All the Difference

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 18

All the Difference

Every now and again, amid the welter of arid pessimism about the alleged declining interest in the stage, there comes a refreshing gesture from playgoers which, with one sweeping movement, restores the cinema-versus-theatre question to its true perspective, writes Harold Conway in the "Daily Mail." Such a gesture was that evening of hearty enthusiasm at the London Hippodrome last week, when Mr. Jack Buchanan's new. show was received with yells of delight so robust at times that they seem to have provoked irritation in some quarters. There was a time when I used to become equally irritated when pit and gallery hero and heroine worship got out of hand. Now lam inclined to welcome these occasional displays- as a badly needed tonic for the London theatres. I remember Mr. Gilbert Miller telling me —after a more than usually hectic Tallulah Bankhead demonstration—that he would much rather see an audience erring on the side of over-enthusiasm than the reverse, because they were thus showing ;i healthy love of the theatre which was bound to have a good effect all round. The most consistent pessimist about the "doom" of the stage must have sensed from the atmosphere at the Hippodrome first night that here was some vital quality, some personal spirit of good will between performers and audience, which will ever defy capture by the most brilliant efforts of ■film producers'. The galleryites may have started it going—but this personal atmosphere spread like lightning down to the circle and stalls; and, be it noted, the most decided shout of approval to "Good old Jack"—in the middle of the play—came from one of the boxes! While there is such, evidence of enthusiasm for entertaining artists and shows, it seems pointless to blame either critics or the general public for the failures of indifferent and poor plays.

Beauty Parlour. "Fun in a Beauty Parlour" miglit be a substitute name for "Reducing," the new Marie Dressier-Polly Moran. cp-'starriug comedy. In the same manner, that the stock market served as the subject of fun in the "Caught Short," so are beauty parlours, their proprietors and their patrons used as the subject of the lampoons in the new film. The story revolves about two sisters, Polly Roach—Polly Moran— who has become the successful New York beauty specialist, "Madame Roehay," and Marie—Marie Dressier, wife- of a smalltown mail carrier, portrayed by Lucien Littlefield. ■

."City Lights." : United Artists have received a cable from America telling of the' remarkable success of "City Lights" premiere screening at the Los Angeles; Theatre, coming after two years of talkies which' caused a furore. The cable also. told of . the huge crowd of peoples-estimated at 25,000—which, congregated ib the. vicinity of the theatre; most.of them were disappointed at failing to secure seats, and; tear bombs were necessary to disperse them. The sustained comedy of "City Lights'* is rated as indescribable, and the picture heralded as one that will certainly. stand as 'the production by which the famed comedian will be best remembered. "City Lights" is the first really. pretentious production without dialogue to be offered since, the inception of the talkie vogue. All along Chaplin made it clear that he would not talk, and results certainly confirm his predictions that his public would prefer to have him continue ; along the lines that won him fame. "Gun Smoke," . Charles Winninger, the original Captain Andy Hawks of the New York stage production of "Show Boat," has been given an important role in' Richard Arlen's curvent western film, "Gun Smoke." Others in the-supporting;'cast-are Mary Brian, Eugene Pallette, William Boyd, Louise Fazenda, James Durkin, and Guy Oliver. Edward Sloman is handling the direction. "Tapping News." Very few people realise with whatrapidity and accuracy the prisoners in all the State penitentiaries in America flash important news to their fellow, convicts. They have a method which enables them to communicate information over the entire prison in the space of a few moments. This system consists^ of "tapping" with a metallic object against the wall of the cell or the framework of the ' cots. Practical employment of the method is seen in Columbia's story o£ prison life, "The Criminal Code," which stars Walter Huston and Phillips Holmes. Half and Half. . Half-real and half-legendary is the central character around which' The Bad Man," the First National and Vitaphone production shortly to be shown in Wellington, is written. "Pancho Lopez," the whimsical, witty, caudid philosopher of this story, played by Walter Huston, is a bandit and a killer, taking what He wants with a laugh. Although Pancho is legendary, yet there is much of truth in "The Bad Man." Dorothy Kevier, James Rennie, and Sidney Blackmer support Huston. Nonchalance ■ Martha Sleeper, featured in Edgar Selwyn's "War Nurse," qualified for the nonchalant prize. While Miss Sleeper was^ rehearsing a scene with June Walker, Anita Page, Marie Prevost, Hedda-Hopper, and other principals, Robert Montgomery, a fellow-player, came in and sheepishly admitted that while playing around on a motor-cycle he had hit and bent the rear end of her brand-new limousine. "That's all fight, Bob," she told Montgomery, "I wanted you to get the thing polished anyhpsl"-

"The Avenger.", In "The Avenger," a picturisation of the life of Joaquin Murietta, a- debonair bandit of California in the early 'forties, Buck Jones appears as a dashing eabellero, who ,was a sort of' Robin Hood of his time. The film is played against a background of an old Californian rancho, an early frontier Mission House, and tbe California desert. Among the highlights are the daring escapades of the fearless outlaw, his method of wreaking vengeance, upon a band of murderers and his evasion of capture by the cavalry. Double Role. Charles Knox Robinson, actor and playwright, has been signed by Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer to play leading parts. He is 26 years old, and has'played three years in stock and on Broadway., He is also known for his playa, which he wrote in. collaboration with Kenyon Nicholson.

"The Smiling Lieutenant." Charlie Ruggles and George Barbier are the newest editions to the cast of "The, Smiling Lieutenant," starring Maurice Chevalier. Ruegles will portray Chevalier's boon companion, whilst Barbier will; play the part of king of a mythical kingdom. Ernst Lubitsch is directing at the New York studios, and Claudette Colbert and Miriam Hopkins share leading feminine honours. Lady Bootlegger. Carl Laemmle,- jun,, has decided to star John Boles and Rose Hobart in "A Lady of Resource," the novel by Arthur. Somers Roche. Universal has just purchased" it. It is a story of a lady bootlegger whose charms are as potent as her illegal merchandise.