Evening star., 1929-06-24
CoLUAEBIA-"The Cocoanuts."

no defne or explain the unique COM
edy success OF the Marx Brothers Is
ampossible, and to try to discover the
elements Of their art practically useless.
One must simply take their tomfool-
cries for granted, for it Is certain, that
not In q long time has the Columbia
rocked to such unrestrained and sus-
tanned hilarity as Il did ct The Cocoa
nuts" last night.
II one does get down to brass tacks
of the thing and string together the in
perhaps, . few far-fetched puns, a
heavy dash Of slapstick hunor and q
gift for pantonime that Is unusual.
But the Marx Brothers are unique and
Aindefnable, and their clowning proves
arresistible 10 the most jaded theater-
Eoer.
s"The Cocoanuts," adapted from the
musical comedy success, is all MARKHAM
despite the fact that Mary Eaton and
oscar shaw, two bright names on
broadway, are also featured In the cast.
There is, to be sure, Q situation OF the
usual suspense" type, love afdair that
gives Irving Berlin chance to write
ssentimenta1 theme song for the piece,
land the other trappings OF musical
kcomedy. including o dancing chorus
(which suffers from poor camera angles.
4 Mary Eaton, Washington's brightest
kcontribution to musical comedy, Is
beautiful and charming and her sing
ing and dancing are well recorded.
KAY Francis does o perfect "vamp'
hit and the rest Of the supporting cast
gets the musical comedy spirit excel
lently. But when Groucho gets INTO
one Of his convulsive arguments with
Chico, or when Harpo upsets the gen.
eral morale of the place by his mute"
comedy, all else is forgotten, even the
thread of the fluffy and inconsequen-
tial story.
Two short sound subjects and two
news reels Of the sound and straight"
variety complete the bill.
FOX-"Father and Son."
In Father and Son." the talking pic
taire shown at the Fox this week, fea-
turing Jack Holt and Mickey McBann,
a boy screen-find, who has won con-
siderable notice recently, there is an
interblending Of dramatic worth In
situation and dialogue, with that form
of mediocrity that usually starts the
"cFitie" on his pleaSurable task OF tear
ing the whole to pieces. But, never
>theless, the picture has its merits and a
punch, that at times, grips, leaving the
There IL much faulty direction mingled
with much in the way Of fine acting,
and while father love" win not derive
any particular glory from the expert
ment to exploit 1t, there viii be many
who are not fathers who viii md pleas
IRE in seeing it.
To meet the demands in the express
sion Of the deepest and strongest emo
tions requires Q high type of artistry.
In the picture, the scenes, where the
most highly dramatic effects are to be
expected. are perhaps not always
treated with the necessary skill. Jack
Holt, as the father, is more than salts
factory. This is his second talking pic
tlIre and he speaks his lines with clarity
and conviction. Mickey's speech some
times sounds too much like little boy
speaking q piece" but his singing
tones and his enunciation, however, are
very good. Helene Chadwick fits snugly
into the role of the debutante of sew
eral seasons, who provides Mickey with
cookies and the whole Fields family
with sympathetic feminine understand
! ing. Dorothy Revier gives an easy and
admirable characterization of the young
adventures stepmother, and apparent
ly, the microphone will not be an I'M
pediment Of her success.
Wheeler Oakman makes a few salts
factory appearances as the villain.
A diversified stage program Is offered,
including delightfully."- costumed and
executed minuet by the Foxettes, ac-
companied by the Fox Jazzmanians, un-
der the leadership of Leon Brusiloff. John
Irving Fisher, master of ceremonies,
introduces Ted and Jack Dale. xylo-
phonists; Dorothea James, singer and
Gang: Lee and Bee Madison, slap
stick comedians, and Margaret Schil-
ling, charming soprano.
The weeks celebrity talking for Fox
Movietone News Is Chiang-Kai-Shek
and also Mime. Chiang-Kai-Shek, who,
Q graduate Of Wellesley, makes Q de-
lghttui talk In English on the new
status Of the Chinese woman.
mrRoPoLFrAN-'The Gamblers"
Charles Klein's slightly dated stage
play. "The Gamblers" has been res
urrected and revived for the enjoy
ment Of the present generation, logically
offered through the modern medium
Of the s'talkies," with pleasing results.
Oddly, and somehow uncannily, the
picture seems not only to have caught
the gripping drama Of the original,
but its antiquated atmosphere as well.
There seems to be something old about
the sets, directing and at times the
acting. 1t seems as II the film was
made years ago and recently endowed
case.
The recording, especially that of the
dialogue, Is more that Of the forced
variety which was 50 prevalent at the
outset Of audible Aims, and q not-too-
pleasant self-consciousness. The actors
work exceedingly hard to be convincing,
and thereby just miss being 50, al
though there is a pleasing consistency
about their efforts. Such veterans as
IOfg Wila0Y WQrnRr GQ0r0A
Fawcett, Jason Robards, Johnny
Arthur and the (where-did- -you-come-
from) Pauline Garon are cast in the
principal roles, with Miss Wilson, Mr..
Warner and Mr.. Robards carrying the
major portion Of the plot.
The feature picture Is Of the usual
length. and allows the Offering of q
very interesting Pathe sound news reel
along with two vitaphone short sub
1ects. The latter present Eleanor
Painter. the well known sporano, in
several ballads and songs from Carmen"
and sketch. Fresh From Holly
wood" bringing the nonsensical antics
OF the team Of Jimmy Duffy and Helen
Gleason.
PALACE-"The Idle Rich"
''The Idle Rich," Metro -Goldwyn-
Mayors all-talking production depict
ing the problems which beset members
of the middle class" who are suddenly
"swamped with riches" IL the headliner
Mt Loew's Palace this week. Exception
rs one of the best all-talking efforts
yet produced. The subject, too, Is
handled well, and II one likes realism,
even down to the details of family
quarrels, here 1t Is, served UP realis-
tically.