Rounding Washboard, to Sing
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PART FIVE —AMUSEMENT SECTION THEATERS — RADIO BOOKS—ART MUSIC JUNIOR PAGE F EIGHT PAGES. WASHINGTON, D. C., SEPTEMBER 25, 1938. Quality of Recent Pictures Bears Out Industry’s Special-Drive Slogan * Miss Glare Boothe Is One Playwright Who mPublic Likes to See and Meet. Now We Shall Waltz Again. By Jay Carmody. those stem incorruptible* who lean toward golf, sun bathing, horse- shoes and the doings of the Brooklyn Dodgers may yet be forced to concede EVEN a modicum of truth to the slogan that "movies are your greatest entertainment.” A modicum of truth, mind you. Golfers, sun bathers, horseshoe pitchers and Dodger fans are staiwart people, perhaps the last in the world to surrender a principle. The fact remains, however, that movies are becoming much better enter- tainment. As if they had been hiding them, can upon can, in that cave which Selznick created for “Tom Sawyer,” the studios have dragged out good film after good film ever since they decided to buck up and /see what could be done about lost patronage. The list has included nothing world-shaking, nothing resembling an endless series of "Zolas,” “The Informers,” “Wintersets” and pictures of that ilk. It has been concerned more with good, sound entertain- ment which looks as if it had been logically manufactured Just to bear out the industry's slogan. The past few weeks, during which millions of fans are supposed to be grappling seriously with the problem of how to win a $50,000 prize and in- fluence the grocer, have brought more meritorious pictures out of Hollywood than the previous several months. Current exhibits on local screens are a case in point. "Marie Antoinette” is in its third week at the Palace. “Pour Daughters,” although Just starting at the Earle, doubtless will move down to the Met for two, maybe- three more, when it finishes its run. "Alexander's Ragtime Band” is doing a fourth week on F street at the Columbia; "Room Service" at Keith’s is Just beginning what is certain to be a run, and "Boy’s Town.” which just set a record at the Capitol, is returning to the Palace next Friday for what will be the second week in a first-run house. After that it will go to the Columbia. In the immediate offing are such much-heralded products as Frank Capra's "You Can't Take It With You,” “If I Were King,” from Paramount, and a half dozen others which indicates that the studios are filled with magnates who would like to be regarded as men of good will. The good will at least of a great many more customers than in the days of films of almost colossally negligible merit. JiLAYWRIGHTS rarely take a town by storm. When they are saturnine creatures or fellows who iook like intellectual plagues, they are almost as terrifying to contemplate socially from some other angle. Patrons of the theater might admire Maxwell Anderson, for instance, and they do admire him, but they perceive in him instantly a man lends himself badly to lionizing. It is one of the few good qualities of many lionizers that they recognize their lack of equipment to intrude upon the meditations of a man of such lowering mein as Mr. Anderson seems, to be in his plays. On the other hand, very other one there is Noel hand, might say, Coward. Mr. Coward's biting style grants JEAN ARTHUR him an aloofness which is not but the quite, almost, equal of Mr. Anderson’s. Plays Alice, daughter of the mad and happy Sycamore family, in Frank. Capra’s motion picture ELLEN That is when a Clare comes DREW, why playwright like Boothe along and sweeps production of the hit stage play, “You Can’t Take It With You,” which comes to the Earle whom Paramount The young lady discovered behind a soda fountain and who is reported one of a city off its feet, it is something worthy of note. Miss Boothe is a playwright Theater Friday. the to Ronald Colm an’s in I Were which will year’s finds, plays Huguette Villon, “If King,” you not only of penetrating intelligence and wit, but also a person of impressive tee soon. magnetism. It is a magnetism which not only draws people to the box office, but to anywhere else Miss Boothe happeas to be going. She can get more TODAY'S admiring glances in a theater lobby, and deservedly, than any one this side Ex-Mate Affairs COMING FILM SCHEDULE Complicate Maxine Sullivan to of Norma Shearer or Joan Crawford, both of whom enjoy the advantage of Swing ATTRACTIONS being more easily identifiable. The only two ladies of the theater we can think