Evening star., 1931-12-27

big city. We probably do make
mistakes, mufT we'll thrown balls
Of FURNISHED lovelinesS and other
wise peeve the more obServant
good folks that live where the
beauty of the sky lines rivals that
of the sunsets. 1t all sounds quite
terrible, and it is terrible if it be
true. Yet withal, humbled in our
chaStisement, we still feel that we
did not deserve the wallop OF the
other dramatic critics, and that
also we were, in all fairness, en-
titled to a brief bill of particulars
to indicate wherein we fell down
in rendering perfect justice to the
genial Balieff and his hastily con-
structed road show designed to
correct the faults pointed out in
it originally by the New York
critics, who may be vicious and
facetious, but who never make a
mistake in their critical drama
Judgment With our specific faults
pointed out in details, as it were,
possibly our disposition to be re-
pentant might be enabled to cor
rect even our absurd judgment.
Besides, it should not be forgotten
that there are still a great many
admirers of Mr.. Balieff and his
"Chauve SouriS" who really never
could believe that his former
shows were ever perfectly awful" :"
DOUBTLESS there are two opin-
D ions also as to the merits Of
the talking pictures exhibited
during Christmas week. Some
time ago word was sent out from
the studios by the moving picture
hierarchy to the effect that pic
lures were to be Cleaned up"
that offensive sex stories were to
be taboo, and that even the titles
given sensational films we're to be
purged of lascivious suggestion
designed to lure the morbid. It
is possible that the crop sent to
Washington for this years cele-
bration of the holiday period were
the last dregs of the hoppers at
the studios, and that never again
shall we witness their like. Again
quoting the bard, "'Tis a consum-
nation devoutly to be wished"
If they were not the last, it is
earnestly to be hoped that the
leftovers may be safely secured
under lock and key where they
are, or, better still, absolutely de-
stroyed; for anything short of
that would be tantamount to a
confession from their makers that
they really have reached the end
of their rope in the endeavor to
provide the public with entertain
ment that is likely to prove help
full to the young or a source of
comfort to the respectable. And
even as to this there may be other
opinions. ...
" X **S
THE National Theater will con-
tinue dark throughout the
current week and semi-dark in
the week to follow, because some
gifted soul has declared that opera
is not drama but a hash of the
vernacular of the nation it repre-
sents set to beautiful music. The
Shubert-Belasco, however, repre-
senting so per cent of our legiti-
mate theaters, emergeS from the
gloom with a new play from the
Hungarian, adapted by our own
Bertram Block and presented with
two of the really delightful stars
of our current stage, Basil Sydney
and Mary Ellis, who forsook grand
opera for the real theater. Even
though Jewel Robbery" may have
a melodramatic ring, it's acces-
sories entitle it to respectful con-
siderations until we are better
acquainted with it's own ingredi-
ents. Certainly it is evidence that
the stage is making an earnest en-
deavor in its traditional aim.