Evening star., 1943-01-05

their PAGES. They are an assorted
gathering of attractive young
femininity, comprising a liberal So
cialist, a millionaire's daughter, q
girl psychologist, one slightly man
crazy blond, the athletic type; two
youthful honey childs to be ini-
tiated, and a girl from the other
side of the tracks.
Two Murders Develop.
Soon it develops the tenth men,
ber of the party is missing. Via the
radio they learn that she has been
murdered on her way to the happy
frolick. Her head has been Dashed
in and there are other marks of
violence. 1t looks like the perfect
crime, but very soon the fact be-
comes apparent that somebody in
the clubhouse has guilty knowledge.
Before the first act is ended the
finger Of suspicion has been def
nitely pointed.
To cover up the first crime It
becomes necessary for the girl with
the homicidal mania to commit an
other; in this case to remove from
the scene a sorority sister with a
damaging clue. The psychologist Is
not satisfied that the second death
is the suicide 1t appears, becomes
an amateur Philo Vance. Warned
of her danger and urged to drop
this detective meddling, she per-
sists in following her clues, just
escapes becoming the third vic
tim. 1t ends with justice served
through the only logical finish for
the girl with the Lucrezia Borgia
tendencies.
This Is pure escapist drama, sus-
tanning It's suspense by keeping the
audience few PAGES ahead of the
criminal, happy with it's guilty
secret. While it all sounds rather
grim, Playwright Pettitt contrives to
spice 1t with occasional laughter,
much of 1t through frank and re-
vealing dialogue that makes one
wonder whether higher education
achieves the refinement it attempts.
Young Beauties in Cast.
Producer Woods has given it 4
gilt-edged cast of youthful Equities
for its baleful Interpretation. Adele
Longmire-last seen here as the in
genue lead with Jane Cowl in "Old
Acquaintance"-is given most of the
emotional fireworks and carries them
through with distinction. Here is
an actress to be heard from, for in
both voice and expressions she meas
ures up to an exacting role K. t,
Stevens gives an impressive per-
formance as the girl Hawkshaw, and
Barbara Bell Geddes is excellent as
the little dumb heiress. The comedy
is in the very capable hands of Mary
McMormack and Ruth K. Hill.
The setting by John Root is
strictly sorority rah-rah, and Reg
inald Denham has directed at such
an accelerated pace there is no room
for gloom to blot out the excitement
of two thrilling acts. Those who like
to read detective stories will find an
enjoyable evening with This Little
Hand"
frO0uCt1On Goes AStf0y.
Imagine the perturbation OF the
A. H. Woods management when they
woke up yesterday am. to discover
that the production of This Little
Hand" was in Jersey City. instead
Of in the freight yards at Washing
ton. Frantic telephoning and the
car was spotted. 1t had been hitched
on to the wrong train from Balti-
more. BY noon the Pennsylvania
Railroad had agreed to couple it on
to the 1890 pm. train from New
York and 1t reached here at 4::35
pm. Required some hustling to get
the curtain at the National Theater
up Is minutes late last night, but
they made 1t.
Mickey Leads in England.
Good old England jolly well likes
Mickey Rooney in spite of a "A
Yank at Oxford" Metro -Goldwyn-
Mayors brash juvenile is the No.
box office star in the British the
aters. Here's how they rank, &C
cording to the Motion Picture
Herald: l, Mickey Rooney; 2. Alb
bott and Costello; 3. Spencer Tracy:
4. Deanna Durbin; S, jeanette Mac
Donald: 6, George Formby ian all
bloomin' Britisher); 7, Bette Davis;
8. Leslie Howard; 9, Gary Cooper;
10, Dorothy Lamour.