Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-15

ClQcs III Tn z
next, reporter has died phoning in
his story, and the managing editor
calls for q bronze plaque TO be
erected In his name; and for the
rest of the first half hour, the boss"
shouts that everything is news"
whether it relates to his best friend
or his mother, threatens to resign
because the owner Of the paper
wants story left out which has to
do with his old school teacher, and
is from first to last q man with no
heart, whose chief delight Is to print
stories that will bring about tragedy
in the lives Of others.
The upshot of all this ynercilesS-
ness on his part is that his wife falls
in love with the president of q bank
and becomes involved in front-page
story which he has to print He does
this after going to her-as a news
paper man-and saying that he
wants statement from her to 60
with the story. She screams at him,
you can say I love him." and he
goes to the apartment Of the lover,
shoots him dead, goes to his office,
dictates the story-resignS-and gives
himself up at the police house. The
last shot" shows him editing the
Stng-Sing Herald, with obvious glee
All of which is meant to prove
once a newspaper man, always a
newspaper man. And should, no
doubt, teach little children to eschew
q managing editor as they would the
''bogy-rnan."
Fortunately. however, the dialogue
and the action are done with SUI
ficient exaggeration to prove that
1t is one grand fairy story-the dia-
logue reaching its height when Mr..
Brook says: This is the longest day
I've ever spent. Three O'Clock. In
an hour, it will be 1 o'clock"
George Bancroft. in the leading
role, tries TO be sincere but seems
eventually to realize that ii Is ali
hokum and gives UP. Give Brook
Is suavely genuine as the bank preSi-
dent who gets shot through the head
by the managing editor, and Kay
Francis looks unhappy as the lady
who Is the cause Of most Of the trou-
BILE.
The stage show is q good revue.
1t Is notable chiefly for Jack Benny.
late star Of Earl CAROLS "Vanities";
Evelyn Wilson, who staggers about
as successfully as ever, and Billy
Rose, who brings down the house
with his eccentric dancing.
z. de S. MELCHER.
Hot Heiress" at Earle
With Fine Stage Show.
NATURES gentlemen of the riy-
eters' trade are introduced to
polite society in THE Hot Hetress,"
which opened yesterday at the Earl
Theater. Announced as a fast
moving comedy, 1t might Just as well
be clasSed as q three-Ying farce,
for 1t embraces merry antics aloft
among the structural iron workers,
Summer resort scene on an es-
tate representing the environment Of
wealth, and a romance In keeping
with the fond ambitions of Nellie,
commonly known as the beautiful
cloak model.
Ben Lyon undertakes the role Of a
Munson eSsaying the part Of q
beautiful society bud" and their
thoughts Of marriage are developed
with q briskness which could hardly
be surpassed. There is enough de-
tail in the proceeding, however, to
furnish q stable hln entertainment
which is both clever and conducive
to geniality. Unlike the more hastily
constructed products of the comic
world, The Hot Heiressp abounds in
lines which would thaw the most
frozen disposition, and they are
combined with situations which
take their humor from the serious
ness with which the characters per-
form their tasks.
Mr.. Lyon is a familiar figure in
the motion-pictu world, but 1t Is
doubtful If he has ever before gone
rnR1anGlry q q uiNTaIu q - this
production. Its effect Ia produced
BY the assumption that II is uneon-
scious hunor. Miss Munson, while
not quite so we'll known to theater-
goers. presents the role Of smiling
young woman without complex in
her system. and with the capacity to
rule an entire household through
the ability TO brush aside its shocked
sensibilitieS The results are 10 the
credit Of these two players.
A complete story Is presented by
the work of Tom Dugan and Inez
Courtney as a companion couple to
the lucky rtveter, and their tech
nique as the young persons suddenly
catapulted into exclusive circles Is
Of the sort that carries Its own in
terest regardless Of the plot. Walter
Pidgeon, as man about town, also
has his proper place in the story.
Gus Edwards Proteges help 70
make the stage performance at the
Earle one that may be ranked high
on the seasons list. Their music
and dancing are Of the grade usually
expected from this director, and
their limitations of prominent per-
sons are true to life. The Six De
Carlos are athletes who perform
with the skill Of masters, and the
other excellent numbers are given
Charles Slim" Timblin, clever
comedian, assisted by Billy Ray
mond and Val Russell; Lillian Bar
nard and Flo Henrie, IN real song
hits; and Maxine Doyle, mistress OF
ceremonies. The rest of the pro-
gram includes orchestral selections.
Graham McNamee's newsreel. one
feature of which is q horse race I'M
surpassed in thrills, and Ripleys
strange exhibits, shown on 2 nm
Doug Reaches for the Moon
Another Week at the Columbia.
A COCKTAIL as potent as any
"a magic drug out Of the Thou
sand and One Nights" and with re-
suits that make the love-charm Of a
"Midsummer's Night Dream" pale
with envy, is responsible for much OF
the hun1or and also much Of the
roughhouse in Reaching for the
Moon" which goes on blithely for
another week at the Columbia. 1t is
this drink, which Mr.. Fairbanks
swears is his first, and which very
nearly rips apart the liner upon
| which he and the blonde Miss
Daniels and the odd Edward Everett
Horton are discovered. Each takes
q taste Of 1t, and each bursts out
into a strange sort Of love making, in
which jumping from ceilings to floors
and vice versa, Is only the MildeSt
OF the physical disturbances which
| enSue.
| Although one may not take too
kindly to Mr.. Fairbanks In this sort
of a role. although most Of It seems
/ 4L,n ..,nrA nl.sttnA lind ~ an,ot1nn..annnt