davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-05-15
Materials and
Equipment
RECREATION ROOMS

What used to be called a cellar,
containing grandma's preserves,
last winters ashes and q couple
Of old bicycle tires, is nowadays a
coy recreation room with a fire
place, space for games and COM
Portable furniture.
The r1etamorphosis is due, Of
course, to improvements In heat
ing plants. With ashes, dirt and
other waste eliminated from the
realm of housekeeping, the cellar
can be turned to other uses.
Too often, however, the "recre-
alton room" is any unused space
in which some attempts to beaut-
ify have been made. Sometimes
this Is true in newly constructed
houses, where the handsome base
ment turns out to be a dank,
watery hole.
This can be avoided by folk
planning to change an existing
cellar into a recreation room.
The first thing to do is make sure
the foundation walls are sound
and waterproof. After that, any
thing goes.
Sometimes it is wise to allow
the foundation walls to be the
interior walls for the new room,
especially if they are Of brick or
stone which can be ''prettified.' -
On the other hand, there IS a
tendency to create paneled wood
walls, of which there are numerous
varieties. Any building supply
house can give you samples.
Composition boards of many
types, especially those which inSu-
late, are also being utilized. But
they deteriorate unless the base.
ment is dry. So will bricks, in
some cases, if they are transported
from a great distance. Use bricks
made in your locality or suited to
your climate.
And if you are to install a fire
place, don't make the error Of
connecting its flue with an exist
ing flue for a furnace or upstairs
fireplace. Make a separate flue,
either in an existing chimney or
new chimney.
COLORED CONCRETE
Good, old;fashioned concrete,
once relegated to foundations and
walks, has now bloSsomed forth in
colorful designs, permitting it to
be an integral part of the interior
decorative scheme of recreation
rooms, bathrooms and other rooms.
Dozens Of designs for concrete
tnsets, in particular, are on the
market at the present time. They
provide. charming as well as sub.
stantial, unitarian backgrounds
for the top of walls, for stairway
Sidings and for children's play
roomS-especially in the latter, be.
cause concrete is harder for kids
to scar than wood or wallpaper.
Floors Of the colored concrete
are also coming into vogue. End.
less possibilities exist. A utility
room, with laundry tubs, is usually
a. drab place. It can be made
cheerful with Q concrete floor on
which there are designs.
The new material is likewise
finding a place in exterior walls,
Sor instance. in period" cottages
for which bit Of decoration here
and there is desired.
Evening star., 1937-10-09
Double or Nothing"
Columbia Film.
"DOUBLE OR NOTHING" wit

DOUBLE OR NOTHING" with
Bing Crosby singing q couple
OF songs that you've liked ever since
they first appeared on the radio and
being miscellaneously his pleasant
self, returned to the Columbia yes
terday for a second weeks stand on
F street. BY no means the best OF
the pictures which Crosby has made
with the help of Martha Raye (al-
though without Bob Burns), Double
or Nothing" has variety of features
which commend 1t to the large Crosby
following.
For one thing. it has Miss Raye
doing a satirical bit on the art OF
the strip tease. which Is one of the
more devastating items Hollywood
has thought up recently In addition
to Crosbys singing and being visit
fully comic, the Raye contribution
plus plot that is reasonably full OF
suspense makes Double or Nothing"
picture of reasonable merit.
1t is built, as to story, around the
theory of 4 rich eccentric that the
average man is honest. even if his
own friends and relatives are not.
Accordingly he strews 500 bills
around the town. gives the address
Of the clever loser and then puts all
honest finders on a spot when they
turn up to surrender the money. The
action is intermittent. sometimes COM
ing to q virtual halt, but on such
occasions there's Crosby song or
another speciality to NIL in the time.
r r
Evening star., 1937-10-09
"SOulS at Sea"


