Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-22
From the Front ROw
Reviews and News of Washington Theaters.


come back some day and claim her
as his own.
Although the story is unassuming,
It is decidedly pleasing the
characters are well drawn-and the
music recorded with great clarity and
warmth. What makes the film seem
perhaps as important as 1t Is, Is the
extreme good taste with which the
whole is clothed. The music, the
story, and the comedy all merge into
each other with complete natural
ness. And while there is never any
particular excitement, one can guar
antee an interest that should never
wane.
The music running through the
film is not new. But with Mr.. lib
belts Sonorous baritone and such ex-
cellent modern harmonies as With
out a Song" and Negro spirituals
sung In the great wide-open instead
of into the eyes-nose-and-mou
of the heroine, there seems more
harmony and less tonsil than ever
before.
Unquestionably the greatest sing
ing-actor of the screen, Lawrence
Tibbett assures himself of an even
cozier corner in eternity by his sing
ing in this film; and even If from no
other point Of view-of which there
are many--he must, should and will,
probably, be seen and heard by every
one. Otherwise Roland Young and
Cliff Edwards, as tramp brothers OF
Mr.. Tibbett, are the best foolishnesS
of the year.
Besides the Aim, there Is a good
stage show, headed by Ted Claire
his sister Martha, who is a dancer
with a future-a prize bear, who
pedals himself around the stage;
Jack Powell, who drums all over the
stage. and the Chester Hale ladies
doing admirably on roller skates. II
one might be so bold-this seems ike
one of the best all-around bills OF the
year. And when you get of your
trolley, don't forget to roll into the
Palace. E. de S. MELCHER.
"Beau Ideal" at the Earle
With Excellent Stage Program.
CTRENGTH in photography and in
~ mass action are to be credited to
Beau Ideal" a play dealing with
mutiny and punishment, under the
French Foreign Legion. Military
conflict with the tribal fighters OF
the desert and the stirring of the
mob spirit by fanatical leaders give
spectacular quality to the production,
which opened yesterday at the Earle
Thcater. In addition, the Earle
offers several entertainers OF high
rank in the stage presentation, in
GLIDING Lita Grey Chaplin and Frank
Richardson.
Beau Ideal" as a sequel to the
famous Beau Geste," reveals per-
fected skill in the picturing OF scenes
which have the thrill OF q minor
phase of warfare, showing the des-
perate character of the fighting In
Northern Africa.
The plot is made subordinate to
the incidents of an uprising, but
several important actors have their
place In this production, and Ralph
Forbes, who was successful In the
preceding play, again appears in one
of the leading parts, with creditable
acting marked by force and emo
tional strength. Similar merit Is
seen in the work of Lester Vail, who
represents an American willing to
sacrifice himself for the lover Of a
woman to whom he is devoted. He
contributes much to the effective
ness of the drama. Loretta Young
as the woman who Is the object of
the united devotion of two girlhood
and boyhood friends, is well cast and
acts with her usual art, although
Beau Ideal is play for masculine
skill in the principal scenes. Irene
Rich and Myrtle Stedman also ap-
pear in the cast, while Leni Stengel,
as a Moorish dancer, contributes to
the more picturesque scenes and is
a factor in the plot. Others who
have a share In the making of the
film are Frank Mccormick, Otto
Matieson, Don Alvarado, Bernard
Siegel, John M. ST. Polls, Joseph de
Stefani, Paul McAllister, Hale Harnil-
ton and George Rigas.
In the stage performance, Lita
Grey Chaplin offers several songs
with character interpretations which
give unique quality to her number
on the program and yesterday called
for several encoreS. Frank Richard
sons contribution Is a group Of
spirited musical numbers in which he
was yesterday in the act of stopping
the show when the time limit was
applied. The Lee Twins, assisted by
dancing girls. combine skill in dance
steps with effective background. and
Hal Sherman, with Dorothy Ryan.
offers comedy and dancing. The
Graham McNamee newsreel, short
comedy and the orchestra selections
complete the program. D. G. G. .
"Cirlarron''
Comes Back to Town.
EDNA FERBER'S highly colorful
II panorama of days Of yore in the
Oklahoma country, reproduced so
successfully in the Aim "Cimarron,"
Is being featured again locally at the
Metropolitan Theater, where it
should prosper as nightly as it did
a few weeks ago at Keith's.
BY now every hamlet and farm
should know Of Yancey Cravatt and
his wife Sugar" and the children
who were among the first to be born
and raised in the heretofore Indian
Territory. It is tale rich with dra-
matte sequences and full of char
acteFs that tumble nimbly out Of the
pages of the Ferber saga. Starting
out with rush it goes along at top
speed and scarcely falters in its
progress until the tag end of two
hours has been reached.
Richard Dix as Yancey gives the
most surprising performance of his
career-Subtle and well rounded,
with less Of the "rah-rah" about it
than one might expect. Among the
others Edna May Oliver and Estelle
Oliver seem as though they were the
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