Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03

'test case" to try out audiences,
Is not known, but 1t has created
considerable comment, much or
which is unfavorable. This pic
ture, which saturated Washing
ton a few weeks ago, brings few
words from Bob Sherwood this
week, but it deserves other COM
nfert. In the first place, the pic
tu-e (which certainly was not
m ich of a movie) was supposed
to be an appeal for funds for the
actors Sanatorium at Saranac
Lake. This charity is a worthy
one, deserving all sorts OF aid,
and the theatergoing public has
always responded to the annual
appeals. I have no quarrel with
this idea. But when the fade
out arrives and clear-cut adver-
Using appears for a brand OF
cigarettes, my interest waneS. l
found this true with other the
atergoers. They could not under
stand why the movies were being
used for advertising.
Several months ago I issued a
warning concerning this particu-
lar scheme of the movie pro-
ducers. A man closely allied with
publishing and movie interests
came directly from Hollywood
to Washington. He gave out
information that the movie in
terests thought they could be
successfully hooked up with
national advertising, and that
they intended, within a short
time. to try out their plan.
"Stolen Jools," therefore, may
have been the test If it was, it
was a dismal failure-and If the
producers persist, they will even
tually kill the goose that produces
the golden egg.
The value in the photoplay
lies in it's entertainment value;
it can never be successfully used
as an advertising medium. The
radio has been done to death
along this particular line. AS
each day passes we hear more
and more radio fans complaining
about their advertising programs.
When the movie takes up adver-
Using in serious manner, the
first step in its downfall has been
taken. The remainder of the
trip will be at a rapid rate of
speed. It will become as dead as
the preverbial door nail. AS an
indication of this, one may view
and listen to the comment re-
garding movie trailerS advertising
new pictures. Even these, which
are closely allied to the theater,
are decidedly unpopular.
X X
The R-K-O-Pathe orgdnisG-
ton announces an ambitious
program of II pictures for the
coming year. Constance Ben
nett, Bill Boyd, Helen TUeIUe-
trees, Ann Harding and Eddie
QuiIIdn DilI be starred IN four
pictures each. ina Claire t0iU
hare only one starring Uehicle,
Rebound" the Arthur Hop
kins' stage play. Her cast mill
include Robert AmeS, MyrnG
Log, HeddG Hopper, Louise
Closer Hale and others. The
first Helen T1UeEUetTeeS picture
1Ctu be q "A Woman OF Expert
ence," her company Including
Leu Cody, William BGkeUeH,
II. B. Warner and ZdSu Pitts.
The first Ann Harding produc-
ton tOiH be "Deuotio71," based
on a late noueI. Constance
Bennett is starred in one of
the early Robert w. Chambers
stories, common LGp." Bill
Boyd has Iron ChGIice" and
Eddie QuillGn appears in
"Whoop = To = Do = Kid" Floyd
Gibbons DtII make a number
of ttGo-reelerS, carrying the
general title, Supreme Thrills"
Il
WHILE Greta Carlo walked
- away with acting honors last
year, Hollywood predicts that she
will have her difficulties during
1881. For instance. mention is
made of the popularity of Mar
lene Dietrich, Norma Shearer and
ELISA Landi. Marlene's pictures
have been drawing great crowds,
although Emil Jannings certainly
aided the box Office in The Blue
Angel" ELISA Landi, after a
stage appearance in New York in
Farewell to Arms went to Hol-
1ywood as a brunette: then she
became blonde, and later box
office hit.
During the months TO come, &C
cording to those in the know
around Hollywood, Frau DIETRICH
and Miss Landi will be the chief
rivals of Miss Garbo-contenderS
for championship laurels during
1881. But the popularity of the
star cannot last long time if he
or she does not have suitable pic
lures. An illustration of this is
the case Of Lawrence Tibet. He
has never obtained a break"
His Rogue Song" is spoken of as
a ''blah story" and yet his per-
Sonality almost made 1t an I'M
forgettable piece of work. His
New Moon" had several handi-
caps, and in The Southerner"
several of his singing numbers
we're cut out, due to the present
deflation of the musical theme.
With the stronger SeX-if one
may term II SuCh-Several per-
SonalitieS are forging TO the front
1or screen honors of 1881 Among
them, Frederic March seems TO
hold a winning hand at present.
Gary Cooper has succeeded IN
having his portrait printed on the
cover of fan magazines, which is
no simple feat in this day and
age of film beauties. Robert
Montgomery is coming in for no
end of praise-and maybe-just
maybe-Jack Gilbert will come
back.
Notp that Richard Dir and
irene Dunn scored in "Ctnldr-
ron" their producers, working
tbe nyd cuclp fdpn hare decided