Evening star., 1933-07-29

a ratner amusing incident.
novel, is an exceptionally brilliant piece
of work and something which Director
King Vidor may well be proud OF. 1t
is, perhaps, even finer than the book,
being more moving in its story power
and less colloquial in its various phases.
A rambling yet absorbing study OF
country folk in Iowa'S broad farming
lands, it reveals almost the very quail
ity of the soil and leaves you with what
seems to be vital knowledge of what
has gone on in this provincial corner
of the world.
Inasmuch as Mr.. Stong adapted the
story for the screen himself, this new
film at the Palace, which appears only
a week or so after the book itself, IS
real, honest stuff, which neither minces
words nor matter The best of the dia-
logue has been culled from the original
and the very core OF the material re-
vealed with an insight which is little
short of amazing.
1t is an interesting experiment to read
this book, too, after you have seen the
film. 1t will show you how a good
story may become good f1lm If
handled by master superintendent.
himself, plus King Vidor, who can
handle "the little things of life" and
make them seem very big, could have
turned out such a fine job. There Is
nothing "arty" about it. 1t hands the
story to you on serviceable platter
and tells you to take it or leave 1t.
The reason that you won't leave it Is
due to the intelligence of the casting
director and the actors themselves.
You know what Lionel Barrymore can
do. But you have never seen him SO
powerful and at the same time so re-
strained He is the Titan in this who
shakes the very roots Of his estates
foundations. He rules with an iron
hand, and plays his hand cunningly
and we'll. Yet, for all his growlings and
yowlings, he is kind and good old
man, set upon by group OF devouring
in-lawS, all more anxious to have him
die than live And when he is dead
you are genuinely sad and even con-
scious that you have lost one Of your
own personal friends.
+ The Storrs, but for Grandfather
Storr and his granddaughter miriam
Hopkins, are mean bunch, and when
they are whipped and squeezed out of
their inheritance at the last, you cheer
with gladneSs. Due to the fact that
they are played SO we'll and so dis
agreeably by such splendid actors as
Beulah BOndi and Grant Mitchell, and
that Miss Hopkins in the role of the
good girl from the city makes their
villianies look all the blacker, this is
one of the best parts Of the story.
Other events include the harvest din
ner Tin which a pie is launched in one
of the farmers faces, the dance in
Pittsville, any scene in which Stuart
Erwin appears. the recounting of the
death of Grandpa Storr, and that valu-
able moment before that when grandpa
explains to the insane commission that
he is as sane as any Of them
Acted to the hilt by Mr.. Barrymore,
as also bv Miriam Hopkins (you
wouldn't. believe she could play such
a role), as also by Franchot Tone. who
makes Guy peculiarly human sort
of a person, this is as pleasant film
as you are likely to find, and one
which does great credit to its makers
The only fault we have to find with
it is that it is occasionally choppy, and
that Lionel's beard looks bit too much
like Methusaleh's.
The program also includes a Laurel
and Hardy comedy which is not at all
funny.