Evening star., 1934-04-21
"GOOD DAME"
TURNS OUT TO
BE GOOD FILM
Frederic March and Syl-
pia Sidney Starred in
CarnivaI Story.

The polished Frederic March doffs
his drawing room manners to become
as genuine tough guy as ever drooled
carnival lingo, and sad-eyed Sylvia
Sidney brings enough smiles into her
Characterization of a good dame hav-
ing hard time staying so, to turn
the Paramount film, Good Dame"
from what might have been a COM
monplace cinema into as entertaining
a movie story as has graced the screen
Of Loew's Fox in recent months.
As in 1T Happened One Night" the
Clark Gable -Claudette Colbert comedy
hit that is still playing Washington,
the matter-o fact and usually regard
ed as insignifican. and unimportant
things of life are treated with such
unassuming cleverness and sincerity
in Good Dame" as to make them
more interesting than the ordinary
run. March, as a carnival card sharp,
steals a bit Of James Cagney's treat
the ladies rough and they like-it
stuff. With the aid Of tight-fitting
vest, tattered hat and convincing
vocabulary of slang words, he so COM
pletely drops his drawing room poise
and polish that you almost have to
look twice to realize that he Is the
usually elegant Mr.. March. Sylvia
Sidney, as a stranded chlorine with
ideals, was never more nkable and
convincing.
The story runs in this manner:
Lille Taylor (Sylvia Sidney,
stranded chorus girl, has her pocket
book stolen while looking in on a
carnival in which Mace Townsley
(Frederic March) runs his card game.
He befriends her, first with strictly
dishonorable" intentions, and then
with mixed intentions that grow more
honorable until he realizes he is in
love with her. Mace has to leave the
carnival in a hurry when he makes
card game shield, Russell Hopton, who
stole Lilies pocketbook, steal enough
money to keep her out of Jail after a
carnival dance show she has started
to work in is raided. Mace and Lille
then combine to sell a household
article in an effort to raise enough
money to send her to Chicago to her
aunt. He is arrested after slugging
the manager Of an apartment house,
and Lille talks to a kind-hearted
judge CWilliam Farnum) into marry
ing them instead Of giving him six
months.
Count Berni Vici (who looks like
John GilberD and his Is alluring
symphonists, as lovely a group Of fe-
male musicians as ever manipulated
orchestra paraphernalia, head the Fox
stage bill. Harriet Cruise, radio singer,
who has tear in her voice but moth
ing else depressing about her, sings
several songs well. Joe Besser gets all
| the laughs with his exaggerated Joe
Penner mannerisms Bobby Henshaw
plays his uke and initiates a parrot,
and Nine. Caroline does a Sally Rand
with two fans and some blue spot
lights. The dancing for the show Is
contributed by Bordine and Carroll,
nudity-in-gold adagio dancers, and
Mary and Bobby, two youthful eccen-
trio steppers. Paul Sutton sings THE
Last Roundup" but Edward Perkins,
Fox usher, gets a bigger hand from
the audience when he climaxes Macs
tro Phil Lampkins' overture arrange
ment Of popular Spring tunes by sing
ing Easter Parade"
In a novelty film feature. Tommy
Hudgins gives golf fans a thrill with
his trick shots. He uses an eight-foot
shaft for one shot and an improvised
club made with a whip handle for
several others. The Fox movietone
news reel completes the bill.
M. W. B.