The Washington times., 1928-12-24
SCREENI
By ANDREW R. KELLEY

decides that informal dress is
the proper caper for the $3.50
D. m. performance Of Strange
Interlude," we may assume it is
correct for all of US. Only here
and there, as a matter Of truth,
were the dinner-coated custom
ers observed in the National last
night.
The restaurants ought to find
the period between TAO and 3
p. m. profitable this week. The
1,5O0-odd hungry customers
turned into F Street for a
breathing spell and a bite after
the first five acts all seemed to
HE for the most convenient
menu.
"Interlude" brought out a
most representative first night
audience. It's appeal to the
Fourth Estate was manifest by
q scanning of nearby seats oc-
cupied by such as Jean ELIOT
and Mildred Brown, Aubrey
Taylor, Francis >(Pete) Daily,
Johnny Riseling, Dan E. O'Son-
nell, Capt. Heine Miller, Edmund
McKenna, Leo Pinkus, Evelyn
Gordon, Cloyd Byafs, Kay Var
borough-in fact, enough news
paper men and women to turn
out a daily with everything in
it interesting.
"TelI me-" said the esteemed
Mr.. Daily, who arrived late, "the
story of 'Interlude' in a few
words" Well, Francis, the
Lords Prayer has been engraved
on the head of pin and even
the complete Shakespeare COM
pressed into thumb nail vol
ume, but why pick on me to imi-
tate such a talent?
From the box office stand
point it is probably good busi-
ness to advertise John Gilbert
as the star of "A Woman of
Affairs" but the average movie
fan is going to concede that
Greta Garbo steals this Colum-
bia Theater picture and accom-
plishes the larceny with the best
performance she has given to
the screen.
/ was interested in observing
how Hollywood would detour
around the Will Hays blue pen
ell in the filming of Michael
Arlen's much-discussed story and
play, "The Green Hat" The fin
icky censorship has merely sue
ceeded in injecting the one false
note in a beautifully told and
expertly directed screen tale. In
the novel and the play. Iris
March's husband committed sui
eide on his honeymoon night for
what Arlen called "decency."
There was the most powerful of
reasons why he could never con-
summate the marriage without
becoming the most contemplate
of rotters. In the film YER
sion, the self-destruction is
blamed upon embezzlement. A
flimsv substitute that detracts
from the power of the story and
the reasons which animated Iris
in becoming social outcast and
declasse.
AS to Garbo, the languorous
Greta of the dropping eyelids
gives way to an utterly charm
ing woman, gallant and noble
in self-imposed silence to pro-
tect her husbands memory.
You can readily believe that
men who loved her once could
never forget her and the Gill
bert infatuation is easy to
understand. Jack of the per-
feet teeth and the ingratiating
smile has very little Of the red
hot romance which is his ac-
cepted forte in recent pictures.
In fact, / marvel that he ac-
cepted a role where he must
play an important second fiddle,
but minor tune nevertheless.
1t is easy to join in the
hosannahs for Garbo and to
share Metro Goldwyn's real per-
turbation over the thought
that she may decide to remain
in her beloved Sweden. Garbo
has demonstrated she is an ac-
tress and unless all signs are
misleading, q creator of box
office lines.
Dorothy Sebastian in "a
Woman of Affairs" has a fine
chance to show her wares. In
John Gilbert's fast picture,
Masks of the Devil" it was
the beautiful Dorothy who en-
acted the lead role until the
feature was half finished. Then
she was unceremoniously der
ricked to permit Camilla Horn
to play the lead and the story
was again acted for the camera.
Some studio politics was be-
hind the transfer which denied
the lovely Sebastian her chance.
However, guided by the ire
mendously clever Clarenc e
Brown. ace of Metro directors,
the Sebastian talent comes
through and you may look for
this budding beauty in parts of
growing Importance on forth
coming Metro Goldwyn features.
And az the last of the Yule-
tide cards trickles in, this
seems an appropriate time to
get in with a last-minute, but
none the less sincere, Merry
Xmas.