The Washington times., 1929-05-29
IGLEANINGS.
AND :,-...-
SCREENINGS
Bx ANDREW z. KEl.I.EY

IN the flesh Emphat1callY No.
Improve hen. with new di-
mensions, perfect synchroniza-
tion, color, full stage effects
and every conceivable advantage
and they will add up grand en-
tertainment ,ithin the four walls
of a theater. Perfect amuse-
ment- of q type within the
economic reacn Of everybody
but still distinctive from the
same show given. by actors in
person.
Their immediate effect, as /
see it, will be t. put an end to
the hammy musicals with soiled
costumes, travel-stained and de-
crepid scenery, second-class per-
formers and nothing first-class
except the box office prices.
Such touring caravans viii find
it difficult to pitch tent, hang
out q $3.50 and s. box office
sign and realize their expecta-
tion Of doing q profitable busi-
ness against the competition Of
the so cent movie.
Why, as a matter of fact,
shouldn't a crackajack screen
musical comedy, whet the appe-
tite of many = movie fan for an
evening with the stage coined
ians, girls and d near symphonic
orchestra operating on a tune
full score, as assembled by a
Broadway producer who knows
how to do pleasing job? Why,
indeed, think it would
To venture a prediction. If
MIR. Ziegfeld announced tomor-
row that the advance sale for
his production, "Show Girl, !"
would open here next week. the
lines would form at the ap-
pointed hour md hundreds would
she'll out SEQ seat, buying
the product unseen and purely
on a previous reputation for
supplying 100 per cent amuse-
ment value. Can the movies
completely destroy this longing
for stage entertainment? ? Can
they satisfy it with a screen
substitute? / doubt it.
From time to time Mr.. Zieg-
field complains that he makes
few il any dividends on his
great productions. "Whoopee, "
as an example, cost $1SO,O00 to
produce, is weighted down with
Mr.. Cantor's $1,000 weekly sal
ary and a total upkeep of more
than $4,000 every seven days.
Although it has taken in coYl-
sistently in excess Of $47, 900
weekly over a six-months period,
only the theater makes money
by this arrangement, according
to the producer.
/ have q great admiration for
Mr.. Ziegfeld's business acumen
and profound respect for his
ability to plumb the public
fancy in entertainment, but l
take what he says about losing
money on "Whoopee" with two
pinches of salt. He is, in my
judgment, a commercial pro-
ducer first and a philanthropist
afterwards. You win find that
his production schedule for next
season bears no resemblance to
the future prospects of an indi-
vidual awed by the outlook or
fearing an unconquerable op-
position.
In order to get back a rea-
sonable return on his invest
ment Mr.. Ziegfeld must charge
$4.40, $3.50 and $3.50 for his
seats dependent upon the thea
ter capacity and the city of the
engagement. Very good. The
public will pay it and does in
profitable numbers.
The movies can assemble and
produce a musical for the screen
which will return a reasonable
profit at an average 5O-cent adj
mission. Greater capacities and
continuous showings in thou
sands of theaters make this low
scale possible.
In between is the producer of
stage musical comedy of an in
ferior quality and at a so-called
popular price scale Of $3.50
or So.
1t seems to me, from this
listening-post, it is the in-be-
tween producer who is liable to
be the victim of q growing
popularity for screen musicals.
His show will not stand COM
parison with an Al stage pro-
duction boasting top-salaried
comedian, good book, tuneful
music and a first-line collection
of the. fairest maidens of the
day. Neither can it approach
the screen girl-and-melody fea-
ture, with its animated puppets
performing before settings and
backgrounds which represent the
last word in Hollywood scenic
and costuming arts, plus good
music.
Nevertheless and notwithstand-
ing that Hollywood shouts that
this and that revue is a $3.50
entertainment, it does not try
to find customers to pay $3.50.
Not vet. That aristocratic tariff
is reserved for George White,
Mr.. Dillingham;, Mr.. Shubert,
Mr.. Ziegfeld, Mr.. Carroll, Mr..
Erlanger. Messrs. Schwab and
Mandel and others not on
the tip of this tongue at the