Evening Star Newspaper, August 2, 1937, Page 34

AMUSEMENTS. Bergner Again Triumphs in Tragic “Dreaming Lips” Role in Rialto’s New Film Provides Every Opportunity for Her Especial Talents. Gene Ford-Has More Auditions. BY HARRY MacARTHUR. THOSE particular talents that are Elisabeth Bergner’s are brought into full play ing Lips, those who have seen ““Dreaming Bergner does nothing new; v the actress in her portrayal of the leading role in “Dream- the new motion picture at the Rialto Theater.. There are Lips” and returned to argue that Miss that she still is the same Bergner she was in “Escape Me Never” and the same Bergner she was when she was “Catherine the Great.” The only answer to that is, so what. It is no cause for complaint that some one does one thing and does it well. And no one can deny that Miss Bergner does it exceedingly well. There's a spell cast by that voice which she can shade so deftly; by those mannerisms dear to the hearts of those many members of an almost worshiping cult, who miss not a move Mis Bergner makes before the cameras. ‘The only complaint at the moment is that the actress’ vehicle is far from her best, even though she gives the best of her art to it and occa- | sionally reaches heights in her por- | trayal of another definitely Bergnerian character. “Dreaming Lips” is not a particularly good motion picture. Without Elisabeth Bergner it would have little to recommend it. But| it does have Bergner and that is enough to recommend it to plenty of people. The best that *“Dreaming Lips” is that it offers Bergner every opportunity in the warld to be the complex woman she tan be so beautifully and with such magnetism. Cast as a woman torn between her devotion for her hus- band and her yearning love for his best friend, she is given free reign to take audiences in the palm of her hand and hold them spellbound. It's & role which allows Bergner to be the gamine, & petulant child and | at once a great lady; to be both frothy and frolicsome and filled with #0rToW. It is a tragic part Miss Bergner plays in “Dreaming Lips,” but then ehe is at home with tragedy. You will remember a long time those mo- ments in this film where Bergner gives herself up to emotions deeply poignant—the time she dreams of poisoning her ill husband and the pight she sits in a cafe to pen a fare- well note before ending her earthly $roubles in the Thames. Here the actress reaches the same heights she mttained in that memorable walk down the hospital corridor in *“Escape Me Never,” something that won't soon be forgotten by any one who saw .8 can be said of “Dreaming Lips” may be for no one but the Bergner devotees, but i(\‘ certainly is something not to be missed by any of them. There's a short subject on the cur- rent Rialto program that rates men- tion, for it's Liead and shoulders above run-of-mine short subjects. “Fish| From Hell” the title and it has a| lot of thrilling moments,.with some dramatic photography of a battle be- tween shark and tuna, of a swordfish tearing a mammoth whale to bits and 8 lot of other sturdy sea-going items. o NiRn GENE FORD was the most surprised man in town Saturday noon and probably one of the busiest. He was busy because he was holding “Going Native” auditions up in that sixth-floor studio, high above the Capitol stage. And he was surprised because the chorus call he had sent out was answered by an unbelievably large array of handsome lassies who could dance. He wanted 20 girls and by the time he got through weeding them out he discovered he had half again that many that were possibili- ties. The room was fairly overflowing with gals in rompers, bathing suits, shorts, play suits and even street clothes, chattering like a bunch of magpies or whatever it is girls with aspirations to be ¢horus girls chat- | ter like, when Mr. Ford arrived