Evening star., 1932-07-17

ASHlNG 1ON CdEe-OWSll-
\h| erS will find that one or
w two things are amisS in
Washington Masquer-
ade," the new Lionel Barrymore
film which trOtS its camera into
the innardS of the Capital City.
In the first place, dinner parties
given by the great and the near
great do not automatically col
lapse at the stroke of 10. In the
second place, guests at a White
House evening reception cuSto-
marily except formerly, in the
Roosevelt administration shake
the hand of the First Lady of the
Land-instead of giving her a
Sultry nod as do the ambassadors
and such like in this film.
Apart, however, from a gentle
slipping away from certain social
graceS, this picture is a further
proof of Lionel Barrymore genius.
It is, too, d remarkable example
of what Hollywood taS has been
mentioned in these columns be-
fore) can do at long distance. Mr..
Barrymore, it is known, never left
cinematic shores. Yet you would
swear that he is walking up and
down Union Station on his arrival
here to take up his duties as a
he actually becomes more or less
acclimated to the wild and woolly
political game which he is forced
to play as soon as he enters the
Capital.
Hollywood being Hollywood, and
having at it's command the i'm
moderate charms and WileS of
Miss Karen Morley, has, of course,
seen fit to introduce a woman into
this story who is considerably
more powerful than the entire
political set-up. She is it who by
the mere fascination of an eX-
tremely thin dressing gown, made
of beads and spangles, tosses her
place and turns him into a traitor
and a crook. Miss Morley, being
one of the more luscious of cur
rent heroineS (althOugh in this
she is plain bad through and
through almost makes you be-
lieve that Washington is full of
such people, and that you have
only to be young and beautiful
and exceedingly wicked to crash
sacred social Sanctums.
Due to the superb artistry of
Mr.. Barrymore. who instantly be-
comes the head of his noted fam
lily by his performance in this,
washington Masquerade" is a
consistently compelling film. The
beginning of the picture has par
ticular virility. The opening scene
is Barrymore at his beSt-and
audiences intent on seeing the
picture should make sure to get
there at the rising of the curtain.
While Lionel at this moment is
not making the stirring speech
which later thrills the Senate's
gallery, he is making plea as
lawyer to the Governor, which is
one of the most powerful pieces
of acting he has ever done before
the camera. Later on he may
equal this bit of acting-he GER
tainly never SurpaSSeS it.
For some reason or other Barry
more seems of late to have mel
lowed before the camera. For
merly his acting was punctuated
by curiously diSjointed fits and
starts, which were so violent in
their execution that they dis
turbed rather than appealed to
the average spectator. Now sud-
denly-and in the past year-he
has acquired an amazing ease and
naturalness in all his movements,
and while his eyes may glare and
stare, and his right hand run
through his hair, and his shoul-
derS hunch up on him, he seems
very much himself and very much
the role he is playing. EXaggera-
ton has gone. In its place well
shaded emotion and a certain
human quality have crept over
him. The only thing that he
seems to be little shy about in
his latest film concerns his en-
braces with Miss Morley. The
dressing robe of course may have
frightened him.
WashingtonianS will note that
the makers of washington Mas
querade" have tried to inject as
much local color as possible into
it. When Nils ASther comes into
the room, for instance, Miss Nor
ley asks him why he is so late.
u have been out to Chevy Chase"