Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-23
The snoring Picture c4lbum
By Robert E. Sherwood.

their age, and even adding to IL, In the
hope of being cast for Marie Dressler
roles.
It is mildly comical development.
but not an unreasonable one. For the
importance Of sex appeal has been
grossly overrated In the past. A few
stars who have had It, and nothing else,
have managed to achieve eminence, but
they have not survived for long. The
one quality that the public has always
demanded in its favorites Is character.
Melting eyes, yearning lips, dimples
and other accessories may be all very
charming, but they can't make up for
the absence of essential character.
That absence is bound to show through
on the screen: it cannot be disguised,
even with trick photography.
There are In Hollywood today hordes
Of young men and women upon whom
the gods have lavished looks. talents
and even intelligence. but who are
lacking in the abnormal degree Of vital
fly which Is essential to greatness.
They are constantly waiting around IN
outer Offices, while such as Marie
Endorsing checks.
The career of Give Brook Is an in
teresting one. 1t represents q triumph
Of self-effacement. In silent pictures
and in talking ones, Mr.. Brook has fur
nished the support for a long success
sion of frail female stars. He was con-
tent to stand in the background, pa
tient, imperturbable. knowing that even
though he was destined to get the girl
in the end, in the final kiss closeup
his face would be away from the
camera.
Most Of the young ladies whom Mr..
Brock supported have passed on, while
he Is now technically star. But he Is
still willing and even glad to play sec
ond fiddle In "Silence," his is ostensi-
bly, the fat part. and yet in succession
Of scenes with Marjorie Rambeau.
Peggy Shannon, Willard Robertson and
John Wray Il is the subordinate rather
then the star who scores. A more self
ish and less wise actor than Mr. Brook
would never have permitted this to
happen. However, he seems TO be en-
tirely aware that the fashy perform
ances may come and 90, but the silent
Brook goes on forever.
The finest bit In Silence" IL q scene
between Mr.. Robertson and Mr.. Wray,
with Mr.. Brook hidden las usual) be-
hind Q curtain. Mr. Wray has the same
role-a contempitibIe. doubled
rat--which he played on the stage and
on the silent screen. He Is for the
third time. startlingiy good.
Much IF the hunor of Mark Twain
comes through in the picture Of
"Huckleberry Finn" but the melo-
drama looks pretty silly. One believes
implicitly In Huck himself, especially as
impersonated by Junior Durkin, but It
Is not quite possible to swallow Huck's
perI,ar,s fI,e r,elodran,atic i,tarasf N
'sHuckleberry Finn" never was very
convincing Perhaps the feeling Of
chill that experience whenever
think Of the lost Dauphin and the Duke
Of Bilgewater Is attributable to the fact
that. when read this great book, I was
believing youth, not q sour old cynical
critic
Junior Durkin is rapidly growing up
and almost any day now he viii be
ready for haircut and the role Of
juvenile leading man. Isn't it, there
fore, about time for him TO assume his
own name-William or stuart or Gus
or whatever it sand drop the
Junior?
Il is also just about time, in my
opinion for Paramount to allow Jackie
Searle to appear IN some role other
than that Of the obnoxious Sidney He
| IS one Of the greatest actors Of all
time, and 1t Is criminal TO restrict such
genius to one narrow groove. am
positive that Jack Searle could give q
mastery Interpretation Of King Lear II
given half q chance
Z ecspyrisnt. .ssi.)