Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15
Flashes From the Screen
News and Comment of the Photoplay
By C. E. Nelson.

SEuQlGQ Dy Watching NAlp1 1AC
Chaplin on the screen. He is, in
my opinion, the ideal motion pic
ture actor. have great respect
for the screen and its people.
Thousands of hard workers make
up the backbone of the industry,
and work in the studios is arduouS
and very exhauSting."
X X
About the funniest bit OF
publicity of season especially
notable for press yarns is that
sent out from First National
Pictures regarding Little Gaze
Sar." Quoting from the press
sheet: Some Hollywood peo-
pie maintain that but for the
presence lin the picture) OF
several especially imported
rdcketeerS from Chicago, the
picture Mould haze been just
another 'one Of them things
Director Merpyn LIE Roy re-
fused to proceed NTH the film
ing OF this picture until SeUerGI
authentic gangSters had been
procured"
So Chicago is sending her
racketeerS TO Hollywood to Gp-
pear in the nloUteS!
X
FROM all appearances, the pre-
miere of Charlie Chaplin's new
picture, city Lights" came off
as per schedule, the elite of New
York attending, and the ordinary
cash customers being forced to
wait for later ShowingS. top
price, SID High hats and ermines
were in evidence, since Charlie
is now claSSed among the lin
tellectualS. Many film writers
are still seeking to analyze the
new picture and the work of the
comedian. Genius" is about the
lowliest word applied to the star,
who has leaped from the lowest
comedy of the custard-pie-Sling-
ing days to artistic pantomime."
Chaplin is being compared with
the great ones-great novelistS,
composers and sculptorS-and he
has Travelled a long way from the
Keystone comedy days. He is
pointed out as star of great bril-
lance, a sort of melancholy Puck,
and the writer's who beat the tom
tom hail his latest achievement
as "StupendouS." I have read
number of the reviews of the New
York opening, and I find, casting
aside the fancy words, that the
writer's are agreed that city
Lights" is a good picture. The
stars unique genius" and his
"stupendous talent" leave me
cold. I would rather view again
some of his old-time comedies
Dough and Dynamite" for in
Stance-than his "City Lights"
Film producers are, at last,
beginning to realize the UGlue of
comedies, and they are closely
matching D1udeville for possible
performers. Warner Brothers
are reported especially GctiUe
in a search for fu1l1ndkerS. The
latest stage star to be signed
for screen comedies is Teddy
Waters, t0ho recently appeared
NTH Eddie Cantor.
X
HERE will be something really
new in movie and newspaper
circles: Adolphe Menjou has been
borrowed from Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer by Howard Hughes to play
the role of managing editor in
the screen version of THE Front
Page" Adolphe is expected to set
a new style in editorial hombres.
:. -. R-K-O has purchased the
screen rights to the Jack Lait
story, Put on the Spot" and the
leading roles will be taken by Lily
Damita and Ricardo CorteZ. :.
The Willard Mack play, Kick In"
which was so popular on the stage
a few years back, has been taken
over as screen vehicle for Clara
Bow. 1t is announced that
Walter Huston's first starring
vehicle under his new contract
with First National will be called
upper Underworld" Win
ME Lightner's new picture will be
Geld Dust Gertie," the name hav-
ing been changed from Red Hot
Sinners" THE Public Enemy"
going into production at the
Warner Bros studio. might be
termed a story of "the war in
Chicago" The new George
Arliss picture, THE Millionaire"
is nearing completion. . Marilyn
Miller is on a vacation trip to
Paris. Richard BarthelmeSS
has acquired a Southern accent
for his new picture, The Finger
Points. " It is estimated that
one-third of the motion picture
theaterS in the United States re-
main unwired for sound pictures.
Evelyn Laye has Withdrawn
from the London cast of Bitter
sweet" in order to return to the
United States to make a second
picture for Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
1t is reported that Florenz
ziegfeld is angling for the Serv-
ices Of Harry Langdon, screen
comedian, for the new Follies. o.. e.
James Hall has the leading role
in Midnight Express" Little
Caesar" and Criminal Code" two
pictures which were exhibited in
Washington recently, have re-
ceived high praise and have been
placed among the big box-office
attractions. "EStrella Negra"
is the Spanish version of the min
and Bill" picture. The Kate
Jordan novel, THE Next Corner"
will be directed by Herbert Brenon.
&. And "Cimarron" may break
few records in Washington