Evening star., 1941-11-14

surprise is that Hot Spot" the
new attraction at LoeW's Capitol
and the film in which the wedding
of their dramatic talents occurs. is
more than a mere beauty pageant.
It turns out to be a CrackerjaCk
mystery yarn.
An adaptation Of Steve Fishers
novel, Il Wake Up Screaming, Hot
Spot" is an item that should delight
the "Whodunit" fans, There is a
lot of talk, maybe, but there also
is action. From the moment poor
Vicky Lynn is discovered with her
head basned in until the moment
when frankie Christopher gets of
the Hot Spot he has been on, there
Is suspense. Director H. Bruce Hum
berstone may have slipped oyer a
bad final minutes spent in IN
winding the piece after il has run
down anyhow. but that's really
nothing to quibble about Mr.. Hum
berstone and Scenarist Dwight Tay-
lor have contrived a photoplay that
is topnotch UP 10 this point-a
mystery which really should prove
to be mystery to those who haven't
ALREADY learned the ending from MI.
Fisher.
Hot Spot" is the usual thing n
many respects, of course. The VIC
tins sister refuses to admit her
love for the hero of the piece,
and vice versa, but still she conceaE
bit of evidence against him. The
hero. you hardly have to pe told,
has been discovered in somewhat
suspicious circumstances. bending
over the corpse at a moment when
his life was full of motives fol
doing away with her. Add to these
ordinarily expected ingredients Of
the detective yarn sleuth devoting
his soul TO arranging a seat in the
electric chair for the hero. ignor-
ing everything that stands in his
way, and you have Hot Spot You
have a mighty hot spot for frankie
Christopher and his girl friend. a.
any rate, and you are likely to be
squlrmlng with fear for their safety
for awhile, even if you do know
cinema writer wouldn't dare burn
leading man who had Betty
Grabble waiting for him.
The sincerity of the playing is
something which adds considerably
to the suspense of Hot SPOT" of
course. Miss Cradle, since she
graduated from that Paramount
musical college, has developed con-
tlnually as a movie personality and
here shows that she can develop as
an actress. too Mr.. Mature. since
he graduated from the school of
hard knocks composed Of pictures
like "One Million B. c." has had
opportunity to show that he has
more to offer than mere physique.
If that physique could be called
mere. 1t really is a smooth and as
sured performance he turns in as
the Frankie Christopher of Hot
Spot" Carole Lands is about now
and then, too, to play Carole
Lands. as if any one could complain
about that.
The real star of Hot Spot" how
ever, is the mountainous Mr.. Laird
Cregar, With soft voice, an easy
manner and calmly devilish
perseverance. Mr.. Creear becomes
the most sinister detective you ever
saw. He's wonderful.
The Capitol's stage show divides
neatly into three parts, presenting
three acts probably as varied as any
three acts ever joined together un-
Ger one proseenium arch. The
comedy headliner is Joe Frisco, the
suffering funster who hasn't been
seen here since he used to turn up
in Ziegfeld "Follies." Now he has
an impression of racing form-be-
fuddled guy in bookie joint that
Is magnificent. And he tops it of
with some of that soft-shoe dancing
you get only from veterans like Joe
Frisco.
This also is the week the Capitol
presents its brief version of
Naughty Marietta" edited wisely
SO that the book" is gone and only