Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-21
'TALOR-MADE MAN" CUT
TO NEW STARS MEASURE
Grant Mitchell Displays Stellar
Honors Worthily in Enter.
tanning Comedy

When Shakespeare put in the mouth OF
Hamlet catalogue of the species Of plays
familiar TO the groundngs at the Globe or
the Rose he listed every dramaturgic variety
and subvariety known in the spacious days
Of the great Elizabeth but he was not
prophetic enough 20 forecast the type Of
entertainment which may be called the
George NJ. Cohan comedy, partly because
Mr.. tohan has written them at their-and
his-best and partly because as n producer
he has developed the form into a pleasant
and not too mentally fstiguing way OF
spending an evening in the playhouse.
"A Tailor Made Man" which introduced
Grant Mitchell, familiar here as compe-
tent and resourccful comedian, star
last evening at the Garrick is very typical
or the Cohan and Harris school OF drama
that is "A play of Inoyel situation and rapid
hre dialogue, both constantly preceding from
suspense 10 surprise. touched with sentiment
consciously but obtrusively striving for
laughs and with certain admixture of
superficial seriousness. The piece was writ
ten BY the late Harry James Smith on the
basis of The Well-FittinE Dress Suit" by
Gabriel Dreclcy. Its foreign and possibly
Tcutonic origin has on the whole been illu.
sively canounaged. but here and there a
trace crops out, such as. for instance.
making Abraham Nathan an American in
dustrial magnatc not only hut leader of
New York society. This would be beevable.
convincing even of Hamburg or Bremen,
but not OF Gotham
Strangely enough, considering its probable
genesis "a Tailor-Mad Man" during it's
years run in New York was resonant with
American patriot ism, and had some ringing
speeches anent the faulty and disloyalty of
shpyard strikes during the nations partcipa-
tion in war. But all that was blue penciled
| by the armistice, and the play has lost moth
ing of its appeal and interest by the neces-
| sary revisions
| BY no means. however, is it a capital and
| labor drama, although what claims it has
| to serious substance are based on this age
long conflict. At the outset. indeed. one is
| led to expect that the author is about TO
| develop a new clothes philosophy showing
| that man is as good as the clothes he
| wears, and that sartoral environment is as
| important as any other element In the
| struggle of ambition to success. But this
| motif. amusingly and novelty set forth anc
| developed, gives way TO another, stated by
this shipping magnate, that in America "a
| mans value is measured by where he gets
| to, not where he started from"
The hero starts from tailor shop. wher,
he is a helper He is aspiring, and he has
lot of ideas and notions. He appreciates
the evening clothes he is pressing. and lit
orally breaks into a swell reception" Of
noveau rIche family, at which his wit bring
| him into contact. and the contact backe,
by his adroit saesmanship of his notions
| brings connection with the shipping mag
nate. After that the way to business sue
cess is toleraby sure and speedy. There
no let down in the novel and unexpected
turns of the plot. though It's conclusion
| obvious.
The tailor's helper played by Mitchell
| decides he Is man Of destiny. and he be
| lievcs destiny helps those who give destin
| a helping hand His ardor and egOtisn ar
shown in his response 10 girl who ask
! II he Is going 70 do what Napoleon die
| No" he rttorts. 81 am going to do wha
| Napoleon loft undone." This gayety an
! certainty cEa'aoteriae his progress from til
| taior's pressing board 10 a mahogany des
| IN a private Office Of big corporation, whic
is .hc symbol Of his arrival 70 tho heIgl
or his aspiration. 1t takes poiSc an
skill to carry Off this blend of surety al.l
tnsoucianca Mr. Mitchell has the poi!
and skill to make his characterization b.
lieVabe In WhItrvar impossible posture
circumstances he inds himself His SUI
porting cast is long ana "Xrell"nt, includu
such able players As Mmna Gale Ilayne
Rowland Blackstone, Dorc davidson an
Lotta Lnthicum and others possibly less We
known but just as efficient,