The Washington times., 1930-01-20
GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW r. KELLEY

the IeGuTn engagement Ok bklS
New York Theater Guild pro-
ducetior1 of Eugene O'Neilps
STRANGE Interlude." Elizabeth
Risdon, whom WaShingtonianS
may recall for a sterling per-
formance in the Guild produc-
ton Of Ned McCobb'S Daugh-
ter" will be the Nina Leeds"
In the forthcoming engage
ment.
The role of nina Leeds" is
one of the longest and most
exacting ever handed an
actress. Judith Anderson, play.
ing the part for some months
In one of the road companies,
quit for rest on Saturday
night in Boston. Gale Sender
gard will replace her. Previ-
ously Pauline Lord had with
drawn from a role found too
nerve wracking and Alice Brady
assigned to be Nina by the
Guild begged off, presenting a
doctors certificate that she was
not able to physically fulfill
the requirements. Nina" de-
mands the almost continuous
presence Of the star over q
period close to six hours.
One of those occasional lucky
breaks which comes to the news
reel men happened recently at
Hollywood and you may see
the results-and hear them too
in the Hearst Metrotone is
sue now being shown at Loew's
Palace Theater.
The cameras and sound trucks
were set up on the edge Of a
ZOO pool to catch shots of a
sea elephant being transferred
to his acquatic home. AS the
monster slid into the water
he Immediately opened up a
deadly attack on another sea
elephant for which he was pre-
Sumed to be a congenial mate.
To see these water giants
fight it out is an unpro-
grained thrill. The ZOO at
tendantS rushed for the fire
hose and turned it on the mad
dened combatants without sue
cess. They continued to charge
and bite at the vital spot.
Finally net was brought into
play and the belligerent sea
elephants ensnared and sepa-
rated before they could kill
eacn other.
= is the most graphic shot
or q real battle since the me-
nlorable fight for the cameras
staged by the cobra and. the .
nnongoose.
In Song of Kentucky" at the
Fox Theater this week is a rae
ing scene so genuine, it is gen.
uine. Actually the 1929 Ken
tucky Derby and if you're inter
eSted in the horse which beat
Dixie after gallop through the
mud, 1t was Clyde Van Dusen,
who hasn't won enough to pay
for his feed since. the. big Blue
Grass classic.
Ernest LubitSch. the great
German director. can give most
Of the megaphone men cards
and spades when it comes to
subtiety and sly digs at some of
our abSurdities. So in Cheva-
lier's THE Love Parade" a not
80 gentle Swipe at the radio
custom. We see the Lord Cham
berlain announcing over the air
that the Queen has returned
from her honeymoon but wishes
no celebration over the royal
marriage. Immediately pops
up the station announcer to
declaim: This program comes
to you through the courtesy of
the Sylvania Hardware Com
pany where you can get two
pots for the price of one"
The Strand Theater is at
present operating with one
union stage hand. A conces-
sion by the union in the new
policy Of liberality designed to-
keep as many men working as
possible. Previously the mini
: mum was three. All the one
man has to do is switch the
lights on and off.
Jeanette Macdonald, a swell
locker. fine singer and a fair
enough actress looks like one
Of Paramount's best bets for the
musical talkieS. She does a
peach Of a job in her first
camera effort as leading lady
for Chevalier and seems def
nitely lost to Broadway. Rating
$3.50 a week as musical comedy
prima donna she now grabs
more than twice that sum on q
movie contract which was ten
dered after the preview of
Love Parade"
Freddy Clark's R-K-Olians 60
Mack Sennett this week. They
toss music to the discard for
acting. The innovation over
ture is a burlesque on the Hi
Holler drama. specifically an
imitation of the CobbeSseconte
silver cornet band at Friday
night rehearsal with some origi-
nal touches which Director Clark
picked up in the back narrerS
Of Maine and around the cracker
barrels of SauguS. Even the
big Compah man who wears the
brass life preServer puts on chin
whiskerS and a gray helmet to
hecnnoe the tnyuna cnaa ct hula.