Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 July 1936 — Page 4

daptation Is Praised for Excellent Direction and Good Acting.

BY JOHN W. THOMPSON Starting when the earth was fiothing but a “mess of bad

weather,” Marc Conneily’s movie “adaptation of “The Green Pastures” relates as impressive a sermon as ‘Wwe ever have heard. ~ But don’t get the ieda that Mr. Connelly’s fable is “preachy.” It is ‘grand entertainment, and is acted excellently by a large all-Negro cast. Although Rex Ingram’s por- ~ frayal of De Lawd is not quite as convincing as the late Richard B. Harrison’s interpretation, his characterization does not lack power. “The Green Pastures” gpens with ‘8 group of small pickaninnies at ‘Sunday School down South. Their cher, Mr. Deeshee, tells them ible stories, Throughout the flim, ho camera returns momentarily to this little group, and lets one listen to naive questions asked by the youngsters. Early Scenes of the Negro fable pict & fish fry in progress in Heaven. Every one is supremely happy, and “biled” custard, smoking 10-cent *gee-gars.” Gabriel -approaches, horn in hand, shouts: : “Gangway, for the Lawd God Jehovah!” On walks the gentle, be-whiskered Divinity, clad in a long-tailed coat. e too sips custard, tucks a cigar

‘Something. De Lawd decides it needs ymore Firmament. So he just “rares pack” and causes there to be more

Firmament and little angels’ wings ‘get damp, and it looks for a moment as though there might be a pneumonia epidemic in Heaven. So De Lawd just “rares back” again and \ises there to be earth and the the sun, as a-place to “dreen” off excess Firmament. Lord Has Trouble

“That's the fable about the creation of the world, as it exists, or exted, in the minds of Southern Negroes. But once He has the earth, trouble starts for De Lawd. He cre“ates Adam and Eve to live there, and their children kill each other. There is wickedness and sin all over the place. So De Lawd gives it up as a bad job, calls Noah from the flock, gives him his Ark commission. ; After 40 days and night, life beon anew on the earth. But the ple backslide again. This’ time “it's trouble in Egypt where De Tawd’s people are ih bondage. He sends Moses and Aaron to liberate them. to lead them to the Land of

aan, Things go pretty well for “while, but when night. clubs open Babylon and the&Migh Priest puts on a bmsingss «basis, De Lawd decides to refuse further responsibility. for» his_ creations. "Years later, He hears a voice calling to him from earth. He tries not to listen but finally is persuaded to ‘help the young soldier who solicits His aid in restorind™faith and love on earth. De Lawd enables the young man’s warriors to win back the Ark of the Covenant in the bat"tle of Jericho. From Heaven, De Lawd hears cries of the crowd at the Crucifixion. He realizes that even God must suffer and takes new hope in his pet child, the earth. Mr. Connelly and William KeighJey directed the movie version of “The Green Pastures,” with a fin‘esse which exceeds even the fine stage production. Vivid, close-ups and swift changing from reality to fabie and fantasy enables audiences to grasp easily the idea that the author did not try to re-write the Bible, but merely tried to represent the simple faith of the Negro.

Simplicity Observed

We wish to congratulate Warner Brothers for not going “Hollywood” in this production. The Heavenly ‘gates, which might have been tall Spires, glittering with pearls, are ‘not that at all. They are the fine gates seen all through the South at ‘entrances to fine mansions. They ‘are the finest of gates as far as the “play's characters are concerned. ‘The same simplicity was observed ‘throughout the picture. There are many individual perormances that merit praise. Chief among them is Eddie Anderson's oah, which stands out as the best ‘acting. Ernest Whitman's King ‘Pharoah also is convincing. “Green Pastures” wouldn't be reen Pastures” without music by e Hall Johnson choir, It's the yeliést music we've heard from he screen. Simple folk songs of South were moulded into thrilland septimental ballads which: jt the theme more nearly than any her background music the screen employed. This probably is beause music is a foundation for such religion as described in reen Pastures.” England banned the play because was “sacrilegious;” Russia because was “Godly.” Persons who saw of the picture yester- ; at dhe Circle surely agree with that at least two nations are

Harry Carey Signs - Carey, Western star, has signed to play. an important in Wesley les’ new flim,

eating catfish sandwiches |?

his pocket. But the custard lacks |”

Firmament.. Then there is too much |:

Now that her illustrious father is through work on “Romeo and Juliet,” in which he is starred with Norma Shearer, 11-year-old Leslie Ruth Howard spends:a lot of time taking strolls with Papa Leslie. Leslie Ruth shows exceptional talent herself, as those who have heard her on the radio with Mr. Howard are aware.

