Imperial Valley press., 1936-09-20

Shows of the week. DOuS-
worth" Samuel Goldwyn-Unted
Artists.
Almost unprecedently good
(Sinclair Lewis novel which sub
sequently made a good play and
now makes an excellent moving
picture.
The near miracle is probably due
to tolerant production of the screen
play as translated by Sidney How
ard, who also dramatized the novel
for the stage, not to diminish the
Importance of Walter Houston, who
played Heaven knows how many
legitimate performances of c'Dods-
WORTH and whose work was con-
sequently highly polished.
Otherwise the picture is notable as
the first screen appearance of Mary
Astor following the lavender diary
sensations of her battle. with ex-
husband DR.. Franklyn Thorpe for
custody of their child.
Astor shares the feminine lead
with Ruth Chatterton, and finishes
bad second. Possibly the COM
parison shouldn't be made too un-
favorable, for Chatterton is re-
doubtable opponent for any act
reSs.
Possibly the makeup department
is partly responsible for her indif-
ferent showing. They evidently
attempted to make her wholesome
in matronly way, but succeeded
making her appear thin, and to
say the least, mature.
Those familiar with the play will
find the screen "Dodsworth" played
much more broadly, almost played
down to the audience. 1t is aided
throughout by first class direction
(William Wyler) and photography
Of high order.
Nine. Marie Ouspenskaya, Paul
Lucas, David Niven and Spring BY
ington contributed notable bits.
Ramona" (20th Century-Fox) !.
Loretta Young, Don Ameche and
Kent Taylor in highly techni-
colored version of Helen Hunt
Jackson's early California tear-jerk-
er
Color Is general excellent compar-
ing favorably with anything to
date. and only a few scenes re-
semble tourist postcards.
The story is much compacted.
Indians, Young and Ameche take
considerably less kicking around
than Jackson gave them in her
novel and a happy ending CYoung
and Taylor) is substituted for the
general dying-off at the finish.
Young is well cast, for once, as
the presumably stoical Indian girl.
She has her usual quote of three
expressions and uses all of them.
Ameche's performance is by far
the best. He plays Allessandro,
the Indian who elopes with Young,
a half-breed girl raised as the
daughter of Spanish California
family, and TAYLOR is hardly less
convincing as Don Felipe the
yong aristocrat who supposed
Young was his cousin until his
mother, Pauline Frederick told him
her origin to prevent their mar
riage.
| Sob climax begins to build with
"Allessandro." "Romona" and their
yong daughter driven from their
ranch by land-grabbing white set
tiers in the rainy Southern Cali
fornia equivalent of Way Down
East storm.
They take refuge in the cabin
of some Tennessee immigrants
(good bit for Jane Darrell here)
and the baby becomes ILL., Return
ing from a settlement with medi-
cine, "Allessandro" borrows horse
to speed matters, whereupon the
owner follows and shoots him
down. Sob cresendo, with post
funeral procession fading into ar
rival of Don Felipe" to claim
Ramona"
Best shot: John Carradine, for
mer shouting Shakespeare of Holly
wood boulevard, as the avenging
horse owner stalking "Allessandro. "
4 90
"Craig's Wife," (CoiumbiO.
For once Hollywood does broad
way play (By George Kelly and a
| D,,liti1ar Driza Uyippar) u,ifhoi,t