Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
Flashes From the Screen
Bye. E. Nelson.

~ URING the last presidential
Inauguration in Washing.
ton it was estimated By
certain hounds for figure:
that so many million words hac
been written concerning the
event. The grand total was prob
ably quite small when compared
with the millions of words written
about the last battle of a CEN
tury," when gloved gladiators
punched each other around q
squared circle. But all this leads
to the fact that even the above
underestimate fall into the shade
when placed alongside the words
written about Greta CARLOS
voice. Yes, we are happy to note,
Greta has a voice. It is not a
singing voice. not a voice of such
outstanding quality as to make it
necessary to write home about 1t.
But, nevertheless, it is voice with
unusual sound picture possibil-
tiles. / hereby add words to the
mounting peak of Greta's popu-
larity.
And, aside from the fact that
Greta possesses a voice, her
newest picture, Anna Christie, .
from the Eugene O'Neill stage
play, steps into theatrical ver-
nacular as a knockout. The
grace and intelligence of the star
has much to do with this par
ticular fact. She is given a story
which is worthy of her ability;
she lives in the role and justifieS
the extravagant claims of the
press agents. She shows an
abundance of emotional energy,
and her portrayal of the tragic
heroine, Anna, is the best single
bit of screen work since the mo-
ton picture came into being as
a medium of entertainment.
But there is another point con-
corning anna Christie" which
deserves special mention. The
Carlo is surrounded by a small
but very select company. George
Marion, former star of the stage,
who fills the role of Annals father,
is an accomplished actor. The
only fault which might be found
with his work is the fact that he,
doubtless, cultivated a stage
accent for his Swedish part-a
stage accent which always accom-
panieS the portrayal of Swedish
character. Greta, playing opposite
and knowing little of the English
language, is true Swede, and yet
her accent in no manner reSem-
bleS that of Marion. Then, too,
the star is fortunate in the direc-
tors, Clarence Browns, selection
Of leading man, Charles Bick-
ford. The latter plays in the part
of the wild Irish sailor in great
style-strong, clustering man OF
the sea.
Now we get down to a player
whose work is, perhaps, just as
good as Miss CARLOS. We refer
to Marie DreSSler, an actress long
a familiar figure on the American
stage. In her part of the female
"Old Soak" she wins a niche in
Hollywood'S movie hall of fame.
She is the living. breathing, hard
drinking character she portrayS.
Miss DreSSler has found her ideal
medium: the screen has needed
her work for the past 80 years.
She is an artist.
x
THE screen version of anna
Christie" should be one of the
greatest box Office features of the
year, and perhaps of motion pic
ture history. Especially will this
be true if the play was originally
bought by Metro Goldwyn- Mayer
for silent production. If the
author, Mr.. O'Neill, was paid a
lump sum for his work by the
producers, the play remained in
the hands of the film magnateS
and could be turned into a sound
production when they we're ready.
The early silent version, which
made money for its sponsors, did
not follow the original stage play
as closely as the present sound
movie. The returns from the
Greta Carlo edition, aside from
the salaries of the cast and studio
workers, should be pretty nearly
all profit. And it was not an ex-
pensive picture to make-no
elaborate scenes and no expensive
settings. Even the cast is small
one-but what a cast!
WHILE she did not appear in
pictures during the past
couple of years, Mabel Normand,
who died few days ago at Mon
rovia; Calf, was once looked upon
as leader in her particular field,
the early Slap-stick comedies. It
was in this class of photoplay at
traction that she made a name
for herself, and one of her out
standing feature roles was in
TITLES Punctured Romance" a
comedy which swept the country
many years ago. Later. when she