Evening star., 1938-07-23


to highly intelligent showmanship on
The veteran of the two stage high
lights is the vocal interlude by Little
Jackie Heller, the newcomer, and the
ballet dancing of Paul Haakon. Both
deserve more than passing attention
as vaudeville features, the latter not
merely because it introduces one of
the finest Of male dancers to the more
general public, but also because it has
Miss Eunice Healey, who is startingly
good
The screen attraction, with its en-
phasis upon character, suffers from
the defect which is practically uni
versal among character studies
namely, it is a movie that moves too
slowly. Its other virtues, of which
there are several, have a tendency to
be lost in the verbosity which was
utilized to prove that the various
types in the cast were fine, philosophic
persons
Within the limits of that handicap
Mr.. Beery is all right as the Marsailles
barkeeper who may be a simple fell
low. but one who has a sure knowl-
edge of the difference between right
and wrong. A blusterer vpcally, he
is composed actually of all that Is
gentle and kind and understanding
in the world and Mr.. Beery was ever
an actor to wrest the last ounce Of
appeal from such role. At the op-
posite pole in .selfishness and mis-
understanding is his son, played by
John Beall, whose attachment for the
sea Is greater than his love for the
girl whom he has wronged.
The drama centers now only in the
contrast between the attitudes of
father and son toward life, but also
that of Frank Morgan. playing a gen.
tleman of the grandfather genera
tlon. 1t Is he who makes up to the
girl for all that has happened to her
at the hands of the youngster. There's
deal Of comedy between the two
older characters, both of whom are
capable of reading finely sentimental
lines for the ultimate emotional values
in them, but who have too many of
such lines to give the drama the snap
that 1t deserves.
The gentle drama, which involves
Maureen O'Sullivan as the girl given
a choice between love and under
standing. is laid along the quays of
Marseilles, a picturesque background
that Is welcome relief from the
modernes which Hollywood has been
specializing in recently. Pleasant
though 1t is to the sight, it cannot
compensate for the fact that the big
scene in which the conflict is dis
solved ought to seem more dramatic
than it is. That the philosophy of
Mr.. Beery and Mr.. Morgan wins seems
less OF a triumph than if young Mr..
Beall had gone more strongly to bat
Tor the girl and his cause.
X X X
THERE can be no sound complaint
against the vaudeville bill which
has been concocted as a co-attraction
at the Capitol this week. Headlining
1t Is the tenor mite, Mr.. Heller, who
has way Of weaving spells over local
audiences that Is testimony of song
salesmanship well beyond the attain
ment OF any one else one can think
of. Whether it is three-four time or
the sWingiest swing. Mr.. Heller has
what it takes and he never leaves the
stage without practically breaking the
hnQrtC .Nf tho
Haakon's dancing is a vastly well
come relief to the monotony which
may be laid at the door of too many
stage show chefs. Through years of
headlining revues and musical come
dies. Mr.. Haakon has demonstrated
that the ballet Is a thing which can
be. put in the category of popular
entertainment any time a genuine
artist feels in the mood. He does 50
in each Of three ballets, none of them
backed by chorus, but each so well
wrought that they virtually stop the
show. His associate in the act. Miss
Healey, If anything, was even more
popular than Mr.. Haakon. Better see
them by all means if the usual vaude-
vile dance number has begun to pail
badly.
jeanette Hackett's IL delovelies offer
another pair of dance chapters to the
bill, routines which are new for the
week and very fetching in their way.
Less imposing, but no one seemed to
care, were the contributions of Frank
Conville, comedian. and Wilma Novak,
in a novelty involving swing-vocal
swing and Swino ~ tho hins ~