The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-26
Jest AS ItWz
AtRe heayter''
BY HI.

At the Orpheum.
Somehow, never did think that Hart was
so much of a star but that idea was all
changed last night. AS far as Bill is con-
cerned he is a star with a big from now
on Maybe it was because he used to play
western stuff altogether. Then, too, the
change in sentiment may be caused by the
age" is a departure from his usual line
Let it rest at that Bill is the goods IN his
II is a carefully produced piece, the pro-
ducers were so particular as to detail TO
verge even on the elaborate. They nad
good story to work with, they gave daTt d
real part and then they put some mighty
good actors in the supporting parts-one
actor. no matter how good he Is. never
makes a whole play. The story fits Hart
1t is of a crook who in France learns the
meaning of his citizenship and on bis re-
turn breaks away from the sordid life de
earns the enmity of his former pals, one
of whom vents his spite by taxing MS
brothers life. The former crook mas III
the meantime Joined the police force put
sheds his Uniform to revenge his brother.
fIs mother who has been associated with
fnstfTfn her views but in the end forgives
the son who has gone straight and VINO
has found her a daughter by his new man
Right there, fers pause and say word
or two more than is expected: Gertrude
Claire ThS Pays she she dRS ss ne
stuff that is every bit as good as any Of
Harris. and this picture shows Hart at MS
very best, at that
At the Novelty.
The bill is quite bit better than either
Of those presented last week4 tho to be sure
there was considerable room for Improve
Inent In both of the preceding biIAs. Inc
poorest act of this weeks opener. comes
first Grant and Wallace being the per-
petrators. As saxophone players they ore
clever acrobats. John and McRuer follow
with a neatly C-essed offering. The beauty
Of the act is conferred in Miss John, who
sings with a southern accent, but Miss NC
Tuer got the applause with her whistling.
Maker and Redford have the most elab-
orate event Of the program; MISS Maker
while her partner is comedian of sorts
Could not quite get the stuff furnished by
Steve Freda, but the rest OF the crowd diu-
His pntter was al Old stuff and the music
he delivered was too much jazz to suit TINS
one part Of the audience but the remainder
of yesterday afternoons gang liked him
aud stopped the show a while, making him
repeat. The Eight I,unatic Chinks were
the stage with action and practically little
else. 1t is n good act to put at the foot of
the bill and clear the house.
At the Isis.
The motion picture pubic is said to be
"off' costume plays. That may be the
case, but this particular part of that said
pnbllc IS decidedly on imam farhuin
In IF ! Were King" Have read the book
and have seen the stage production of Jus
tin McCartly's famous best seller and be
lieve the movie production comes more
close to portraying the character of
Francois Villon than did even the cele-
brated Mr.. Sothern's stage version.
There is something about the story of
the vagabond poet who became constable
of France for six days on the whim of
dotard king, to make it live in ones mem
Dry. 1t has certain heroic ring that is an
inspiration. one can dream the book and
the man who planned the scenes being
shown at the Isis this week, must have
done Just that thing-happy man, he made
his dreams come true.
TFarnum makes an enhancing, happy GO
~ hnT nj
romantic lover, but it is the daredevil
patriot, that he exalts and transports the
lovers of n character, now almost historic.
Every scene OF the photo play is elaborate
and in keeping with the chivalrous age of
Of the pulse in those scenes wherein Villon
leads beck to the king. the victorious sol
diers Of France; II Is "a. scene almost t
impossible for the socalled legitimate
stage.
fact that Farnum is supported by n cast
of actors capable Of carrying the minor
parts. This is especially true in the char
acter Of Louis IN done by Fritz Leiber.
The part : almost equal in Importance to
that Of Vilon and it is acted in no less
creditable manner.
At the Crystal.
Topekans are being afforded every oppor-
tunity to see Fair and Warmer" 1t has
been here several times at the Grand. The
screen production was shown several weeks
Mt the Isis. Now it is getting Il reshowing
Mt the Crystalline movie version of course
being alluded TO in this latter instaBee.
Fair and Warmer" was a good comedy
Of the farce type when it first came out.
because in those days certain liquids while
barred in Kansas were not entirely off the
map, but now the whole punch has been
taken out of the piece by the Eighteenth
Amendment. There are some mighty good
lines in the piece but the silent drama"
has hard time putting them over. The
producers of the film have used an antidole
for this by introducing some new stuff
and by making some Of the scenes a lot
more elaborate than any produced on the
stage.