Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-25
Clever Earle
Play Shuns.
Heavy Plot.
Simple Situations, in
IF You Could Only
Cook" Amusing.

T OOKING back over the record Of
- Columbia Film Corp. fcs the past
couple Of years, one discovers that
these wise fellows have stuck loyalty
and effectually to policy and fact
revealed in the famous 1T Happened
One Night" That fact was that
movie audiences were weary Of elab-
crate, intricate and heavy plots In
program pictures. but would sit con-
tentedly while q couple Of clever
script writer's played games with q
simple boy-girl situation. The new
picture at the Earle this week, IT You
Could Only Cook" Is based on that
thesis. It seems to us it Is further
evidence of the soundness OF the idea
Told from the angle Of the girl, the
story herewith, involving Herbert Mar
shall and Jean Arthur, would begin
simply, Zone day I met . man In
the park :" It would then pro-
coed through q few variations Of the
Cinderella yarn, on to the usual
critical moment when 1t appears that
sweet romance Is about to get the boot
and would end in a swirl Of orange
blossoms. The important thing, then,
obviously. Is not what happens, but
how and to whom it happens. The
fact the man Is young millionaire,
detected because the directors OF his
own automobile company refuse to
accept his plans for new cars; that
the girl Is q friendly. STRAIGHTFORWARD
person who Is broke, and doesn't know
how to do anything but cook.
When this pair team together as
butler and cook, apply for and get q
job in the house of q gangster who
fancies himself as gourmet Cleo
Carrillo), then the tale is just begin
ming to roll. There will follow in this
situation the moments when the
gangster decides he loves the girl and
wants to marry her; when the girl,
believing her companion is really a
down-and-out chauffeur, tries to sell
his car plans to rival company:
when the girl discovers the identity
Of the man and says she hates him,
meaning she loves him-what does 1t
all amount to? Not q thing. Not q
blessed thing. Just an amusing way
to pass an afternoon. q few hours
which will send you away from the
theater no better or wiser, unless being
in a bemused state of mind combines
both.
It may encourage you, meanwhile
to know that Herbert Marshall hits
his old light comedy pace far better
than he has in many moons; Miss
Arthur is engagingly natural and
rather sweet. If you'll pardon an old
Spanish phrase; Leo GARLIC exhibit;
the same suave expertness one always
gratefully expects from him, and q
large, glowering gent named Lone
Stander fulfllls the promise he first
demonstrated as a comic poet in "Ths
Scoundrel."
The stage portion Of the Earle's bill
this week is occupied by Unit No.
Of Maj. Bowes' Amateurs, indicating
that the wheel Of fortune still i
spinning and sending young people
out into the world to be set up in SHOW
business, rather poor place to b.
set up these days.
Some Of these singers, instrument
alists, imitators and the like have fu
lures ahead Of them on the stage. ant
some do not, as is to be expected, bu
they combine . wealth Of talent int
the making Of full hours entertain
ment. Whether you like the band
the chap who does the "Pagliacci
aria, the fellow who initiates actor
and radio stars, the sepis lass with tn
diamond in her tooth. or one Of tn
others doesn't matter If you're
radio fan you'll be on deck to see thu
Majors smateurs. and If you are not
you will enjoy the enthusiasm thes
kids show anyway. r. B. p, Jr.