Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-18
Flashes From the Screen
News and Comment of the Photoplay
By E. de S. Melcher.

must be included among the
great is a mystery that battles and
rankleS still. A genuinely exag-
gerated piece of acting on the
part of Mr.. Barrymore-a thor
oughly ridiculous Story-not saved
by "sophistication"- still seems
one of the few breaches of good
taste that this actor has commit
ted. The others have met with
favor univerSally-eXcept for
Laughter" which was greatly
liked by this department and
singularly disliked by most every
one else around.
A THOUGH "Part-time Wife"
has now wended its way to its
celluloid heaven, or otherwise, it
might be of interest to disclose
the fact that when the Roxy cor
poration showed this film in New
York Mr.. Roxy objected so to the
name that it was changed to
1.-THE Shopper ewfounder"-un
der which title 1t was baptized in
magazine form-and had a phe-
nomenal run as is, instead of as
was.
Mr.. Roxy maintained that the
other title would not sit SO we'll on
the youth that tumbled into the
old homestead for the holidays
and it looks as though maybe he
were right. Mr.. Meakin refrained
from this, and one wonders, in
deed, what would have happened
If he hadn't.
THIS business of titles is, in fact,
becoming something of a game.
Free Love-" for instance, last
week at the Rialto, was advertised
in one city under the catchline
IF you are easily shocked-stay
away" And the proof of the pud-
ding was that even little Annie
Laurie couldn't have had any
conjunction seeing this-so mild
and unharmfully placated was 1t
with anything like super-crudity.
BREVITIES.
The following are the pictures
that crossed the most box office
rewards for their individual COM
panies during the year: Flight"
(Columbial, Sally" First Ma
tionaD, "Sunnyside Up" (Fox),
Anna Christie" (M.-G. M,
Animal Crackers" (Paramount),
Holiday" (Pathe), "Rio Rita"
(Radio), what A Man" (Sono-
Art, Journeys End" CTiffany),
"Whoopee" Omitted Artists, "All
Quiet on the Western Front"
CUniversaD and office Wife"
(WarnerS).
strangers May Kiss" the new
Norma Shearer vehicle, Is now in
full swing at the MIG. M. studios,
those concerned being Robert
Montgomery, Neil Hamilton, Mar
jorie Rambeau, Irene Rich and a
cast, under the tutelage of Director
George Fitzmaurice, that reads
like a cinematic who's Who"
Norman Foster, the young hus-
band of Claudette Colbert, who
did so nicely in the picture version
of young Man of Manhattan"
has been given one Of the leads
In Among the Married"
Buster Keaton and Charlotte
Greenwood are said to be having
quite a time with the filming of
"Parlor, Bedroom and Bath"
Godfrey Kerr has been signed
to a long-term contract by Radio
Pictures. Mr.. Kerr is, incidentally,
the distinguished husband of
that talented young actress June
Walker who is prominent among
those coming tomorrow to the
National in Green Grow the
Lilacs."
Edna Best is said to be greatly
excited about her new MIG. M.
contract-and will divide her time
between California, New York and
London. This favorite of the Lon
don stage land one Of the most
noted Peter Pans was seen here
in Washington during the week
that her husband, Herbert Mar
shall, was playing in Tomorrow
and Tomorrow"
Chester Morris has been dubbed
a star by the United Artist outfit,
and joins the ranks of the immor-
tails such as Chaplin, Fairbanks,
Colman, Jolson, Huston and
Cantor.
Joseph M. Schenck, president
and chairman of the board of
directors of United Artist Cor
poration, has issued his 1881 fore
cast Says he: "Comedy-drama
will be in the ascendancy; more
extensive market will be avail
able for the original manuscripts
Of playwrights and authors; out
standing stars, famous names, will
continue as the biggest attrac-
tions-and in the theater field the
trend will be toward smaller and
more intimate houses.
De sylvia, Brown and Henderson
have turned dramatic, and will do
the story instead of the music for
the new Gloria Swanson Aim
"Obey That Impulse!" Ben Lyon
will play opposite Miss Swanson.
The new Ruth Chatterton film
is to be called "Unfaithful" and
has been written by John van
Druten, author of Young Wood
ley; George Cukor will direct
New York Lady" in which Tallu-
lah Bankhead will first appear
before the screen; Maurice Chev-
alier comes back TO this country
January Is, and "Daybreak" Is to
be the new Ramon Novarro
picture.
Dolores Costello, who renounced
the screen in favor of domesticity