player. In the Palestrina “Ricercare” (ricercare being the progenitor of the fugue), the organist interwove the simple themes with faultless precision, which evoked the spontaneous ap- proval of the audience. Robert Schumann’s spirited “Sketch In F Minor,” Widor's “Variations” (Fifth Symphony) which is alive with impetuous roulades and mighty chords, the violent “Finale” from the PFirst Symphony of Vierne—all were rendered with polish. The “Choral in B Minor,” one of the better known organ works by the French composer, Cesar Franck, contained the most structural variety and colorful har- —_— e It will pay you to see SHERWOOD before you SHERWOOD 0IL BURNER Visit Showroom 1723 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N. W, Open Until 9 p. m. PHONE Decatur 4181 and contemplate what a tragic mess Some of the better characterizations of the fllm are those derived from | the least sympathetic roles. The }lour gangsters who “frame” the case | against the innocent youth are played well by Russell Hopton, J. Carroll Naish, Frank Jenks and Ray Mayer. A finer quartet of murderous double- | crossers is not often assembled in one | movie cast. “We Who Are About to Die” is blessed ‘with some excellent photog- | raphy; especially that which deals with the interior of the prison, where 50 much of the action is laid. Prisons | make good backgrounds for melo- drama, and that is what this film has been made. Indeed it is such good melodrama that it becomes slightly incoherent at times in getting across its message—its message being, of course, that justice should not be so blind. * x ¥ % “BORN TO DANCE” is going to re- main at the Palace a second week, just as every one knew it would. It is made up of precisely those elements that call for ditto marks under the first specified engagement . . . “After the Thin Man,” that long-awaited sequel to (believe it or mot) “The Thin Man,” will come to Loew’s Cap- itol on New Year eve. The “Folies Parisienne” of the French Casino, with 85 in the cast, will companion the Powell-Loy film on the stage . . . In case you want to keep up on lean |and laughable detectives, “The Thin Man” will' be at the Little for a five- day engagement starting next Sun- day . .. Warner Bros.' John J. Pay- ette is seeing to it that every one has some place to go those long afternoons during the Christmas holidays. All of the company’s local theaters will have daily matinees from Christmas through January 3 . . . Josephine Hus- ton is the Earle's vaudeville headliner next week. She is going to sing as she did in “Life Begins at 8:40” and the Ziegfeld Follies . . . Dancers be- might know that Jim and Evelyn Ver- non, Pall Mall room stars, think highly | of Charles and Charlotte Lamberton. The latter two, completely deaf since | birth, are dancing with Dave Apolion at the Capitol. The Vernons, enter- taining at dinner last night, talked of all the dancers in the world except the Vernons . . . Lawrence Tibbett's newest picture, “Under Your Spell,” is being screened this afternoon at the Fox film exchange for the benefit of | critics, courtesy of Abe Tolkins, Rialto maharajah. mony, the populality of which was testified by the applause. Recalled for an encore, Mr. Bernier conceded with a “Dberceuse” written by his former organ instructor, Josef Bonnet, —J. 8. PR R Spain’s war is causing a lemon shortage in Britain. FAIR WARNING THE SEASON SALE WILL CLOSE THIS SATURDAY For THE ALBAUGH DANCE COURSE Consisting of TRUDI SCHOOP BALLET Sunday Evening, Jsnuary 10 SHAN KAR HINDU BALLET Tuesday Afternoon, February 9 JACQUES CARTIER Friday Afternoon, March 5 Season Prices: 2.20, 3.30, 4.40 Now_Selling at Homer L. Kitt's, 1330 G 8% GLORIA KAMP %7 1o s ow District 708 ° i Baliroom daneing and Tap, 12 lanafor' 8 PEYTON PENN STUDIO. ud&f.