PACK of Paramount's maritime
epic, Souls at Sea-" lies one of
the most powerful and exciting sagas
in the history of the high seas. In
the filming, however, this brave and
brutal story has dribbled out into a
mere splash of melodrama, a touch
of color and fire here and there, a
failure not because it lacks the es-
sence Of entertainment, but because
it has ducked the challege to become
one of the truly great pictures OF
our day.
Heroes of this expensive and not
very thoughtful misf1re are Gary
Cooper and George Raft, who are on
view currently at the Metropolitan
Theater, where the picture is having
its second week on the theatrical
main stem. Others in the cast are
George zucco, Frances Dee, Olympic
Bradna and Henry Wilcoxon One
need not be frightened away by the
rather harsh words spoken above.
The picture, We repeat, is still rea-
sonably good entertainment for those
who have yen to go down to the
sea in motion picture houses. 1t
deals, if you would know more, with
the tale of a man who hated the slave
trade and went about wrecking it in
his own private and peculiar manner.
r. B. p, Jr.
Evening star., 1937-10-09

at each others jokes in q secluded cor
ner on the way out. hear Director
Michael Curtiz explaining. "Moham-
med, Christ. Confusion-it's all the
same to me-" (He meant "Confucius.
Monday The most excited girl
IN town this evening is Alice Faye. at
the Coconut Grove to give a good
send-off to ex-boy-friend, Rudy VAL
lee, and his Connecticut Yankees.
Alice. with Husband Tony Martin, is
smothered with orchids, but whether
from Rudy or Tony, I am too tactful
to ask The joint presence Of the
supposedly separating Mr.. and Mrs.
Bert Wheeler entertaining the Tay
GarnettS, ends that rumor Edgar
Bergens' large party lacked the stimu-
lating presence of his dummy, Charlie
Mccarthy.
Tuesday =. Fredric March presses
me to highball and promises to tell
his life story in his dressing room
trailer on the "Buccaneer" sound
stage j.. by the time I leave I've
told him all my life story. Don't
use it against me, Freddy.
wednesday :. The preview of the
prev1ew OF THE Awful Truth" By
the same studio-Columbia
made 1T Happened One Night" "Mr.
Deeds Goes to Town" If you liked
the two last-and who didn't?-you1l
be crazy about The Awful Truth"
which in my opinion, is much better.
The ending Is naughty-but so cute,
I'm told that it made even Will Hays
grin. High light of the evening-Co-
star Cary Grant (the other Is Irene
Dunne) with his arm supporting
Phyllis Brooks, sprinting out of the
theater to avoid back -slapping con-
gratulations.
Thursday tea with Mae West
yes, 1 said team her all-white
studio bungalow. Macs figure is the
chief topic of conversation-and sight.
Instead OF photographs of friends to
adorn the walls, there are pictures
OF Mae in the same suit she wore
when ushered into this world some
1orty-odd years ago. And for added
confirmation that the West figure is
all 1t is cracked up to be, there is a
white statuette (nude) Mae is
wearing a stunning costume of the
'9Os. The West figure is much thin
ner. I've given up bread, potatoes
and all the starcheS love" saws Mae
sadly. From food to sex is
short step. "A glance from certain
people can be more effective than
an onslaught from Others" Mae
states. The love technique of Ru-
dolph Valentino was like mine
look, instead of leap" Mae believes
That her present picture, Every Days
a Holiday" is her best to date. With
Director Eddie Sutherland at the
helm, there's probably something in
what she says.
Friday -. kaleidoscope Myrna
10y and Husband Arthur Hornblow
give visitors and natives a treat by
dining at the Troc Cellar Fish Bar
In an adjoining booth, Shirley
Ross and Eddie Anderson Cher fiance)
hold hands and plan a bright future
(they hope). And Bob Benchley tells
Charlie Butterworth he must remain
in Hollywood two weeks longer to
earn fare money to take him back
to New York.
Copyright. 1887, BY the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc.)
Evening star., 1937-10-09
Comedies Feature
TranS.Lux Bill.
DEPARTING slightly fr

