The Washington times., 1923-04-10
By HAROLD PHILLIPS.

The program says that Elmer
Rice wrote the stage version of
this piece from story by
Hayden Talbot, but, it seems to
us, this is a mere and terse
Swimming of the collabora tive
milk pail. We should also
mention-in fact-we will mention
that much credit for the shocking
propensities of this drama is due
Robert Louis Stevenson, Horatio
Alger, Old Sleuth, Carl Wanderer,
Arthur Train, man named
Smith, another named Jones and
the scenario department which
turns out serial thrillers for Uni
versal. OF course, the difference
this addenda will make in the
worlds more important aspects is
trivial enough to be sneered at.
but we have always felt that if
the man who does the settings
and the man who hauls them and
the man who places them, are ex-
posed in the program, guilt for
the entire conspiracy should be
properly fixed. So, having es-
tablished the corpus delecti, let
lis onward.
AS TIC liltC 0uSsCSlGp II 10 IIAO
n Jaw" is drama. If there be doubt
IN this score, illusions are dis
pelled at the first glimpse Of
Arthur Hollis red wig and his
chameleon eyebrows which alter
mated from cerise to pink, the
phenomenon depending on where
he stood. His mannerisms also
left no misgivings that here was
n ~ ~ civ ickA
diabolical thuggery was 4 o'clock
tea. Mr.. Hohl never once re-
pudiated the premise and, various
Iy, through the recurring and
waning scenes. he was the double
distilled residue of a whole car
load of villainy.
Born a neurotic, the result of
mistreatment of his mother, AL
bert Woodruff, one Of three suit
ors for Ruth's hand, vents a n.y.
control, before an assemblage of
pluses his suit after this exhibit
ton and he plots a terrible ven
geance, two-thirds fulfilled before
the final curtain finds him dead
at the hands of the man whose
life he had ruined. AS approach
ing sequence to this climax, one
finds Woodruff unraveling his
plot. He bats the Ragged Stran-
ger to his den, by feeding him
dope; studies him several days,
then changes identities with him.
The metamorphOsis complete.
Ruth and the bridegroom, Justin
Victor, are lured to Woodruff's
lodgings, the frame up being
cinched over the telephone as Z.
they approach. Their entry finds
woodruff's double. dead from a
shot, and holding in his. hand evil
dence, which, coupled with tele-
phoned pleas for help, incrimi-
mates Ruth's husband. Eight
years pass, with Justin still in
prison. He is pardoned in time
to avenge, in dramatic fashion.
all the dirty work that Woodruff
had laid out for him. AS the law
seems about to plucks Justin back
to prison walls for this crime, the
rising young district attorney
brushes aside all interlopers and
declines to prosecute.
''It is the law" he says, that
q man cannot be twice punished
d
for"
Mr.. Hohl is a veritable gyro-
scope of theatric emotion in this
role. He shouts, rants, wheeZes,
roars, and wallows- AS the Rus
sian schemer in Green Jade"
we thought his work ear-marked
with real finesse. Here he is
altogether too much at large, al
though IL is a distasteful chore
ne has to struggle with. Dorothy
Shoemaker does ably as Ruth,
while Calvin Thomas, as Justin.
Tnanful1y tries to overcome some
of the atrocious lines allotted
him. Mention also Rose Burdick.
George Hart. Alex Onslow. and
Walter Walker in roles that are
nicely filled. Hans Robert, as a
reporter on the trail of the
elusive news item, plays a brief
EnTCATTnN T0V