The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-07-06

= was adapted by Katharine
Cornell, who was q marvellous
Juliet.
1--WE STUDIED all Of these
changes and threw them all out
in favor of ShakeSpeare'S own
version. There Is no additional
dialogue. Norma Shearer and
Leslie Howard will play the title
roles as he wrote the part, in
Guiding the original ending.
Nothing ever written has sur
passed it for simplicity, beauty
and majesty Of poetic express
SiOn."
Hear the other side Of the case
as presented by Publicist Hender-
son, who writes from the Curran
Theater in San Francisco, where
Miss Cornell is acting Saint
Joan" this week:
Dear Andrew Kelley:
Isn't this rather over-steDping
the bounds for the films to mis-
state the case? Miss COrnell's
version" of Shakespeare was
Shakespeare, the most compete
and exact text Of the play to be
given in the American theater by
any American producer 80 far IS
research could determine. Every
scene Of the original play was in
cluded in Miss COrnell's production
and naturally not q line was
changed nor was one added. The
StratfOrd- On.AvOn Players, / be-
lieve, have played the entire text;
Miss Cornell omitted some lines
only.
What the films have done with
Romeo and Juliet is aside from
the point. / hear it is q beautiful
and moving picture, which will re-
jOice ones soul If this proves to be
true, but it undoubtedly can or
should stand on its own virtues
without its management making
statements that are untrue.
With best wishes,
RAY.
AS a side line referee I would
call this contest a draw. For the
lines that Katharine Cornell omit
ted will unqueStionably be absent
also in the screen version. That
is if Censor Joseph Breen is as
vigilant as usual in Hollywood.
And I think he is. It happens
that William Shakespeare was a
frank playwright. Much too
frank for modern cenSorS in the
origina. Romeo and Juliet n"
script.
THE JOLSONS RETURN
AL Jolson is East to meet his
papa, Rabbi M. r. Yoleson, of
Lanier Place, Northwest, and his
sister, MrS. I. I. Sollod, who have
been touring Europe on trip pre-
sented 6y the comedian. They
are coming home from France on
the Norman die, sailing July 8, and
George Jolson will go up from
Washington to join the welcome
home party.
NAMING A PLAY
Esther Levin is doing a good job
press agenting the play by Norman
Clark, Baltimore NewS-Post critic,
and Louis E. Shecter. It Is due
for a tryout at the Stony Greek
summer theater in Connecticut
July 20 and Miss Levin has in
vited Is important people in the
theater to give it a name. I am
flattered by being handed ballot.
Tentative titles are II Care For My
Friends" and Playing to
Lose" I voted for the last one."
sounds less like a political speech.
PAYS w. B. $4,000
Warren William takes the ami
cable way out of his Warner Bros.
contract. He didn't like being
typed" feels sure he will do bet
ter as a free lance actor. So he
offered w. B. $4,000 to buy up the
remainder of his contract. They
accepted. First case on record
where a Hollywood actor bought
his release.
Major Bowes sends to the Fox
Friday the last of the stage units
that will travel here under his
coffee sponsor. In September ne
switches from java to automobiles
and from Sunday at 8 to Thurs
day night on the air.
Both radio and the stage will
be interested to see whether
Major BoweS can transfer his i'm.
mense audience with his program.
In the latest survey he still stands
No. in network popularity. The
official ratings are: first, Major
Bowes; second, Jack Benny; third,
Fred Allen; fourth, The Show
Boat; fifth, Bing Crosby.
SHORT OF THE WEEK
Winning this departments high
est honors as 1.-THE Short of the
Week.: Song OF A Nation" in
Technicolor, a beautiful and in
teresting patriotic story with song
worthy of place in the Smith
Sonian'S library of worth while
movies. Donald Woods as Francis
Scott Key and Claire Dodd as his
wife win first favor, with Star
Spangled Banner" offered so that
you appreciate the words. See it
at the Ambassador today and to-
morrow or at the Earle all week.
Cheers and double cheers.