1EFAH11NG slightly from usual
pattern. the Trans-Lux bills this
week includes comedy short that is
not a cartoon. It is an amusing
comedy, though, concerning itself
with the metamorphosis of a meek,
downtrodden clerk who believes that
he is one of the favored few to reap
profit on sweepstakes ticket. He is
no longer meek and downtrodden,
turns upon his overbearing employer
and equally overbearing wife, all to
mirthsome effect. Also on the lighter
side Of the cinema bill Of fare is a
Walt Disney stock company produc-
ton with Mickey Mouse and asso-
ciates, entitled Moose Hunters" in
which moose are hunted.
President Roosevelt receives a large
share of the news footage, being seen
as he made the foreign policy" ad-
dress in Chicago, as he was enter
tanned in Canada, as he visited the
Grand Coulee Dam. Across the seas
Japan rains bombs on Chinese cities
and increases her armed forces in
the war zone; Sir Anthony Eden
speaks at Geneva on armament ac-
cord; the Duke and Duchess of
Windsor visit Paris; Mussolini's son
fys for Franco in Spain. Other
shots include the biggest cattle
roundup in history; the Leviathan
sold for scrap; society attending the
Piping Rock horse show; continuance
of the Black debate; Lew Lehr in
trouble with mirrors; the Yanks WIN
ming the world series opener; Eastern
High defeating Central in foot ball.
The usual quartet of subsidiary
features is completed by Rocky
Mountain Grandeur, q scenic short,
Evening star., 1937-10-09

very girl for whom he has been look
ing. 1t is grand for both Of them for
a little while. 1t ceases to be that
only when the cruel Count reveals that
Ami is not what she seems to be in
Hattie Carnegie clothes, but is merely
waterfront cafe soprano getting a
taste Of the mountains and high So
ciety. Rudi goes back to his social
equal, played by Lynn Carver, and
Ami starts back toward the water
front.
1t is pleasure to report that she
never gets there. On the way. she
is intercepted by the mountain village
postman, student of nature whose
simplicity OF life apparently is the
perfect antidote for the complexity
of existence represented by a great
many sailors. A donkey hauls them
away to happiness in a two-wheeled
cart as the picture draws to an end.
X X X
THE mail carrier Is played by Fran
chot Tone for all he is worth,
which is quite bit so far as the con-
viction of The Bride Wore Red" is
concerned. His performance, as Tones
performances usually are, is one of
the better things which the screen has
to offer There are Others in the pic
ture of the same excellent quality,
notably those of Billie Burke, Robert
Young and George Zucco.
1t is the material which lets down
not only the cast, but Dorothy Arzner
who directed the film with an OBJ
viously fine talent, and the camera
crew which photographed it with a
skill which is not always to be found
in pictures. AS to photography, the
Alps and Miss Crawford never were
shown to better advantage, but 1t
hardly seems enough.
The destinations Of Peru, in techni-
color, and the intricacies of the Big
Apple are the subjects Of the supple
mental features on the Palace bill.
Both are commendable.
Evening star., 1937-10-09

intoxicated to sing a song as the man.
ager wants her to sing it, he fires her.
A Portuguese sea captain rescues her
and takes her on his ship Then he
Wearies of her constant drinking and
leaves her in Buenos Aires.
Next Madame X" is seen in a
French hotel where the manager
wants to toss her out because she has
not paid her bill. A crooked soldier
of fortune rescues her from this fate,
feeds her drinks, and discovers that
she was once the wife Of the now
famous Mr.. William. The scoundrel
plans to blackmail Mr.. William. but.
because she loves her son, she will not
permit this. She shoots the would be
blackmailer. He dies.
Her son, just admitted to the bar,
is appointed counsel to defend her.
She refuses to talk, and is apparently
willing to be executed for murder. Her
son, who, of course, does not recog-
nize his mother, pleads with her to
aid him in defending her. Madame
x" steadfastly refuses to do this. The
son John BeaD nevertheless makes
passionate plea on her behalf in a
noisy court room scene. After the ar
guments of prosecution and defense
counsel have been heard, Madame X'
and her lawyer-son retire to a nearby
room to await the verdict. Before it
is brought in, she suddenly slumps to
the floor. A physician is summoned.
He pronounces her dead.
y *
THE Capitol stage show is known
as Major Bowes Dixie Jubilee
unit. 1t has the Starlight Dixie Trio,
singers; Billy (Red HoD Irons, who
dances on skates; the Four Indy Hop
pers, also dancers; the three skipsters,
also dancers; wash board band
called the "No Account Band" and
several other entertainments. The mu-
sical background for most of the acts
is supplied by the Original Black
Rhythm Band r. B. p, Jr,
Evening star., 1937-10-09