to get down to the business at hand. The business at hand consisted of asking if anybody had an apple for teacher, pulling off his coat and calling the girls forth, one by one. “Let's see a time step,” Mr. Ford would say. If the lass knew her taps she never finished the step, for the Capitol's boss interrupted with “Okay, kick.” If that was all right the girl had to go into conference with a man from the Board of Education, on hand to see that nobody born since August 20, 1919, gets into the revue, which starts August 20, 1937. The 20 who finally survive the or- deal where many are called and few chosen will work their pretty little feet off for the next few weeks. Harry Crosley, who has been dances in Hollywood, is producing the chorus numbers for “Going Native” and he has ideas for an intricate tap | routine, a ballet and a high-kick mu- sical comedy number. So if you hear a young lady about town muttering to herself a para- phrase of the show girl's complaint— “The things I do for Fanchon and Marco! ‘Going Native,'” you'll know she's re- | hearsing for Gene Ford. After he got the chorus off his| hands Saturday morning Gene took a | breathing spell, told Guy Robertson | where he could get & record made to| send to New York for a radio show | audition, turned his attention to spe- | cialties. He listened a moment to Ward Du Vall sing and manipulate an accor- ion, turned and said “That guy is in." Ward's is the first specialty definitely set for the show. So we left, but judging from the task still ahead it would be no surprise to learn that Gene still is up in that studio, by now nodding sleepily perhaps, as he looks at aspiring performers. Film to Bow With Novel Premiere #“Toast of New York” Brings Gilded Age to Keith’s. OSTUME pictures are no novelty, but now comes the first costume premiere When “The Toast of New York,” makes its local bow at Hardie Meakin's R-K-O Keith's Theater ‘Wednesday night, it will be ushered in with 8 “Gilded Age” premiere, dedi- eated to the “Gilded Age” when Jim Fiske had his colorful career. The film based upon Fiske's life, dates back to the days just following $he Civil War, when the fortunes of the Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Morgans and others had their beginnings, and Mr. Meakin has decided the thing to do is re-create the age for the picture's premiere. For assistance, the management turned to Mrs. Ernest R. Grant, direc- tor of the District of Columbia Tuber- culosis Association, and the “Gilded Age” screening will be sponsored by that group. A group of local debutantes will take part, dressed in the mode of the period, occupying & special reserved eection at the theater, after arriving in a multiple horse-drawn coach. Another innovation will be the use of flares instead of floodlights on the | marquee, just to keep in the spirit of the time of the film. Musicians also will be done up in the “Gilded Age” manner, dressed in costumes of Jim Fiske's day. The music will fit the period, too. “The Toast of New York” stars Edward Arnold in the Jim Fiske role and his supporting cast includes Frances Farmer, Cary Grant and Jack Oakie. & BACK TO NORMAL. During the strenuous rehearsals for his dances in “Varsity Show,” Lee Dixon lost 8 pounds a day. However, he always eats a heavy dinner after- ward, drinks a dozen glasses of water, and after breakfast the next morning his weight goes back to mormal. DANCT WA School With a National Renutat (Over 10,000 pupils in U. Don Martini Studios Fhose who dance interestingly never need worry about their popularity. waltz, foxtrot, tango, rumba, tap. Ten Pahrnt Talented Teachers Beginners, Advanced; Air-Conditioned! 