Evening Star Newspaper, July 24, 1937, Page 34

AMUSEMENTS. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1937. Swing It, Children, Swing It “Midnight Madonna,” New Earle Film, Entertaining| AMUSEMENTS TRANS.LUX ' NEWS—MARCH OF TIME—CARTOON .o s SHORT SUBJECTS KEITH S A ASHING 16, ATRE o nn ‘Saratoga’s’ Lusty Comedy Makes Fine Harlow Adieu Blond Star and Gable Teamed in Film Full of Sound, Fury and Fun—Stage Show Also Is Spirited Affair. RKO Engaging Child Star, Kitty Clancy, and NOW Mady Correll, From Legit, in Debuts. Table Tennis on Stage. BY JAY CARMODY. P YOU have been waiting for a pict bark and turf, plus Jean Harlow playing a valedictory role that is one of her smartest, “Saratoga” at the Capitol is the picture for you. In view of the fact that yesterday's opening sembled Pimlico on Preaknes day, there must be a great many citizens who feel that way. “Saratoga” is a picture full of sound und mry and bubbling fun with an undercurrent of suspense that wills keep you pleasantly tense when Miss | Harlow and Clark Gable are not going through the antics of love deferred, but not to be denied. There is a lot of comedy in the pair of hard-boiled parts those two play. There is con- siderable more of the same in Lionel Barrymore's frost-bitten grandpeppy, who obviously is going to get a stud for his run-down breeding farm or die of fury over his failure to do so. The part of the hard-boiled heiress (heiress to a bunch of mortgages, we mean), who is digging for gold in the top strata of the aristocracy, fits Miss Harlow to perfection. Gable as a roguish bookmaker who has a way with women and another for men and horses, has not been so happily cast since he was “Blackie” in “San Fran- cisco.” The picture aims to be very en- tertaining in the process of diverting Miss Harlow from her flair for the upper crust until she dissolves in the | arms of Gable. That it is going to be | successful is evident from the moment | ghe is caught in the spell of his charm | over the wires of a trans-Atlantic| telephone. He gives her a verbal| epanking on that occasion and fol- | lows it up with others until it be- comes clear to Mis sHarlow that spankings are what her life has lacked and that he's the boy to provide them. * ok % x ETWEEN the spankings, the book- making lover devotes his time luring her into aiding him to double- cross the rich young aristocrat of her financial (no other) dreams. Gable's methods in this procedure are by no means conventional. They | reach their climax in a scene which is one of the more memorable ones which Miss Harlow left behind. In his effort to force the rich fiance to be a sucker for his book, Gable invades the girl's room. He threat- ens to compromise her unless she puts over the arrangement, then hides under the davenport to listen in on | the deal. Well, in plops the fiance, sees Ga- ble's cigar smoking in an ash tray, casts a questioning glance at the girl. With never the flicker of an eyelash, Miss Harlow picks it up and begins nonchalantly to smoke. She never looked funnier, nor was funnier. But she is not funny all the time. At other moments she is hoydenish, wistful, tempestuous, seductive, out- raged, remorseful and things like | There is some particularly fine pho- |on old or new melodies, straight or ure with the lusty vitality of the tan- audience was 3o big the theater re- | that which she could do so well in the right kind of parts. It is a shame to havée come this far without mentioning Frank Mor- gan and Una Merkel, who also are blessed with juicy if not notoriously original comedy patts. Morgan, a jittery, hay fever victim, who sneezes at the sight of a horse, is effectively cast as the jealous husband of Miss Merkel, who is mad about horses and Gable. Complete coverage of the horse