Evening star., 1935-06-15

y
Mervyn LIE Roy has made the whole
30 episode that the sweep and force
and insight that was revealed In the
novel has been partially lost. And,
while the battle that Is Waged be-
tween that oil company and the un-
fortunate young bride IS drawn with
a bold and clear brush, it also lacks
the vitality that you expect and leaves
you in doubt as to whether Mrs.
Hobart really likes oil companies i'll
China or not-something which her
book very definitely defines.
II, therefore, the story Of this young
man fighting for his career III the oil
fields of China is not the rip-roaring
yarn of which the better tllms are
made land it proves again TO us that
the best novels do not the best tllmS
make, there is sufficient meat and
sufficient good acting to make up tor
the lesser diSappointmentS.
Pat O'Brien is the particular sur
prise of the affair. He carries the
play on his shoulders with great sim
cerity and never makes SO much as
one wrong move. Josephine Hutchin-
son is less satisfactory. While some
of her scenes are impressive, she Is
handicapped by a beginning in which
all the influences of some sort OF a
diction school are unleaShed and is so
terribly sweet that, as lady reviewer
who sat near us at the preview said.
pretty soon I'm going to punch her
In the nose"
Arthur Byron and some Of the
Chinese actors are especially good.
But whatever becomes of Lyle Talbot
or John Eldridge, Jean Muir and their
little boy? All Of these work hard
and get nowhere.
The stage show this week is headed
by Mitzi Mayfair. one of the world s
trickieSt dancers, who appears with u
new partner, Bobby BiXley. Both of
these have excellent "rOutlnes." but
they should rehearse their together"
numbers a little harder. Others on
the bill include the Four Belcos,
Raphael, swell accordionist, and the
Stewart Sisters. one of whom outdoes
Joe Penner. Bert Granoff gets one
Of the biggest hands OF the entire
show for his expert singing with the
orchestra.
X X
HOORAY FOR LOVE-" now play
ing at Keith's. is nice little
musical comedy. neither so important
as to make your hair fly of your head
or so dull as to rock you to sleep It's
main virtues are the presence of Bill
Robinson, Fats Waller, Ann Sothern
Maria Gambarelli. Pert Kelton and
Gene Raymond in the cast. and its
main defects are those which have to
do with a book" about a young man
who tries to crash the musical comedy
game as a producer.
At one time It seems as though the
R.-K.-O. company were trying to use
the idea that Mr.. Joseph Vernon Reed
used with such splendid advantage in
his book, The Curtain Falls" But
the idea was possably too much. and
after bit the Aim falls into the
lingo Of all routine musical shows.
1t has. nevertheless. definite moments
OF exhilaration-all of these coming
when the story is forgotten and when
the stars are allowed to exhibit their
own particular specialtieS. Mr. Robin
son unleashes his two splendid feet,
Miss Gambarelli does likewise, Miss
Kelton has one very funny scene when
she does an imitation OF a ham opera
singer, and the others. like Miss
Sothern and Mr.. Raymond. behave
themselves like the nice young people
they are.
Mr.. Meakin has some added sttrac-
tions" this week which are slightly
out Of the ordinary. These include
"A Trip Through Fijiland." which
seems particularly appropriate for this
time of the year.