The Washington times., 1929-04-01

y -
Broadway Melody has BEEN
expdrtly told through the smooth.
flowing continuity provided By
sarah Y. Mason. You follow the
the adventures Of the Mahoney
sisters, pair Of small Tins
dancers, given their chance for
Broadway fame and riches by
Eddie Kearns, Tlnp0n Alley
composer and actor, efgaRed 10
tls less attractive Hank Of the
sister team.
The story really begins With
their arrival ON Broadway, You
see Mr.. zanfield. producer of the
great spectacular musical revues
surrounded ~ an army Of Eyes
Men, In the process of whipping
toeether his latest Ss.60-asseat
allure.
sWin Mr, zanfisld watch the
act Of the MaSoney sisters?"
pleads Eddie. why. yes as
long as his singing star wants Ii.
So Hank and Queenie come trip
ping out with Eddie and the or.
chestra takes up their number.
Zanfield stops the tune after
few bars. They won't do. he
says. Eventually It Is maneu,
vered so that "Queenie, the more
youthful elfafkiler Is assigned the
glOrified task AZ riding nightly in
a dream boat while the less at
traetivs Thank Ii placed asa
hopfer II the show.
Meanwhile Eddie has discovered
1t sQueenie for whom ne
now possesses consuming alice.
tion. .Queenie'' gets tho usual
adultatiOn from the stage door
hangersa0n and eOne jock War
riner lures fer ID his duplex
apartment with promises of ke5Ilss
Meanwhile Hank has discovered
that el4e has lost her hold 0fl
Eddie, and Tn one or the smash.
i1gly effective scenes Of the pic.
ture, Hank lDAssie LoveD chides
him for permitting WARMER To
dazzle his sweetheart Eddie
hies tO the Warmer apartment
ana is uncerem0niousIy tossed out
on f1is ear. The sOIace he finds
Il that it took six huskiee to
accomplish the election. Then
QlieeIik discovers that It Is Eddie
5SAftt y +l4ttA1l&ES VeAaSs AA41s
4 picture fades out with the love.
Able little Hank, resigned 70
sacrificing her own happiness 70
assure sister Queenie's future.
riding back with new partner
/ to so weeks on the Pantages
time, and opening In Peoria.
Afl sOf this Ii nItlde tremendously
appealing Nv the superb perform
ance 0t Bessie Love. Herr is an
actress, hitherto cast IN Ia shy
little mouse sort of the stories.
rho. given real chance, becomes
4 dill tO the life, and checks III
with u cilaracterization you viii
long fenfen1ber She can sing
dance, and. best soe al, act her
lines. IL you can resist 3 moist
eye when Hank, realizes she
s has lost her Eddie, but goads him &
] Into protecting aQneenie, n then
you are as unconditional as an lee.
berg. What u have been trying
/ to say Is that Bessie Love .
just great.
anita Page. one Of the buddinR
blooms 0f the Goldwyn forces, u
always 4 complete eyeftil as
Qneeiiie.' 2 She rates q
when the scenes compel her to act
with Bessie Love, but can con-
Geive Of no ingeAue who could
meet such opposltio on mere
physical attractions. Charlie King
is the Eddie kearlls and for
Hollywood novice immensely typ
icais 81 Broadway a. the tWOya:
day ego.
Little character Bits help to
make Broadway Melody Vividly
realistic. For iTist4flce YOU viii
be tickIad more than once by the
uncle OF the Mahoney sisters, b
vaudeville booker given to sttitter.
ing but making the best Of Il, -
skillfully portrayed by jed FrOaty.
And there Is one of those con.
genital s0tIse pots-that person At
the party who always picks the
right time for the wrong thing
q character for laughs introduced
by& Marshall Ruth.
you Were Meant for Me- Is
the lingering tune of this feature.
although 'sBrOadway Melody and
The Wedding Of the Painted
DOll'' are other numbers beauti-
fully staged and given fine nnuei.
cal enibelli llishment.
The PAINTED Doll'' number Is
q strikingly Elective example of
what the camera can do when
concentrated on the purely spec
.tacnlar 1t 10 q gorgeously con-
ceived fnterIude In the typical
Broadway optical manner. Slori.
fled girls ascend, in elevators and
filter about, with addgio dancers
and other speciality performers
I mingled with the enhancing bal
let Just as an indication Of how
Hollywood can compete with the
modern musical stage director it
is worth the closest study.
In closing a word for James
Gleason. author IL rs Eat So,
and "ShanToTls Of Broadway" who
fashioned the dialogue. Also the
recording IS more advanced to.
wards the ultimate perfection
than any vet heard? Hafry Beau.
mont directed Broadway Melody"
sld deserves a post graduate
Sl1eepSltin TO add to his "Dancing
Daughters" diploma. And before /
sign off. the picture Is now show.
ing at Loew's Columbia stheafer.
Lionel Barrymore becomes
director In the Metro Movietone
oHAe-act drama OF the World war,
Confession, 8 with Robert Ames
and Carroll Nye IN the lead roles.
This little tid.bit Ii one Of tlle
classics Of the recent short.subiect
field. Added to the Bill Is the
Fox MOvietone news. the M-G-M
news, and the prelude 81 thA
Columbia orchestra Conducted 81
Claude Burrows
Bessies Good Luck