St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 66

i AT- Mm- 4ALL I i i THE SCREEN By COLVIN McPHERSON If One-ActCourtroom Drama Makes Hit in New York HEARTLESS IBSEN HEROINE Noel Houston's 'Accordins to Already Winner of Civil Liberties Union Prize, Gets Warm Approval at Provincetown Playhouse. How to Get Along With a Ghost FOG. shipwreck, an insane man wandering the beach, water-soaked corpses, inquests, forbidden chambers and finally a destroying fire in a big English country house all these flesh-curling delights are to be found in "Rebecca," which Loew's Theater has for its Easter customers. The picture is David O. Selznick's screen version of Daphne du rtHiuit's novel, also called "Rebecca" and a best-seller of recent years.

To the many who read the book, it will not be necessary to explain us chief virtue was atmosphere, the mystery created and a kind cf nostalgia for life at the De Winter estate, Manderlcy. It might be pointed out that you get much the same feeling from "Peter Ibbet- NEW YORK, March 23 AP), ILLIAM KOZLENKO is a young man with ideas, determined ideas, that the one-act play is a possibility for success on Broadway. The odd went up in hia favor with his newest presentation I son," written by Miss Du celebrated grand-pop, George du this week, after several other efforts in the past drew rather frigid glances from Rialto crowds. Since those nights in 1927 when the National Little Theater Tour-nament clamored onto the stage of Florenz Ziegfeld's New Amsterdam Theater and sent Broadway audiences away cheering for what they first thought would be only a holiday of amateur performances, there hav been several efforts here to establish a successful one-act play theater. KozienKO Knows ine narasnips oi.io una mat ne nas a ratner rouzh time avoiding the pitfalls and wicked lures on earth.

It is a good idea but a trifle wordy for even one-act play. The third play, "What tou Call It?" is by Prof. E. P. Conkle, who wrote the admirable "Prolou to Glory" which the Federal The- 'mgtxm aici jucKiiicu in ijm ior DlOr 1, Maurier.

"Rebecca" herself never appears in either book or movie. She is the ghost of the first Mrs. De Winter, she was the ideal combination of "breeding, brains and beauty," she makes life miserable for her innocent, timid little successor, the second wife of Maxim De Winter. It was one of the author's cute tricks not to give the second wife any name of her own at least none that is ever mentioned. And nobody bothers to tell the second wife exactly what happened to No.

1. Her boat upset one night, she was drowned. But why the mystery? De Winter himself is moody and irritable whenever anybody brings up the subject of the first wife and little No. 2 gets a lot of rebuffs and hurts when she asks questions or makes some blundering remark. Little by little, it all comes out.

And that is why you enjoy "Rebecca." The narrative teases you with one detail after another, it lifers to "the whole story" and then doesn't tell it. It is a good yarn nd the screenplay of Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison follows the novel closely, except for one important detail. A reviewer can't say else he'd be letting the Siamese out of the sack. The picture was directed by plump Mr.

Alfred Hitchcock, English expeit in giving the creeps. And while there are no such surprises in "Rebecca" as the missing finger-joint in "The 39 Steps," no suspense like the little boy carrying a bomb on a London bus in "The Woman Alone" and no such narrow squeaks as were all through "The Lady Vanishes," the new Hitchcock film supplies an audience with as much enjoyable uneasiness as its predecessors. Even if you know the secret of Manderley Deforehand, you get thrills and chills. Several obliging persons, including Miss Du Maurier, had told me and I did. Joan Fontaines performance as I The Week's Shows ON THE STAGE AMERICAN Eva Le Gallienne in Ibsen repertory "Hedda Gabler" tomorrow, Tues- day and Wednesday nights, II Wednesday, matinee; "The the second Mrs.

De Winter is without a false note anywhere. Very suitable by her very appearance, voice and youth, she adds a sound appreciation of the second wife's position. The wife loves her husband intensely, she tries to be affable but cowers before the army of servants on her husband estate, Coward's 'Queen Was in Parlour1 At Little Theater OEL COWARD'S romantic drama, "The Queen Was in the night, to run through April 6. All Dut tne opening pertormance and that of Saturday night are open GALLIENNE AS THAT W.UUL MEER IN OTHER PEOPLE'S vers, sne is aiwavs nvershadowine Rebecca I and alwavs at the mercy of the imnahl'p routines bv which Re-1 becca ordered the household. to the public.

A special evening! stage as an interpreter of the Eager, unelamorous but with the fr APril 49- af" the regular run, plays of Henrik Ibsen, returns to n.n't advantage of her youth, nas been taken by an organization. St. Louis tomorrow night in nninLreTv'wins The play opens in the Paris' Ben'. "Hedda Gabler." This will that pioneering well for he has, for several years, been editor of the "One-Act Play Magazine;" he has written and has had produced numerous one-act plays and he has directed theaters for one-act plays. Now in the historic Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village he has bobbed up again witk the one-act variety theater and in this he i records a measure of progress, a definite step forward for the aims 'he has in mind.

