CAVALCADE OF THEATRE

Evening Star, Issue 21787, 1 August 1934, Page 9

CAVALCADE OF THEATRE

'■ROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD ’ FOR EMPIRE Memories come'to life again—and live with '.the present —in ‘ Broadway to Hollywood,’ stirring drama of three generations of the theatre, embellished with the performances of idols of the Broadway of yesterday, appearing with several of to-day’s screen celebrities. The film commences at the Empire on Friday. The picture is essentially a drama —a vivid story which, through its nature, permits logical placing of many of- the features of a revue. One gees t»oign jnt drama among the people of the stage in their dressing rooms, then the film to what- is going on upon the stage, to view famous stars of an earlier day in their greatest “ hits.” The plot covers three generations. Alice Brady and Frank Morgan play the original dancing team. Their son, played by Jackie Cooper joins the act. Finally the veterans are seeii in Hollywood with their grandson, a money-mad screen star. In the dramatic climax the grandfather saves the boy from himself.

Miss Brady and Morgan play through varying ages and contribute sterling characterisations. Jackie Cooper romps through the best role of his career, and Eddie Quillan, as the screen star, is excellent. Madge Evans and Russell Hardie are experts as the romantic stage pair, and the work of the remainder of the stellar cast is of the very best. Albertina Raich contributes brilliant ballets in colour for the stage sequences. There are laughs and sobs, thrills and surprises in this “ cavalcade of the theatre.”