The Washington times., 1936-06-25

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lature.
JOHNNY DON'T LIKE 1T
Detective Johnny Broderick, Of
the New York police force, is said
to be the model for the honest
policeman which Edward G. Rob
inson plays in Bullets and Bal
lots" coming tomorrow to the
Earle Theater.
Broderick Is a pet Of the New
York columniStS, not only because
they say he is strictly on the "up
and up," but because he is the
dreaded foe Of the racketeers and
shady figures in New York'S night
life. Once they shifted Broderick
to a remote beat in the Bronx be-
cause they said he was the bene'
ficiary Of too much publicity, but
protests restored him to plain
clothes duty.
It happens that some Of Detec'
tive Broderick's friends feel the
movie paints a false picture OF
the ace crime cheaser. For Actor
Robinson plays Johnny Blake, a
cop who smokes cigars, who drinks
and visits night clubs, to none Of
which habits Broderick is ad-
dicted. The protests reached the
ears of Martin Mooney. the former
New York American reporter who
is now a Hollywood writer and
penned the story.
He sent this reply to Louis Sobol,
brilliant Broadway column1st OF
the New York Journal:
/. Eddie Robinson cannot be in
duced to make q picture without
his cigar. 2. On q hot night Rob
inSon insists on being served cold
beer. 3. The detective went to
the night club on official business.
4. RObinson's romance with Joan
BIondell was clean and beautiful,
the kind any twO-fisted guy might
be proud of, and it doesn't seem
believeable that, he, (BrOderick)
expected a yarn with no love in
tereSt. Therefore / must insist
can't believe BOrderick's peeve
is on the up and up"
Bullets and Ballots" created a
sensation in New York. OF this
picture the Daily Mirror says:
"The movie is exciting, cOnvinc-
ing. 1t makes a picture out of
the sort of excellent work Special
Prosecutor Dewey and Police
Commissioner Valentine have
been doing in smashing New York
city rackets. 1t makes you be-
lieve that crime is a great in
duStry and that it can be
smashed only by the bullets Of
honest cops, backed by the bal
lots of angry citizens"
CHANGING "WINTERSET"
Youthful Miss Pritchard. of the
Roadside Players, stops by to re-
port that business is booming at
the old Red Barn on the Rockville
Pike, to crow because the S. R.
o. sign was hung out during the
first week of Around the World
in 80 Days." may be hung out
again before Saturday.
Beginning Monday the Road
siders tackle another from the
dusty dramatic archives, Under
the GaSlight." Miss Pritchard
tells me that dramatic critics in
1867, when it was first produced.
felt this one was a daring melo-
drama that could appeal only to
Civil War lowbrows.
Then Miss Pritchard registered
a protest over the Hollywood plan
to shelve Msrgo who played in
''Winterset." with Burgess Mere
dith, in favor of Sylvia Sidney.
I protest, too, but, I see logic in
Radio Pictures decision to get a
picture name" for this important
role. Margo was superb in this
part, but she is not an established
figure on the screen. Her name
has no power at the box office.
Inasmuch as Burgess Meredith
is also a comparative unknown to
movie audiences he must be sur
rounded by actors who are better
known for the screen version Of
Maxwell Anderson'S play. Hence
the overtures to Lionel Barrymore
and Walter Huston for the role Of
the Judge.
There must be regret also that
Hollywood has decided to tack a
happy ending on to "Winterset." :"
The play is grim, concede, but
it's final act is full of such beau
tiful speeches it seems shame
to thrust them aside for a happy
ever after" finale. For instance,
this dying speech Of Mic to the
weeping Miriamne:
'T wanted to stay alive because
of you
I leave you that and-and what
he said to me dying:
I love you and will love you after
~" I die.
Tomorrow, shall still love you as
I've loved
The stars I'll never see, and all
the mornings
That might have been yours and
mine.
Oh. Miriamne, you taught me
this"