Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-06
COLUMBIA-"The Iron Mask"

Held over for a second week by pop
Mar demand Douglas Fairbanks latest
screen success, The Iron Mask con-
tinues TO pack the Columbia Theater
eft each showing. The film is adapted
from The Three MusketeerS ana
Tine Iron Mask" with historical bits
thrown in and a talking prologue ana
epilogUe inserted. giving FAIRBANKS an
opportunity to illustrate the dramatlc
qualities of his speaking voice. Inc
picture itself is of the silent type ana
loses little in the omission OF SOUND
features.
Fairbanks is his usual gay self. agile
of limb and deadly with the BLADE, de-
picting the spirit of seventeenth century
romance and adventure in the character
of D'Artagnan, one OF that immortal
quartet made famous by the pen Oh
Dumas AS usual some OF the SWORD
play taxes the credulity, but what pace
has credulity in the story OF D'Artag-
nan?
William Blackwell in the roles OF
Louis XIV and his twin brother shares
honors with Fairbanks. as do Nldel dc
Brulier. playing Cardinal Richelieu:
Marguerite de la Mott as Constance ana
the three who brought AthoS, Porthos
and AramiS to the screen, Leon Barry,
J. Sanford and Gina Corrado, respec-
lively.
Harry Rose, acting as master of cere-
monies in the subsidiary ''Metro-MoVle-
tone Review" entertainS with one num-
Der. singing shes My Nanny" in Al
Jolsons best style Others on his pro-
gram include George Dewey Washing
ton, colored bass, whose rendition OF
Kipling's ON the Road to Mandaiay.'
is a headliner: Johnny Marvin and his
ukulele; the Locust Sisters quintet in
some blues numbers and Marion Harris
who sings Il Wonder" and I'm More
Than Satisfied" M-G-M silent news
and Fox Moyietone news reel complete
the bill.
FOX-"The Donovan Affair"
While The Donovan Affair" could
hardly be classed as much better than
fair as stage play, it seems TO be
even less than that in its present
"talkia" version. current at the Fox,
for something has undoubtedly slip
ped into or out of it in the transition.
What is meant to be mystery melo-
drama is burleSque mystery melodra-
ma. leading to the conclusion that
somebody's sense or humor cropped up
just a little too appropriately.
Notwithstanding. there is some Vir-
tue in the piece in that it affords
CIldDCe 10 near OdCh I1OIb Wis FOlSC
is better than average and it records
welD and to see him in a new role
that of police inspector. Too, Agnes
Ayres, whose name Immediately recalls
other days, Is prominently cast in
rather matronly part which she does
well by. The remainder Of the long
cast has little to offer i'll the way of
excellence, with the possible exceptions
of Ethel Wales. Wheeler Oakman and
Virginia Browne Fair. William Col
her jr. has the romantic lead.
However you may feel about the
screen feature. there will be little doubt
as to the unusual quality of the stage
presentation, "A Maytime Revue" in
which Wee Willie" Robyn is held
over to please with his splendid tenor
voice in a number from Martha"
Then, too, there are Patti Moore and
Sammy Lewis. who make up one of the
best singing dancing teams heard and
seen here since their previous visit |
John Irving Fisher is still mastering |
the ceremonies in his own way and pre-