The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-06-05
GLEANINGS|
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW R. KELLEY


the National Theater will be q
movie house on Sunday, exhibit
ing the latest sound and dia-
logue features.
The Sabbath has been closed
date at the National during the
stock season, Impresario Coch-
ran operating upon the policy
that his versatile actors give
better performances with one
day Of rest week. It is now
proposed to light up and catch
some Of the Sunday patronage,
particularly since a $4,000
sound picture equipment has
been installed and is all ready
to send forth below drama or
synthetic musicals.
The plan calls for matinee
and evening showings of estab-
lished picture hits with all seats
reserved. Unless arrangements
slip a cog the opening will be
next Sunday afternoon with the
first attraction a showing of
the Fox Movietone Follies.
There is the chance this week
to contrast the Partisan AL Jol-
son with our own champion
nanny singer. Reference is to
Maurice Chevalier, ace of the
French music halls and Para
mounts special importation for
the talking and singing pic
. lures.
"Innocents of Paris" is his
first picture Current at the
Earle Theater) and you will
find blessed vocal talents and
personal charm lifting a medi-
ocre story intoa good entertain
ment. Ernest Vadja accepts
the screen authorship-although
doubt if he will boast about
it-with Ethel Doherty adapting
the tale for studio direction.
Chevalier can sing and when
he does you forget his accent
is still film handicap. He
learned English, am informed
while interned during the war
in = German prison camp, and
he is fast learning the art of
putting over song in the way
American audiences. seem to
prefer it. Only s. few weeks
ago he was a between pictures
star of the Ziegfeld midnight
roof show and so successfully
that the Broadway producer is
ready to sign him any time that
Hollywood turns him loose. He
knows his night club tech
nique, also, for when a check
for heavy refreshments was
placed ON his table during the
roof engagement he said, para
mount will pay it." And Para
mount / d.
Over in Paris he was the only
entertainer in recent years
whose talent was considered
great enough to warrant billing
nlarger sized type than Mis-
tinguette's famous million dol
lar legs.
When he, was first offered to
Broadway as film star of inn
portance the advertisements
gave the impression he was to
be the at" man of the movies.
Then somebody's better judg-
ment prevailed and he is now
presented on his merits as an
entertainer. About So years
old, he has smiling eyes, a rather
large mouth which is forgotten
as you admire fine teeth,
hearty laughing chuckle and
thoroughly engaging speaking
and singing voice. Singing his
familiar French songs he is at
his best, although he does we'll
with Louise" love ditty
rendered in English.
Chevalier's next Paramount
feature will be an operetta and
in it he will have the assistance
of jeanette Macdonald, one Of
the best of American musical
comedy prima donnas. Calling
him the PARTISAN AL Jolson is
merely a Complimentary way of
saying that his popularity
abroad is akin to that of Uncle
Al of our shores. His method
is entirely different.
In announcing that he has.
signed Jack Donahue to star
alone under his management,
FIorenz Ziegfeld, also made it
plain that he controls the fu-
ture talent of the prize enter
tainer insofar as it will be ex-
plotted in motion pictures. Which
is another way of saying, epic
ture men stay off and stop
making my box-office kings dis
contented."
Mr.. Ziegfeld's precaution is
accepted as an aftermath of his
differences with Eddie Cantor.
The pop-eyed comedian of
"Whoopee" not only sold the
book of Earl Carroll's next
Vanities to the Bath Tub hero
but is also helping him produce
it. Mr.. Carroll plans to open the
show in Atlantic City on June
"a and-here again rumor-the
big surprise will be Vitaphonc
talker of Mr.. Cantor. This in
spite of the fact that Eddie
- picks five $1,000 bills out of
his Saturday night envelope for
his "Whoopee'" cantoring.
Arthur Hammerstein was
peeved when Helen Kane, his
baby talk ingenue of "Good
-