The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-01-22
IGLEANINGS
SCREENINGS
-. AND
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

by Elmer Rice, will probably
pack his Forty-eighth Street
playhouse for many months.
Mr.. Brady has produced fail
ure after failure, and ali of
Broadway will wish him luck
on his first hit in five years.
They tell the story that after
William A. had decided to pro-
duce "Street Scene" he called
in George Cukor to direct it.
Mr.. Cukor studied the script,
which called for a unique set
ting showing a brownstone
tenement front in a New York
side street. Then the director
asked to be excused while he
procured a cup Of coffee. He
never came back, Elmer Rice
then decided to direct it himself.
His work and the setting pro-
vided by Joe Melziner are now
the talk of Broadway.
This setting, incidentally, is
the one reason Mr.. Brady did
not open his play in Washing
ton. He is fond of this city
for his premieres, because, he
contends, he gets, g more intel
ligent opening night audience
here than it is possible to as
semble elsewhere in this broad
land.
And. in case you can't
identify Elmer Rice, he is the
playwright who gave the stage
"0n Trial." which, made into a
talking movie, has just COM
pleted three weeks at the Metro
politan.
What smart fellow, is, this
Morris Gest. He brings Bailieff's
"Chauve Sonris" over from
Russia for another American
tour (which viii include Wash
ington) and he assures himself
an opening night til alter
crowded with New York's most
influential citizens. How? BY
having a drop curtain painted
on which he has pictured 200 of
the Intelligentsia Of the Big
City. What's the result? They'll
go to see themselves between
the acts and to discuss that cur
tain. Mr.. Gest has discreetly
picked most of the prominent
editors and writer's of the
Metropolis for curtain
Qualification. They'll all write
about it. Being flattered and
tickled a bit, what they turn
out will probably not do his
show any harm whatsoever.
A smart piece of Snowman
ship which adds another red
feather to the velour fedora of
Morris Gest. Perhaps, after all,
the real credit goes to Oliver
Saylor, about as good as they
come when live press agents
are discussed.
Producer Arthur Hammer
stein has closed "Polly" after a
two weeks run that cost him
$4,000. This show and "Rain-
bow" which broke Producer
Phillip Goodman, are the sea-
sons costliest flops.
Lest you feel TOO badly for
Producer Hammerstein it might
be added his losses will not post
pone his annual Palm Beach
frolic. He produced Rose Ma
RE" which earned many times
$4,000, and is still paying divi-
dends. This winner stops off at
Polls in mid February on what
is said to be its farewell tour.
It is the starring system
which puts the name of Charles
Buddy Rogers and Nancy Carr
roll in the featured type pub
Licking "Abie's Irish Rose" cur
rent at the Metropolitan Thea
ter, although the acting honors
Of the Anne Nichols screen play
go entirely to Jean Hersholt.
Al genuinely moving perform
ance is contributed by Mr.. Her
shoIt, and have never wit
messed q truer picture Of anguish
than that provided as Solomon
Levy walls the doleful chant for
the dead when he disowns his
son for marrying outside the
orthodox faith.
Nancy Carroll and Buddy Rog-
ers are heard in the only other
sound sequence of consequence.
She sings Rosemary" and
Little Irish Rose" with the
boy friend at the piano.
Paramount was, as the trade
says. ''in the box" heavy on
Able, as originally produced.
It was withdrawn and the
sound and symphonic score
added. Now it is registering
satisfactory crosses every
where. II ought to, for the
millions who saw "Abie" as q
play must certainly find the
film version satisfactory.
Box-office records fell Sum
day and Monday at the Roxy
Theater in New York with the
prospect that the prize week
receipts of $4,000 attained by
Street Angel, /" win be sur.
passed. The picture is "In Old
Arizona" the first taIker made
out Of doors, with Warner Bax-
ter, Dorothy Burgess and Ed
nlund Lowe featured.
William Fox has Western
Unioned his Washington man
agement to set sail for the F
Street box-office record next
week. The picture comes into
the Fox on Saturday.