Evening star., 1933-09-02

@LAYED by tne last man ou cur I'll
who you thought should play IN
it-Warren William-and played
very agreeapiy at that. as well
as by the nicely shaped Joan
Blondell. Goodbye Again" opened at
the Earle Yesterday amid many signs OF
prosperity. While the film has the as
advantage of not being as funny as itS
stage ancestor, and while that splendid
onening scene has been deleted from 1t
(Why. we do not know, 1t Is still
pleasant little laugh contraptlon WIN
enough satire and burlesQue and a drop
or tNo of hokum in it to keep the audi
ence continually grinning. ADDED 10
that there are about six 'roars.
Mr.. William is surprisingly good, IN
spite of the fact that we still don't
think that he should have played tne
part. More of poseur than 1arceur'
William. nevertheless, plays this mean
dering noveliSt-lect with sly hu-
NOR that is only occasionally spoiled by
an obvious clumsiness. Not being a
Glen Hunter, it Is difficult for him to
lump gracefully in and out OF BED
Some of his grimaces are obviously
nainful to him too. He tries haro,
though. and for the most gets away
with it, although We are inclined 10
think that Hugh Herbert (aS the "WlIeS'
husband) rather steals the show
The plot you know. kenneth 6lxpey
(William) goes to Cleveland with MS
secretary (Joan BlondelD and there
runs into an old fame who THINKS sne
is MIRIAM" the childless heroine OF
one of Bixby's books. Complications.
which are fast as we'll as thick, follow.
and it it isn't until the distant city OF
Albany has been reached and Bixby has
almost thrown himself out OF window
that matters finally quiet down. When
they do. the novelist and his secretary
are in each others arms, and the MIN
is over.
other than William and jean Blon-
dell. the cast includes Genevleve Tobln,
as the wife; the drole and effective
MIR. Herbert, last seen in Washington
in the then dying cast OF Forward
March" subsequently Strike Me
Pink"): Helen Chandler. not so good,
and Wallace Ford, who Is excellent.
The stage show. introduced by the
gracious and good looking Oracle Bar
rie, is also stopped" by the gracious
and good-looking Miss Barrie. who
sings three songs with a spirit which
marks her as a real torch-Song artist
We defy you to listen to her Lets Call
1t a Day without thinking of or con-
turing up a tear While Miss Barrie's
voice is not by any means great, she
handles it with rare discretion and
gives evidence one of these days OF get
ting to the top. A grand opening:
other stage sketches. all of them bet
ter than average, include some comedy
steps and gags by Lewis and Moore,
who get great big hand-and one
which they deserve: flrst-rate tight
rope artist and cohort, Manning and
Glass; the popular comic, Barney Grant,
and those six writer's who still seem to
be ION parade" These last named
composers include Charlie Tobias,
Sidney Clare, AL Sherman, Gerald
Marks, Murray Mencher and AL Lewis.
All of them have something to say and
something to sing, and jazz ballad
enthusiasts will find them. very good.
The program has the further dlstinc-
tion of including the last part of a
Mendelssohn piano concerto, played by
Freddie Clarke and his orchestra, and
"soloeo" by Robert Stickney, who does
a very neat job of it.
4
HRROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD"
~ which had very special open
ing" at Loew's Palace last evening. is
the last word on backstage life. 1t is
simple, effective, sad, bitter and tragic.
Like many -Goldwyn- Mayer pic
lures, it is too long. Nevertheless, due
to an exceedingly moving performance
by Alice Brady in role ideally suited
to her land thankfully far cry from
her When Ladies Meet" contortions)
and to Frank Morgan, who is almost as
good, the film is something that should
be seen. especially by the theater world.
Here the world" will recognize itself
at its worst and best. The worst" we
regret to say, is the final chapter on
Hollywood, which is too long and not
by any means up to the standard of the
rest. However you will find yourself,
even in this final rather absurd chap
making than you have heretofore, and
if you are lady you will spoil your
evenings makeup during that last lit
tie scene which Alice Brady makes
more than memorable.
Three generations of HacketS are
shown. Born and Graded within the
shadow of the footlights, this family Of
mother, father and son tno one achieves
a daughter) struts through three cycles
of the theater with pride and the neceS-
sary amount of sacrifice. In the end
all of them are as poor as mice Except
the picture hero, who seems to be head
ing that way) and this should be a
stern preachment to such folk to tuck
a dollar or SO away for the ultimate
lean years. You will, however, follow
the joys and sorrows of this family
with interest, due to the tremendous re-
straint and fidelity with which Miss
Brady colors her role.
Some things 60 rather amiss. Tony
Pastor never put on such scenes as