Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-17

Wellman, who directed it, is an aviation
| enthusiast (you will remember that he
was responsible for Wings and he
mas long wanted to produce an epic of
tne balloon corps. His ambition was
aoout TO be realized when his employers
the MeSsrs. Warner, informed him that
Inc balloon picture was postponed in
oennltely. In view of the success of
Little Caesar, gangster films were in
great demand, and so Mr. Wellman
was oroered to make one as much like
Little Caesar" as possible.
Mr. Wellman was highly incensed at
LhlS order, and rallied against it. but
| ms posses were firm. Forget about
dne balloons" they commanded him,
ana get busy on tie biography of a
| racketeer''
So Mr.. Wellman gritted his teeth
and muttered to himself. IAN right,
II tney want gangster, I'll give 'em
one tnatI make their vertebrae rattle.
III give EN- one so brutal. so COM
pietely inhuman, that they'll shudder
every time anybody even mentions the
word beer to them"
he then went ahead and made good
| that threat, with the result that his
employers are due to collect a hand
some profit from The Public Enemy"
"a lar bigger profit, in all probability.
than they would ever have realized
from the balloons.
l don't vouch for this story; hope
us true. For it is my belief that the
quality OF motion pictures would be
raised inestimably If all Of them were
MADE by directors who were fighting
mad.
| SEVERAL sterling performances are
now visible on the screen. includ-
ing John Barrymore's delightfully."-
original Interpretation Ct the sinister
mesmerist in "Svengali' (by weird, but
/ thoroughly legitimate means, Mr.. Bar
rymore actually manages to endow the
/ desptsed Svengali with an irresistible
ch2rm), and Tallulah Bankhead's en-
noolement of stupid role in "Tarnished
| Lazy" Miss Bankhead has not received
the best OF the breaks in this. her first
Paramount picture, but she has made
her impression and 1t appears to be a
deep one.
Nevertheless, my favorite Aim stars
this week are not Mr. Barrymore Miss
Bankhead or even Br. Berry. They
are two non-actors: Mr.. Robert Tyre
Jones, the Georgian giant, and Mr..
Alfonso Bourbon, the ex-King of
Spain.
In THE Putter," his inaugural two
reeler. Bobby Jones proves himself to
be model Of gracefulness. His stance
as screen celebrity is perfect. He is
gentle. brief and modest-thcugh not
extensively so. He is obviously one per-
son who can say TO himself II know
I'm champion Of champions-and what
of it," Aiding him in his triumphant
debut as professional Is that kindred
spirit Frank Craven. whom Hollywood
j should use q lot more often.
As fer ex-King Alfonso; he has been
seen frequently Of late In the news
reels, and his every appearance evokes
outbursts OF applause from audiences
of democracy-loving Americans one
might think that the citizens of this
great republic would cheer for the
Spanish revclutionists and hiss the
fallen monarch: but IL one did think
that, ore would be wrong
Intellectually. Americans may APP
prove of the new democratic regime In
Spain. and wish it well; but their emo
tional allegiance is still devoted 70 I'll,
last of the Bourbons, who, whatever Ills
faults, always faces the camera with {
disarming smile.
4 (copyright. tsaka