ILMLAND'S i 'UNNIEST MEN :

SLIM SUMMERVILLE

The sixth of a series,

BY PAUL HARRISON OLLYWOOD, July 18—Slim Summerville hasn’t bothered to figure out a philosophy’ of humor. He acts according to a simple formula — plays his role, straight and takes them:very seriously. The astonishing result is that fans whoop in high glee and movie makers offer ‘more and bigger contraz’s for his signature. These marvels have been. taking place for 23° years sin bine gens-

ling Summ he uniform of &; Rm.. bled on a set ¥0" ‘pie

He accepted the Die as Just nother of the rude buffetings of fate. He wiped away the mess and looked at the director through large eyes tinged with custard and an

ineffable melancholy. “Great!” yelled the director. “You get the jo ob!”

So a comedian was born. Summerville still doubts that he is funny, and seldom is sure whether he’s contributing a tear or a belly laugn to a scene. ‘Sometimes he knows, of course. He contributed bne of the most hilarious lines in “The Country Doctor’—when the fourtin brand-new quintuplet was brought into the room. “Doc,” said Constable Summer - ville, anxiously, “you got to stop this!” oo» ” 2 N screen or off, he never laughs aloud. Occasionally he chuckles —a brief heh-heh—and his smiles are mere wistful flashes that add a few more contours to a face which even in repose looks like a relief map of the high Sierras. His pouchy eyes make you think of a sad mastiff. His baggy cheeks look as though they contained twin quids of cut plug, and his chin is that of a man who has just sent his upper plate to be vulcanized. Summerville is 43, and would be 6 feet .3 inches tall if he ever straightened up.. He looks older because his hair and beard are graying, and he has worn an unkempt stubble in his last four pictures. He hates to shave, and pleaded for permission to retain his beard in “Pub-

lic Nuisance No. 1.”

t J # = E was a child of "adversity, motherless at 5. After living in New Mexico, Canada, and Oklahoma with little formal education, he was graduated at the age of 10 to the nomadic fellowship of the

road. . He worked at pretty nearly every - thing. There was a period of apprenticeship in a coffin factory. San Francisco next, with Summerville racking 'em in a pool hall. He was handy with a cue, too, ani with quiet guile would allow himseif to be drawn into games with avaricious slickers. He did so well there

| CONDITIONED £4

that, to this day, he loves San Francisco above any other spot on earth. He came to Los Angeles to look .up an uncle, and found instead a Mack Sennett comedian who escorted him to the studio. The dour, angular youngster hadn't thought of acting, but he proved so apt at “taking a pie” that he became the first “guaranteed extra” in Holly«wood. Sennett assured him four days’ work a week at the magnificent total of $12. Slim dccepted. = Then came contracts with various studios, and some' years as a director. It was his rolé as Tjaden.

‘| in “All Quiet on the Western Front,”

that lifted him out of cheap slapstick shorts and made him a character comic. ° ® = s ° ATELY he has been just about the busiest funny man in town. Makes a lot of money these days, but is a self-acknowledged sucker for oil-stock salesmen, cadging acquaintances, and ordinary beggars. He lives by the sea and spends most of his spare time casting furtively but happily into the surf. He reads ‘only detective stories,’ prefers Fred Allen on the radio, ‘and almost never goes to the movies unless there’s a Mickey Mouse. His best friends are his doctor and his dentist. He'll walk around a golf course with Bing Crosby, Andy Devine, or Dick Arlen, but won’t play. He likes to cook Italian dishes, but is the only one who dares eat ‘the result. He is the sloppiest dresser in the film colony, and almost never attends a party: He stamps white’ horses, and spits in his hat when he sees a crosseyed man. 8 B 8