knew Just what he was supposed to be
at any given moment. but he has come
through nobly and there should be
handsome niche for him in pictures.
For the record it should be added
that Helen Greene and Dick String
fellow of the local acting complement
are completely successful with those
lines assigned to them.
+
THE Earle's stage bill looks as
though vaudeville has come back;
looks, in fact, as though all of it has
come back at once. Six acts, no less,
there are. and some Of them are top
notch. The brightest moments are
handsome Josephine Huston's songs,
the young lady having one Of the
smoother voices in our domestic music
halls and musical revues, and the i'm
presentations by Beatrice Howell. Miss
Howells candid camera shots are more
satirical sketches than character i'm
presentations and there's a wealth Of
humor In them. She does a meeting
OF Simone Simon and Bea Lille right
up to the hilt and her take-off of
Barbara Stanwyck having a tantrum
over the flavor Of soft drink is a WOW.
Others about are Boy Foy, the lad
who does that amazing juggling while
astride = unicycle; Saul Grammar.
who presents four girls who dance and
make music on his musical stairs:
Fayne and Foster. In United States
version OF Swiss bell-ringing, and
Shaw and Lee, who struck us as one
OF the reasons why vaudeville went
wherever it did when it went where
it went, even If they did get couple
Of laughs.
Evening star., 1937-10-09
Martini Film
Artistic
AndGay
New Musical Gives
Amusing Role to
Opera Singer.
BY ROBERT b. PHILLIPS, Jr.

BY ROBERT b. PHILLIPS, Jr.
~ NE of the best pieces of busi-
ness ever transacted between
I the film studios and the
~ Metropolitan Opera Company
was the deal whereby Nino Martini
was loaned to Hollywood for a few
pictures each year. The advantage
was distinctly Hollywood's, for Mar
TIM possesses . voice Of great power
and splendor and an easy manner
charmingly adaptable to the present
light and airy ways Of the cinema.
In his latest picture, Music for
Madame" which opened at R.-K. %.
Keith's yesterday, Mr.. Martini finds
many opportunities for the display Of
his talents, both vocal and histrionic.
Once again also he consents to par
ticipate in some rather lavish satire
on the eccentricities of musicians-be
they singers, maestros or instrument
talists-and this ribbing he brings OF
without assuming the panied and
pompous airs OF one who feels his art
and dignity violated by a bit OF non-
sense. To be q trine less pretentious
about 1t ourselves, we may say that
Mr.. Martini sings beautifully, acts
with a good-natured disregard for all
the laws of acting, and makes him.
self thoroughly agreeable in = musi-
cal that has in it no headaches and
many moments of pleasure.
The fact this story and its direc-
ton do not happen to meet the level
of The Gay Desperate" is OF minor
importance. Also Of rather less sig
niflcance than we had expected is the
work OF Joan Fontaine, sister Of the
Warner Bros. Olivia de Haviland.
Miss Fontaine's work is not disagree
able and certainly not inept for one
of so little experience, but she seems
somehow a trifle Intellectual Able and
sure Of themselves in every turn of
their work are Alan Mowbray, Billy
Gilbert. Grant Mitchell, Alan Hale
and Erik Rhodes. Music is by Rudolph
Friml. Nathaniel Shilkret and others.
and Mr.. Martini also gives the "Vesti
la Giubba" aria from "Pagliacci" 4
twirl.
The Keith's program this week has
two stalwart secondary features to
bolster it. One is a new Walt Disney
Mickey Mouse" the first done by
that gentleman for R.-K.-O. Radio
pictures, and the other is the latest
edition OF March OF Time" The lat
ter reviews such pertinent matters as
the worldwide race to accumulate
scrap iron for conversion into war
materials. England's rather silly D. o.
r. A. laws, and the career of Fiorello
La Guardia.
Evening star., 1937-10-09

