Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-30

ton. No estimate of his work could
overlook the force of his plots or the
continuous nature Of the principal
events, but in addition to that, he Is
able to produce incidental turns in
action that often are remembered
after the principal line of the story
has been completed.
The audiences at the Columbia
yesterday not only gave evidence OF
the hold that Lloyd has on the peo-
pie of Washington. but also revealed
an unprecedented development when,
in addition to laughter and generally
audible indications of keen satisfac-
ton, they displayed their enthusiasm
by shouting encouragement TO an
actor who was before them only IN
picture.
Feet First" is not only kind OF
comedy which Is synonymous with
the name of Lloyd. but 1t Is also the
last word intantalizing action which
always seems to promise terrible
disaster or miraculous recovery.
Besides Lloyd's adventures in the
air. there is, in the earlier part Of
the play, a series Of farcical situa-
a" lions in a shoe store. where Lloyd
is a young clerk and on an ocean
liner, where he is q stowaway, with
the necessity Of trying to cover up
his real character. Among the con-
tributing factors on the ship are
seasickness, lodging suspicious of1-
GERS, eating without place at the
table, and reaching shore In an air.
plane without the means Of taking
passage in the air. In addition to
the star of the piece there Is one
member of the cast, Barbara Kent,
who shares in many Of the scenes,
but without any attempt to contrib
ute to the comedy. 1t seems that
Harold Lloyd is under the necessity
of furnishing most OF the reasons
for its presentation and there is no
suggestion that he has failed in any
of the requirements.
An example Of the greater perfec-
ton of the cartoon comedy Is pre-
sented in THE Village Barber" while
q musical sketch in color, The
= Clock Shop" involves some novelties.
There is also the customary news
reel. u. z. =.
"Sea Legs" Only Fair,
But the Rest Excellent.
THE truth about the new Jack
Oakie film at the Palace iS-that
it isn't as good as his others. Not
by a long, long way 1t isn't. And
for that one sheds a bitter tear.
Called Sea Legs" and having to
do with the French Navy and that
sort of thing, this latest Paramount
effort seems to have been done IN
hurry, and when there wasn't much
else around to do.
With O cast headed by the smiling
Mr.. Oakie, and Eugene Palette,
Harry Green and Lillian Roth. some
sort of fire should certainly have
been struck But, just as the story
has been lost somewhere in the
shuttle, so is the buffoonery of these
buffoons, the result being mildly
amusing comedy. with no sense in
tended and no sense apparent any
where.
Something about "gob" Million
aire who wasn't q millionaire, and
O grandfather with O doubtful"
grandson, and q captain and q
captains daughter, are the main
features Of all this. The climax-or
rather the laugh climax-occurS
when the entire crew dives over
board after the captain. who dived
over after somebody else. This Is
funny and the pastry-throwing
episode is funny. and Harry Green
irving to find chauffeur" in the
dictionary is funny. But apart from
that and one adequate tune, there
isn't much, Mr.. Oakie Is the same
as ever, so are Eugene Palette and
Lillian Roth, and the dialogue Is
meant TO be the essence Of humor,
and isn't by any manner Of means.
other features Of the weeks bill,
however, make UP for the mealine6s
of the main aim. Laurel and Hardy
are present In one Of their most
hilarious comedies and the stage
show IA equipped with excellent acts.
In the latter, Allan Rogers comes
back as master of ceremonies and
(believe it or not) does not sing
"Sweet Mystery Of Life" He Is, In
fact, vocally at his best. as are Jay
Flippen. recently debunked with the
rest of the Second Little Show" in
an act that Is broad, and pleasingly
so, and Mr.. Flasch, an astonishing
juggler, and June Carr and two
Southern" dancers that are among
the best: all n all, making grand
entertainment-plus newsreeis and
comedies. L. de B. M.
Familiar Names In Earle Show
and Conventional Play Given.
CONVENTIONAL drama on the
~ screen and a stage show in
which there are familiar names TO
contribute to the interest make up
the weeks program at the Earle.
The motion picture, Man 70
Man" Is from q story which bears
the hall mark Of Ben Ames VIII
liams, but Is drama II involves such
transparent moves by the various
characters that It is dependent quite
largely on incident rather than on
plot It appears in many such pro-
auctions that there Is an easy road
to fixing crime on innocent persons,
and it is possible to find an equally
easy road to the undoing Of the per-
son who is responsible for the orig
inal imposition.
In this instance, q man has been
pardoned from prison after nearly @
score Of years spent In punishment
for being successful in o duel with
o neighbor who was already guilty
Of numbering q member OF the ac-
cused persons. family. The chief
query that arises is as TO why kill
ing, with an element Of self-defense,
should be punished with q very long
sentence.
The son Of the imprisoned man
has been popular at college and is
about to be elected president Of the
senior class, when the discovery that
the man to be released from a cell
Is his father, destroys his standing
and he leaves college. His father
Is greeted by citizens with great
cordiality, but the son maintains an
attitude Of aloofness. The young
man has received q bank position
from o friend Of the family, and
theft Of money from the bank Is
laid to him and to his father joint
". The determination Of each of
these two-father and son--to con-
fess in order to save the other is
Friends prove that both are in