Evening star., 1935-09-07

hN = . 1NrEdNO, WuiCH
opened yesterday at Loew's
Fox. is supposed to be. ac-
cording to advance pub
licity, the most discussed film of the
year." but there is only one sequence
in the dreary length of the episode
melodrama which should call for more
than cursory inspection.
This is the sequence where the i'm
mortal poem is interpreted on the
screen. This is the only portion of the
film which has been treated with i'm
agination, and the only portion which
impressionistic picture of the various
tortures shown Dante on his visit to
the neither regions, using mass move
ments Of human beings, stirring
musical score, and excellent camera
work for a graphic pictorial descrip-
ton. This particular part of "Dante's
Inferno" is worth your attention.
Oddly enough, however, 1t is this
sequence of spectacle which weakens
a film that can't stand any too much
weakening. For some quarters
of an hour "Dante's Inferno" is Just
an artificial melodrama of no particu-
lar importance, and then suddenly the
striking spectacle is injected. After
10 minutes OF this the drop back to
the ordinary story is too much of
shock
The tale itself is unreal and un-
convincing. The story of a ruthless
mans rise to power could be told in
a much more telling manner if it
were simplifled. AS it is, "Dante's
Inferno" is artificial, and nothing
short of fantastic in the manner in
which poor Spencer Tracy, the Stoker
who became an amusement park
power because he had no qualms about
the methods used in his rise, gets
private piece of the original inferno
wrapped around his neck on several
occasions to show him the light
The unreality even lets out studio
tricks in one sequence where Mr..
Tracy is tossed across a steamship en-
gine room by high-pressure spray of
escaping water. The stunt man who
doubled for the star, of course, could
not afford to bounce against the wall,
so a mattress was set up to catch
him. The only trouble is that you
can see the padding he is knocked
against II you are watching.
Tracy is as convincing as is possible
in his playing of the role and he has
some capable support from Henry B.
Walthall, operator of the "Dante's
Inferno" concession at an amusement
park, who is bent upon saving the hu-
man race from its sins by teaching
them the lesson in Dante's poem.
Claire Trevor is good in the feminine
lead as is Alan Dinehart in a major
supporting role.
The real star of the Fox stage show
is Eddie Rio, late star of Earl Car
rolls "Vanities," who starts out his
act with his hilarious portrayal of a
lady taking a bath, and never lets the
pitch of the hilarity drop. His slow
motion bit and the skit presenting
Pancho Villa and the last of his army.
performed with the aid of trio of
stooges, are knockout comedy routines.
The guy is good, and plenty.
Arthur Jarrett's Orchestra plays
loud and Justify in the headline posi-
ton, and manages to score with the
audience with his individual arrange
ments of modern dance tunes. Bliss,
Lewis and Ash, presented in the Jar
rett turn, do some neat dancing, and
Eleanor Holm sings.
Margot and Libby North do imita-
tionS in the number two spot, and
arouse applause for their number with
Garbo and Mae West. The bill is
opened by Dupree, Mann and Lee. a
couple of graceful boys and a blond
with a bored expression. They dance
Phil Lampkin is doing another of
his three-in-one overtures this week,
and 1t is mighty fine orchestration
Two new SoloistS are presented
Harpist AL Mannin and Vocalist Lew
Davie-both of whom are worthy ad-
ditions to the Lampkin overture
periods. H. M.