world from the sales ring at Sara- toga to the Hopeful Stakes (even though the track did look like Santa Anita) is to be found in the film. tography of thundering hoofs, the miracle being that the hoofs did not come thundering right through the lens of the camera. There are no morbid implications in “Saratoga,” despite the fact that its blond star died before it was com- pleted. In it she achieves completely | the dream of all good troupers, that | of sending them away laughing. * k% % 'HE exuberant spirit of the picture pervades the stage show. Red Skelton, m. c.'ing the Capitol's vaude- ville bill for the third week, works with the fury of a whirling dervish and achieves perhaps the greatest success of his popular stay here. His one-man base ball game, the high light of his performance, was the preferred item. Gus Van, the singing man, who has been singing since the approximate morn of civilization, still knows what audiences like, even modern ones. He hasn't changed his style of putting across songs, but whether he uses it dialect pieces, they go over. The Gae Foster girls, held over for a second week, have varied their rou- tine, but it still is & thing of spirited | grace as seen from the wings (where one critic had to see it because the overflow was about to topple out the window of Carter Barron's office). Beth Mitchell was impressive, as usual, in that control dance item which every one knows she does bet- ter than any one else. (She also counts louder from the wings when the Fos- | ter girls are going through that new hoop bit.) Dorothy Crooker, whose dancing you probably know, is fine to look at, either from in front or in the wings. The bill is completed by Carter and Holmes, who do funny sayings and ! stuff. | Where and When Current Theater Attractions and Time of Showing. Capitol—"Saratoga,” Jean Harlow's last picture, at 10:15 am. 132:35, 3, 5:20, 7:45 and 10:10 p.m. Stage shows at 11:55 am, 2:15, 4:40, 7:05 and 9:25 pm. Keith's—‘The Road Back,” post- war Germany, at 11:30 am, 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Earle—"Midnight Madonna,” & mother fights for the right to keep her child, at 10:30 a.m.. 12:40, 8, 5:20, 7:55 and 10:55 pm. Stage shows at 11:40 am., 2:05, 4:25, 7 and 9:10 p.m. Palace—"Easy Living,” cheerful and light-hearted comedy for the fun of laughing, at 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:40 and 10:10 pm. Metropolitan—"The Singing Ma- rine,” Dick Powell's latest musical, at 11:10 am, 1:15, 8:20, 5:25, 7:35 and 9:45 pm. Columbia—"The Emperor’s Candle- sticks,” espionage, adventure and ro- | mance, at 11:15 a.m,, 1:20, 3:25, 5:30, %:40 and 9:45 pm. Rialto—"Elephant Boy,” fiim trans- Iation of another Kipling story, for children and everybody elephant- minded, at 11:50 a.m., 1:50, 3:50, 5:45, 7:50 and 9:55 p.m. Little—“Anna Karenina,” a Garbo hit revived, at 11:25 a.m., 1:30, 3:40, 6:45, 7:50 and 9:55 p.m. Trans-Lux—News and shorts. Show runs 1 hour and 15 minutes, con- tinuous from 10 am. until midnight. Ambassador—"'There Goes My Girl,” light comedy in the modern manner, 8t 2, 4:05, 6:10, 7:55 and 9:40 p.m. Penn—"Pick a Star,” little girl goes %o Hollywood, at 2, 4:10, 6:15, 8:10 end 9:50 p.m. Sheridan—"“Wings Over Honolulu,” @ boy, a girl and the Navy are the triangle, at 1:35, 3:50, 6, 7:30 and 9:45 pm. voli—“Pick a Star,” at 1, 2:55, 6:45, 8:15 and 9:50 p.m. Uptown—'Slim," strong lads stretch high tension lines across the country, at 1, 3:20, 5:30, 7:35 and 9:35 p.m. = TERRACE DANCING = Dinacr. 