The Washington herald., 1919-08-19
Last Night at Theaters
- -NatIonaI-.CiyiIIsn ClotAes.S
RY EARLE DORSEY.

tcdIy decoIIete but even the Msnhat-
tsn play producing fraternity rarely
leaps to the conclusion that bed-farce
finale is necessary to the proper en-
5oyment of a play like The Cinde-
reIla Man" or Daddy Longless" or
eyen Civilian Clothes" the current
- -stional Offering.
We say rarely because it sometimes
happens that individuals like those
producing Civilian Clothes" occas-
IonaHy get themselves so befogged
with ideas OF what they call show
rsanship that they lose all track OF
tEs simple. elemental principles that
govern an audiences enjoyment OF
love story. good, bad or indifferent
though the story may be. Basically
speaking. Civilian Clothes is a good
love story. told strongly and conVtnc-
inEIy. handled with a sure and deft
touch by its cast and presented
against A background Of investiture
that would do credit to the ordinary
plsy. but somebody has saddled 1t
with a nasty, abOminable third-act
fnale that destroys its charm. prosti-
psIpitant. breathless love scene into a
har-rOom leer and a bawdy- house
smiTk
One besitates to believe that ThOmp-
son Buchanan. the author. after eX-
ecuting and Conceiving so deft and
charming a BIT of writing. should
stultify his work and disgust his au-
disnce with a finale so malapros and
odiOus Rather shall We profess to
see the coarse artistic thumb Of some
Gentleman whose ideas of a good love
story are prediCated upon the box
Ofsce treasUrer's report. And were
CIVILIAN Clothes not in the main.
asgoOd play with an honest, sincere
apryaI 1t would he a pleAsurable
duty TO voice further the contempt
that naturally arises from such feats
OF 'shOwmanship' as this.
However. Civilian Clothes" has
merit otherw Sc 1t finds its basis in
a theme which is novel TO the present
@encTation at least and one which has
c4Used many a litter since they signed
the armistiCe. Florence L-anham.
Louisville patrician. refuses a lover
~ tell nE him that once a captain in
Ffa0"e boxed her ears and sent her
10 the rear for trying to serve choco-
Ii, 1nder fire What "a man he was.
P-t he is not. thanks to feat Of
rsroism that brought him the ID. :. G.
md q wooden cross. She siEhs for her
laIaEt captain Of the dominant man
urr. the sam Browse belt and his
WY with chocolate servers under fire.
:'re si=hs for this and that and what
light have been. when. all OF sud
dep. in walks her Captain-.n CIvvies,
I5's too much. even for the patTiCian
Florence he wears horrible tan shoes
w..h bulldog toes and nifty socks and
90 ~ra Spv neCktie. Her dream fades as
IN" CazCs on her hero. but the hero
IS made Of sterner stuff. He tells her
rhgt he will learn to be a SnOb and will
teach her to be "A democrat and the
rest will be accomplished by working
~ q butler i'm her own home. Here's
~ cOod enough Act curtain for any
comedy. provided Act I has not been
inflated with "a per cent too much
bromide epi-rlm and plunged into the
tossing seas Of unclaimed dialogue.
Eyt Act comes 10 a good enough con-
cI.ssIcn and Act IT begins with the
hero q! the ArCOnne as butler and
GOOD butler at that.
The situation here is excellent in its
comic possibilities. hut long before
that We find that Florence had actual
ly married her butler-captain in
france and the situation is growing
rapidly impossible.
To make a long story short. the
butler captain finally gives his wife
a taste of the spurs. she bolts with
digging who keeps hanging around,
HJLhby's military record becomes pub
lie property. he's offered $4,000 a year
10 build an American railroad and the
rars in the FIRE
st New Orleans. the eloping couple
discover to their horror that the
CaFtain appears to have eIoped to the
-ane hotel with a business-Iike widow.
and from thence on. the dramatic
r+.2,em to couple up hubby and
VIE on hubby's terms instead OF hers.
TIE story by that time has breezed
swiftly for three fun scenes the au-
FHence IS mellow and all that is needed
~ complete a fine. sincere bit of
r0mantic comedy is a reconciliation
that will preserve the note Of sanctity
that is commonly supposed to be a
C0uComitant Of the emotion called love
$ that note OF sanctity advanced.
emphasized made dominant, sweep
ing and breathIess? II is-not, In
I'D. the elabOrateIy beautiful struc-
tire Of three acts crashes into the
T.Td. there comes A breath-just
st-EestIve. foul breath-Of the un-
s~"akabIo. and Romance fits alright
,@ into the night.
It's difficult to overpraise Thurston
Halls handling OF the main role OF
'a" butlcr-Cap plain. His characterize
lions are certain and unfaltering. his
t-rhniquo Unhurried and sure-fre, his
appreciation OF the possibilities Of his
part faultless. Miss Olive Tell. her
n1tural beauty enhanced by a note OF
dignity that never rings false. gets
under way slowly in the prelimina ~
scenes, but rises to a grasp of her
part that is captivating and compelI-
ing in the final phases Of her per-
f'rmauCe
Glen Anders. Edward Mackay Oate
os the Garrick stOck). Arthur Albert
son. Isabel Irving. Grace Kaber
Frank Sylvester. James X. Abblebee.
Bessie Eyton and Edwin Holden also
gave performances that were artistic.
appreciative and mostly without
fault.
For our part. we believe Civilian
Clothes" incorporates the clements Of
good. successful play after it has
been renamed, its first act pruned and
a second scene in the third act writ
ten in as a substitute for the Ieer
that Eraces the program at present.