Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28

brought to the silver SCREEN all the
charm and originality, the strange
fascination and the delighted chuck
les which were offered in the stage
production 10 years ago. The stage,
however was unable to produce the
scenic effects which are to be found
in the screen version. The grandeur
and spectacular beauty do not in
any way detract from the major at
traction of the play, Otis Skinner,
who is entirely delightful as the willy,
crafty and INSCRIPTIONS beggar,
whose only redeeming quality is his
love for his daughter.
Kismet, oriental word for fate,
tells of the strange happenings,
which, in "a hours, take place in the
life of Hail, the beggar of Bagdad.
Awakening in rags upon the steps of
the temple where he has begged for
20 years, before the rise of the fol-
lowing days sun. Hail enjoys the
grandeur of riches and position;
knows the terror of threatened tor
ture and death: sees the avenging of
his bitterest enemy. and, with the
sentence of Punishment from the
realm passed upon him, watches his
beloved daughter depart from the
temple in glory, as the wife of the
Caliph.
Mr.. Skinner is ably supported by
Loretta Young. lovely as the daugh-
ter of Hail: David Manners, Mary
Duncan, Sidney Blackner. Ford
Sterling and number of others
well known in the cinema world.
Some remarkably skillful pho
Biography has been employed. A
group of harem ladies, swimming in
ta faI nf a
closed pool, have been photographed
apparently from the beams of the
palace roof, as one gazes down upon
them, their long hair trailing behind
them, very much as one would upon
seaside bathers. from an airplane.
Added attraction is lent to the
screen production of Kismet by an
oriental musical theme. introduced
frequently throughout the picture.
In addition to Otis Skinner in his
immortal production, the Earle Of
fers several entertaining numbers on
the stage. A novel and clever in
depreciation of small town stage
manager is seen in "Withers'
Op'ry," in which Mr.. Withers in
terprets the part of the manager,
and is supported in his sketch by
May Allen. jess Willingham. Joe
Zinnel Sol Gould and Helen Kay
Booth. dialect comedians: George
Shafer. and AL Gould, the Betty
Jane Cooper Revua, the Lathrop
Broth RS. Joe Reems and Birdye
Markfield introduced by Maxine
Dovle, Mistress of Ceremonies, COM
pete the stage program.
Little Women" Played
BY National Junior Theater.
A DELIGHTFUL dramatization
"A of Louisa Alcott's immortal
story, Little Women" was witnessed
by an appreciative audience which
gathered Yesterday morning at the
Belasco Theater TO offer approval
and appreciation of the presenta-
ton by the National Junior Theater
PLAYERS.
Although the well known story of
that lovable human family, the
Marches. deals with day when, to
say a thing was simply plumy" was
considered most outrageous slang,
and slang. the adopted modern
form of forceful speech, was the
"unforgivable sin" for proper
Young lady of those times, yet the
sophisticated young people Of this
free age appeared to appreciate
carefree, tom-boy 10 and her sisters,
Meg. Beth and Amy, as much as
ibid the chaperoned young ladies Of
years ago,
While large part of the audience
which attended the mornings per-
Torrance was made up Of jun rs,
there were also colder people"
whose delight in the play was doubt
less augmented by "reminiscences OF
happy days, when Louisa Alcott's
books were the thrillers of all girl
ish hearts.
A particularly happy choice was
made by the National Junior Theater
Players in the selection Sof Mildred
Natwick as 10. DELIGHTFULLY."- ma
tural, possessing . strong amount Of