Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-27

Iaa n,Orsav sent the pro-
fessionai stamp
of one who has raised type from
the trivial to the worthwhile. At
least there is no doubt that she is
able to WIN the whole-hearted at
tention OF a Washington audience,
and in presenting her act she is as
restless and full Of vim as the most
nostalgia OF the specimens at the
zoo. In justice to her talents it
may be said that she is fully COM
pe5ant to reach the assembled occu-
pants Of a theater without any as
sistance from director.
Besides her traditional English,
she sings in French, and, lest those
who understand little of that Ian
guage may miss the effect of the
theme, she tells the story before
undertaking the song. Her other
forms of language relate to the rip
ping silhouette which she has so
completely mastered, to accent to
the poise' OF the head and number
less facial accomplishments. She
is a good songster and teller of
stories.
Douglas Fairbanks. jr., in a re-
vival of the Central American
theme which always means comedy
drama. plays the hero of 81 Like
Your Nerve" with new opportuni-
ties in which the. paternal side of
the house is fairly well reflected in
a series Of incidents following the
soothSayers advice to the young
man that he must forget diffidence
and become a bold adventurer. His
ability to give attention to matters
of state in an unofficial way is the
strong phase of the performance.
Loretta Young has the chief fem
mime role, and acts with the IA
miliar finesse but deserves a better
fate than to express the emotional
life of the step-daughter of cab
met member who Is nearly sold to
an older person of wealth in mar
.riage. in order that the family for
tunes may be replenished. Claude
AllisteE. Andre Cheron, Henry
Kolker and Edmund Breen con-
tribute. to the force Of romantic
story.
In addition to Miss D'Orsay, the
stage program includes several acts
of merit. Joe Marks, assisted by
Mae Leonard, Eddie Ryan and
Howard Mott, is worthy of special
attention. because he has some
jokes that are funny and appear to
be original. Togo and Cherry Bios
som offer some Oriental diversions,
closing with g rope slide, and the
Three GobS continue to shine as
dance experts. Maxine Doyle re-
turns to her position at the Earle,
and serves as mistress of ceremonies.
d. c. c.
1.-The Homicide Squad" Good
Entertainment at RialtO.
TN response to walls against the
u passing of the melodrama, movie
moguls approximately two years past
created the gangster to supplant our
revered but defunct cowboy heroes.
With their lethal toys and brazen
braggadocio. the gilded mugs of the
screen supplied satisfying motif for
the audience ego.
Then. because OF few juvenile
crimes which were ingeniously at
tributed to the influence of 'racke-
teer" cinemas, Hollywood abruptly
disowned its self-created Franken-
stein. The Homicide Squad" at
the Rialto this week, is the last
gasp of this deserted monster, albeit
the dying breath is somewhat more
Equipped with a virile plot, the
violent fable Incorporates some
splendid melodrama in its episodes.
Certain OF the incidents. such as the
intragang murder of a "squealer,"
are oyerdrawn. Nevertheless, the
story pauses but occasionally for
these stuffy dramatics. and withal
moves swiftly and Interestingly TO
its conclusion.
The narrative concerns the efforts
OF police captain to exterminate
gang fiourishing in his domain.
After his own son has been sacri-
feed in the effort to obtain conclu-
stve evidence against the bad, bad
boys. the captain adopts methods
which are both pyrotechnical and
Electrically engaging. His manipu-
lationS supply adequate opportunities
for Leo GARLIC. Mary Brian twho
is distinctly not S. S. and G. in this
rolel and the instigator himself,
Noah Berry.
The Homicide Squad" is dedi-
Gated to the police, guardians of our
bruisable heads and cherished prop
erty, who are depicted as very
earnest and slightly violent in their
antagoniSm toward wrongdoers. But
only the guilty are "Sweated" and
tossed about in this film. and that is
practically near enough to justice
to avoid indictments.
The remainder OF the Rialto pro-
gram consists OF Walter Futter
"Travelaugh," which is so pitiful as
to be funny, an excellent burlesque
OF the machine-gun- and- thunder
movies entitled Little Beezer"-in
which our animal friends make
monkeys of our entertainers-a poor
comedy, and the usual newsreel.
r. B. p, Jr.
Alexander Hamilton"
Still at Metropolitan.
Mr.. ARLIss' pleasant patriotic
AVA film, Alexander Hamilton"
fingers on for second week at the
Metropolitan, justly reaping the re-
wards it deserves. Continuing this
actors policy OF joyial dignity, midst
the more serious dramas" of life,
Mr.. Arliss chooses one of the great
AE