The Washington times., 1935-10-25


ing some play a double honor.
They'll Argue
1t is no secret by now that had
the Critics Circle been function.
ing last April, 'The Children's
Hour" and not 1.-THE Old Maid" !"
would have won, and Playwright
Lillian Hellman would be wearing
. gold medal as a merit testi.
monial. Instead, the Pulitzer
award went to The Old Maid" ,"
and, as one Of the very first to
predict that it would, I again de.
clare it an excellent selection.
For, despite the New York critical
approval Of "Children's Hour"
there can be no doubt that it fell
apart as a play in the last Is
minutes Of its dialogue and &C.
tion, after two brilliant first acts.
Don't imagine for a split second
that the Critics Circle will reach
. decision without plenty Of Hooli-
gan argument-with everybody
talking and nobody listening. For
the opinionated George Jean
Nathan IS likely to spring on his
colleagues some play like "Rich-
ard Of Bordeaux" and find him.
self singing solo. Or the esteemed
Mr.. Winchell, who last season
blessed Revenge With Music"
with five-Star praise, might try to
follow through on a wrong guess.
Robert Garland is notorious for
liking plays that others thumb
out as inconSequential. Yes, it
would be decidedly more fun than
q Senate filibuster to sit in on
the voting session with the critics.
From this detached listening
post it strikes me that the meth
DDS Of the Pulitzer awards COM
n1ittee have too often been char
acterized by stupidity and a disre-
gard OF the wishes Of the distin.
guished founder. Each season
they seem tc be more on the de.
fenSive.
I am not surprised therefore,
that the Critics Circle has decided
to take the glory, or accept the
blame, for picking the seasons
best play. That they win usurp
the place Of the Pulitzer prize in
commanding public attention
seems assured. And If the judg-
ment Of these lads is called into
question they can beat the type
writer's in defense of their find
ings. It means the end Of the
"Take It or Leave It" attitude
when controversy develops.
The first Critics Circle play
Jury will comprise: Walter Win
chell of the New York Mirror,
Robert Garland, Of the World
Telegram. Gilbert Gabriel, of the
New York American, Brooks At
kinson Of the New York Times,
John Anderson Of the New York
journal, Percy Hammond Of the
New York Tribune, Burns Mantle
Of the Daily News, John Mason
Brown of the New York Post, Rob.
ert Benchley of the New Yorker,
Kelcey Allen Of Women's Wear,
Richard Lockridge of the New
York Sun, Arthur Pollock of the
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Stark
Young Of the New Republic,
George Jean Nathan of Vanity
Fair, Joseph Woods Krutch OF
The Nation, Rowland Field Of the
Brooklyn Times Union and Whit
ney Bolton Of the Telegraph.
Very Good British
I sat in yesterday at a late
matinee pre-View of jerome K.
Jerome's Passing of the Third
Floor Back" probably the great
est play in the repertoire Of that
great actor, Sir JohnStone Forbes.
Robertson.
This is one that Gaumont,Brit-
lsh pictures can actually boast
about. They have done o beautiful
job in transferring the spiritual
quality Of this drama to the
screen. You will find that Conrad
Veidt, good German actor, gets
the big type as the star Of the fea'
ture and you will also find that
the acting honorS of the picture