Evening star., 1934-07-26

Hnlle MF. IonTe84y II urllke h1F.
Jsnnings in his new film, Whom the
Gods Destroy which opened yester-
day at R-K-O Beith's. he is very
much like himself. which is the rea-
son mostly for the Aims success.
While II is a somber story, lacked up
70 the teeth with dramatic events
and deliRht3ng in some hokum which
doesn't hurt too much 10 is Mr.. Con-
neily's smooth and oelieyable inter-
probation Of the role OF John Fur
festcr. man more or less without
country. which grips you throughout
and leads the women into q vale Of
tears at the final curtain.
There is, in fact. a good deal that
Is moving and exciting in the picture
and II you can forgive the rather
ovtrnoble father land SON sequence
toward the end, we believe you will
enjoy 1t very much.
The tragedy. or the pivotal point
In this drama, is when John For
rester. an eminent writer and pro-
ducer in New York. having departed
for Europe and leaving his wife and
small son behind. meets with disaster
on the high seas. When his boat
starts to sink and the customary
panic seizes the passengers (this. by
the way. is very well done). Connolly
suddenly goes mildly hay-wire, and,
remembering his wife and child.
throws woman's wrap over him and
thus disguised gets into a lifeboat and
Is saved.
From that minute on. Forester is
doomed, first TO ignominy and shame,
when his trick Is discovered-then to
oblivion and the pang of stern con-
science, which forces him TO change
his name, 10 stay away from his home
and to help his own son when the son
is grown up, only as a stranger and as
O friend.
1t is impossible to put ones finger
on those moments which are right in
the film, just as IL is to disclose what
Is wrong with It. Too much agony is
without question summed up in one
mans lifetime. Yet, as Mr.. Connolly
plays Forester, Il seems as If anything
and everything might happen, which,
OF course, 1t does.
We found, too, Doris Kenyon, quite
moving in the last minutes, and
Robert Young well enough, although
not perhaps the 100 per cent vital,
as the young man who writes plays.
The puppets add friendly note, too.
STAGE and screen attractions for
the new week:
R-k-O Keith's-"Whom the Gods
Destroy. See above. Pretty good, on
account of Walter Connolly.
Bulldog Drummond Strikes
Back" He goes on for another week.
too. Ronald Colman is fine as Bull
dog. But Charles Butterworth is lust
as good as Charles Butterworth and
the man who is wed to Una Merkel-
lucky man.
Earle" Midnight Alibi." This is
q Damon Runyon story and there
fore should be o. K. Richard Barthel-
mess, Ann Dvorak, Helen Lowell and
Helen Chandler head the cast. Hal
Leroy heads the stage show.
F0x-"Baby Take a Bow" with
the most popular actress in the world,
Shirley Temple (James Dunn and
Claire Trevor play pappy and
nanny; Phil Harris and his or
chestra are tops on the stage pro-
gram.
tropolitan-'Return of the Ter
ror." Not having seen this picture,
we can't tell you who returns. But
we do know that it's an Edgar WAL
lace story. and that Mary AStor. Lyle
Talbot and Frank McHugh are mixed
up in 1t. This theater has a whole
heet Of shot subjects, too.
COiumbia--"Murder In Trinidad"
Nigel Bruce. Heather Angel, Victor
Jory and Douglas Walton (remember
him in "Cavalcade"?) are featured.
The title explains itself.
WASHINGTON has more local
- talent this year than it had last.
Evidence Of this was to be found last
night in the auditorium of the Press
Club. where Gene Ford was unearth-
ing stars and starlettes for his forth
coming Loew's Fox all-washington
revue.
Items observed; Gene Ford wear
ing one Of these neo-M -MuSsolini shirts
-. Irene Weber at the Judges" table
sucking a pencil Mrs. Carter
Barron, fresh from Georgia, greeting
half the world in a third row from
the aisle seat Loew'S Fox singing
usher Eddie Perkins getting the big