Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-12
OPENING ATTRACTIONS IN WASHINGTON
THEATERS
THEATERS

I town." goes with her escort and another
couple to Chinatown in search OF a
new thrill When the fireworks start
| between two tongs, led by Chuck and
Boston Charlie, Joans companions
prove their bravery and loyalty by seek
| ing safety for themselves and consign-
| ing her to the mercies of Providence.
| She appeals to Chuck for aid and fol-
lows him to his quarters, where, in the
course of time, after she refuses to go
back home alone and he refuses to give
up his unethical vocation for her way,
: he slaps her, calls her an infamous
woman, and with the gallantry and
solicitude of his kind. turns her into
the street. Whereupon she reels from
one speakeasy to another. After a
little boy, who tries to protect her, is
killed, and she Is brought to Chuck's
rooms in a critical condition, our lusty
furniture in his night club, dismisses
his employees, kicks out the reluctant
ones, gathers the now recovering hero
inc into his arms and grandiloquently
announces that they are now going
her way"
Good acting and good direction
both worthy of a better vehicle of ex-
pression-are In evidence in the pic
ture.
EARLE-"Twin Beds"
Irwin Beds" the ever-popular COM
edy, again takes on a new lease on life in
talking picture, this weeks feature at
the Earle. The picture version retains
all the sparkling humor and ridiculous
situations of the original stage farce
and adds, to great advantage, some
musical comedy entertainment, includ-
ing clever dance specially. 1.-THE Chick
en- Walk" and catchy tunes. especially
the theme song, IF You Were Mine"
Jack Mulhall plays the leading part and
displays his usual irish charm and wit.
Miller.
The plot involoves the love affair Of
telephone operator, Patsy Ruth Miller,
who desires two things-twin beds and
a trip to Europe. A SHOW" doctor,
Jack Mulhall, tries to crafty both de-
sires. Everything proceeds smoothly
until after the wedding, when the
bridegroom's show is about to fall
through because the leading man sud-
denly disappears. While the young hus-
band Is busy training an understudy
the night before the opening perform
ance, the lost leading man, much in
toxicated, enters the wrong apartment
and proceeds to make himself at home
He mbanageS to get into the second
twin bed in the newlywed' apartment
When the mistake is discovered in the
morning just before the young husband
returns, there Is much confusion while
many fruitless attempts are made to
get the intruder out before he Is dis
covered.
Some of the sets are effective-mod-
ernistic in tone. The singing of Sweet
Alkaline" by the family group Is so real
istic that it results in a bit Of high
class comedy. incidentally Jack Mulhall
sings (really) the theme song and
doesn't sound half bad.
The Earle Orchestra, under Daniel
Breeskin, offers THE Serenade" by
Victor Herbert. The added vitaphone
features include Eddie Peabody, 1.-The
Banjo Boy and His College Chun1s,"
who present first-class entertainment
and screen novelty, Dixie" The
rewsreel completes the program.
COLUMBIA-"Bulldog Drummond."
Ronald Colman in his first talking
picture. Bulldog Drummond," now at
the Columbia, Is a great success. In
his departure from roles of romanticism
to those of light comedy, intermingled
with melodran1a. Ronald seems to have
found a lead that he plays admirably.
Exceptionally fine acting in the pic
a
plot. for that of Bulldog Drummond"
Is not an overworked one. Ronald is
a young oficer very much bored with
lie. In seeking adventure his adver-
tlSement in a paper Is answered by a
young girl, who leads him through many
stirring incidents in the endeavor to
rescue her uncle, who is being tor
tured by bogus doctor. In his first
appearance before microphone Ronald
demon he
perb speaking voice. His speech is in no
way forced nor strained and his enun-
citation is very clear. To Colman the
role Of adventurer is not a new one, for
In private life, before attaining success
on the cinema, he was soldier, engineer,
adventurer and lawyer. This doubtless
has helped to great degree in this type
of acting.
Joan Bennett as Phyllis Is ideally
caSt-in fact, she is one of the most
poetical of heroines. Her every action
and movement are made with graceful
ease. and sincerity. Her voice records
unusually we'll, even to her screams,
which are indeed realistic. In the siren
role Is Lillyan Tashman, who already
has made name for herself in the
type, and her performance in Bulldog
Drummon" is up to, If not above, her
usual standard. Her voice has a seduc-
tive quality that fits her acting. Ron
AIDS friend Algy delivers his lines with
true cockney accent and style and his
every move seems to bring smiles to
the faces of the audience Montague
Love. as the owner of the fake SAM
forum, and Lawrence Grant, as the
torture doctor. are about as villainous
villains as could be desired.
The subsidiary program is exception
ally good, especially Vitaphone short
subject featuring the we'll known duo,
Van and Schenck. who sing two songs
inimitably. A Tiffany-Stahl techni-
color, "A Song of Spain; the M. g. M.
and the Fox Movietone News, with a
medley of popular tunes by the Column
bio Orchestra, complete an entertaining
program.