The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-04-11
DESERT SONG
LOOKS LIKE
WINNER
BY DOROTHY HERzOG

ny DOMU = III AhEAeGOU
Copyright. 1929, Premier syndicste1
HOLLYWOOD, Calf, April
11.-''D'ja hear how the Grand
Canyon happened to be?,' Gene
Hum asks. "A scotchman drop.
ped ten cents p gopher hole
Light Operry
Hollywood editors saw and
heard their initial outloud light
opera 'tother eve. To wit: The
Desert Song" Vitaphone
Warner. The picture spells box
office.
It 50 changed that We hatcher
of this coIyunl has seated away
over in the right corner Of the
theater. From this delicious spot.
the picture offered more angles
than you could shake a stick at.
Sort OF q ''Dr. Caligari Cabinet"
effect. Legs, necks, faces equaled
a distorted mirror at Coney Island
or Venice. 1t was swell. Johnny
Arthur's comedy ordinarily would
have been enough, but the nice
person who donated me a duo
of ducats kindly saw to it that
my visibility would at all times
be superlative.
From a right corner angle in q
movie palace, am compelled to
be pessimistic over any nonsense
in favor of the fourth dimension,
not even the first dimension has
much In it's favor.
Came the end OF "The Desert
Song" and several people hur.
ried back stage. The fem in
front Of me thought they were
enroute to congratulate the
actors. But. as suggested before,
q right corner seat is not con-
ducive to stellar thinking.
In due course, out strobe Con-
rad Nagel. On the stage, to be
sure. He requested the audience
to refrain from making use OF
their favorite fire exit until the
desert singers had been bowed on
and Off. John Boles received
thunderous. hand. And well he
deserved 1t. For John, despite
his vocal gestures, gave a roman
tic performance favored with
light operry technique, and his
voice was grand Following John
came Carlotta King.
Mr.. Nagel Waxed prolific In
praise of Miss King, whose voice
also merits applause. Indeed, Con.
rad, compared sinematic debut
with that of AL Jolson. Ordi-
narily, this would have rendered
an audience Inadequate of mus
eular movement, but Hollywood
first nighters have learned hardi-'
hood, 50 Miss King received
appreciative applause.
Twas a festive night for Jack
Warner, Daryl Zanuck, Director
Roy Del Ruth and members of
the cast. Less one forgets,
Myrna 10y as the native girl
spiced her performance with "it"
and an accent that should bolster
her popularity in countries still
native in dress and customs.
Tt means no never mind to
remark that THE Desert Song
started an hour late. Expect,
during the intermission Betty
Brown remarked that she just
espied man with a long beard
who had entered the theater
smooth faced.
Screenalities
Mildred Davis Lloyd has been
X. o'ed by her tonsils again. One
of these days Mildred's gonna
have 'em bobbed As for
Harold, wen, the boy is garnering
rugs for the new Benedict Canyon
Mansion when he isn't cutting
the silent version of his new
comedy, Chinatown, or what
ever name it will bear when
matured in cans. Harolds also
navigating in the directions OF
drapes and furniture for the
house. The lad is domesticaIly
as well as Systematically clever
and have you heard the
story Of the little girl who asked
her mother where God lived?
Her mother pointed up. "Oh.
then he's Lindy's brother" the
youngster beamed, satisfied
Lois Wilson and Leslie
Pearce showing off from the.
Metropolitan lot aboard a tan
StutZ.