Evening star., 1936-02-06

xSA P4A P1o~p ~
the plot-and reveals herself as a
female heroine only at the end when
the hero (who has, of course. sus-
pected that she wasn't a male all
aiong) announces that he's going to
marry her.
A great deal of the picture is de-
voted to Sonnie Hale's antics-antics
which provoked howls Of laughter from
yesterdays first audience and still left
us cold as mutton. There's something
about Mr.. Hale we can't quite figure
out-namely. why he is meant to be
funny. That he is funny is evident
from certain members of the audience
who have only to look at him to burst
into gales, shouts and roars of laugh
ter. The ouly time we could possibly
conjure up smile yesterday was when
he was dropped into that tub Of water.
That seemed kind of amusing.
For the rest, as we said before, it
Is nice to have Miss Matthews with
us again in a lighter-than-air craft,
and to watch her dancing feet as she
goes round and around. She's an
attractive actress and deserves better.
Still-until something else comes along
this will do. And If you like Mr.. Hale
1t will probably do better than that.
X X
HOMER MCCOY wires from New
- York: Charlie Chaplin's first
movie in five years was off to a flying
start today after a gala premiere
marked by an emergency call for
police to push back crowds of celeb
rity-pursuiog autograph hunters.
Sounds rumble and roll through
the new movie. Modern Times" but
Chaplin's only concession to the screen
that speaks was tune in an un-
recognizable tongue.
Those who attended the Broadway
premiere last uight were little con-
cerned, however, over Chaplin's silence,
rather reveling as in bygone years in
his humor and pathos.
Modern Times" seeks to insinuate
the inexorable demands to which ma
chimes compel men to bow, but its
message held second place to the old
time Chaplsaesque touches.
"Tl1e thousands who paid $3.50
seat for the opening at the Rivoli
Theater-a dressed-up throng OF
notables, for the most part-saw Chap
lin in his familiar role Of an insig-
nificant fellow who yields himself to
the vicissitudes of fate like a piece
Of driftwood in an eddy.
Dame Fortune gives him jolt and
tolr Eaf hi
oblivion, cat-and-mouse fashion.
Through all this business, Chaplin
staggers along, saying nothing, of
course. But he finally bursts into
song.
"EIis singing marks the first time
In his film career that an audience
has heard his voice.
"He loses the cuff on which are
written the words of his song. He
adopts species of hog-Latin for the
occasion, then goes into his song
and-dance act.
"The comedians leading lady in
Modern Times is Paulette God
dard who, as an orphaned gan1in,
shares his misfortunes and brief in
terludeS OF security.
"The premiere had the aspects Of
the opening Of c. heralded play. Kleig
lights were trained on the Rivoli
Theater on upper Broadway, and 50
great was the press of celebrity -pur-
suers and autograph hunters when
film, theater and society notables ar
rived before the doors that squads Of
police had to push the crowds back
from the theater for distance Of two
blocks"
d ICARDO CORTEZ will arrive in
~ Washington at 10:45 tomorrow
morning at Union Station, coming by
Pennsylvania train from Boston. Mr..
Cortez will be the star Of the Earle
stage show which opens Friday. His
washington fans are invited to meet
him at the station" according to
Frank La Falce.
THE first photographs Of the funeral
- of King George of England are
shown in the Paramount newsreel
now on the screen at Warner Bros.
Earle 'Theater. The films, which were
rushed across the Atlantic Ocean by
fast liner, went on the screen yester-
day.
MEMBERS of the Federal Com
Avn nunications Commission, headed
by Chairman Aiming S. Prall, attended
O preview yesterday Of you May Be
Next" the Columbia Picture which
opens on Friday at the Metropolitan