1811 H St. N.W. __"Don_Marti Private Lessons Low Rates! Nat. 3767 onducts_this_branch.” _ Good Dancers ARE always in demand— and particularly so at vacation time. Brush up on your dancing now with Ethel M. Fistere, formerly with Arthur Murray. Peggy Kelly School of Dance Studio 1018 18th St. N.W. ST. 9888 Where and When Current Theater Attractions and Time of Showing. Earle—"Exclusive, drama in a newspaper city room, at 11:15 am., 1:30, 4:20, 7:15 and 9:55 pm. Stage shows at 12:45, 3:35, 6:25 and 9:10 pm. Capitol — “Slave Ship,” the last slaver goes down to sea on a wave of melodrama, at 10:45 a.m., 1:35, 4:25, 7:15, and 10:05 p.m. 12:35, 3:30, and 9:10 p.m. Palace—'Saratoga,” Jean Harlow's last film, stays a second week, at 11 am. 1:05, 3:10, 5:20, 7:25 and 9:35 p.m. Metropolitan—"King of Gamblers,” the slot machine racket gets its due, at 11 am, 1:10, 3:15, 5:25, 7:30 and 9:40 p.m. Columbia—"“A Day at the Races,” the mad Marxes at their maddest, at 12, 2:25, 4:50, 7:15 and 9:40 p.m. Keith's—"The Road Back.” post- armistice Germany, at 11:30 am., 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Rialto—"Dreaming Lips,” Elisabeth Bergner, torn between two loves, at 12, 1:55, 3:55, 5:50, 7:50 and 9:50 p.m. Little—"“Maedchen in Uniform,” an outstanding success revived, at 11:15 am, 1, 2:45 4:30, 6:25 8:10 and 9:55 p.m. Trans-Lux—News and shorts. Show runs 1 hour and 15 minutes, continu- ous from 10 a.m. until midnight. Ambassador—"Exclusive,” at 6:15, 8:05 and 10:05 p.m. Penn—"Captains Courageous,” fine screen translation of the Kipling novel, for young and old, at 2:20, 4:40, 6:55 and 9:15 p.m. Sheridan—"Mountain Music,” Mar- tha Raye and Bob Burns take to the hills, at 2, 3:55, 5:50, 7:45 and 9:40 .m. Tiveli—“Captains Courageous,” at 2:20, 4:45, 7:05 and 9:25 p.m. Roadside—"In Mizzoura,” pioneer period melodrama by the local Sum- mer theater group, at 8:30 p.m. :on ¥aPbr "co. Phone NA. 2948 Dinner. $200, Sot, 3225 Cover, 55¢. Sat G Hol. 3110 Na Additional Cover fur Du . o, * M. A. LEESE OPTICAL C0. ™ 614 th ST. N.W. directing | saying “The things I do for | Stage shows at | THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, Plays the leading role in “Drean opened yesterday at the Rialto ELISAZETH BERGNER ning Lips,” now on display for the Theater. NOVEL FILM SUCCESS IS REVIVED AT LITTLE S A pleasant respite from the regular Hollywood diet the Little | Theater has revived this week that outstanding German success of n\'e! years ago, “Maedchen in Uniform,” which at the time had all the motion picture critics in the land huzzahing | from the house tops and turning cart- \ wheels in the streets as they sang its praises. “Maedchen” led the 10-best | field that year like War Admiral led | the Kentucky Derby field only even | more so. The Hollywood diet is all right, of course, as a steady one, but it's nice | to get away from it now and then to | something more novel and it is espe- cially pleasant to get away from it to something like ‘“Maedchen.” This is | & tender and wise and charming film, and the story of a shy little school girl, | seeking love and affection, will strike right at your heart and summon | forth all the pity there is in you. It has been excellently cast and the act- ing of Hetha Thiele, the pupil; Dorothea Weick, the teacher, and the others is fresh and clear out and full | of feeling. It hardly is necessary to go on about | | “Maedchen in Uniform,” but per- Hmps you ought to know that Mr.