Evening star., 1933-04-01

1ue luIu Is SuCQ gentle little
mystery farce that only those who
are keenly interested in Miss Far
rells wit or Miss Brian's beauty or
Ben Lyons acting will get anything
out of it at all.
The stage show, however, is some
thing quite different. introduced
by the gracious Maxine Doyle, who
tomorrow night makes her debut at
the National as a Shakespearean
actress, the bill opens with a bang
and ends with a bang. Morton
Downey is. of course, responsible
for the latter-but the opening act
is a complete surprise since this
part of the program is usually
either extremely athletic or ex-
tremely animal what with
trained seals and dogs and what
not. The Rimacs and their runba
band arc, however, a nice little
show in themselves and have in
their midst gentleman and a lady
who dance with that terpsichorean
wriggle which is an exciting and
pleasant home talent (Cuban) di-
version. Others on the bill include
Pettet and Douglas, two different
sized dancing comedians, and
Georges Campo, whose act Is notable
for its elasticity and its briefness.
Mr.. Downey, in spite of the fact
that he no longer sings Say 1t Isn't
So" (the best thing he ever did, has
a program this time which is full
of melody, good cheer and whole
hearted as we'll as soft-shoe singing.
Mr.. Downey raises the roof in most
of his songs-except in the Irving
Berlin "Try Little Tenderness"
which for some reason We liked the
best. He is in splendid voice and
agreeable of manners as always and
whatever he does is applauded en-
Enthusiastically.
Fine Stage Bill
At Lcew's Fox.
IF you like good vaudeville, you'll
= enjoy the stage show which
variety bill, headed by Milton Berle,
most recent "Vanities,' is well worth
seeing and hearing. Whether or not
you'll like the film attraction, how
ever, depends largely on what your
cinematic taste happens to be. Per-
sorallv, we thought Men Must
Fight" rather mediocre, on the
whole; but a friend, who saw the
picture with us, considered it first
rate.
The finn has its moments. Of
course. There are times-particu-
larly in the latter part of the cinema
when the principals do some fine
acting. Unfortunately, however, the
finest kind of acting is powerless to
overcome the handicap of poor cast
ing
In the first part of the picture
Lewis Stone is supposed to be
young army officer, who is head
over heels in love with an even
younger Red Gross nurse, played by
Diana Wynyard. Stone, alas and,
as the saying is, "alackaday," is
much too old for such a role; his
dyed hair-or maybe it's a wig
serves only to emphasize the lines
with which time has furrowed his
face.
Later on the situation is reversed.
Stone, who has long since married
Miss Wynyard and given his name
to her illegitimate son, now about 25.
appears as you're accustomed to see
ing him. With his pseudo-youtl1ful
disguise gone, he turns in the excel
lent performance that most movie
goers have come to expect of him.
Miss Wynyard, on the other hand,
looks much the same as she did be-
fore her son, portrayed by Phillips
Holmes, was born, and-wel,
quarter of century, more or less,
an accomplished actress as Miss
Wynyard to retain her youthful ap-
pearance!
Then, too, there's Ruth Selwyn,
the girl whom Holmes is supposed to
adore. If you've ever seen Miss Sell
Wyn you must know that she isn't
likely to win any beauty prizes. And
what there is about her that causes
Holmes to fall SO madly in love with
her that he's willing to cast aside
the convictions of lifetime, just to
please her, is mystery that the
cinema leaves unsolved As for
Holmes. he's just about up to his
usual standard-no better, no worse.
!. On the stage there's much to be
thankful for and much to throw
your head back and laugh at Most
OF the laughs, Of course, are sup
piled by Berle, who is one of the
WittieSt monologists behind the foot
lights. Some of his cracks are not so
young as they once were, many of
them are a bit off f-coior, but nearly
all of them are smart. With him
are Bryant, Rains and Young, who
put on rs fine a dancing act as
you're likely to see anywhere; Ann
GreenWay, who does some excellent
singing, and Owen McGivney. who
demonstrates his amazing ability as
a quick-change artist.
The theater orchestra, directed by
Phil Lanlpkin, presents an interest
ingly tuneful novelty. in the form of
what might be called a roundup of
Home, Sweet Home versions-tlle
old-tirne fayorite as it would be rem
dered in various foreign countries.
There are, in addition, a musicalized
film comedy and Fox Movietone
news reel. P. H. L.
"Sign of the Cross"
Continues at Metropolitan.
THAT good old Christian and
pagan spectacle, Sign of the
Cross" which some like and others
'dcn't,' is continuing for second
week at Warmers Metropolitan where,
in the midst of Nero's court and lions
and chariots and other Roman gad-
gets, you may see Miss Colbert TAX
ing the most distinctive bath of the
year. Miss Colbert splashes around
in vat Of milk, and looks gay and
whimsical as she soaps herself with
good old Roman soap.
The rest of the film is trifie too
brutal, and there is one scene in
which o youth is tortured which is
almost beyond endurance. However,
this is the kind of Cecil De Mile
splash which the screen hasn't had
in a long time, and it is pleasing
those who have been waiting for
something big and 'gaudy. and who
like to recall this extremely popular
stage plav of another decade. Most
of the acting in it is first rate, and
some Of the sets are handsome. and
when the lions get the Christians you
will shudder and feel extremely un-
happy. ELISA Landi looks beautiful,
however. even as she goes to the
lions, and Mr. March's protecting arm
is around her-ard so there is moth