Keiths—“Room Service." the stage in of who would attract equal attention are Ina Claire and Gertrude Lawrence, an Life hit comes to the screen with Hollywood estimate which takes into consideration the fact that Katharine Cornell and The Blues for Paramount Earle—"You Can’t Take It With the mad Marxes starred: 2:30, Helen Hayes, while great, are less colorful. You,” the Frank Capra-pro- 4:15, 6:05, 7:50 and 9:40 p.m, Some Divorced duced film version of the hit Just what ail this was leading to, we never were sure, but before stopping Earle—"Pour Daughters,” film Couples Say They’re ‘Loch Lomond’ Lass Cast in Musical. Stage play about life with tftj it aaems necessary to, say that Miss Boothe sort of owes her next play premiere version of the Fannie Hurst Good Friends, and While delightfully' mild" Sycamores’. to Washington In return for its adulation. No city could have given more. novel, with the Lane Sisters: Are, are Jean Lionel 2:45, 5:10, 7:40 and 10:10 And Now Sally Rand Advances Stars Arthur. Or more wisely. p.m. Others Use Cold Stares. Barrymore, Jimmy Stewart, Stage shows, with Wayne Mor- The Art. Spring Pyington. Mischa Auer, ris: 2. 4:25, 6:50 and 9:20 p.m. Cinema dance-mad world certainly has its effect motion Edward Arnold. Opens Friday. 'J'HIS depressing upon picture Capitol—“My Lucky Star,” Sonja By Sheilah Graham. publicity men. It is upon their bowed shoulders that is laid the responsi- Henie skates some more in a HOLLYWOOD. W. Churchill. Capitol—“Algiers,” the much- By Douglas bility of popularizing every dance that is introduced into a The musical romance: 2. 4:25, 7:15 • "T YE ARE good friends"- discussed picture. theory HOLLYWOOD. and long-awaited 10 behind it all, of course, is that if the Lambeth and p.m. Stage shows: 3:35, \ n you follow Hollywood divorces and separation, the phrase Walter Wanger film public goes Yamming, Walking, A / SULLIVAN, who did her bit for modem American culture by finally 6:20 and 9:10 p.m. —"we are friends”—must be familiar to Big Appleing, or like it will make the that more E00*1 very you. Now, arrives It stars Charles something that, picture much Y Y» swinging “Loch Lomond" and whose appearances have been limited to Friday. Palace—"Marie how do these star of a colossal Antoinette,” just friendly they remain, ex-wives and ex- the of Manhattan Boyer as the le Moko who success. Accordingly, press agents, who probably hate dancing patrons and Hollywood night clubs, is the attraction Pepe lavish film with Norma Shearer husbands when thrown together at work and at play? around took revenge from the French worse than poison, are dispatched to the night club front to sell to the MAXINE which "St. Louis Blues" will retjplve. The picture is now w-ell steps playing the queen: 2:40, 6 and Margaret Sullavan has three husbands all working in Hollywood—two, in the the native habitues. under wray at Paramount after considerable d^lay caused by the illness of police casbah, 9:15 p.m. Henry Fonda and wime wyier, are, or- where he was safe. It Dorothy Larnour and the rebellion of George Raft. While the film will be quarter What brings the subject up at this time? Well, it derives from a sad Metropolitan—“Secrets of An course, ex. Is she embarrassed when introduces Lamarr and member seeing them at a New Year brightened with the customary num->--- Hedy little instruction given recently to M-G-M's press department. In connection Actress,” Kay Francis in the she bumps Into either of them? Not a I back Gurie. eve party in Sam house. ber of Hollywood luminaries, it prob- brings Sigrid with "The Great Waltz” the story of a glamour girl's off- bit of it. In fact, she was so friendly Goldwyn's not wear, is rather in the Hays studio made the discovery that the place of the Miss Sullivan \ hopes But Clark was careful to remain in ably will depend upon Town,” the waltz has been in recent Other stage life: 2. 3:55, 5:50, 7:45 with Fonda during the time they both lads disapprove of her peacock dance, PALACE—“Boys usurped years. dance pictures have brought one room and Rhea was as to lift the epic from the catcory of and 9:45 pm. starred in "The Moon's Our Home" just for she believes it is high time for a Spencer Tracy-Mickey Rooney other steps into the public's consciousness when, all that's fine and anxious to in by decent, one stay another. I saw routine musicals. which was such a suc- Columbia—"Alexander's Ragtime every thought they would marry showdown between art and the dead- picture the needs a waltz-minded nation.