Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03
From the Front Row
Reviews and News Of Washington s Theaters.

0OOu6 W-SACepG Tic cAS,
that seems unnecessarily weak.
Mr.. Berry is grand, but not SO
grand as he was in THE Big House.
Marjorie Rambeau gives one of her
splendidly standardized perform
anceS as a lady of not-so-good re-
pute, while Jean Harlow is as blonde
and as unconvincing as ever.
The stage show is so good that ~
doesn't need eulogizing. Every bit OF
it is Al, and that includes Boran
Minevitch and his RascalS, a grand
collection Of dancing maids with
purple legs and faces, and, best OF
all, The Three Bobs, who just about
dance you out Of your seat.
E. de S. MELCHER.
Iron Man." Lewis Ayres
Offering at the RialtO.
UTRON MAN" the Lewis Ayres
feature at the Rialto, contrives
to be a sort of panoramic view
OF boxing champions career. The
achievement of this air of scholar
ship may serve to retrieve the piece
as public entertainment. Those
who want to know how the cham
pions got to be that way, and why
they fell, will find it interesting. AS
q straight movie, it is mediocre.
w. r. Burnett's narrative lacks
the power of his recent Little
Caesar" This may be attributed to
Edward Robinson's ability to vitalize
that picture, and Ayres decidedly
moderate performance in the pres
ent film. Or, perhaps, mere f1Sti-
cuffs seem too tame after the ex-
element Of disputes a Ia machine
gun. Modified murder is not enough.
kid" Mason, the hero of the box
ing saga, was young man who
could fight when some one told him
how to handle himself, and might
have lived a fairly pleasant life If
he had been able to get his life
managed by contract, too. His man
ager, well played by Robert Arm
strong, guided him to champion
ship, but could not steer the boy
away from q treacherouS wife and
fatal overexpansion of the ego.
When the Kid had sailed away his
championship, he set out to search
for territory more exciting than
gymnasium. His wife, who had left
him when he failed to produce the
expected cash in his earlier days,
hurried back TO enjoy his prosperity
with him.
Without really having to act, Jean
Harlow makes the role of the wife
as unattractive as possible. The
Kids spouse revels in the luxury his
money buys, Is unfaithful to him
with a theatrical producer, and jol-
lies him along in his illusion OF
Self-importance.
OF course, his manager tries to
warn him, gets thrown out for his
trouble, and brings on the contender
who promptly gives the champ a
beating. BY this time, our hero has
learned Of his wife's inf1delity, and
Is all repentance and sorrow. The
big-hearted manager, as gathered
from the last scene, gratuitously
takes him back into camp. The most
satisfying shot of the film is the
moment In which the producer con-
stituteS himself something of critic
Of hiStronics by his manner of fare
well to the Kids wife.
Iron Man" shows the boxer in his
native lair, and gives a fairly good
portrait of those who come to beard
him there. A Universal news reel,
dull Clyde Cook comedy, and song
feature, and a diverting Oswald the
Lucky Rabbit" complete the pro-
gram. r. B. P.
Trader Horn"
Reappears ut the Columbia.
old man Trader Horn" is back
~ in town again. This time
after a vastly successful sojourn
short while since at the National
he may be seen at the Columbia
Theater, and with him an entertain
ing panorama of African mammalia
and a super-blonde lady Of the jun
gle, Edwina Booth.
This film Is notable, however. not
for its lady, or for its plot, but for
the courage and energy that in
spired Metro Goldwyn- Mayer to go
down into the African wilds and
take the pictures they have. The
creeping and crawling things and
the great giants of this hinterland
have been photographed with rare
judgment and considerable excite
ment by this enterprising firm. The
result Is a series of breathless films,
and one which, of course, goes on
the "musts" calendar of the year.
Wandering through these Sc
quences of vital and stirring pictures
goes Harry Carey as the genial gen.
tlenfan in the battered hat whom
fiction has called Trader Horn. Be-
side him is the vaseline- haired hero
and a white-bodied African girl.
whose skin has never been touched
by the sun. They roam and they
ramble, and they fall almost into
the jaws Of death. But each time,
when devil is popping out at them,
Metro oldwyn- Mayer waves a
magic wand and leads them safe
and sound out of danger-and prob
ably. back into the mother arms of
Hollywood. T. de s M