The Washington times., 1929-01-08
'GLEANINGS
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

Deck" have been attracting the
best business of the season for
the Belasco Theater musical
company. 1t may be held over
for a second week as a result.
Far be it from me to decry
any effort of the legitimate
theater to unite for the solution
of pressing problems. But a
15-man Judge Lands" board
can hardly be called czaristic.
And a Judge Landis with Is
voices is something that the
executive ruler of baseball would
never recognize.
1t is the news reel men who
whisper that President Coolidge
has never smiled so much for
the celluloid since that Novem-
ber day which made it certain
he could move from 1900 Penn
sylvania Ave. on March 4. But
then perhaps you've noticed it.
Yesterday the camera shooters
got two laughing pictures of the
President, something of a record.
The morning mail brings a
communication from Bill Ewing,
of the Crandall forces, giving
the Glow down" on the rumor
which is still going the rounds
that Davy Lee, the kid actor in
"The Singing FOOL" had passed
away. 1t seems that a musician
in the Ambassador Hotel Or
chestra in Los Angeles called
Sonny" Boyce was a victim of
pneumonia. Mr.. Boyce was
nicknamed "Sonny Boy" and his
death started the story it was
the child actor.
Madge Bellamy had a dis
agreement with the Fox organi-
zation and her starring contract
which had one picture to go
was cancelled by mutual con-
sent. That was all right but
the later inference added by
some scribblers that Madge was
getting fat was all wrong, Miss
Bellamy says. She was so mad
about it that she consulted her
lawyer and sundry suits for libel
were threatened unless the
weight question was settled to
everybody's satisfaction. Madge
weighs 10 and has tipped the
scale at that avoirdupois for two
years. Now that this is settled,
let's go on.
Mrs. Fiske who was scheduled
to come into the National later
in much Ado About Nothing"
has closed her tour. Poor busi-
ness. Also "The Five O'clock
Grip closed suddenly. Not
enough money to pay off Sat
urday night and Mary Eaton
and Oscar Shaw were among
those for whom no ghost walked.
"The High Road" goes on tour
Saturday and will play Wash
ington. Also Ed Wynn in "Man-
haitian Mary" is a February
booking at Polls.
Zone Mile Up" the mystery
thriller of the air. now at Polls,
will be known as Zeppelin"
when it goes into New York
within fortnight.
Sunrise" on view at the Fox,
has drawn more praise from the
critics of the films than any
picture produced in many sea-
sons. And still l must enter a
dissenting opinion to the en-
coniums heaped on the feature.
To me it was disappointment.
Apart from the spirit of Mack
Sennett which Director Murnau
yielded to in his kissing in the
street scenes and the chase of
the pig, | thought the story
unconvincing. l refuse to be-
lieve in such an overpowering
love that will enable a woman
to forget and forgive within the
hour, husband who had murder
in his eye and his heart and
was intent on drowning her in
the river. The story reminds of
the real life tragedy of Chester
Gillette, from which Dresser
fashioned his "Americ n
Tragedy"
Sunrise" has some magnifi-
cent photography and such a
scholarly critic as Archie jamie
son credits Janet Gaynor with
the greatest acting she has ever
given the screen. l agree about
the Gaynor talents but as for
George O'Brien | enter a Wig
orous minority ballot. To me
he was a total loss in this pic
ture. With the same for much
of the symbolism.
Producer Ziegfeld seems to
envy the popularity of the movie
stars and apparently would like
to have them as box office mag
nets for his own attractions.
At least he has propositioned
First National Pictures for a re-
lease of Richard Barthelmess. If
and when he secured Dicks serv-
ices it is his intention to use
him in the forthcoming East
Is West" musical. But I pre-
dict he will have the same luck
he had in trying to induce Para
mount to release Clara Bow for
"Show Girl" Which is exactly.
none at all.
NY scouts report that Earl
Carroll last night eliminated the
scene from "Fioretta" wherein
Orsino rescues Marietta from
her golden couch. In other