Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-30
The Weeks Attractions in Local Theaters
Reviews of New Photoplays and Stage Productions

tedlum. Ihe farce SITUATION is delivered
with some sparkling dialogue. But the
background is dazzling affair, done In
the million dollar-movie" manner. The
entire picture is filmed in color, and
the musical comedy fade-out, with its
troupeS of girls, its whirl OF dancing
and its extravaganza Of setting OUT
Ziegfelds Ziegfeld to the extent Of sew
eral hundred pounds Of tinsel.
Winnie Iightner is the whole show as
the Spirit of Civilization" in working
hours and philosophic gold-digger in
hours off. In this one picture she has
placed herself at the top of screen
condolences, and her comedy, her songs
and her inimitable facial expressions
should assure the success of far in
ferior movie.
Albert Gran, who plays the "sweet
daddy" to the ebullient Winnie, does
a good but strenuous bit of comedy:
Nancy Wexford enacts the lead well
enough, and Conway Tearle makes his
movie return in her support. display,
ing less of that strong silent" pose and
more sense of humor than we have
hitherto credited him with. Many OF
the songs are carried and repeated by
Nick Lucas. the grooming troubador,"
who incidentally got his following over
the radio anyway. Ann Pennington OF
and her contribution to the general
Scandals fame is the featured dancer,
gayety is of high order. Lilyan fash
man and Gertrude Short do some clever
teamwork the former wearing her
gowns with her usual sophisticated flair
The two youngsters who start all the
trouble and sustain so per cent OF the
heart interest Sre William Blackwell and
Helen Foster.
owing to the length of the picture
the two newsreels are the only subs"
RIALTO an asdapts at aTf f4cm
Tonight Owen Davis stage
at Twelve" production, is the fea-
ture picture now show
ing at the Rialto Theater. Unfortunately
it is a type of play which depends upon
dialogue for whatever success it may
achieve and in this either the appa-
ratus or the actors themselves fall
short. It is difficult and at times I'M
possible to understand the talking
sequences. Lacking materially in action,
there is little assistance from the pic
tured version.
The story involves a jealous woman
who finds a note which her huSbanI
has written to another woman. She
invites her three best friends to dinner,
then accuses each of being her huS-
bands particular friend in so-called
clever effort to determine the guilty
person. Her son and daughter OF one
of these friends are sweetheartS and
they and the unSuspecting husband
are helpless participants in the trouble
which ensueS.
Madge Bellany is the charming
daughter who looks exquisite and tries
hard to make a leading role with very
little opportunity. George Lewis as
the son and lover does well enough,
though the strained atmosphere is not
conducive to any outstanding display
of talent. Margaret Livingstone. Vera
Madeline Seymour and Josephine Brown
Reynolds, Norma Trevor, Mary Doran,
are cast in other feminine roles and
Robert Ellis, Italian Corley and Don
Douglas are masculine members in sup
-ort.
Four married couples, supposedly
friends, find themselves in a maelstrom
of suspicion and deception before the
final curtain. Perhaps they know what
it's all about. There are occasional
touches of humor to break what might
otherwise prove a very heavy hour.
The Evening Star-Universal News
Reel is a highlight of the program,
showing among many interesting news
events, excellent pictures of the Trum-
bull-Coolidge wedding.
Pat Rooney and his family appear
in short film. which offers them an
opportunity for some expert dancing.
An Oswald. comic completes the bill.
PALACE A comedy ms. sup emit
"Three Live along with the Three
Ghosts Live Ghosts" and has
Been -tranlposea frYm
the stage to the sound screen with all
of its frothy humor Intact. At the
Palace Theater this week it is having
its premier run in Washington.
To begin with, Fred S. Isham, who
wrote the play for the stage, gave us
the most rollicking comedy of the host
that had their inspiration from the
World War He painted some charac-
tiers who should go down in fame for
their realism along with Mrs. Wigs OF
the Cabbage Patch, Mrs. Malaprop, Tom
Sawyer and others of their ilk. Added
to this, Max MARGIN has corralled ex-
actly the right people to portray these
priceless roles. Beryl Mercer is superb
as Nom" Gubbins, cockney stepmother
of one Jimmie 'Iggins, officially killed
in action, but actually very much alive.
Nom" with her laundering after ''re-
wards ''-her little trickerieS and her
childish pleasure in a gaudy array of
jowels-iS ccmical and lovablc at the
same time.
Jimmie, as played by Charles Nc
leaves nothing to be desired
as the typical product of the London
slums, who, for all his lack of oppor-
tunities. has grown to be a man whose