and his crew were quartered here in
town for awhile. Long, sleek auto
mobiles were pressed into service to
haul the press over to Annapolis to
have look at the goings- on and many
words were written. A whole raft OF
local people we're recruited to lend the
June week atmosphere.
For these reasons Annapolis Salute"
Is OF considerable local interest. But
1t also must be added that there prob
ably will be little local or national in
terest, for that matter, attached to
the film because of the Cabanne story
and its dialogue. The dialogue Is just
talk, with little that Is fresh or bright
about it. And the story Is routine and
unpretentious.
There has been some color added by
shots Of 4 crew race, sequences in
cluding the dress parades and cere-
monies Of June week, and a few other
things. There's authenticity lent also.
by the handling OF those phases Of
academy routine touched upon, but
color and authenticity can't make
Annapolis Salute" look any better
than 1t is. 1t remains a harmless and
1nnocuous Aim (meaning it won't kill
youD about chap who almost tosses
his career over his shoulder for a girl
and chap who almost tosses his
career over his shoulder for the fun Of
being not nice guy until he sees the
light and saves the day and all the
careers.
Miss Hunt, who is a lovely person
In real life from almost any angle
has = perfect right to write q nasty
note to the photographer, who was
too careless about lighting and aiming
his camera In \ couple of scenes, but
she gives n creditable performance in
a role that doesn't permit her to do
much but promise more when better
parts come along.
Ellison and Carey are believable,
too, but the best work is the comedy
by Arthur Lake, which was right down
his alley. Van Heflin seems to have
had a tough battle with his role, it
appearing as If nobody concerned
Evening star., 1937-10-09

a NOAoNyo 0SOA6N' 10 eAiNiS Lac
latter escapes the apartment and re-
turns to her home. Meanwhile her
husband has arrived home from his
Office. He is angry because his wife
has gone out without telling him.
Believing her to have a lover, he
orders her from the house and tells
her never to return. He reiterates
several times that he, the husband
(Warren William, never wants their
child to know the disgrace the mother
has brought upon the family.
While it is never discovered that
Madame x" was in the apartment
when Jean was shot, she fears detec-
ton by the police. She leaves Paris
and becomes a governess in a home
at Monte Carlo. Later her husbands
best friend Reginald Owen returns
to Paris after long journey in North
and South America. On learning Of
the rift between the couple, this
friend persuades the husband that it
was q mistake not to give his wife
another chance. Thereupon they re-
solve to find her and enlist the aid
of the police in the search.
WHEN two officers come to the villa
in Monte Carlo where Madame
x" is working. under the name Of
Pratt. she becomes frightened, think
ing they seek her for the murder of
Jean. She runs away to a yacht be-
longing to an American millionaire
who had invited her to come out and
see his boat sometime. They set sail
for and arrive in America. There she
discovers the American is married and
has family. She leaves him.
She then becomes a night club
hostess, or at least takes to drink
heavily, according to the symbolism
OF the picture, which shows lots OF
champagne corks and champagne bot
ties. Madame x" goes to New Or
leans and becomes 4 hostess in q
tough night spot called Scipios Guis
AlbernD. One night when she is too
Evening star., 1937-10-09
Where and When
Current Theater Attractions
and Time of Showing.

