Evening star., 1928-05-28
OPENING ATTRACTIONS IN WASHINGTON
: THEATERS
THEATERS

METROPOLITAN-"The Showdown.
George Bancroft in THE Showdown
Is featured at the Metropolitan thi;
week. A new Mack Sennett comedy
Smiths Holiday" and a technicolol
reel IN natural colors. Girls Of Today,
are additional attractions.
Bancroft. who starred in Under
world" is cast as Lucky Cardan, q
wandering oil driller, who seeks his for
tune in the tropics, where Loneliness
and climatic conditions drive men mad
he is confronted by his old enemy
Winter, a representative of an oil cor
pore tor. Then Wilson Shelton, an
other prospector, brings his young wife
(Evelyn Brent) into their camp in the
wilderness. Goldie. a cabaret girl, Is
concealed. the place is made a little
more presentable and party is staged
in honor Of the young Mrs. Shelton
Cardan alone fails TO welcome the bride
but grufny warns her Of the hardshipS
and urges her to return to civilization
Determined to remain with her huS-
band, who seeks the means to pay a
debt, she refuses his advice. Later
when her husband Is in the mountains,
Winter forces unwelcome attentions
upon her. and Bancroft comes TO her
rescue and gives Winter a thrashing.
Bancroft falls in love with her, and
announces to the husband that one OF
them must take her and get out. A
game Of cards is played, In which the
stakes are two oil wells and the girl. but
Bancroft relinquishes his gains and al
lows the young couple TO depart with
their oil rights intact.
Neil Hamilton as the young husband,
Selen Lynch as Goldie. Fred Kohler as
Winter and Leslie Fenton as the broth
er-in-law play their parts with skill
and conviction. The Metropolitan Or
cheStra, under the direction of Alex
Podnos. plays an excellent accompani-
ment. to the picture.
The tropical rain scene Is a photo
graphic feature of The Showdown"
The technicolor picture of Girls Of
Today is a tribute to the athletic
activity and untiring energy Of the
modern girl The comedy causes
great deal Of hearty laughter and af-
fords little Mary Ann Jackson, newest
member Of Our Gang" an oppor-
tunity TO display dinpled knee and
cocuettish smile that might well be
the envy Of any successful feminine
screen star. A news reel completes the
program.
FOX-"H / Were Single"
view" this weeks stage presentation
at the Fox, rather overshadows every
thing else in the program. The fea-
ture picture, IF I Were Single Is
sptly described as light comedy" May
McAvoy and Conrad Nagel. as young
couple who have been married about
= year. travel through a series Of mari
tai difficulties that starts when the hus-
band firts with a girl who afterward
Is revealed as a friend Of his wife.
The husband is a helpless kind Of i1di-
vidual who depends upon his wife for
everything, while she, though practical,
pretends TO care for a ludicrous music
teacher in the form Of Andre Beranger.
Difficulties for the couple start when
the husband is presented with q hand
some cigarette lighter by his wife, but
allows a woman who asked him for a
light to gain possession OF II. The
woman, as played by MyTna 10y.
eventually goes 70 his home, where she
enjoys h5s discontinue At seeing her
there. She refuses to give up the
lighter, but the wife finally gains pos
session Of il when 1t falls from her
open bag Prom that time on matters
20 from bad to worse and finally come
70 q climax when the wife and the
music teacher are forced to hide II the
tonnesu Of a closed ar used By the
husband and vampire In q ride that is
intended 70 iron out the difficulties
brought about BY the cigarette lighter.
On a lonely road they are held Up By
bandits and the presence Of the wife
and music teacher discovered. During
the rivals Of both the husband and
wife take the car and drive away.
The couple are Yeconciied while riding
home ia q milk wagon
The musical program starts with
THE Harmony Girls" Their number
Is preceded By Memorial day tabieaux
and The TreasareT's Report" a
1GoVietone featuring Robert Bencnley,
critic. WHO turned actor IL the Music
BOX Revue"
The specially revue features an or
efaestKs under the direction Of Earl Car
penteT. feature dances by Lubon and
Du Pree, comedy dances by George
wiIies and banjo duet b. Morgan and
Stone. The dancing n novel and de-
ightful
Tne overture, The sIavonic Rhap-
so6g." as played by the Fox Grand Or
caegGEa under the direction Of Leon
Brl1ssioH A Moyietoae news picture
completes the program
EARLE-ssThe yellow Lily"
The Yellow Lily featuring Billie
Dove and Give Brock, which is the
screen attraction At the Earle this
week. lg the love story of an sEchduke
and the sister 81 . sHsaii~bown doctor.
The story Is laid IN Hungary. and It's
director, Alexander Kor6z, hz& given II
tfae typsczl charm of that Land Of To-
nance and sensations. Il mas both
beauty and interest for the spectator
. and presents pretty Billie Doys IN q
Fcie II which she Is as home.
Ciise Brook as tie ATchduke Alex
snHeT whose adventures with an actress
pail 1pcn n1m. finally turns nis atten-
fs0n 20 the pretty judith, frst 70 be
nepulse6 and finally % b ACCEPTED, a.
should be the case - al stories that
end harpsly. Il Is not 3 nogei story,
set KoE1zs direction has impaired 70
st s1aE 0wn genius Ia direction In such
o way 81 70 make II seem vel worth
while
Ii the stage attraction. iaDelee ''Eadio
MtgfgGs JSck Pepper ard group Of
competent entertainers pT0Yi6e . perfod
nf gegeaEg ard amusement of the kind
that t1e tired business man ought 70
ike II l1e Is isac4lnef that way. The Elx
rSnso "a sagseS distinct hit, and the
A1z kaufman giYls both contribute de-
lsxnkfD performances TIae bali Il CON-
rsete1 WITH snort fin subjects, pless-
3ng oTcnes1al music snc supplementary
features
pALAEE-"AeEses ta sin9zpoFs"
ore II TIE naost entertaining dance