'GUILTY HANDS'

Evening Star, Issue 21005, 20 January 1932, Page 4

'GUILTY HANDS'

LIONEL BARRYMORE FOR ST. JAMES Lionel Barrymore, that brilliant character actor, to whom the motion picture industry awarded the highest distinction for acting in 1931, has the outstanding role of his career in ' Guilty Hands,’ which will commence at the St. James Theatre on Friday. The story was written especially for the talking screen by Bayard Vieller, master of mystery drama and author of such theatre hits as ‘ The Thirteenth Chair ’ and ‘ The Trial of Mary Dugan.’ It is his first original for the talkies and, in the opinion of pre-view critics, the most baffling murder plot he has ever conceived. Particular interest is directed towards this new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production because it follows Barrymore’s personal triumph as the veteran criminal attorney in Norma Shearer’s ‘ A Free Soul,’ and is the first picture he has carried as principal player in several years, his efforts having been confined to direction since the advent of sound films. Kay Francis essays the “ heavy ” role of Marjorie West, whose suspicions and jealousies motivate the startling climax. Madge Evans, former child star, who recently returned to the screen as Ramon Novarro’s leading lady in ‘ Son of India,’ plays the romantic lead as Barrymore’s daughter. Paired with her is William Bakewell, a popular juvenile, who last played with Joan Crawford and Marion Davies in ‘ Dance, Fools, Dance ’ and ‘ Five and Ten ’ respectively. C. Aubrey Smith, the distinguishecl British character actor, has the role of the Rev. Mr Hastings. Polly Moran supplies the humour as Aunt Maggie; Alan Mowbray is Gordon Rich, whose slaying precipitates the hectic situations in which every member of the cast becomes involved. Other players include Forrester Harvey, Charles Crockett, and Henry Barrows. Barrymore is oast as Richard Grant, who, as a district attorney, sent fifty men to the electric chair. As a criminal attorney he saved 100 men from a like fate. Summoned to the island estate of Rich, a wealthy client, he discovers Rich is going to marry his daughter. To reveal the progress of the plot beyond this point would serve only to deny the full enjoyment of the thrill on the screen. The photographic and sound effects add vastly to the weird and mysterious atmosphere in which the plot is unfolded. The settings arc both magnificent and eerie. The box plans aro at The Bristol.