The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-08
Appears at Metropolitan
In "A Midnight Bell:
Louise Glaum at Pal
ace-Dorothy D 1T o n
At Crandall's-" T h e
Bronze Bell" at Loew's
Columbia.
METROPOLITAN
"A Midnight Bell"

Departing from his accustomed
type of rustic hero to impersonate Q
young travelling salesman stranded in
q small town. Charles Ray scores one
Of tho outstanding triumphs of his
career AZ Martin Trip In First Ma
tionais splendid I'm version of Charles
Hoyt's famous hit. "A Midnight
Bell" which yesterday held capacity
audiences in breathless suspense a.
chief feature Of the bill for the week
at Crandall's Metropolitan Thsatsr.
The foremost Of the varied supple
mentary features Of the program IL
Mack Senpstt's latest two.rsel fun
film. Hard Knocks and Love Taps"
in which all of the sennstt beauties
and oomediang ars cast to advantage.
Charles Hoyt's plays. It will be 70.
called by an older generation Of play
sosfs. were less notable for their lit
erary or permanent value a. dramatic
gems than for their unfailing utilixa-
ton Of all elements of drama sure TO
appeal to the vast majority of amuse.
ment seekers. "Charley's Aunt" "a
Texas Steer" and many others Of the
works of this popular playwright
achieved instant success because, like
the contributions to the stage of
George M. Conan. they supplied pre-
cisoly what the public liked.
OF all his plays. mono was more
notable In this respect than "A Md
nisht Bell" in which Charles Ray
fins % perfect . vehicle for his tai
ents. These 10 humor, mystery. ro-
manos, suspense and thrills In abund-
anos in the camera version of this
famous old play. Yesterdays audi
ences wsrs nQyed to spontaneous
applause by the tense action Of the
climax Of the picture.
The story II one OF intensely human
appeal that develops q delightful ro-
nance at the same time that 1t un-
folds the clever scheme OF q daring
band of bank robbers who have Gre
ated the mythical story of q haunted
church to provide q SCREEN for their
hazardous task Of tunneling under
the vaults Of an ADJACENT bank.
Dared to brave . night in the
haunted church. which two people
are said to have entered never to
emerge again, Martin Trip has his
suspicion 30 aroused that he ventures
back to the spooky place another
nights and unearths the illicit enter
prise Of one Stephen Labaree. also q
boarder in the home Of Abner Grey.
From this point on the pictured cpl
sodes take on q quality of suspense
anda tenseness OF development that
holds the spectator breathless.
Ray in the role of the stranded
heel peddlsr does an exceptionally
clever piece of work and Is admirably
assisted in deriving the whole effec-
tiveness Of the Hoyt's play from It's
wordless form by Doris Pawn, DON
aid Macdonald, Van Dyke Brooke
and numerous others OF a Thoroughly
skilled supporting cast. Tho produc-
ton Is an excellent one and the di.
rection. by Mr.. Ray himself. highly
intelligent.
Hard Knocks and Love Taps" Is a
typical Sennett farce productive of
unending laughter and full of devices
to occasion mirth that possess the
rare merit Of novelty. Pathe News
pictures Of the most Important events
OF the week. new symposium of
the Literary Dieest's Topics Of the
Day" and . genuinely interpretative
orchestral accompaniment complete
one Of the best bills of the summer.
Suppe's "Pique Dame overture.
masterfully rendered by the Metro
politan symphony, under the conduc.
torship Of N. Mirskey, elected tre-
mendous applause yesterday and will
comprise one of the high lights of
the entertainment throughout the
| week.