The Washington times., 1929-05-02
GLEANINGS
--:= AND ;::---
SCREENINGS
By ANilREw X. KEI.LEY


The best performances for
the screen today are being con-
tributed by stage actors who
never set foot on a Hollywood
lot before the films found a
voice. Take Charles Willard
Mclaughlin (Willard Mack as
an example. If there is any
better acting than Mr.. Mack
contributes in his own picture,
"Voice of the City," then it has
not been unreeled on our main
movie highways within the past
IL months. All he did besides
furnish fine example of how
. part should be played was to
provide some real lifelike dia-
logue and direct the feature.
Ruth Chatterton is another
who has forced her way into
the front rank in short order
when given a chance to reveal
what she had picked up as use.
full knowledge in the business Ut
becoming a stage star. Her
MADAME X" has been heralded
wherever shown as the supreme
acting achievement of the
talkies. Bessie Love, dependent
upon looks alone, never made
great strides as a silent actress,
but given the chance to put on
display the little histrionic
tricks acquired in stock and
vaudeville appearances, moves
to the head of the class. Lionel
Barrymore d mon Is tr atea in
"Alias Jimmy Valentine" what
a good actor could do with just
BIT to make it dominating. Al
Jolson's position was secured
with his first sound picture.
Charlie King made one feature
and was signed for three years.
Walter Huston is riveted to a
Paramount contract. Hal Skelly
has finished "Burlesque" and
was Immediately booked for an
other. The list could be pro-
longed indefinitely.
What it all proves is that
the Hollywood acting profession
is undergoing tremendous
wedding out. Only year or
two ago, an engenue with a
pretty face that photographed
satisfactorily and with shapely
you know whats, had the main
assets for a career and Santa
Monica bungalow. If she also
possessed that magic quality
known as personality she was
doubly blessed. You just had
to have youth, and beauty to
belong. Acting was secondary
consideration, because fancy
priced title writer could put
smart words into the mouths of
the stars and the actor or ac-
tress merely registered the ac-
companying emotion as in
structed by the director. Now
they must not only voice these
words with the accompanying
expressions but they must also
act as if they understood them.
Under the old system a stage
star such as Helen Hayes would
have been an inconsequential
figure in Hollywood. She is not
beautiful-as the cameras catch
beauty-nor is she the possessor
of ravishing figure. What she
has is a marvellous personality
which projects appealingly
across the footlights, voice of
fine speaking quality and the
faculty of using it effectively,
q rare talent for conveying
emotions through facial express
sion and a spiritual charm and
wholesomeness in appearance
that makes her a dominent fig
ure on any stage.
Given a half-hour's instruc-
tion on the sound stages of the
Gold Coast and I venture Helen
Hayes will act rings around the
film puppets who have been
built up and idolized for sea-
sons by movie audiences, and
who have only youth and beauty
to commend. Ina Claire is an
other.
The exhibitionists and sex
traders such sas Alice White
and Clara Bow must now be
more than Mack Sennett girls.
The Esther Ralstons, John Mack
Browns, Audrey Ferrises, and
yes, Buddy Rogers must learn to
act. The day of the lingerie
model and free show stars is
passing.
1t is not the purpose of
these observations to shatter
old idols. What is pointed out
is that the handsome and the
pretty stars are facing the
severest kind of opposition from
a source which, without punning,
was out of the picture only a
very few months ago. Those
who have intelligence and the
voice to add to their physical
charms can meet the new op-
position without being pushed
into the background. But those
who have only looks and an
empty head are due for an un-
pleasant awakening, which will
arrive about the time that con-
tracts are renewed.
Another boon which the
talkies have brought is
marked improvement in the
quality of screen stories.
attribute much of this to the