The Washington times., 1930-03-04
GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
BY ANDREW r. KELLEY


Harris, jr., is so eager that
Martin Flavin's play. THE
Criminal Code" shall get the
Pulitzer laurel as the best play
Of the 1929-30 season he takes.
Q positive delight in forwarding
memoranda noting the elimina-
ton of possible rivals.
Two of the current big hits
In New York-"The Last Mile,
and Green PastureS"-he an
nounceS, are definitely out of
the running because they are
plays derived from printed fic-
ton and not original dramas.
According to the Pulitzer con-
ditionS then, they were never
in the race for this coveted
guerdon.
Green Pastures" is Marc
Connolly's fantast ical play
which features a personal deity
and is presented by an all
colored cast. It's opening night
was followed by an avalanche
Of critical Superlatives and i'm
mediately the opus went def
nitely into the envied class Of
Broadway hits. It Is adapted
from Roark Bradford's novel,
"Op Man Adam and His Chill
lun."
1.-The Last Mile" is John
Weley's stark drama retailing
death-house. dialogue and the
last tragic moments with a
condemned murderer. It's dra-
matte structure was built
around an American Mercury
short story, 1.-The Law Takes
Its Toll" which were the actual
pennings of Robert Blake. a
Texas victim of the supreme
penalty. The estate of the
executed man shares the play
wright's royalties.
Strictly Dishonorable," the
Preston Sturges smash hit Is
tossed aside for prize considera-
tion as too smutty. Leaving
then Berkeley Square," the
John Balderston play, as a
possible contestant for Pulitzer
honors. But Berkeley Square"
was first produced in London
so, some say, it can hardly be
called an original American
play. It was derived from the
Henry James novel, "A Sense
of the Past" another obstacle
which conflicts with the Pu-
liter rules.
Well then, let Mr.. Sparks
have his hopes and perhaps we
will agree with him in a fort
night for 1.-THE Criminal Code"
Is booked to show at Polls be-
ginning Monday, March II.
John s. Sumner, New York's
unofficial censor, demands the
movies drop Will Hays from his
overlordship of the celluloid
product. But dropping Mr..
Hays might prove an expensive
proposal for the producers in
asmuch as he tied tight to
an ironclad contract calling for
$150.000 year and a docu-
ment not scheduled to expire
until 1887.
Somebody with a longer
memory than my own drops a
note suggesting that Janet
Gaynor and Charlie Farrell in
Happy Days" build bungalow
to lyrical accompaniment pre-
ciSGly as Janet Velie and Jack
MacGoWan did in George M.
Cohan's Mary" to the tune of
Just A Love Nest"
Well, what of it? The movies
sWipe from the stage and the
stage gets ideas from the screen.
Coming down to cases the worst
professional pickpockets in the
amusement business are dance
directors. They lift the other
fellows stuff and tell him to
60 hang if he happens to
object. Not far behind are the
composers. They often pass off
the tunes of the masters, dis
guised and tricked up to modern
tempo-as their own.
AS matter of fact the
Gaynor-Farrell song business
barring the trick camera back
grounds,-was done on the
Palace stage less than two
months ago by revue team.
And who first conceived the
idea Of two men impersonating
a horse? It happens to be as
old as the Blue Ridge Noun
tains, but it is a feature of the
1880 Selwyn musical Wake Up
and Dream" Dave Marion
had an entire burlesque show
built around "Snuffy, the Cab
man" and his trick horse,
While the idea amuses it will
continue to serve.
Subscription patrons of the
National Players are suggest
ing that Producer Stephen Err
langer Cochran revive some of
the worthy old.time dramas.
One valiant play-goer offers
"Be- .-Hur" as a Biblical thriller
OF the past he would like to
see-unaware evidently that
the tread mill apparatus for
the chariot race would cost
some $4,000 or more to build.
Other plays mentioned in let
ters eas successes of the past
which might be busted off and
shown profitably are: "The
Charity Ball." Lady Winde
mere'S Fan" "Shore Acres