The Washington times., 1936-03-30

buffet luncheon and reception.
"The Lids Off" had half q
dozen millionaires in its cast, In
cluding the good-looking and
nervous Marshall Field, jr., pal
pably scared in his blonde wig
and furbelowS.
The college boys were not able
to play their own tuneful show.
A rule of the musicians union
requires a local orchestra so a
Phil Lampkin unit costing 1898
ran through the score without q
hitch.
A COLOR CHAMPION
1t is my belief that the picture
screens will soon be filled with
full length features in color. I
reach this conclusion after seeing
"Trail of the Lonesome Pine" q
Paramount production Of John
Fox jr.'S story Of the Kentucky
hillbillies.
"Trail Of the Lonesome Pine"
is miles ahead Of that earlier
plush album color feature, Becky
Sharp" Whereas Becky" was
saturated with scenes Of picture
postcard vividness in red, blue
and green, pigments, the new
picture gets smashing effects by
superb shots in soft, drab hueS
that reflect the natural outdoors.
My earlier complaint against
color was that it blurred the fea-
lures Of the actors when it did
not give them a dark tan, leath-
cry complexion. Not exactly unbe-
coming but always making one
color conscious. They have an.
swered this with q picture as easy
to watch as the conventional
black and white, and infinitely
more beautiful.
USES DRAB HUES
Color marches on and in Trail
Of the Lonesome Pine" 1t takes o
tremendous stride towards endur-
ing popularity. For seldom are
you thinking that color Is the all
important thing here.
The camera catches backgrounds
Of amazing beauty, but in subdued
tones, so that the actors and the
story are dominating rather than
the tinted pastelS. ! was never en-
thralled by either shorts or full
length features whith somehow
gave the impression they could not
have been made without barrels Of
violent red paint. From now on
the screen in color will, I hope. be
more anti-red, actors cannot only
be seen but their clean-cut features
can be readily recognized.
"Trail Of the Lonesome Pine" is,
Of course, the antique tale Of the
feud between the TolliverS and
FalinS in the back mountains coun-
try. Miss Sylvia Sidney Is the first
heroine Of this fiction to play the
role with her shoes on. In fact
Miss Sidney ia both costuming and
makeup suggests anything but q
Kentucky hill billy girl who can't
read or write. However she can
act and makes the emotional
scenes count for teardrops. She
does not affect a Southern accent.
Fred Stone and Henry Fonda
look more as If they belonged with
the families who are eternally
taking the rifle down to 60 hunt
ing for the traditional enemy. Beu-
lah Bonid gave q striking per.
formance as Ma Tolliver and Fred
MacMurray is a handsome hero.
Little Spanky Mcfarland shows he
is capable Of much better acting
than he Is called upon to do in
Our Gang comedies.
AS with most of the silent pic.
lures, reborn with sound, Trail
of the Lonesome Pine" aboundS in
action. Director Henry Hathaway
turns in a superior job in his first
big picture since Lives Of q Ben
gal Lancer"
This feature will be coming
along very soon to the Loew the
aterS.
CIRCUS AT SHOREHAM
Hotels and night clubs are
among those demanding novelty
in entertainment, and L. Gardner
Moore, Of the Shoreham, is among
those answering the call for some
thing besides ball room dancers,
with an indoor circus.
From q ringside table, as the
guests Of Mrs. William Hartman
Rapley, Mr.. and Mrs. Jack Chase,
the KelleyS watched the tan bark
and sawdust doingS one night last
week.
A strange sight indeed to see
Billy Hills baby elephant walking
(. 4-inch tightrope on the Shore
hams floor and Pallenberg's
bears riding bicycles, not to men.
ton clowns, performing dogs and
the girl on the flying trapeze.
Yes, this is a different kind Of
a show for a first-class hotel, and
judging from the crowds, should
say the Shoreham's customers ap-
preciate the change.
If this keeps up Guy Wonders
and Gene Ford will have to COM
pete for No. acts. In fact 7
understand those clever dogs in
the society circus close on Thurs
day night and open at the Earle
Theater on Friday. The matinee
performances are bringing out the