The Washington times., 1929-07-15
.GLEANINGS
-:s AND
SCREENINGS
By JIM RING


senseless, bitter irony.
There probably is an "inside
story" After his splendid
achievement in Fashions in
Love-" received enthusiastically
here by movie fans last week,
it seemed that wild horses could
not stop the films best high
comedian from making a start
lingly successful comeback in the
talkies.
Crediting the lords Of high
dominion in the film world with
a willingness to please the pub
lie and to be guided by the
trends of critical opinion, one is
at a loss to know why Menjou
was unable to get a job.
According to the first dispatch
from New York, he tramped
from one studio to another,
like the greenest extra, seeking
a master for his talents-Men-
jou, mind you, with great fol-
lowing of screen fans and gain
ing more friends daily with
each showing of Fashions in
Love-" Is the world going
crazy, or is that story rs in
credible as it sounds ?
One story received here, said
to be not far from the. truth, is
that Paramount had trouble in
finding stories for Menjou.
He made couple of silent
pictures which weren't strong
enough to get downtown show
ing here, and followed with
Fashions in Love-" the last
work under his contract with
Paramount.
Then the fun began. It's said
Adolphe wanted more money
under renewal of his contract
and couldn't get it. In fact,
Paramount decided it had wor-
ried sufficiently about locating
stories for him; also, that his
talents were peculiarly adapted
to plays with bit of the risque
in them-and such films are
always dangerous, in view of
the censorship in many cities
and States.
So, the company quietly told
Menjou he was washed up. The
star, piGued, gave out a num-
ber of New York interviews in
which Paramount was sighted
either by reference or omission.
And the outcome was that he
could find no work.
This seems a fairly reasonable
tale, and there's no reason why
it shouldn't be passed along to
you.
The fact remains, however,
that, in Fashions In Love-"
Menjou made most talkie stars
look like 80 plugged pennies,
and certainly rated a chance to
cash in on his comeback.
The burning lines on Menjou,
which we fatuously suppose you
have perused in a white heat of
indignation, were written Sat-
urday morning.
Later in the day, afire with
curiosity over the scant cour-
tesy shown Menjou, this depart
ment sent a wire of inquiry to
Monta Bell, boss of the big
Paramount plant on Long Island.
He, above all others, should
know what was wrong, as he
had directed Menjou in some of
the stars most successful films
and had spoken highly of
Adolphe's abilities in the past.
Returning to the shop yester-
day afternoon, we found the
following telegraphed reply:
DEAR JIM IT ALL
SOUNDS LIKE HYSTERIA TO
NE STOP so FAR AS I
KNOW MENJOU FINISHED
HIS CONTRACT WITH THE
COMPANY AND THERE WAS
NO OTHER PICTURE AT THE
MOMENT THAT WE COULD
CROWD INTO OUR SCHE-
DULE REGARDS MONTA
BELL"
All of which would seem to
bear out the generally accepted
story that Paramount was tired
of hunting stories for its favor
lte man-about-town.
Another wire from Hardie
Meakin, Fox publicity purveyor:
ANNOUNCEMENT EX-
TRAORDINARY THE FOUR
TEEN GORGEOUS FOXETTES
ARE NOW INCREASED TO
SIXTEEN FOXETTES."
Visiting firemen should be ad-
vised that the Foxettes are the
members of the Fox Theater's
ballet. But come, come, Mr..
Meakin! What are the new
ones names-the names, man,
and right speedily, egad!
Tomorrow evening, rain or
shines the investigating commit
tee of this department (includ-
ing Blake, of Scotland Yard,
the man with the gimlet eyes),
viii move upon the Jardin Lido,
atop the Arlington Hotel, to
continue our thrilling expose of
WashingtOn's outdoor resorts.
AS guest-artist on this Occa-
sion, the committee has retained
the services of Joe Cucumber,
the diet expert, better known
as the boy in the blue pajamas!
Watch this space!
For two years, Dolores Del
Rio tells us, she has been search
ing for a double in Hollywood,