“ I:ululn w' Ilr:?; i"b ing_ 8 n specialty. Private lessons by appointment: The Edward F. Miller Studio 814 17th ST - "A-nu-’- Noted Dancing Instructer” DON MARTINI Walts-Fox Trot-Tango-Rumba-Tap Talented eTachers Private Lessons nsmnns—.«nv.«'nczn_fi',owun ES! 1811 H S Natien: 767 Note: hul!u Frivileses With Other DANCE LESSONS for Xmas A nll of Leroy Thayer ce lessons means danc- fo% nstenceion as fing a5 Leroy M. Thaver is J8 very reasonable. " Studlos open LEROY H. THAYER 11215 Conn. Ave, ME:. 4131 THE ing the best critics of dancers, you | VANE’S ‘OUTWARD BOUND’ IS PRESENTED BY cLus Fantasy Aboard Ehlp Provides Difficult Roles That Are Creditably Done. UTTON VANE'S “Outward Bound” | was presented by the Players’ Club of the Central Community Center in the Roosevelt High School audito- rium last night. This fantasy, a dif- ficult histrionic endeavor, was capably offered under direction of Francis Crane. Staged on board a ship, this seem- ingly somnolent assemblage of varied | characters is confronted with the | problem of deciding why they are there and where they are going. Mr. | thex there is no crew and no light on | the jort side, convinces his oompfin-‘ fons they are headed for “the other | side,”” and with the assistance of Rev. | William Duke, must prepare to meet the “Examiner.” With the exception of the young mar- | ried couples and the ship’s steward, all are sent ashore with their sen- | D. C., tences by the “Examiner” and begin‘ The steward, always left be- | Aanew. hind because he feared life and sought left behind again, whereas the lovers, also “half-ways,” and death, finally to gain freedom from the ship and life. William Davis, the inebriate, later Prior, the inebriate, after proving to | united with his mother, shouldered | the principal role taken by Douglas Fairbanks, jr., in the movie, while Jack Rollins performed commendably in his portrayal of the Examiner. warned them they | Additional worthy performances were those of Alice Louise Hunter, as the young married girl, Braun, as Mrs. Cliveden Banks. —E. 8. K. and Dorothy Perfect Safety Record. Coalville, England, population 24,- 000, which has no traffic signals or| { death as the well known “way out,” is | safety zones, has completed a period of 12 months without a street fatality. | hovered between life | = S L TR T LI A BELASCO Now t S HIts Erclusive ington Showing The Life of Edward Vil From Boyhosd—as Prince of Wal the Throne Made by Special Permission of His Majesty arnso “LOVE IN EXILE” THE STORY THEY COULDN'T SUPPRESS! WITH “His | A seste 250 Until 1 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1936. Edith Fellowes (left) has an important part in the pro- cecdin&l of By Crosby’s “Pennies From Heaven,” at Warners’ Earle, and memy Stewart plays ommm Eleanor Powell (right) in_her new mausical, “Born to Dance,” at Loew’s Palace. Radio Demonstration in 1899. The first practical demonstration of radio was in 1899, when Marconi sent messages across the English Channel, a distance of 32 miles. Lo CAPITOL @ STARTS FRIDAY o “CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA” PLUS VARIETY STAGE SHOW @ NOW—LAST 2 DAYS o “BANJO ON MY KNEE” AND DAVE APOLLON'S STAR PARADE OF 157 - SO INTERNATIONAL STARS GO ALL-TIME BOX OFFICE RECORDS!... Crowds! Crowds! Crowds! Bigger than for*Broadway Melody"'! Bigger than for “San Francisco”! They storm the theatre from early morning ’til late at night! And how they love it! GOES YOUR HEART WHEN... Eleanor tap-taps her romantic way into handsome James Stewart’s arms...and when those gorgeous girls dazzle you ...and when glorified Virginia Bruce sings the top-rank- ing hit of the air-waves, "I've Got You Under My Skin!” ~o BIG WE OF M-G- with JAMES STEWART - VIRGINIA BRUCE UNA MERKEL FRANCES LANGFORD « RAYMOND WALBURN ALAN DINEHART A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture Directed by Roy Del Ruth Now Playing at Loew’s PALACE SID