Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-19
September Prelude to
New Playhouse Season
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON,

frankness. may go on and on almost
until its promoters grow weary OF
making money. something which
rarely happens except i'll the case OF
a managerial quarrel.
y
The outstanding offer Of the pres
ent thester. so far as public interest
is concerned. is the posthumous film
revealing Rudolph Valentino. the one
player OF them all who mas absolute
~ compelled recognit on OF the nm
lrt as able to claim i'll a high mo-
nent recognition on equal terms
with the spoken drama. He has utll-
zcd facial expression, with hnesse
he more compelling because he
never seems conscious OF his own
gifts. in a manner which leaves the
spoken word unnecessary. A great
PLAYER needs a great author, ana II
was when appearing as an interpreter
of characters from lbancz that he
made the proioundest impression on
he admirers most anxious to take HIM
with the artistic seriousness he de-
served and TO map out in hope a ca
.eer on the highest intellectual lev
els of which the screen, still young
in it's development. IS capable. al
entino. a favorite in thoughtful atten-
ton since he appeared in The -Four
Horsemen.' had the dangerous gilt
of being able to bring an element OF
idealsm to any play in which he ap-
pcarcd. however conventional the
theme or usual the method Of action
involving the surrounding figures.
THE Son of the Sheik" is the story
Of type that has become very usual,
indeed. Its conspicuous incidents de-
pend on the ever-avallable tree-tor-
all fighting. IN which one hero con-
ouers halt dozen men, and of anna
tory exaggerations, which long since
passed from sensational interest ::
even as long ago as when the Olga
Nethersole kiss was regarded as
heart explosion calculated to shake
the foundations of society. A hne,
sensitive nature speaks even through
the hurry burly. as his countenance,
Supremacy placid in repose. reflects
the emotions of his role as mirror
reflects the lights and shadows OF
the passing moments. His playing
is Ike his life career, marvellous
intensity. AT the age OF 81 he had
attained a supremacy as eXtraordl-
nary as it was undisputed.
| X X Il
Whether or not Valentino was in
full sympathy with all the material
placed at his disposal or with all the
methods employed for his promotion
along the lines OF publicity cannot be
known. He struggled for his early
chance, and player must surrender
his real identity in large degree as
he falls into the grip OF those ilnagi-
nary figures of literature. which be-
come more powerful than human
identity itself
It would have been fine thing for
the theater could Valentino have
plavcd some Of the things that have
tested the powers OF great actors Ill
works that endure through all time.
When Henry Miller, and later. Mar
tin Harvey, appeared here in stage
version of Dickens Tale of Two
Cites" longtime familiarity with the
book did not prevent it from beng
hailed a a new dramatic masterpiece.
In follow ing the latest and last film
Of Valentino. there is a certain pleas
ure to be derived, aside from the
performance itself. in following the
delicate standings of the artists eN-
preston. and. in fancy. applying them
70 deincat1on of the role OF Sidney
Carton. Z dclineation which, had it
been possible, would surely have sur
passed the work even OF men who
held the spoken stage, as recognized
,,,op,ie,-S of their art