MPULSIVE, he may decide at 3 o'clock some morning to fly fo San Francisco. So he routs out Paul Mantz, a stunt pilot “who has been trying to kill me for years,” and they're off within an hour in a chartered plane. Once he started for San Francisco on a ship, but enjoyed the company .of the captain and first mate so much that he remained aboard for three successive round trips. = ® 2

LIM is tone deaf, and was terrified when he had to sing in

walking dead, and now we have the our beds before

intriguingiy with all sorts

cross-examination. More than a contribution to medical science, it is a contribution to motion picture science because technical production is more outstanding than plausibility of plot: In “The Devil Doll,” we have Paul Lavond, a Paris banker wrongly committed to Devil's Island prison for a crime he didn’t commit, struggling through swamps in a suceessful escape. With him is Marcel, a mad scientist, also escaping from

‘prison.

Learns Secret Process At Marcel’s home, Lavond meets

husband show the newcomer how they can reduce animals to one-

sixth normal size and yet keep them alive. The only thing they can’t do is to keep the brains. intact, and the dolis respond only to other's wills. When Marcel tries his stuff on his wife’s servant girl, Lachna, and her brain fails to function normally, the scientist dies. Lavond suddenly gets an idea for revenge. To Paris with Melita, Marcel’s wife, he hurries, taking with him the secret process. There, disguised as an old woman, he captures one of three men who caused him to go to prison, makes a little doll out of him. Then he takes Lachna, sends her into the room of Coulvet, another of his enemies, has her stab him in his sleep, paralyzing him for life. The third of the trio, Martin, is forced to confess Lavond’s inno cence. \ This frees the name of Lavond, and Lorraine, his daughter, is able to marry her lover, Toto, Parisian taxi driver. Large Sets Used

The method used in photograph-:

ing humans, making them appear less than a foot high, is not entirely new. The process of superimposing the figure upon the background has been used in many pictures. But it always is detectable. So M-G-M, at tremendous cost, utilized a huge sound stage, anc built enormous sets, six times normal size, instead of super-imposing. This presents normal actors and actresses simply and naturally against a background of, say, a dressing table 60 feet high, or a footstool six feet high, or shows them jumping over a bedroom slip: per five feet long. Mr. Barrymore, impersonating an old lady, Mme. Mandelip, is excellent. His make-up, carriage and voice are convincing, even after audience knows what he is about. He must have received \& great kick | out .of playing the role. The juvenile roles are well portrayed by Maureen O’Sullivan and Frank Lawton. The late Henry B. Walthall is seen briefly as the mad scientist, Marcel. Loew’s second feature, “We Went to College,” which stars Walter Abel, Una Merkel, Hugh Herbert

and Charles Butterworth, is a comic |.

tale about a group of alumni who go back for homecoming. It is well worth sitting through. (By J. W. T.)

Eleanor Has Double * Four-year-old Juanita Quigley is to be Eleanor Powell’s miniature dancing facsimile in “Born‘ to Dance.” Juanita is to do a Powell dance routine.

three of his recent pictures. singing ‘was so bad it was funny. That wasn’t his voice, however, ‘that you heard in the Sextet-from-Lucia business in “Captain January.” it was dubbed in. The most fun Slim has had in a long time came on the day the radio carried a premature® announcement of his death. He sat by the telephone for 12 solid hours SHout-. ing “Boo!” at all callers.

NEXT~Laurel and Hardy;

Melita, Marcel’s wife, who helps her |

The |

| tures

“Devil Doll” to make us look under |

retiring. The “Devil Doll,” playing at Loew’s, stars Lionel Barrymore and 1s

of surprises and mysterious action.

It is alive with sure-fire entertainment, for the most part well acted, and £1 the’ some Lime fy @ Ikiof ok whieh won’ dd Wp Wider mh

Unpredictable, Natives Believe

Hollywood Least Logic... to Veteran Players.