3200, Sot 3225 0. $5¢. Sar (N0 ML Cover for Duuer o Cover. Hol, 3! W ant: Yunn sure to fl.n‘ hat want k. “shon ave at the PAPER CO. Phone NA. 2948 EASIDF HOSAPE AN B 3 uon'l"sdo 1000° Pa. Ave. ) On the Bay—One Hour Drive Mile Boardwalk and Pier Swimming—Dancing Amusements—Free Parking Frequent Bus Service From 403 11th St. N.W. FOR INFORMATION CALL NAtional 0213 W. M. & A, Motor Lines, Inc. Passenger and. Freight Scrvice D | “THE SINGING MARINE” BACK FOR SECOND WEEK PACKED to the hilt with hit tunes, Dick Powell's latest musical ro- mance, “The Singing Marine,” yes- terday opened at the Metropolitan for a second week downtown. It's a bright piece, with a lot of good humor and enough of a plot to tie the laughs together and it ought to be just what the doctor ordered for forgetting the heat, arguments over court re- form and that nag that was supposed to be s0 good yesterday in the fifth. Much of the enjoyment derived from looking upon “The Singing Marine” is due to the musical score contrived by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. Pive hits the boys have brought forth— “You Can't Escape From Love To- night,” “Because My Baby Says It's 80,” “Night Over Shanghai,” “I Know Now” and “The Lady Who Couldn't Be Kissed"—and that's a lot of music for one film musical. Especially when it's sung in the en- gaging manner of Dick Powell and this cinema newcomer, Doris Weston, who makes her debut as Dick's lead- ing lady. “The 8inging Marine” is further aided upon its way musically by Larry Adler and his harmonica, a combination that makes “Night and Day” somehting you won't forget. THEATRE PARKING sPMTO 3B 1AM. Bet. 13th & 14th CAPITAL GARAGE 35503 44 SWIM FROM 9:30 A. M. §0 Features From 1 P. M. DANCE 9 TO MIDNITE TODAY’S THE DAY TONITE’S THE NITE CABIN JOHN OR GLEN ECHO STREET CARS. 0 MIN. MOTOR VIA MABS. AVE. OR COND. RD.. 30 MIN. ~—refreshments. Trip every Sunday Adults $1.25—Children 65¢ mnnumu \@ Visit WAKEFIELD Steamer-Bus connections at Beach. Flenty of tims. Round trip. %ucn —_— George Fashington to Wakefleld MOONLIGHT CRUISES 1-nour chEBUY at 8: L -hour erul Free’ dancinj Bernte Stibes's Niehthawas the Swing Band of Wash- ington Beer sarden unday and_Holidays, 7sc o FREE PARKING o Tth & WATER STS. S.W. [ Phone NAt. 7722 POTOMAC RIVER LINE “Easy Living,” Frances Faye. Bing Crosby and Mrrrllm Raye toss off some of the mlfs/ in hoofing to add a bright moment to “Double or Nothing,” Bing's new musical now being completed at the Para- mount Studios dog days. own good. This business of kidnaping a judge, for instance, to prove to him some of the witnesses in a trial he has just heard are perjurers, doesn’t go down so easily. But you really don't have to believe it; it makes the plot go and it makes for enjoyable, if not engrossing, cinema. “Midnight Madonna” achieves its best moments as an entertainment, however, when it is dealing with the business of a mother, whose little daughter is being taken from her by a court and handed over to a father who wants not his daughter but the millions she has inherited from his father. There are some scenes which have to do with this that pack some- | thing of a punch, hokum or no hokum. * ok x % A/IUCH of the force of “Midnight Madonna's” better moments may be credited to Maay Correll, a young lady from the stage, who makes her film debut in the picture. Her play- | ing of the mother branded as unfit | to raise the daughter she loved is | sincere, always believable and bright- ened by the spice of considerable emo- tion. Miss Correll ought to go places in this cinrema business. Kitty Clancy, the bewitching 4-year- old who is being called the “new child star sensation,” may or may not be that, but the fact remains that she is tops in this first featured role. She may be a little too reminiscent of Shirley Temple for the good of her career, but none the less she's a her apart from the rest of the kiddie | car crew. The man in the piece is Warren William and he plays Warren William | with passable suavity, which is all | right with us4f