| ‘ Richard Watts broke down and con- fessed it was a Work of Art, in capital letters. The Little has also & first-run short subject titled “Rain,” which should not be missed by admirers of things cine- matic that are unusual. It was filmed by Joris Ivens, a Dutch enthusiast who takes documentary films for his own amazement and not to sell, and it has some fascinating photography. ‘There’'s no plot to it—Mr. Ivens just took his camera and wandered about Amsterdam in the rain, but the things | Sothern. | tendent of Hold That Lion. THOUGH Jack Oakie has appeared in every type film from slapstick farce to melodrama and operetta, he still has one unfulfilled screen ambi- tion. He wants to play in an animal picture. Not that Jack longs to be & tree-swinging Tarzan: his anxiety to work in a jungle film is based on curiosity. This was revealed during the filming of a scene for R-K-O-Radio's “Super Sleuth,” the comedian's current pic- ture, in which he plays opposite Ann While waiting for the camera man to focus his camera, Jack seemed in deep thought as an assistant car- ried & tape measure from the camera | to Jack’s nose. Offered a penny for his thoughts by Director Ben Stoloff, Jack mused a while longer. Then he drawled: “Well, I was just thinking— when they make those lion operas and they have to measure the distance from the camera to the lion's nose, who holds the lion?" UNUSUAL SKILL If Thomas Beck, young Twentieth Century-Fox player, should ever lose his eyesight, he would be able to read by the Braille system as rapidly as though he had been born blind. His father, John Lane Beck, is superin- the Maryland Workshop "THEATRE PARKING 6P.M.TO 35° 1AM CAPITAL GARAGE 3550 3"+* 4o M.L.WEISS Co. DECORATORS No Better Work Done he did with the camera are worth H M. ACADEMY ot Pulen ouad Photeplay E. Luwrence Phillips Thestns Beautiful Coutlnuous From 4 0 P M. SONG _OF THE CITY." With MAK(.AREI LINDSAY ' JEFFREY DEAN. J. CARROL NAISH and NAT PENDLETON BEHIND THE- HEADUN!S" With DIANA GIBSO €. Ave SE. CAROLINA '3 .;.nu,.... “WEST POINT OF THk AIR™ and “HAP- PY GO LUCKY CIRCLE no:.; of Mirroshonle Sol:n Matinees Tues. Thurs., Sat SLARK GABLE. MYRNA 10Y_ Hou _No s Air-Conditl ERY UNA MERKEL _in CrooD OLD SOAK.” News and Comedy. FAIRLAWN _ AYacosmia Air-Co PATSY KELLY ACK “PICK A STAR™ Cartoon -nu Sport. 3227 M NW. Double Fhitire PLE " with JOSEPH LE “MAEDCHEN 1IN UNIFORM.” German version. NEWTON %8 Xexies Air. “PICK A STAR." PATSY KLY, JACK HALEY. " Also " “Servant_of the People.” PRINCBS 1119 6 St N.E nc20uble re.tun BING _CROS] WAIKIKT WEDmNG 8244 Georin Av SECO il‘l:.r Spring, Ml Continuous From 6:00 “SHALLWE BANCE " miih PRED ASTAIRE and GINGER ROGERS, STANTON nsi% ut Continuous From 530 F JEAN HARLOW and ROBERT TAYLOR in “PERSONAL PROPERTY.” “SINS OF CHILDREN,” With _ERIC LINDEN and CECILIA PARKER. TAKOMA 2 CHARLES RUOOL!S ‘TURN OF'P THI MOON.” Selected Short Bubjects. HIPPODROME mgf.“p'ul‘u‘r‘ P. Bartholemew. “'Lloyds of Londo: Jed Prouly in “Back to Nature MT. RAINIER. MD. Today-To! \ble. Myrna Loy in leell 2 RICHMOND ““T’:,a.",'?':&o."* WILL ROGERS in DR. BULL.” ALEXANDRIA, VA REED A Nomor-wed. WM. LUISE RAINER in “Emperor’sCandlesticks.” Free Parking Space—800 Car, Completely Air-Conditione MILO ogEvme e Bob Burns- Martha. Raye in “MOUNTAIN MUSIC.” Air-Conditioned 5 Pree Parkins. 'y DIRECTION OF SIDNEY LUST WARNER snos. THEATERS Papering, Painting Most Reasonable Prompt Service C 6725 6930 Wis, STATE-BETHESDA 7% ROBERT TAYLOR and JEAN HARLOW in “PERSONAL PROPERTY.” COMEDY AND NEWS, =7 R 18th St. & Col. Rd. Col. 5595 FRED MuacMURRAY and FRANCES FARMER in _“EXCLUSIV E APOLLO 623 B St. Phone Lin. 3 MYRNA LOY and GLANK GABLE in __PARNELL’ \mkey Mouse ve, d, A 4 CTARK GABLE in Cartoon RICHARD DIX and JOAN F __“DEVIL 1S DRIVING P FREDDIE BARTHOL oA SPENCER TRACY and LIONEL BARRYMORE “CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS.” Nlmh st} CENTRAL one Met. JOE_E. BROWN in RID!NG AIR." and JED PROUTY. SPRING BYINGTON in “BIG BUSINESS.'