IIE By United Press HOLLYWOOD, July 18 __Vejerdn film players contend the more a person sees. of Hollywood the less understandable it becomes. Many of the film ¢ity occurences confirm such an assertion. One of the most unpredicable clan of workers in the industry is the scenario , writing sect. The writers on the picture, *“Girls’ Dormitory,” provided players with a long-remembered period of play when they put a large fair concession in the script. Those in the cast, accustomed to 12 or more hours a day under torturing kleig lights, were well pleased with the carnival scenes. For three solid days of nine hours each the actors and actresses, including 100 stock ' girls, tripped = hilariously through “shots” on roller coasters, merry-go-rounds and Ferris wheels. Retakes of certain scenes also provide unforeseen and sometimes comic complications. * Not long ago Jean Lang was informed she would have to appear in added sequences in a picture. The scenes to be taken had to match others filmed a month previously when Jean was suffering from a slight cold. To recapture tlie same huskiness of voice, Miss Lang spent an entire afternoon in a deserted canyon

near Hollywood, singing and shouting until her throat was Taw.

WHERE, WHAT, WHEN

APOLLO v

“State Fair’. (revival), with Jane Gaynor, Will Roge Rh. Louise ane Lew Ayres, at 1 . 1:25, 3:28, § er and 9:37.

7:34 CIRCLE

“The Green Pastures,” Mare Connelly’'s famous fable, with Rex Ingram, at’ 11, 1:10, 3:20, 5:35, 7:45,

LOEW'S “The Devil Doll,” with Lionel. Barrymore, Maureen '0'Sul Wiivanh, 2% 1)

11, ‘1752, 4:44, 7:36 a Also “We Went to Colle ge" with Hugh

LS

A

Herbert, Charles Wort, ‘at 12:41, 3:33, 6:25 and 9 \ mms.

Federal Bias Pla ers: Be Tae und oy ngs sitestion on of Charles Berkell, Cur.

LYRIC

“The Crime of Dr. Forbes” on the screen, with Gloria Stuart, Robert Kent, Henry Armetta, at 11:26. 2:09, 5:13, 7:56 and 10:39. :

Veideviie n the stage at 1:09, 3:53, 6:56 and 9:39. ag

ALAMO ‘Under Two Flags.’ featuring Ronald Colman, oh e Colbert, stor

Mela le en the to Heavens Ruenlk done Henrichie Crosman.

AMBASSADOR “Show Boat,” with Irene Dunn and Alan; Jones. Also “Florida Special” wih Jack Osakie, Frances Dra ke. OHIO, “The Moon's Our Home" with Margaret Sullavan. and Henry Fonda.

3;

DAIS

som the besinsingl 10 starts

IMPORTAN T t ” from the

a

funn

[SHOW BOAT ARTISTS _ FEATURE LYRIC BILL

Acrobatie Act Daring. Opened with a daring, at times breath-taking acrobatic act by the Danwills, the stage offering is snap-

Jong. Also in the Briants, who pre-

three comedians, Mells, Kirk and | Howard, who mimic such personal- '| ities as Hitler," Mussolini and Haile Selassie with . astonishing fidelity, and the Jans and Lynton dance revue, which closes the show with artistic, rhythmic effects. p We feel that it is not too late to mention the Lyric’s rhymed introductions of its vaudeville stunts. Borrowed, we suspect, from Horace Heidt, who popularized rhymed announcements on the air, the idea adds to the enjoyment of the performances.

The “punch” in “The Crime of Dr. Forbes” comes in the last-min-ute turn of events, which, we suspect,qeven the most astute mystery fans do not fowesee. Accused of murdering his benefactor, Dr. Eric Godfrey (J. Edward Bromberg), Dr. Michael Forbes (Robert Kent) faces conviction when unexpected revelations free him to the waiting arms of Mrs. Godfrey (Gloria Stuart).

Dr. Godfrey dies, the autopsy reveals, of an overdose of narcotics, administered, the state accuses, by Dr. Forbes, who is in love with Dr. Godfrey's wife.

Victim of Accident

Dr. Forbes, after graduation with honors from medical school, had associated with Dr. Godfrey in the latter’s famous laboratory. Dr. God= frey was called to Arizona to investigate a mineral substance believed to be responsible for a prevalent disease, departing with the admonition to his wife that she frequently entertain young Dr. Forbes to prevent his overwork in the laboratory. When Dr. Godfrey is injured in a mine accident, both his wife and Dr. Forbes rush to Arizona, to find him incurably hurt and in great agony. Dr. Godfrey begs his friend to end his misery. “The Crime of Dr. Forbes” was directed by George Marshall, and filmed from an original screen play by Frances Hyland and Saul Elkins. Altogether, it is an interesting, dramatic and reasonably well acted and directed movie.