I Three one-act plays are presented! and the box score is this: One play is a failure and will be replaced by another immediately; a second play (this one written by Kozlenko) is a fairly good play and perhaps its weak points will be strengthened; and the third play is a definite hit, an intelligent and compelling drama by Noel Houston. Houston is an Oklahoma City 'newspaper man whose court report ing has apparently Deen 01 extensive value to him in writing this very human and moving one-act play, "According to Law," after he studied playwriting in North Carolina. The winner of the one-act play contest of the American Civil Liberties Union last summer, it dramatizes the trial of a Negro who is found guilty of assaulting a white woman. Houston writes his play so that his audience watches the trial from the viewpoint of an experienced reporter, an observer who must suppress what might be his own natural feelings and report truly what is happening with an even more detached consideration than anyone else hearing the trial. For the case doesn't mean a career to him as it does to the Judge or the prosecuting and defending attorneys.

Nor does it mean an unfamiliar and nervous duty as it means to the jurymen. But, he doesn't close his eyes, ignore what is faulty in our system of justice as exemplified by this particular case. He sees and notes that tbe Bill of Rights can be ignored when courts aren't alert or energetic enough to step in when the provisions of that document are being violated. He observes that a defendant is handicapped by the fact that a court can appoint, a lawyer to defend him. And by this able and dramatic reporting he comments that our system of justice, our very democracy can survive only if all citizens work continually to make them survive.

It is a good play, so rood that there were comments that it should be a full-length, three-act play. But, that very contention is a good de-; fense of the one-act play For Playwright Houston has herei a brief story with pertinent com-j ment to dramatize and he does soi with a succinct skill that makes it i far more effective than it would! be if he tried to parade the story over a whole evening. Eugene En-drey has directed the capable cast with an understanding that such a' commentary document needs on the stage. Kozlenko's own play, "The Devil Is a Good Man," is a satirical fantasy about Satan coming from Hell and our sympathies are rewarded, i rnn(ain), never once loses con- i apartment of Nadya, princess ofjbe presented for each performance Kra'la- who has Just returned through Wednesday night, to be trol of her characterization and a fest've evening with Sabien than 150 performances. In his new- est play Prof.

Conkle, ironically, rather impolitely criticises WPA labor. It is impolite, perhaps, in at Prof. Conkle's "Prologue to Glory" was produced by the Federal Theater and his "What D' You Call which is being withdrawn in favor of another one-acter, is pro. duced on a stage equipped by th WPA. Romberg's 'East Wind' Completes Opera Repertory ITH only one place left open in its 1940 repertory of 12 shows, Municipal Opera yesterday an.

nounced that this spot would be taken, by Sigmund Romberg's dra-matic operetta, "East Wind." "East Wind" has been presented in Forest. Park only once before, in 193t The 13 weeks' season will open on Monday night, June 3, with th local premiere of that patriotic spectacle, "The American WayVCj to run two weeks. Later shows are "Apple Blossoms," "Knickerbocker Holiday," "Anything Goes" and "Babes in Arms," all new; "Naughty Marietta," "Rio Rita." "The Chocolate Soldier," "Good News," "Rosalie," "The Great Waltz" and "East Wind," revivals. The order of presentation is not announced, except for the opening, "East Wind" is the successor to Romberg's two famous hits, "The New Moon" and "The Desert Song." Besides his melodies, the operetta has a stirring story by Oscar Hammerstein II and Frank: Mandel. It calls for an unusually large cast, with approximately 60 speaking roles.

Modern in every detail, "East Wind" also goes in for much world travel. The musical play begins in a French village, crosses the briny deep to Indo-China, returns to Paris and winds up in Marseilles. FILMS DEVELOPED IS PRINTS ft CC mill uouoia Weight Enlargt-mtnts from Each Roll (Any Sizt) Mail ad and 25c coin with each reH Or write for FREE -alien. Immedutt, no-dclay service. Satisfaction jyarsa-tced.

PHOTO FRIEND Dept. 14 LITCHFIELD, ILLINOIS Pastal, an interesting French com moner. They are engaged to be married in three days but decide to go through the ceremony atMisa Le Gallienne last played in ne ISt. Louis and "Hedda Gabler" was But during a brief interval In of her tw0 productions then, U1CU a apart- mont I -on rich I Krayia to inform Nadya, a volun-j ji. i ion aiuv Co xiuill! CA lciUx years, si ti 1 A I tfc et ci PI CI ca er Eft wl Cc lis it! Ei o'c toi an foi pis pr is Ea Ve Mc Po noi gei wa me cf an th( 4:1 Mi -C Lii th th bei eoi ap lis fir CO' Jin otf wt to i i ari va an foi Pe 1 1 :3 1 3 1 1 tftat she must return and rule! Krayia.