National-"Mme. Bovary," dramati-
sation Of Flaubert's novel, with Con-
stance Cummings: 2:30 and $50 pm.
Capit0l-"Madame x" new film
version Of the dramatic story OF a
Voman's sacrifice: IL am, 1:45, 4:30,
1:20 and 1905 pm. Stage shows
12:50, 3:s5, 625 and 9:10 pm.
Earle-"Annapolis Salute" lad
almost tosses away career for a
bonnie lass: IL am, 1:35, 4:25, 7:20
and 1910 pm. Stage shows: 1925,
BIS, $40 and 8 pm.
Keith'st"Music for Madame" by
Rudolph Friml and sung by Nino
Martini: 11:50 am, 1:50, $50, $50,
f50 and $50 pm March of Time:
i1:30 am. 1:3o, $3.50, $50, 7:3O and
$50 pm.
Palace-"The Bride Wore Red" luck
losses poor cabaret entertainer into
q mad whirl of society: 1855 am,
A:20. 4:45. ITO and 9:35 pm.
Columbia - Double or Nothing y
eing Crosby's latest musical: 11:35
am. 1:35, 3:35, 5:35, TAO and
e:40 pm.
etropolitan-"Souls at Sea-" stir.
ring sea drama from out of history's
pages: IL am, los, $40, $40, 7:3C
and $40 pm.
Trans-Lux-News and shorts. Show
runs l hour and is minutes, continu.
Gus from 10 am. until midnight.
Little-"Arrowsmith," film version
Of Sinclair Lewis novel revived again
IL am, los, $40, $40, 7:25 ane
o:35 pm.
Ambassador King Solomon!
Mines" dramatic jungle search fol
the legendary treasures of King Solo.
mon: 2, 4:10, $40, $40 and 10 pm
Penn-"Make q WISH" musical 70.
nance with songs by Bobby Breen
1:20, 3:35, $50, 7:50 and $50 pm
Sheridan-"The Life of the Party.
Hight comedy with Joe Penner ans
others 1:25, $40, 5:55, 7:45 ans
$40 pm.
Tivoli-"Make Wish: las, 3:5S
., 7:45 and $40 pm.
Uptown-"Make q Wish: 1:5o
S:55, s, 7:50 and 9:40 pm.
Evening star., 1937-10-09

bara every day from London and tele-
phoning her every other day, telling
her how much he misses her and how
the English female is pretty cold tur-
key. The latter tidbit pleases Barbara,
but she wishes Bob would confine his
love protestations to letters and cables.
-Calls are 50 expensive" she tells zep-
20 George Burns, Oracle Allen, Al
Jolson and Ruby Keeler are laughing
Evening star., 1937-10-09

MISS CRAWFORD, IT Will make no diff
erence. For others. minority beyond
question, it won't be the same.
A photographically fine piece of
work, a screen drama garlanded with
some excellent work by Robert Young.
Franchot Tone, and others, thing
blessed with excellent dialogue in
some of its brighter moments, THE
Bride Wore Red" still does not re-
semble one of those bits upon which
Metro -Goldwyn Mayer spent its Gus
tomary time and money. The COM
pany did. unquestionably, but the
product does not look like it.
1t may be that Miss Crawford does
not fit the part. She is asked to be
q singer in a water front cafe, a girl
subject to the whims of sailors and
miscellaneous Counts. 1t is one of
the latter who invites her to spend a
couple of weeks in the mountains,
not because he is thinking of the
healthfulness of mountains but be-
cause he wants to amuse himself at
her expense and that of his friends.
The idea is that he will dress her up
IN Hattie Carnegie clothes, introduce
her to his noble friends as their social
equal and see what happens.
k&
THE mountains inspire Ami miss
Crawford) to better things than
she has known. such things as noun
talns, birds, trees and Robert Young.
During the interval of her inspira-
ton, she talks like a character re-
citing Maxwell Anderson (although
not very flattering Maxwell Ander-
son). Tess Slessinger and Bradbury
Foote wrote the lines which Miss
Crawford speaks and across the face
of their hopeful sweetness, they
dashed just the right amount of
bitterness. Not always, however, do
the lines and the lady speaking them
seem to coalesce as they should.
Rudi, played by Mr.. Young who has
not won love affair since he last
played with Shirley Temple, thinks
for while that Miss Crawford is the