Evening star., 1924-07-20

"WHAT's the use OF teilin' 'em, If
they don't pay no attention to
what you say?" This from the crest
fallen critic who has knocked a
movie or praised a play. Laws.
you can't believe q word they say.
These reviewers tell you q things
rotten. when you've seen it with your
own eyes and know it's one OF the
best that ever came to Washin gton.
And look how they gloried over so
and SO and so and so, and you knew
both of 'em were simply vile" And
this from a usually imperturbable
public.
What's the use Of being a critic?
Who wants to be q reviewer when
people won't believe what you tell
'em. What's the use OF reading re-
views, when you don't believe word
they say?
From the day when the bare
legged, fur-clad denizen OF the pre-
historic cave first gave a mighty
swing with his knotted club to the
afternoon when the matinee idol
knocked 'em silly with his big blue
eyes, his curly hair and his immacu-
ionged for power The bliss of DOM
ination, The indescribable glory OF
the autocrat! And psychologists say
that he never gets rid OF the ieeilng.
He wants to boss his home. his office
and the whole shooting match. He
doesn't want to be gainsaid. II
Others do not believe as he does,
they're wrong. That's all there Is
about it.
Jack London. first historian of the
= olt ciy
learned volume that even back when
they didn't use cushions to SIT on
the bare ground and fur was plent-
ful the general public believed and
did what it liked. And that's that
Just a word in extenuation OF both
1t was a warm afternoon. The pic
ture was one of those super-spe-
cial spectaculars that the movie
maker calls a hair curler The thea
ters new ventilation system was
lighting the battle of Boreas against
big odds. The electric fans Were
buxzing and conversation about the
fashions. about politics. even about
the bail game, was difficult me Inc.
projecting machine began lts oeaoi!
work and the audience settled DOWN
The weary reviewer sauntered m
after a battle over her credentials S
with the manager at the door ana
over her rights as critic with tne
assistant manager. She sank WeariiS
into a seat in the sidelines, Where.
strange to say, the movie Visloh ID
always distorted. --.t
she watched the picture and she
watched the audience. the chap VINO
sat next was snoring pleasantly, put
all else was still, still with q oeaIniy
stiffness that dared oblivion. She
had seen other pictures that day
and liked them, probably because she
had near seats in the center or the
theater This one. however, seemed
get away x6 from on hfr fe ne bns auosee ysWn
now and then. When all was over
il left the theater to hunt cool
drink or something to eat. A1ter-
noon audiences are always hungry.
because they are mostly girls ano
girls have a right to be anything
except q reviewer.
The reviewer dragged her tired
feet back to the office. The porter
was cleaning up and there was
enough dust to cloud any vision. Then
alter manager and the audience later
fairly howled At what she said. They
had the right to do 30. She had
given her own best judgment-and
it was rotten. At least manager and
audience thought so. And there you
are WI. What nisbt is poor dsyI Nsl to nfsht d9 in
summer. But the theater was not
Uncomfortable The play was pretty
good. At least that is what the he.
reviewer thought. He had had a good
dinner and had smoked his favorite
cigarette. His last year flannel suit
cleaned and re-pressed, felt comforta-
BILE. He heard many in the audience
applaud enthusiastically. He thought
they liked the show. He rather liked
it himself That night he broke loose
OF course, it was the best company
that had ever been to Washington.
The play? A masterpiece. The per-
formance? 1t couldn't be beaten.
around to see the surging masses
drawn to see it by his especial elo-