SILVERS BUDDY EBSEN 's DAZZLING SUCCESSOR TO ““THE GREAT ZIEGFELD"” It's Bigger than a $6.60 Broadway Show Produced by Jack Cummings Opens Xmas Day! GARBO I.ovu ROB'T TAVI.OI in “CAMILLE" AMUSEMENTS. Where and When Current Theater Attractions and Time of Showing. National—“Othello,” 8:30 pm. 1—“Banjo on My Knee,” at 10:45 a.m., 1:35, 4:25, 7°15 and 10:05 pm. Stage shows at 12:35, 3:25, 6:15 and 9:05 pm. Earls—“Pennies From Feaven,” at 11 am., 1:35, 4:20, 7:15 and 10:05 p.m. Stage shows at 12:30, 3:20, 6:15 and 9 pm. Palace—"Born to Dance,” at 11:85 am., 2:20, 4:50, 7:15 and 9:40 Belasco—' at 2:30 and 2 and 11:10 p.m. -0 Keith’s—"We Who Are About at 11:52 am,, 1:52, 3:53, 5:52, 7:52 and 9:52 p.m. Columbia—“Come and Get It,” at 12, 2:25, 4:50, 7:10 and 9:35 p.m. Metropolitan — “Theodora Goes Wild,” at 11 am, 1:05, 3:15, 5:20, 7:30 and 9:40 p.m. Rialto—"There’s Always Tomor- row,” at 2:10, 3:59, 5:48, 7:48 and rkeley Square” at 11 2:36, 4:24, 6:12, 8 and Ambaassador—“His Brother's Wife,” at 6:15, 8 and 9:45 pm. Tivoli—“Libeled Lady,” at 2, 3:55, 5:50, 7:50 and 9:45 p.m. Howard—"“The Captain’s Kid,” at 8 and 10:20 p. Stage shows at 1:40, 4:10, 6:40 and CIVIC THEATER OPENING TONIGHT And Nightly Thru Seturdey Rebert E. Sherwood's The PETRIFIED FOREST mmnifimum ROBEAT EDMOND JONES oo o s s Noxt Woek Bos. Mon. Seats Thurs WA GRORGE ABSOTT PRODUCTION: BOY MEETS GIRL b 811~/ SAMUEL SPEWACK Nites, $110 to §: Wed. Mat., 85¢ to 5165 & 85e te §2.20. '~ EARLE BING CRUSBY Calumbia's “Pennies from Heaven” LEON ERROL =And Hes Hoilywood Folles Of 1937 Sunnie 0'Dea J0E T, BROWN In Warner Bros Comsd % “POLD, lM mmm “NusTON £ Now Playing IRENE DUNNE in Columbia’s Grand Comedy GAYETY BURLESK NOW PLAYING 4 PRE-XMAS PRESENT SAM RAYNOR snd MURRAY BRISCOE WITH HARRY (JAKE) FIELDS BUBBLES YVONNE and GLADYS McCORMACK FOSTER o , ANNI! IONN BEAL | E. Lawrence Phillips’ Theatre Beautiful Sentinuous From 4:30 RD and R BERT TAYLOR AMBASSADOR 5" ¢ *sSos ROBERT TAYLOR -nd BARBARA STANWYCK in “HIS BROTHER'S 2105 Pa. Ave. N.W. Free Parl STUART ERWIN, ARLI KELLY in_“PIGSKIN ANACOSTIA. D. C. “HIS BROTHER'S FXIRLAWN ROBT_ TATLOR 'ITl.E *Rommien Euioses LESLIE HOWARD in “BERKELEY SQUARE.” “TRAIL OF THE DICK TALMADGE Georsia Ave. l{ l) II[ IL Continuous, Trom “Two-Fisted Gentleman r JAMES DUNN. “FINAL HOUR.” STATE BETHESDA %2 OBERT TAYLOR in "Hls BROTHER'S WIFE.” NEWS and COMEDY. Return Engagemen Shown at 8:15 and 11:00 P.M. LOUIS-SCHMELING FIGHT. FALLS CHURCH. VA. STATE “WEaRRES McHUG! ANK FTELDS Snd ZABY MRS, WIGGS OF ’I'HE CABBAGE PATCH.” HUNTER in ‘LOVE LE’I'I‘ER OF A STAR. Op! nisl iliage, ILSON, e b R Bime o 18th & Irving BT R lfl and B. L Ave. N W. sxléw AND MAB! o MARION DAVIES, CLARK GABLE. PALM mmm o JERS t, T WARNER BROS. THEATERS APOLLO JAMES & CAGNEY wn at No Advance in Prices. AVALON 3285 &esn CLOSED FPOR RED] ON. AVENUE GRAND &% I A% SE. Li. 2406 Matinee 2:00 P.M “ANTHONY ADVERSE.” with FRED- RIC MARCH and OLIVIA DE Feature Shown st 274:35, 7. 9:40 PM. No Ad- vance in Prices CENTRAL “THE CASE OF with RICARDO COR’ TRAVIS. COLONY A% JA:{;? SAGNEY JoE E BROWN OMER NIGHT & DREA luu’ 8hown at 1. 3:05, 5:10. .__No_Advance’ in’ Price! 30 HOME »iiie £ R.l.'rm 'YOUNG and DON AME: o __in “RAMONA" in eenRicoloF 425 9th St. Phone Met. i CK CAT." and JUNE si EAVOleath 8t. & Col. Phone Gl !R ERS d TIVOLl R e ot 1800 Matinee, P.M. WILLIAM POWELL. MYRNA_ LOY. TRACY Tn UPTOWN = &% Phone Clevel: Matinees Daily at 2. JAMES CAGNEY, JOE E. BROWN l d DI CK,!O%\;‘LL in Soreemt 210, 4.3, 7 Advance in Prices. YORK SiliwiCotiore GLADYS GEORGE, JOHN HOWARD and % in “VALIANT IS THE WORD FOR CARRIE EPPODROME no'.fn{' d Colma Ullfl!l’ na nl‘ MT. RAINIER, MD. “Murder With Pictures.” lnmwm Shirley Temple in ‘D\nalu . ND ‘un"fim VAo RICHMO! William ronu and Myma Loy i “Libeled Lady.' WA R 5400 r Oth -zun % Lew Ayres, Direction of Silney Lust “Murder lfim Ple- 7