San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-23
SAUCY STARS.
ARE CALLED
SILLY
Alan Dale Asks Relief
From Depressing
Sameness.
By ALAN DALE
Famous Dramatic Critic of Universal
Service.

FAMOUS Dramatic Critic OF UNIVERSAL
Service.
Copyright, 1925, by Universal Service.
NEW YORK, Aug. %. - Surely.
the saucy flapper has exhausted her
possibilities. We have had her served
up in all styles. She has pointed
morals and adorned tales. There
has been no end to her re-
formatory work. We. have heard her
"cuss and swear" we have seen her
dipping into the elusive flask" she
has smoked like volcano, and, above
all, she has completely routed poor
mommer and pepper Poor mommcr
and pepper have retired vanquished,
and the playwright has always sought
to prove that the good old days were
over. and that the ancient regime has
no further usefulness.
WANT A CHANGE
Personally i am a bit tired Of the
theme-pungent thought it did seem
at one time. There is sameness to
it; it has developed sad monotony.
We have almost begun TO yearn for
the simple, little white muslin heroine
of less sophisticated days-for the
cute little girl who looked at views
of Switzerland whilst mommer dis.
cusSed themes too old for her; for the
nice transparent maiden who had the
shock Of her life when kissed: for the
maid who blushed and looked coy at
the slightest provocation. am in
clined to think that such a heroine
today would really make hit, as
lgiant novelty. Moreover, whatever
Ne may aver to the contrary, l hon
ostly believe that innately, we prefer
her\ She is at least restful. pretty,
earncet, and capable of being sur
prise9.
FIRST PLAY OUT
In fhe first silly flapper play Of the
season at All Depends" at the Van
derbilt Theator, we have two of these
flappers who, as the curtain rises,
invade a twin.bedroom. Later on, they
are perceived recumbent in their bed
steads swapping condolences, and ad.
hitting that they preferred married
men,, One of them asserts that she
invariably gets all her hats from per
suasivo men. In return, she gives
them n stale kiss--a peck. MS it were.
And they are satisfied. The other, in
her nightie, sips booze from a flask,
and enjoys is all very much indeed.
The differences are n bit discOuraging.
We are asked to believe that these
are really good girls"-es the phrase
goes. That is to say. they lack the
courage Of their convictions. and their
bark is worse than their bite.
TERRIBLE BORES.
I'll confess that these silly pictures
InH en-
overdrawn and so anaemic. Nothing
is proved by them, and nothing is
rectified. The idea of establishing the
fact that the days Of parental influ-
ence is over, is stupid. We know it.
We are glad of it. There is nothing
very pathetic about it. The parent
"bogey" has been exploded. We real
lie that neither mommcr nor pepper
has any right to attempt to rule the
lives Of the children whom they
brought into the world, willy-nilly.
But to have il all rammed down our
Threats as though IL were of revolu-
tionary Importance. play in and play
out, is terrifyingly dull and futile.
I should hate to count up how many
plays l have seen dealing with this
topic. They are always offered
preachingly. with n lesson to exploit.
| certainly trust that we shall not
have an overdose this season. The
audience Mt the Vanderbilt laughed
instructively at the nonsense imagin-
ed by the playwright. One of the
cute little flappers chased married
man" into a room and then shut the
door. An audience that had lacked
sense of humor until then, broke
into irrelevant mirth.
WHY SAY MARRIED MEN?"
The redundantly foolish phrase
married man" might be delcted from
the new season. The word married"
Is sufficient. When fat actor is
described as n married man. he
looks awfully foolish. As merely
married" he is more cndurablc. /
know am butting against serious
convention, but / really think my
"butt" would improve the situation.
In the play Mt the Vanderbilt the
married men" are such blooming
idiots that 1t is quito impossible TO
accept them seriously. They are
cnch under the sway Of the irresponsi-
BILE damsel--the "demi-vierge'--whilst
pathetic wives deplore the situation.
This sort of play gets ones goat. IL
shows such n lack Of imagination.
We would prefer to believe that more