The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1932-04-02
Hollywood Rushes In Where Play Angels Fear To Tread
Stage Openings None, So New Film Holds Spotlight
By GILBERT SWAN
NEA Service Writer

VEN 9E4tA8G HUNaAUE
New York-Two weeks without
an addition to Broadway's already
But it is always that way in the
early spring, after which new
PLAYS come popping out even as
the buds and greenery.
Taking advantage OF this lapse,
Hollywood rushed in made-for-
springtime premiere of q feature
picture, so highly regarded by
Paramount that 1t was opened in
two theaters at once. It 10 the
combined efforts Of Ernest Luz
bitsch, Cheva1ier and Oscar
Strauss, who ambled over from
Germany to provide music. Until
q very amusing play comes along.
this film. "One Hour with You"
will serve very nicely. This re-
adaptation Of 1.-THE Marriage.
Circle" which made bit Of HIS.
tory back in silent screen days.
was made of purest nun to begin
with, but has a naughty, gay and
entertaining quality known vague
ly as continental" and "sophisti-
Gated.
Those fans who keep scrap
books can check back and learn
that Marriage Circle" was first
of the sophisticated cinema COM
edies. and because of its suavity,
fun and wise naughtiness became
a sensation. It was credited with
starting an entirely new film
trend. And 1t was M. Ernest Luz
bitsch who made quite a rep for
himself as a sly directoriai fellow
In this picture. Feminine star in
the silent version, by the way, was
one Florence Vidor--just to show
you how fieeting Is time!
Now it's jeanette Macdonald
who sings the lead, for it Is a
springtime picture and It Is large
ly music. When It isn't music, 1t
again starts something for the
cinema. In that the spoken lines
appeared almost invariably to
have been written in rhymed
couplets.
AS for the theater, these dol
drum days offer opportunity Of
checking back ON certain events
of the past few weeks-and one
such is the return of Laurette
Taylor, after all these years, and
enthusiastic reception by most cri-
tics and cash customers.
Four, years in Broadway time
frequently brings a complete
change in tastes and types. It's
a brave actress who ventures back,
after having reached the peaks;
particularly when she brings as
her vehicles such vintage-pieces
as "Alice-Sit-B BY -The-Fire" and
"The Old Lady Shows Her Med
ais" The former was turned out
by Barrie as q light and fanciful
answer to Pinero and others of a
period in which plays concerned
| themselves with domestic prob
lens that are now antiquated. The
latter also issues from Sir James.
Offering opportunity for versatile
change In characterization.
Even most veterans players tell
of stage fright on any opening
night The late Minnie Maddern
Fiske, despite her years of troup-
ing, confessed to tremors and quak-
ings each time the curtain rose
upon a new opus.
During the first seven to ten
minutes on the eve Of her appear
ance, the nervousness of Miss Tay-
lor was almost embarrassingly APP
parent. Then she took herself in
hand for a personal triumph.
It is not likely in the light OF
this comeback that Miss Taylor
will disappear again for a while.
Already manuscripts are being
read with Laurette in mind-and
old fans are turning out in droves.
After all, only the very younger
generation has missed out on peg
o. My Heart"-with "Humoresque"
and Her Cardboard Lover" az
more recent samples.