Actor Is Athletic r Paul Muni, running at top speed in a scene in “The Good Earth,” tripped, fell, turned a complete

oe BY RALPH NORMAN ; doldrums are vaudeville patrons’ good fortint. : Soraly a week gous Lia th ic ou mot Broan on 1 tage one or more radio entertainers. Currently the air | waves are Show Boat’s Keller Sisters and Lynch, a $wo women and a man, who sing thei own clever arrangements of pop-

Lionel Barrymore, Disguised as 5 Woman, Pan Leading an Role in Loew’s Offering With Ease and a Conviction; Photography Good. |

‘What next? We've had zombies, Drdcdlas Kong and son, vampires,

somersault, "and suffered. not a scratch. 3 i .

To make men peer a girl has fo look shipshape.

Battle on Drought

Shown in Newsreel

Heat forms the main topic of the current issue of The Times-Univer-sal newsreel. Cameramen have covered the subject from the sun-baked farm-lands of the West to the

scorched streets of New vérk and |.

Chicago. Zoo attendants at Washington are shown attempting to give the oppressed animals some relief from the temperature. A freak twister in upstate New York did considerable damage to summer homes and barns, scenes of which are shown. Final try-outs for berths on the U. S. Olympic team are shown in the new reel. Other subjects include the colorful wedding of Ruth Bryan Owen and Capt. Boerge

Rohde; the spirited opening of the

bicycle race around France; and an enthusiast’s adaptation of skiis to Jumping in a swimming pool.

Team in Films 9 Years

Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, now making “Mummy’s Boys,” have been a leading screen comedy

‘Will Rogers

“trio; |

| week,

‘| movie during the last five years has

‘| mincemeat gag. Mrs. Frake would stand for no brandy in her mince-

.| poured in a half a“bottle while Ma ‘| was out of the room. ‘| she came back, .| poured the rest of the bottle’s con- || tents into the mixture. And was i! the judge's nose red?

1 ago, although censors, for the re-

i| (Sally Eilers)

Apollo Gets

‘Movie Again.

Humor of ‘State Fair,’ Acting Enjoyed; Some Scenes Show Changes.

If you smell a very pleasant groma coming from the Apollo this it's probably Mrs. Frake's mincemeat which got a double dose of apple brandy and won first prize in “State Fair,” the Will Rogers movie which opened yesterday for a return engagement.

Perhaps no other incident in a

been enjoyed ‘as universally as the

meat. But Pa: Frake (Mr. Rogers)

Then when she gave in and

Phil Stong’s story about country folks and their adventures at the state fair is as splendid movie entertainment now as it was several years

turn showing, cut the heart out of one sequence showing Emily Joyce and Wayne Frake (Norman Foster). ‘State Fair” was filmed when the Legion of Decency was just an idea in the back of ad Hays’ mind. -

The Frake family, Pa, Ma, Margy and Wayne, trudge off to the fair, Pa to win the Hampshire hog prize with Blue Boy, Ma to walk off with medals for pickles (sour and sweet) and mincemeat. Wayne meets a beautiful girl of the streets, and Margy falls in love with a newspaper reporter who comes running through the rain in the final fade-out to make her life complete. The film contains excellent acting, and was directed intelligently by Henry King. Victor Jory is seen ina fine characterization in a small role “State Fair” is the way we like to remember Will Rogers. (By J. W. T.)

Wins New Role Una O’Connor, character actress: who won acclaim for her work in “The Informer,” is to have a prom= inens role in “The Plough and She 5.»

Plans mr Jessie Ralph, character lead in “Count Pete,” is saving her money to 33ks a leisurely trip around the wor

SWIM—DANCE

WESTLAKE

BEACH TERRACE

team ‘ever since they came to the ‘movies nine years ago.

