The Washington times., 1929-05-14
'GLEANINGS.
SCREENINGS
BY ANDREW r. KELLEY

the reputation of twisting
around and butchering their
stories until the writer's have
had difficulty in recognizing
their own brain children on tie
screen.
The playwrights, it seems,
are faring better. Stage authors
are waxing prosperous through
the vogue for talkies and their
dramas are reaching the magic
movie curtain substantially as
witnessed in the regular legiti-
mate theaters.
Three of the f Street shadow
dramas currently on view have
been seen on the Washington
stage within the year. In sub
mitting to camera and micro
phone transposition they retain
nevertheless the same dialogue
and continuity in the celluloid
model as in the stage version.
"The Letter" impressed me as
being a more effective dramati-
zation of the Somerset Vaughan
story than was the play in
which Katherine Cornell starred.
The play was just a mild sue
cess for a great actress. Miss
Cornell experimental with two
versions-one having the killing
as the opening dash of melo-
drama, the other bringing in the
tragedy as an epilogue. She
finally fixed on the former as
the most effective and this con-
tinuity has been followed in the
picture.
The wider scope of the camera,
which permits more expansive
atmospheric background, helps
immeasurably in making THE
Letter" more satisfying screen
story than it was a play. Jeanne
Eagles contributes highly emo
tional outbursts that are empha-
sized with the most vigorous of
gestures and happen to be re-
corded acoustically for smashing
effect. But her Leslie Crosby
is a hard-hearted, lying and
double dealing wretch, without a
vestige of honest appeal. Miss
Cornell stressed at least one
com m end b e quality in
Maugham's heroine, while en-
phasizing the studied deceit of
the character.
"The Letter" is good enter
tainment because it is finely
acted and we'll recorded. Also
because it gets away from the
stupid belief the movie audience
will not accept an unhappy end
ing. The finale is tragic but
logical.
Bayard WELLER directed his
own play, "The Trial of Mary
Dugan." and took excellent care
that the actors adhered to his
script. 1t follows the play to
the last fadeout. Lawyers find
much that is legally unsound in
the conduct of the trial, but it
remains good dramatic action
for those not concerned about
Blackstone.
There is a story that a law
professor ordered his class to
see Mary Dugan" and offered
a perriwig to the student who
found the greatest number of
statutory defects on which to
base exceptions. The bright
John Marshall who won found
over 100. although the average
movie fan will find it difficult
to locate one. And if he does
find one what of it? Are we all
candidates for district attorney?
THE Trial of Mary Dugan"
remains a triumph for direc-
torial skill because camera and
characters were juggled in a
court room interior to keep
interest focused on dialogue and
action so that the eye was not
bored by the confines of the
setting. Norma Shearer did
some loud sobbing, but Mary
Dugan's success as a picture is
not dependent upon her talents
as an emotional actress. Which
is just as we'll.
A highly waxed floor proved
treacherous for Mrs. Katie Will
son-Greene" and Washingtonian's
musical impressario has can
celled reservations for Europe on
a liner sailing tomorrow. Mrs.
Greene slipped on the floor out
side of her office last week and
what was at first believed to
be broken bones has been dis
covered by X-ray examinations
to be less serious. The injury
will confine her to her home for
some time, however, and has
completely revised her plans for
summer in musical centers
abroad.
Fox will beat rival producers
to the projection booths with his
Movetone Follies. Hence the
announcement that the local Fox
Theater will play the Movietone
Follies, day and date with the
Roxy Theater in New York,
May 25.
The Movietone Follies enlists
Clark and Mccullough, Lois
Moran, David Rollins, Sue Carol
and a host of minor stars from
among the Fox contract players.
1t arrives heralded as a produc-
ton which pursues precisely the