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


from two sources. Almost
always we have some good things
to say about the movies, and how
they are forging ahead to distant
triumphs, but this installment
concerns particular complaints OF
other writers. The first is from
Robert E. Sherwood, who is
acknowledged to be one OF the
leading writer's on topics movie.
McCalls Magazine sends me ad-
vsnce proofs Of a Sherwood ar.
ticle which delves into records OF
African films, which have expert
enced more or less vogue during
the past year or two. In his ar
ticle, Mr.. Sherwood says:
zone Of the merriest pastimes
tn Hollywood is the doctoring OF
wild animal pictures-the 1nser-
ton into otherwise authentic rec
ords of exploration Of that which
IS known as box Office punch
Probably the most famous in
stance Of this form Of taking was
in the picture called 'Ingagi,'
which enjoyed career OF sensa-
tional success throughout the
country last year and which is
still raising its ugly head here and
there. Some enterprising, imagi-
native, but not too scrupulous
film workers in Hollywood OBJ
tanned control of a picture that
had been made on an expedition
into Africa several years ago,
when photography was not what
It is today. The picture was
worthless as a commercial prop
erty. but it's new owners found
way to convert it into a silk purse.
They gave it the sex angle, in
venting the story Of tribe in the
depths of the Dark Continent.
Audiences were permitted to see
q gruesome ceremony. One could
hear, through the sound ma
chimes, the bestial roarS OF the
0orillas, effected by one OF those
clever devices that ara in the
equipment Of all good trap-drum-
n1erS. Occasional scoffers said
that Tngagi' was just q bit too
good to be true, but the great
bulk of the flm-loving public re-
fused to listen to them. The pic
ture made considerable money
for its adroit sponsors. Much
Wei dOAOA0 GO 1AAC 4AAAAA
africa Speaks but the biggest
thrill in this was made In Holly
wood.
"The all-time prize for the per-
petration of successful chicanery
goes to the producers OF Trader
Horn Having acquired the screen
rights to this best-selling story,
the company sent directors, cam
eramen and actors to Africa to
make an honest job of it. The
results of their strenuous labors,
however, were inSufflciently i'm
pressive (perhaps they were too
honestl and so Trader Horn had
to be Photographed, practically
in toto, in Hollywood. AS seen
now. it is undoubtedly the most
exciting and the most spectacular
of all the African jungle films.
It Is also the least African, but
the vast majority are not qualified
to detect the evidences OF hokuS-
pokus. Which only goes to show
that you can fool enough Of the
people enough of the time. The
picture Range is free from the
HOLLYWOOD touch. Unusual films,
such as 'Nanook of the North
Grass Chang Stark Love- and
range do not make much money,
and are, therefore. rated as fail
ures by the gods of the box Office.
But for all that, they give the
cinema something of which 1t is
perpetually in need, and that is
honor.
Turning from wild animals to
more popular mortal stars, we find
that many of the Hollywood play
ers have been fari1g none too well
Of late. Inspiration a greatly di-
1uted version Of 'Sappho,' is un-
doubtedly the worst picture that
the divine Greta Carlo has had.
Her principal rival, Marlene Diet
rich, has also fallen of bit as
the result Of 'Dishonored,' an
overdirected and generally ane-
mic melodrama. Mary Pickford
has made a determined but dis
astrous attempt to play Lenore
Ulrich's violent role in XXI
Not that she was unworthy of the
role; 1t was the role that was I'M
worthy of her. In 'Unfaithful'
Ruth Chatterton, with her soggy
euotionaliSm, shows signs of be-
coming monotonous, and Nancy
Carroll Is considerably of form
in. Stolen Heaven Norma Shear
err however, in Strangers May
Kiss fortifieS her position as an
actress Of genuine power. Among
the newcomers to the screen the
most promising are ELISA Landi
and Tallulah Bankhead."
THE next Trap" comes from our
genial friend, Will Rogers,
who is himself somewhat of an
actor. He knows the movies and
their faults, but his biggest COM
plant concerns the advertise
n1ents. Will says, in his special
syndicated and copyrighted ar
"All I know is what I read in
the movie ads, and I say, boy, what
an education it is! I thought the
underwear ads were about the
limit in presenting an eyeful, but
these movie ads give you the same
thing without the underwear.
Even I, myself, appeared in a
nightgown in The Connecticut
Yankee so on the billboards 1t
would add a touch of romantic
glamour, to say nothing of smat-
tefing of sex appeal. But, mind
you, you must not let the ad have
anything to do with what you see
inside Won ORC ont IN caa tho