Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-12-05
From the Front Row
Reviews and News of Washington Theaters.

a dapper columnist Of a low-broW
sheet" is discovered bandaged and
bruised after fighting it out with
bandit and after he has lambasted a
poor little Follies girl who got
chauffeur and Rolls Royce out OF
SIS a week Although the title
suggests mystery and Flu Manchu
atmosphere 1t is distinctly the re-
verse. 1t is much more concerned
with the blackmail industry in this
columnists racket.
There is little coordination ABOUT
this film, which opened yesterday at
the Fox. also a curious lack OF SIN
cerity. 1t seems as though It's spon-
sors had started out on one track and
then decided to switch to another:
Thus. while the "fowell" murder OF
Vivyan Parker was probably the pc
ginning of the end, by the time the
end is reached, the tear-bombS, gas
bombs and other kinds OF BOMBS
which have been let loose are all
provocative of something else. Inc
hard+hitting Broadway columnist Is
featured in this as a glorious fighser
who eats his shirt to help his HUE
sister who was manned by truck.
Clarifying the American B. oadWay
taller is, however, just one OF tie
various SidelightS. The newspaper
itself-the kind of sheet in Wnlch
the managing editor screams mo"
we ask YOU'D THE Presidents proc
lamation? Cut it out. We've got
to make room for the divorce! is
pictured in the much-loved cine
matte satiric way-and Lew Cody
as this editor, is seen running
around the town after stories accom-
panied by his stenographer, VINO Is
of course, the heroine.
All these strange things, however,
need not divert you from atteno!ne
this film, since there is conSlderaDle
that is amusing in it, especially Vie
court room Scene-meant 10 De SerA-
ous-in which the convicted gang
ster snatcheS a gun from his pockeI
and a juryman from the poX anu
stands at the court room door DEFY
ing the world. The story Is little
difficult to explain-but, whatever II
is. it is played admirably by wallace
Ford. doubling for Mr.. Wmchell,
Lew Cody and Sally Blaine.
This weeks stage show is way
below the average. without benefit
of so much as tripping chorus,
THE Five Races" Idea seems rather
second-class vaudeville. Towards
the end, however, Marjorie White
appears, assisted by Eddie Tierney,
and sings the way her admirers eX-
meet her to sing. which is remlnlS-
cent of "Sunnyside Up" days and
other films she has graced. A small,
blonde. nicely fashioned lady, she
delights her audience but should,
perhaps, do more and more ana
more. Z. oe D MhLNr1cF''
Eeith's Offers
Are These Our Children?
DRAMA which depresses and stirs
IL uncomfortably, yet loses the
potency of it's message through ex-
aggerat1on, is to be seen in the lat
est presentation of flaming youth,
Are These Our Children" this
weeks feature at Keith's.
1t is unfortunate that the author
of the story and director Of the pic
ture. Wesley Ruggles, permitted his
worthy enthusiasm in putting
across" a splendid idea to sweep
him to such dramatic heights. His
story lacks conviction. Certain ele-
mentS, or the lack of them, which
are said to be found among the
young people of high school age to-
day are bad enough, without hav-
ing to paint them so that they lose
the vividness of their real colors.
In the Wesley RuggleS produc-