The Washington times., 1929-02-12
GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

ness can dust off, the usual
spring alibi. AS a matter of
fact the season Of penitence
means little in the theater nova
days and those who abstain
from amusements are readily re-
placed in the lobby crowds pro-
vided the attractions billed have
pulling power.
From New York comes the
word that business at the box
office during the past fortnight
has been astonishingly good.
Among other things the man.
ayers trace it to Commissioners
Grover Whalen's new traffic
rules which make it a bit easier
to reach the theater doors in
the comfort of an automobile.
Wilfred Lytell, new leading
man of the National Players,
reported for rehearsals yester-
day with a bandaged right hand.
It is De Wolf Hopper who sings
"Some Little Bug VIII Catch
You If You Don't Watch Out"
In lis case the insect caught
Mr.. Lytell. He was working
with a trowel around the Lytell
manse in New York city on
Saturday and was bitten on the
finger. A rapid swelling neces-
STATED a visit to the surgeon
but he has the pleasing promise
that everything will be 0. K. be-
fore the curtain rises next Mon
day night.
Another vaudevillian who
found time to make a cameo
Vitaphone comedy is the brown
derbied Frank Orth. Mr.. Orth
traverses the two-a-day as the
unprogrammed comedian of
lille. Ann Codee's act. They
never have any disputes about
billing, for Mile. Codee in pri-
vate life is Mrs. Frank Orth.
The Orth screen tabloid at
the Earle is the first evidence l
have noted that the film studios
have saken up the black out
technique of the revue. "Meet
the Wife" is a skit that treads
close to line in risque dialogue
and has one of those pistol fin
ishes characteristic Of the
Scandals" little comedies.
At the Palace Theater this
week is "Shopworn Angel" a
Paramount that clicks as an
evenly interesting movie be.
cause of the deft touches in
jected by Director Richard Wal
lace. He has taken a simple
little story by Dana Burnett
and by the injection Of clever
bits made it wholly absorbing.
The ending is abrupt and will
not satisfy the average movie
goer. Il leaves the future of
the Broadway chrome in the
air nd the audience to guess
whether Nancy Carroll goes
back % her gin and dnacing
parties or remains a good little
wife. Here's one more vote for
the happy ending and let the
critics rave about it.
think much Of the success
and appeal of "Shopworn
Angel" is due TO the canton
ment camp atmosphere and the
incidents in the life of the
draftee which the director has
been able to recreate for the
picture. They are realistic and
will reawaken memories in tfe
lives Of the average boy who
was summoned to the colors in
the stirring days of 1917-18.
And right here might be q good
place to remark, "Shopworn
Angel" is not a war film al
though its hero, Gary Cooper,
is simple-minded and unso-
phisticated doughboy.
"The High Road" has pro-
vided Producer Charles Dilling-
ham with an agreeable surprise.
After its New York run he took
it to Philadelphia, where the
opening night attendance was
far from encouraging. But the
audiences liked the society play
and word of mouth advertising
sent the weekly gross to $4,000
and sell out houses for the final
seven days. Immediately Mr..
Dillingham; revised his plan to
close the play and it has been
booked for six weeks in Chicago
Immediately following the Wash
ington engagement.
It is q splendid example Of
EXPERT casting. Each of the 10
characters fit perfectly into the
rolls and IL its actors had all
been picked in London it could
not more realistically achieve
English drawing room atmos-
phere.
Rudolph Friml, noted COM
poser Of "Rose Marie" (which
comes here next weekly, the
'Vags.5ond King" and other
musical successes, who is bound
around the world aboard the
globe-girdling Canadian Pacific
liner Empress of Australia in
search of new material for
an operetta, surprised residents
of the Holy City recently by
directing the band Of the Pei
estine police as it played his
own stirring march, @The Song
Of the Vagabonds," from the re.
cent Broadway hit, "The Vaga-
bond King"
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