The Washington times., 1934-12-12

| ana from CnlS QeCaCneQ posi- none
better come to mind than Tom
Brown and Jean Parker. Then I
would wander over to the Warner
Brothers lot and snatch Hugh
Herbert for the bibulous brother
in-law role. Helen WeStley would
be my choice for Mrs. Miller.
This could go on and on. My
only hope is that M-G-M does as
we'll in casting as the New York
Theater Guild did in the stage
version.
Lasky at His Best
The White Parade" has so
many excellent points I regret
that a busy routine kept me from
seeing it on the Fox screen until
yesterday.
What chiefly impressed me was
the fact that Producer Jesse
Lasky is paying more attention to
story value. His knowledge and
appreciation of the camera was
evident in ZOO in Budapest" and
his sense of production value was
manifest in The Warriors Hus-
band" Both offered inferior
screen fiction treatment.
In THE White Parade" Pro-
ducer Lasky is served better by his
authors. The picture will always
be accused of drawing inspiration
from Men in White" but it has
enough original pattern and han
dies it's subject with such dignity
the clever direction of Irving Cum
mingS has an opportunity to
shine.
Director Cummings got more
out of Loretta Young than ever
thought she possessed. It was
Frank Borzage who predicted
that Miss Young would do great
things on the screen and yet he
produced nothing in "A Mans
Castle" to justify his glowing
forecast.
Cummings has made Loretta
Young something more than 8
pretty girl. That was all she
was in THE House of Roths-
child" and with Warner Bros.
she never offered much but a
shapely ingenue sugar plum. Bor-
zage was a prophet but it took
another director and "The White
Parade" to prove it.
Variety after seeing 'The White
Parade" nominated Jane DarWell
for the acting niche made va
cant by the passing of Marie
Dressler. This is a rich reward
indeed for one Well-turned char.
acterization of a hard-boiled nurse.
Before anybody wins Marie Dress
ler's spot in the hearts of the
movie multitude they must dis
play a magnificent talent in a
variety of roles with exacting re-
quirementS. Perhaps Jane Oar.
we'll may be that fortunate act
ress. Her beginning at least is
impressive.
Edmund CWenn
Edmund Gwenn, one of Eng
lands most distinguished stage
and screen players, will carry the
leading role in the American pro-
duction of the London success,
"Laburnum Grove" which Gilbert
Miller will present here at the Ma
tional Theater, in association
with Lee Shubert, during the week
of December 81.
Gwenn, who arrives in the
States in a week. originated his
role in the London production of
j. B. Priestley's latest success.
which, incidentally, occupied the
Duchess and then the Queens
Theater for period of 10 months.
GWenn'S arrival in this country
will be in fu1fillment of a promise
made to Gilbert Miller, who saw
"Laburnum Grove" in London
and then told Gwenn that he
would buy the play for American
production provided that GWenn
would come here to play the lead
ing role. Miller bough tthe play
and GWenn is keeping his promise
GWenn is almost pre-eminent as
stage and screen actor in Eng
land. It has been his theatrical
lot to originate leading roles in
six plays by Bernard Shaw, five
plays by j. M. Barrie and five
plays by John Galsworthy. He
has played in more London thea
ters than any other English actor,
has appeared in at least 20 dra-
matte successes and more than q
0ozen important cinemas.
In 1921 he toured the United
States, his one and only visit to
this country, with Marie Lohr's
company.