Evening star., 1931-12-26
From the Front Row
Reviews and News of Washingto Theaters
analysis, however. Miss Crawford is
In such great form that nothing else

dldlySlS, IlO"CNCI. NlloS Sid"lOTu Is
In such great form that nothing else
matters.
Clark Gable ably portrays the role
of the dashing young lawyer, who
takes hts fun where he finds 1t and,
when pressed, eases out OF difficult
situations like a magician. He makes
love like an old master. In his
spare time he runs for Governor.
"Skeets' Gallagher is riot as
the drunkard. He really wields a
wicked ice bag.
After all, though, it Is Miss Craw-
ford who makes the show-as well as
her man. D. w.
"Strictly DishOn0rable"
Entertaining at the Rialto.
LC TRICTLY DISHONORABLE,"
while, perhaps, not as clever
as its stage ancestor. is still
- a highly satisfying film. It's
current appearance at the
Rialto Theater should cause great
rejoicing among those who like their
cinematic fare slightly sophisticated,
slightly humorous and neither too
rough nor too blatant to propel them
out Of their seats-shades OF cousin
"Frankenstein."
AS performed by Sydney Fox. Paul
Lukas. Lewis Stone and Henry" of
the original stage company it is
cheerful amuccment, which should
sit we'll on top of any dinner. While
its verbal doctrine is pretty generally
known. and though you may have
seen the original before, you will still
get a definite kick out of it-aven
If it does itself out past the usual
hour.
Miss Fox assumes the amusing
role OF the lady from the South. who
throws down her obnoxious South
Orange lover for the admiring
glances of an operate othario. The
scene in the speakeaSy, which is the
best speakeasy tableau the stage or
screen has ever produced although
in the latter one misses the fiery
red table covers and the gleam and
clink OF the glasseS-still reflects the
glory OF the subterranean Manhat-
tan home" and is a faithful replica
OF what's what in those environ
ments. Miss Fox plays through it
all With engaging nonchalance and
Is deft enough not to lean over
heavily on her Southern brogue. She
Is. too, an engaging player and one
who deserves great credit for being
as she is.
Mr. Lukas. the operate Italiano,
Is smooth and eloquent. quite sincere
IN ms advances toward Miss Fox.
and Just as sincere in his eventual
filnglng OF the Teddy Bear. but he
Is not so fiery nor so excitable as
nave been his predecessors-and
hence, perhaps, not quite so good
Mr.. Stone. however. is excellent, and
SO are all the others (including
especially the policeman. so that the
resulting combination knits together
something which you will do we'll
TO see. E. de S. MELCHER.
Has Fine Show.
WHILE the sound Of the word
Delicious" may tempt YOU in
the other direction from the Fox
Theater. where this new film is cur
rently being shown, the latest Gay
nor-Farrell romance is something
not to be sneezed at Not only is it
the pleasantest Of this couples re-
cent WITNESSES, but it stands on its
own two feet and throws out its
chest, due to the fact that it is
handsomely endowed with George
GershWin music.
This music is injected without the
usual heavy-handed method. II
slides in and slides out and is
notable because you are scarce
ly aware of it at all. Later
on, when the New York Rhapsody"
is played, you should sit up and
listen hard, for 1t is a clever piece
Of modern music and shows Gersh-
win at his best. The scene in which
it is played-it includes Miss Gaynor
wistfully straying through New York's
sadder alleys-and other scenes, such
as the dream reception which she
gets when she arrives in Manhattan
as broguish Scotch immigrant. are
handled expertly and are the chief
reasons why this film should be
viewed. Although the music through
out is played too briefly to allow the
audience to become familiar with it.
1t is mounted so ShreWdly that We
guarantee many will want to go back
and find what perhaps had been
missed before.
The theme of the picture, of course,
has been heard of before. Mother
Cinderella taps Miss Gaynor nicely
on the back and she falls into the
arms OF king polo player of vast
Long Island prestige. She has, nat
urally. a pretty tough time getting
there, and more than once the ladies
have a chance to sigh and say oh"
and get all snarled up with their
matinee candy. But it ends so salts
factorily that these ladies will go out
into the sunshine wreathed in smiles
and full Of added Yuletide cheer.
While Miss Gaynor has been pref
tier, she has never been more con-
vincing, nor has Mr.. Farrell been
more ardent admirer, nor El Brendel
more comic comical relief. These,
plus few excellent shorter roles
supplied by excellent actors. plus the
music plus the wizardy of Gershwin,
put this on the IN plus" recon-
mended list for those who still are
young enough to appreciate sugar
The stage show, Sketches" in
cludes the services of Allan Garfield,
Franklyn D'Amore, with Jack Lane,
"Limberlegs" Edwards. Duke Art,
Mildred Perlee, Frank Hopkinson and
IL handsome Sunkist Beauties. Les
Stevens and his copatriots are, of
course, on hand with their usual
supply of talent-and never better.
E. de S. MELCHER.
Sidewalks of New York"
And Conrad Nagel at Palace.
CONRAD NAGEL "in person" on
" the Palace stage this week dis
plays the same versatility and
charm that have characterized his
long and successful career in mo-
tion pictures. He is the hit of the
show, easily taking the honors from
Buster Keaton In the screen play,
The Sidewalks of New York
AS much at home on the stage
as he has been on the screen, Mr..
Nagel presents little skit, purport-
ing to show the ordeal that movie
mad" girls have to go through to