Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07

Special Dispatch to The Star.
HOLLYWOOD, Calf, September 6
(N.AN.A)-Irene Rich, who has grace
fully alternated between talking pictures
and the stage since the revolution In the
cinema center. puts forth the most in
tereSting theory yet to be formulated
about { new art.
Talking pictu ;" says Irene, will
undoubtedly remove frc:a the legitimate
stage many of the falsities and manner
isns which have been identified with
its performances an replace them with
a standard of naturalness which viii be
the mt of legitimate art"
Now, I hadn't exactly thought OF
things this way, but the more ponder
on It the more I am convinced that
Irene Rich has expressed radical and
original opinion, and the more I am
convinced that this Is precisely what the
legitimate needs.
A few weeks ago while lunching with
Director Griffiths, the young man who
has mace Holiday" movie OF movies,
he put forth very much the same thing
in different words. We we're speaking
of a star of the legitimate who had not
made good in the fullest sense of the
word in Hollywood.
"He is too stilted," said Grifiths
His spacing and timing and rhythm
belong to the Northumberland to the
legitimate of several years ago. We
want naturalness In the talking picture
1t is not the art Of the stage, nor yet
the art of the silent picture. 1t is 9
blending of the two. And only those
who know where the art of the theatel
leaves off and the art of the cinema
begins understand how to make talking
pictures"
But all the while stubbornly chung
to my idea that the stage would I've the
more powerful influence, that the legiti-
mate would bend talkies in their direc-
ton, until Irene Rich, who has wisely
gotten some legitimate experience fol
herself as a prelude to talking films
put forth her thoroughly revolutionary
and interesting theory.
I Then of a sudden there paraded be-
fore me a battalion of stage ladies,
done by our very best stars, if you
please; ladies" who were very false
and heavy-handed in their laoylikeness;
ladies" as alien to the real product al
anything in the world you'd ever hope
to see. The stage lady" oke sort
Of Choct never heard in drawing
room of any consequence. She had g
way of saying "gyurls" that made you
want to do violence to her. She wa q
isms which only the pseudo-lady would
possibly subject you to. And you &C.
cepted 1t gayly because it was the
g" eater" il you please. and you hac
paid good money to see and hear it.
Irene Rich is particularly interesting
to me for many reasons. To begin with
Will Rogers has persistently chosen hel
for his leading lady, and this alone
means W, -th, and plenty Of it. In the
second place, she is enc of the stars Of
the old silent regim who have made
good in talkies. And, in the third
and not the least-place, she is one OF
the most beautiful and singularly at.
tractive women the world Of the cinema
has to offer.
Irene began in silent pictures in tn,
days when the now granite-lined ~oule'
wards of the movie town were eucalyp'
tus shaded lanls. Don't misunderstood
me -'',is was possible seven year ago
We are young industry at best ane
i've year, ago / frequently went II
church in a little wooden building OF
Hollywood boulevard which now boast:
a bank high enough for any great city.
But in those days Irene, who nov
commands salary way in the thou
se-.- PEI w-ek and who is married .