it's all right with you. * oxox % ’l‘HE Earle’s stage show is about all at Palace BY ROBERT B. PHILLIPS, Jr. HEN the palm is awarded for the daffiest cinema of 1937, undoubtedly go to “Easy Living.” the picture that opened at Loew's Full of Sheer Good Humor, w sheer good humor, this pix should be No. 1 on the heat-wave list, a choice dish for those who had rather be amused than be President during the Summer. Local fans of Edward Armold, the one-time National Theater company boy, should be delighted m4 s find their rotund pet cast in a comedy | role. something of a burlesque of the | Milland, Luis Alberni and Mary Nash pompous and important gentlemen he | As to plot, “Easy Living” has none has portrayed in his recent pictures.| It is a composite of gags, daft se- Mr. Arnold is by no means the only | quences, far-fetched tie-ups. The laugh-maker in the crowd, his able | whole business begins when an angry job being supplemented by excellent | banker flings his wife's new fur coat it will stock N \\\\\\wu\‘ | | performances from Jean Arthur, Ray to the good this week. Five acts here are, and five good ones. The top-notch feature probably is the ap- | pearance of Ruth Hughes Aarons and off the roof of their New York apart ment, The coat lands on the head | of a girl, the girl lands in some of | | the silliest and best comedy situations BY HARRY MacARTHUR. ITH an engaging new 4-year-old temptress to give its plot motiva- ‘ N ) tion and seasoned with several hokum, “Midnight Madonna,” the Earle’s new cinema, contrives to be a pleasant enough entertainment for these days just before You won't believe it all of the time, of course, for sometimes its melo- drama waxes too far-fetched for itse—— | tween scenes of M-G-M's darling and has something that sets| : Viktor Barna, table tennis champions. | It's fun to watch them in their Akll-l ful battles, whether or not you're a devotee of this game that's one of the more strenuous of the indoor sports. | And if you do play table tennis, you'll get a great kick out of the pro- | ceedings. of the season Mitchell Leisen directed the piece | with a sure hand, getting fine shadings | of the outrageous at times. going straight overboard for slapstick when he felt like it. There are <o many laughs. of such infinite variety, that even the ccoling systems cannot pre- a certain sense of exhaustion| YOUll like too. the original and from creeping over the customers | diverting things Tommy Trent does The Palace also features this week | With his Punch and Judy show. You | an “Academv Award Revue” of Walt| may have seen it before, but it's still Disney's best productions, including | {un. For comedy there are Forsythe, | “Three Little Pigs,” “Three Orphan | Seamon and Farrell, whose turn packs Kittens.” “Flowers and Tre “Tor- | & lot of real laughs. toise and the Hare” and “The Country| For dancing there are Enrico and Cousin.” This alone would j ¢ a Novello and the Condos Brothers. trip to the Loew show shop. and any | The former duo can give lessons to one wio passes up the dual attractions | a lot of people you've seen doing ball- | has only himself to blame. Not us.|room dances and their grace is such | We're all it, right out loud. that even their version of this thing | PASTEUR 1 ONE does not usually connect the scientific genius of Pasteur with the brewing of beer. Yet Pasteur, through his discovery of yeast-control, probably did more than any one man to give the world a good glass of beer.” Another man who performed an outstanding service for beer lovers is Christian Heurich, who gave Washington Science plays a part in every step Senate takes to reach you . . . only the choicest malt, hops and oereals are selected . . . carefully-controlled brew- ing methods, instituted by Christian Heurich, and