Evening star., 1935-04-27
EARLE'S FILM
is DIFFERENT
CINEMA EFFORT
Subject of Insanity Is
Carefully and InteM.
gently Handled.

The subject Of insanity has been
on the taboo list for so many years
in FINLAND that it is almost incredibly
surprising to find its first treatment
mature and sympathetic affair,
directed with an eye to honesty as
we'll as dramaturgy. Private Worlds y
currently at the Earle, boasts pre-
cisely those virtues. however and those
who like their ceuuloid fables adult
and moving should hail it as a minor
landmark in the expansion Of the
cinema mind.
Without being morbid or Flu Manchu
in its technique, Walter Wanger's
latest production. essays to explore the
terrifying and pitiful half-world in
which millions of human beings dwell,
shut off from reality by the tragic
barrier of mental illness. The expo
sition achieved through legitimate use
of a situation involving three doctors
in a mental hospital" the sister Of
one of the psychiatrists and the wife
of another. Miss Claudette Colbert
is the third specialist, prim and
friendly woman trying to remain alb
sorbed in her work in order to forget
an unfortunate romance Of earlier
days.
The other two are impersonated by
Joel McCrea and Charles Boyer, like
Miss Colbert suffering from controlled
forms of exactly the same neurosis
that conquered their unfortunate
patients. Private Worlds makes
rather a point of the old saying that
there is q very fine line between
sanity and insanity. for its protag-
onists, the strong ones who are trying
to help the weak, are only by great
est efforts able to keep their heads
above water One of them, the sweet
and deeply emotional wife of DR.. Alex
McGregor (Mr. McCrea) slips across
the borderline after a period of in
tense brooding over her husbands
action with another woman. That
scene, in which Miss Joan Bennett
roams about her little house alone,
hearing voices calling to her from
the walls, behind doors, out the win
dows, is a narrowing moment, but
we'll within the boundaries of good
taste and conviction.
Eventually, you will be glad to know.
everybody gets Strengthened out and
tosses dat OIL debbil neurosis out the
window in favor of true love or dra-
matte justice or something. That part
of the film also is made to seem
reasonable and proper. quite different
from the traditional Hollywood end
ing" because it is arrived at through
a series of logical developments in the
minds of the characters. Or perhaps
it is all the same old thing and We
we're fooled by the excellent perform
ances given by Miss Colbert, Miss
Bennett, Mr.. McCrea. Miss Helen
Vinson and especially Mr.. Boyer, who
underlined every instant of his appear
ance with force and distinction.
The Earle stage show this week
reglorifies the American pony ballet,
a pleasing revival for old-timers of the
Fanchon and Marco era of frontier
prosperity. The 80 Roxyettes (there
are actually only 81 this week. out
number every one, even three-ply
Johnny Perkins, and consequently
must be given priority in our paean
of praise. Their precision dancing
lives up to the phrase. and that is that.
The other attractions are Eleanor
Whitney, a skillful and handsome
young dancer: Stan Kavanagh, whose
comedy juggling turn is one of the
best in show business; Herb Cook and
his Three Little Words, the current
Earle standby, apparently growing
more popular every day. and Ruth
Petty, songstress. Perkins is m. C.
of the show and contributes one or
two numbers himself. r. B. p, Jr.