Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22
From the Front Row
Reviews and News of Washing ton' s Theaters.

duction, and is made effective by
pals, Bebe Daniels, Lewis Stone and
Ben Lyon, are well adapted to the
requirements Of the plot. 1t is an
other performance to the credit of
Miss Daniels. trained in the quail
ties that are required when differing
emotions follow each other in rapid
succession. She is consistently the
picture of superficial self-control,
torn by alternating grief and unex-
pected good fortune, but always the
same conscientious character.
Ever capable In such situations.
Mr.. Stone performs with the depth
of feeling and spirit of human SYM
pathy that are responsible for many
Of the attractive features of the play.
Mr. Lyon has become the appropriate
selection for a guilelesS victim OF the
buffetings of fortune. There is
further pleasure in observing the
impeccable figure of the attractive
but somewhat unconcerned second
woman in the case, played by Nat
allie Moorehead. Effervescent Joan
Blondell is an indispensable and al
most omnipresent aid to Miss
Daniels. Others on the roster are
fAIUShC GTnHj NHBIIlAh Odle dilu OaAcJ
Belmore.
Chief Of the stage performers at
the Earle Is Miss PATRICIA, who
maintains her reputation as singer
and Coincidence, while Joe Morris
and Flo Campbell give their musical
farce, ANY Apartment" and the
dancing features are all worth while
and distinctive, contributed by Joe
Rome and Lou Gaut c'When Elk
tremes Meet'), and the Stanley
Twins with Erhardt Brothers. Joe
Penner has a short comedy film and
the usual news reel and orchestra
selections are offered. Miss Doyle
officiates with her customary skill.
D. G. G.
Buster KeatOn Better Than
"ParlOr, Bed Room and Bath"
FORTUNE smiled on Buster Kea-
ton when it gave him his face.
To look at his expressionless visage
seems to be TO laugh" Buster
Keaton, with his blank, mirthless
face, cast in the role of one forced
by circumstances to be Don Juan
with women, is the funniest part Of
"Parlor, Bed Room and Bath" this
weeks feature at the Palace.
When drama is burlesqued, re-
gardlesS of the cast, 1t Is frequently
funny. Comedy, by the same process
of burlesquing, often ceases to be
amusing. So it is with "Parlor,
Bed Room and Bath"
The stage play, which, a few sea-
sons ago, provoked the laughter of
metropolitan audiences, was an
amusing farce, In which clever lines,
combined with comprising but
wholly innocent situations, afforded
rather highly spiced entertainment
for sophisticated audiences.
The motion picture production,
which, with cinema eXpensiveness,
extends the ScenSe of its activities
far beyond the restrictions of par
lor, bed room and bath. has lost
much Of the cleverness Of the stage
farce.
A distinguished group of coined
ians, including, in addition to the
Charlotte Greenwood, Reginald
Brophy. makes combination which
could not fail to amuse. It Is not,
however, through the humorous
merits of the play that "Parlor. Bed
Room and Bath" is funny. In fact,
it appears regrettable that Holly
wood has used the inimitable Kea-
ton, whose presence in town, like the
Pied Piper, gathers all the children
to the theater, to act in a vehicle re-
pleate with lines and situations de-
cidedly double entente"
The fact that Keaton, along with