great patience in aging, gives Senate the mellow flavor that pays tribate to the science and skill used in its making. HEURICH BREWING COMPANY BERNHEIMER’S WASHINGTON, D. C. interludes of well-fabricated called the Shag looks good. The Freres Condos are a pair of boys who can do a lot of smart things with a couple of pairs of tap shoes on clever feet. For downright loveliness there's Audrey Seiber, who looked practi- cally delectable yesterday, or it was the weather. There'’s a Popular Science short on the bill, too, that is among the better incidental subjects. CARROLL EXPERT CARVER. Leo G. Carroll spends his time be- | “The Um- | brella Man,” by carving a miniature | church out of scraps of wood | —_— e "5 Shows Today WARNER BROS Doors Open 10:15 | EARLE § “MIDNIGHT MADONNA” A Paramount Picturs unth WARREN WILLIAM KADY CORRELL « KITTY CLANCY Also Gala Stage Show NOW PLAYING DICK POWELL In Warner Bros Musical Hit “THE SINGING MARINE' MIGHTY SEQUEL TO WIS 'ALL QUIET on the WESTERW FRONT™ Comiag . . . “The TOAST of NEW YORK® clark GABLE Jean HARLOW s On Stage GUS VAN ‘RED’' SKELTON Other Acts Extra: Walt Disney’s Academy Award Revue With 5 Prize-Winning Cortoons S T e “‘The Emperor's Candlesticks' Mr. MacArthur—You Told Your Readers. “Look af it to feel a warm thrs following your adrice in such [8 SPENCER SYI.V lA [ /3 TRACY SIDNE P Seutitul Continuous Prom 1.00 PAL K HOLT with MA "TRCOUBLE IN MOROCCO.” “COME ON, COWBOYS." With BOB LIVINGSTON. MAX TERE - Wisconsin Ave. r-Conditioned. AN, D.C. uv (‘nnamonea in OF FAIRLAWN WILLIAM BOYD M N.W urte Feature "THE AFPAIRS oF CAPPY RICKS" GOLD."” GHOS' 608 9th INTIE s GRETA GARBO and FREDRIC MARCH in “ANNA KARENINA.” Sunday._Spencer Tracy in_- PRINCESQ Boiole Peacire RD EVERETT HORTON in MAK! A \IILUO‘I in_"SECRET VALLEY. SECO Siver Torine. S Cmmnumu me 00 ‘ “ESPI GE 3 EDMUND LOWE nnd MADGE EVANS. “SECRET VALLEY,” RICHARD ARLEN. Chapter 11._“'Ace Drummond. STANTON {8, % Continuous From 1 “MIDNIGHT TAXT” With BRIAN DONLEVY. FRANCES DRAKE. TOM TYLER in “ROAMIN’ WILD.” STATE-BETHESDA %% Ari: CECILIA PARKER in “GIRL LOVES BOY.” WM. BOYD in “TRAIL DUST.” CARTOON, NEWS, SERIAL. TAKOMA “i and Butternat i Ne Parking Troubles Continuous Prom 101 & “THE " WILDCATTER ” ‘WILLIAM BO! “North 'of the Rio Grande.” ARLINGTON VA. 20 Wilson BI PAT O'BRIEN in and tioned ury." “LeT'S RICHARD ARLEN 44 Georria Ave. Clarendon, Va. BARRIERS " “ME, Ct'NDlREl.LA RANOI. SYLV YAEK HALEY, FURNESS. “SMOKE TREE s BUCK JONES. Matinee 1st and R. Carrier Allr-Conllllonnd LEE ¥, .DIANA SRESoR Mati- PALM THEATER Ry “THIS IS MY AFFAIR,” ROBERT TAYLOR and BARBARA ___ | STANWYCK. Matinee at M. FALIS CHURCH. VA STATE ARKING LEE M ORRTES CLARK GAIL! JOHN WAYNE in AR £} Direction of SlDNEY LUST e o 4 WARNER BROS. THEATERS & AMBASSADOR ””‘n“ & Eoes (oA ToRING RIED." _Alto AVALON Doors Open 1 JED PROUTY AVENUE GRAND VISR 1[1\ Pa. Av S.E. L1 2108 M HELEN N Lo PopidU CANT BUY CDALV(ERT X e CENTRA!. ROBERT AFFAIR ICK, VICTO! __THE_MISSUS Doors Open 1 GENE RAYMON __“THER P Doors Open 1 PALI!_.r KELLY. 650 Penn. Avenue SE. coln 2539 . Show 1:00 P.M. { PATSY KELLY | g PICKAST-\‘R s KEI\‘ Y SAVOY Doors Open 1° LORETTA SHERIDAN § Doors Open L PENN. Doors Open 1: JA h St & Par Phone Col Tivr, i Doors Dae “SLIM.” with FONDA YORK Doors Open HIPPODROME. = men ot Today-Tomorrow-Monday FREDRIC MARCH and JANET GAYNOR in “A STAR IS BORN.” ine CAMEQ ‘5ifioer Roscoe Ritter ARCADE *® Chas. Starrett. James Ellison, ______Matinee 'at RICHMOND T¢ Heley and Patsy A O BRTEN A.__Also_Shorts, n!A'n'wn.bz MD. Double " Featire oday Kelly in AL!XA\I%KIA VA. JOE PENNER and HARRIET HILLIARD in “NEW FACES OF 1937.” Free Parking Space—R00 Cars. Alr-Conditioned. MILO ROCKVILLE. MD. Double Feature Ohas. Starrett in “Code of Ranze Hats Off ** Free Parking.