Dance Every: Night Except Monda PravL ‘COLLINS ORCHESTRA y

The Week-End's Best Attractions

at Your Nelghborhosd Theater

. . Gene Antrey “Comin’ Round the Mountain” “Murder on the Bridal Path” ‘Sun. Double Feature—Edward Arnold . “SUTTER’S GOLD” Wheeler-Woolsey -“Silly-Billies” Double Feature

d Belmont Chester Morris

“THREE GODFATHERS” “Treachery Rides the Range” Sun. Double Fpature—Irene Dunne “SHO Joe E. Brown “SONS 0 GUNS”

W.Wash. & Belmont

WEST SIDE ; NORTH SIDE EAST SIDE : , 2702 W. 10th St. 30th Northw’t’ STATE = “Dim duu [REX oon ot orth (Parker Dom mn a

Midnight Sho “RENDEVOUS” “CORONADO” “The Judgment Book” Sun. Double Feature—Paul Kelly “THE COUNTRY BEYOND” Walter Huston “RHODES” 1%th & Cotte Stratfor Dathie Tenury, Dick Powell

Ruby Keeler “COLLEEN” “THE GHOST GOES WEST” Sunday Double Feature Patricia Ellis “BOULDER DAM” “ROBINHOOD OF ELDORADO”

2540 W. Mich. St. Double Feature William Boyd

“CALL OF THE PRAIRIE” «PRIDE OF THE MARINES”

Sun. Double Feature-=Carol Lombard “The Princess Comes Ac “THE LAW IN HER HANDS” NORTH SIDE ine

Illinois and 34th Double Feature George Brent

Mrs. Ames”

{Claire Trevor “HUMAN CARGO”

Sun, Double Feature—Jack Oakie : “FLORIDA SPECIAL” “FORGOTTEN FACES” Double Featu Zaring Bauble Feature

“THE GHOST GOES WEST” Chester Morris “Three Godfathers” ‘Sun. Double Feature—Fred McMurray “13 HOURS BY AIR”

“THREE LIVE GHOSTS”

Central ut Fall Ork.

42nd '& College Myrna’ Loy

er EIicoAT T FEVER”

| Tacoma

E WEEDS”

MECCA Noble & Mass.

re ile heats hol

“LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY" Louis-Schmeling Fight Pictures Sunday Double Feature Janet Gaynor “Small Town Girl” “Treachery Rides the Range” Double Feature

DREAM “Bouse

“MOONLIGHT MURDER” “TIMES SQUARE PLAYBOY” Sun, Douoble Feature—Al Jolson “THE SINGING KID”

“13 HOURS BY AIR” EAST SIDE

8155 KE. 10th RIVOLI Newly Cooled Tom Brown Jane Withers “GENTLE JULIA” “The Mine With the Iron Door” Sun. ‘Double Feature—Jack Oakle : “FLORIDA SPECIAL” Joe E. Brown-Jean Blondell “SONS 0’ GUNS”

2442 E. Wash. St.Double Feature Edmund Lowe “THE GARDEN MURDER CASE”

Patricia Ellis ER As Sun, Doshie : Ly gL 4020 E. New York

w

2361° Station St.

| Tuxedo * “Ste fume

TRVING “25. i on HEC

Ee

eo W “KLONDIKE ANNIE™ : “SONG OF THE SADDLE” Sun. Double Feature—Edmund Lowe “GARDEN MURDER CASE” “THE SINGING KID”

1332 E. Wash, St. Strand : Double Feature Margaret Sullavas “THE MOON’S OUR HOME” “DOG OF FLANDERS” ' Sun, Double Feature—William Boyd “BAR 20 RIDES AGAIN”

" Gary Cooper-Jean Arthur “MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN®

Paramount «: = wan.

Double Feature Patricia. Ellis “BOULDER DAM”

Joan Deity “Mysterious Avenger” un. Double ¥ t Sylvia Si “The of bri rb ylv dney

“The rd Bel Have Landed”

114 E. Washington B | JOU Double Feature Edward Arnold “SUTTER’S GOLD” “SUNDOWN TRAIL"—Shoris Sun. Double Feature—James Dung : “DON’T PERSONAL” “KENTUCKY BLUE STREAK” Comedy and Shorts—Always 10e

Fountain Square Double Feature Wendy Berry He RSE BABE “SPEED” Sun. Double Feature—Fred McMurry “The Princess Across” “THE KING STEPS OUT” ; At Fauna) Square

Sanders “vei: “YOU MAY BE NI NEXT”

“THE BAR 20 RIDES AGAIN" =~ Sun. Double Feature— > Franchot Tong

Wheeler- Woolsey “silly Billies” Ns Avalon TT “SONG OF THE