™ __Edgar_Bergen in _Double _Talk. COLONY ds‘ibrcn Ave. N.W. Ge MYRNA LOY and ciARK “PARNEL] Cartoon HOME 1230 C St. N.E Phone Line. * JWith PAT O'BRIEN HENRY FONDA._Also_Shorts PENN mmnlr BAR'I 'ER _ TRA( MORE EOU! 96 and HOLOMEW. SPEN. LIONEL ~BARRY- CAPTAINS COURAG- ew 3050 Fhone Colr 4008 “CASE OF THE STUTTERING BISH- OP" with DONALD WOODS and __ANN DVORAK._Also_Shoris. SHERIDAN Ga. N‘"‘ &, Sheridan BOB BURNS xnd VARTHA RAYE 1n MOUNTAIN MUSIC.” New TIVOLI 18th_ a, & Parl FPhene Col. Matinee '+:00 P.M, ‘Air-Conditioned. FREDDIE BARTHOLOMEW. TRACY. | LIONEL BARRY- Monl ing CAPrMNs COURAG- finowu - RS Mat| B NS and MARTHA RAYE in PO MOUNTAIN MUSIC, News. Av u W. Col. 4616 and’ BARBARA “THIS 1S MY JFSSE “THEATER'®%,* iry~s Carrier Alr-(‘ondlllnned “PARN! CLARK GAB] SYLVAN (iiied® v e v “THIS IS MY AFFAIR,” ROBERT TAYLOR BARBARA STAN- in New 1560 ROBERT TAYL(‘)E PALM THEATER _°%; =™ “KID GALAHAD,” EDwWARD O ROBINSON and ?‘RLINGTON VA~ BERNHEIMER’S With 1720 Wilson Bl olonial Village JOE E. BROWN in “RIDING ON AIR.” ~"FALLS CHURCH, VA. STATE _“%S2858' i Popular Star’s New Film Arrives first time in Washington, having for the Blind, and the young star became fascinated by sightless educa- tion when he was a boy. Warner Brot fred N MacMurray” Farmer “Ruggles In Paramounts EXCLUSIVE Nso Gala Stage Show 25¢ to 1P.M. Mnfi"u‘fi‘um "KING OF GAMBLERS A Paramount Pucture With AXIM TANIROFF CLARE TREVOR < LLOYD NOLAN MAT. 25¢ - EVE. 25¢ & 40¢ VN =<X>UBCHD>w0n OZ—-»®C0O > MONDAY, AUGUST 2, right 'cupboard section. 1937. Health Insurance. ITH four important pictures be- fore the cameras, Columbia Stu- dios has created a new studio position —that of “wandering nurse”—on the lot as a matter of health insurance of | - the stars, players, directors and me- chanical crews. Edna Livingston, a graduate regis- tered nurse, has been added to the Columbia Studios’ Hospital staff of Dr. Floyd Parks, with the special as- signmer * to roam the sets and check up hourly on the casts and staff of the various pictures in production. These include “I'll Take Romance,” with Grace Moore and Melvyn Douglas; “It's All Yours,” with Francis Lederer and Madeleine Carroll; “The Awful Truth,” with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, and “Life Begins With Love,” 285, 16 aluways COO L ar Loru's = WNERE YOUR COMFORT IS ASSURED WARNER BAXTER WALLACE BEERY MICKEY ROONEY ELIZABETH ALLEN (Plus ON THE STAGE JESSE CRAWFORD ond his ORCHESTRA | 9th Above G 1AM l]lll.flllllllli 1p5) b0 FISH FROM HELL SOMINUTES of THRILLS and ACTION ZO=-4=-9ZOoNn »-> B AMUSEMENT with Jean Parker and Douglass Mont- gomery. Headaches, splinters, sprained an- kles, colds and all the minor ilis are taken care of by Miss Livingston, who is thoroughly equipped to meet any emergencies. BOMBASTIC. George Barbier, the screen's fore- most portrayer of bombastic business men and flabbergasted fathers, has been placed under long-term con‘ract by Twentieth Century-Fox TIIE MOST EXPENSIVE KISS IN AMERICAN HISTORY..! It Cost Jim Fisk an Industrial Empire... It Saved the United States a Revolution! A personal history beyond the dreams of fiction! . . A dramatic panorama of men and events that swept America its surge to lead the world..! AN RKO RADIO PICTURE STARRING CARY GRANT FRANCES FARMER / JACKA;?AKIE EDWARD ARNOLD Stavts with o GILDED AGE PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4th, AT 9 P.M. (TWO SHOWINGS OF THE FEATURE, 7:30 and 9:30) «t RKO [ 4 KEI - ALWAYS COMFORTABLY COOL * NOW SHOWING ® “The ROAD BACK" egins Today Ten pieces (server lifetime dining suite THE AUGUST SALE OF LIFETIME FURNITURE not illustrated) $2] 5 . .. one of the many artistic suites specially reduced for the August Sale. The buffet is 66 inches long with Serpentine front and lined silver tray in China cabinet possesses a drawer in addition to a spacious cupboard section and china compartment. The Duncan Phyfe style table may be extended to 8 feet. There is a server included, but not illustrated. Six chairs, including two armchairs, complete the ten pieces at $215. Mahogany and gumwood or walnut and gumwodd construction. MAYER & CO. Between D and E Seventh Street