The King has been mur- The supporting company for this dered and she is next in line. is made up of Earle Lari-tells her she must renounce the more, Peter Capell, Matthew Smith, 4 the star became, famous as an artist with Ibsen. JL'ST now the schedule of the American Theater shows a blank space for the weeks of April 1 and April 8 but it is more than probable that the first of these will be taken by "Suspect," a new mystery play which had its premiere on the West Coast this month and would make St. Louis a stop on its quick trip to Broadway. "Suspect," by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham, has Pauline Lord and Frederic Worlock in lead ing roles and was rather well re- garded at its premiere for its sus ne.at.lv constructed dot anc pense, neatly constructed plot and performance.

The setting is in an English cottage on the Cornish coast. Here a Mrs. Smith lives with only her son and an old Scottish servant. When' the son brings several persons to the house, one of them, a publisher, recalls a half-forgotten ax murder of 20 years past and tries to connect Mrs. Smith up with it.

The re mainder of the play is a battle of wits between Mrs. Smith and the publisher, 4 LBERT BEIN, the Russian- A born playwright who created 1 such comment with his "Little iob Broadway season, is autnor or "Heavenly Express," in which John 11 If.l TT Garfield, Aline MacMahon, Harry Carey and others will be seen at the American the week of Monday, April 15. "Little Or Boy." which ran only 10 performances, startled New Yorkers with its study of life in a reform school aau some additional note for having given Burgess Meredith a boost in his career. "Let Freedom Ring," from Grace Lumpkin's novel, "To Make My Bread." chalked up 109 per- work is such fvt in the future we shall hpve to think of her as being in Hollywood's first -string of younger actresses. Although she has not even been on the second team before, she must be ranked with Vivien Leigh, Bette Davis, Greta Garbo, Margaret Sullavan, Rosalind Russell and Katharine Hepburn.

Judith Anderson, as the sinister Mrs. Danvers. is severe enough to boss even a ghost around. Devoted to the memcry of Rebecca, she is the agent of most of the second wife's misery. Miss Anderson's work ranks alongside her characterization of Lavinia, the daughter, "Mourning Becomes Electra," and that is unforgettable.

Laurence Olivier, with a little gray in his hair, is the kind of el- low he was in "Wuthenng Hei-hts," possessed of a gusty dis- position and alternately rude and, romantic temDerament. The ladies Frenchman Returning to her homeland, Nadya rules, but not too success- fully. Revolution, a royal mar- titure, costumes ana stage emoei-riage and an attempted assassina-' Ushment were all created under tion throw shadows across the! Miss Gallienne's supervision and Queen's happiness. At the time oflthe productions directed personally "VV ft a to' VA LE 'GALLIENNE, known far and wide on the American followed Thursday night and during the remainder of the week by The Master Builder. It was in January.

1934. that with in Wonderland, 7 Teohine Hutchin fcy the name of Josephine Hutcmn-, had the tite -ole 'Lionel Hogartn, uianon oversea, Alice John, Katherine Squire and Louise Svencenski. Scenic inves- the star. Miss Le Gallienne appeared In Master Builder" at the Shu-; Rialto in 1926. Although "Hed-! Gabler" story of a selfish and' final.

uuui luuipicu wuu goers (Nazimova played it here last, 1937). "The Master Builder" is not so well known. Written in Ibsen's later years, is both realistic and svmbolic. combination of physical and spiritual conflicts. Solness, the Master Builder, has achieved success, but at great expense to his conscience.

Suspicious and superstitious, he is bound to the continuance of his evil deeds until young Hilda Wangel comes into his life. She not only inspires him noble things but "brings about his death by accident. The play was performed at the Trafalgar Square Theater, London, 1893 and in Chicago in 1896, for the first time in this country. A New York presentation five years later received a decidedly frigid CCcpLlUIl, XII XWO, alUlUVa, Willi Russian company including Or- plays in English as well as irt her native Russian tongue, and began studying English. In less than one year she had so mastered the English language that she appeared at the old Princess Theater, then on Broadway, in "Hedda Gabler," and, in 1908, at the Bijou Theater, presented "The Master Builder" with Walter Hampden making his American debut in the character of Solness.

From that time until last season, this drama has been played AVAAit v. clubs and little theater enterprises that were semi-private in presentation and non-professional in interpretation. On Nov. 10, 1925, Miss LeGallienne, with her own capital, enlisted the co-operation of several equally enthusiastic Ibsen-ites and presented "The Master Builder" for a special matinee at Maxine Elliott's Theater, New York. vim seen in London originally in 1926, 'ly forced to take her own life, isjOl Boy" in New York in 1933 and ofwuh Madge Titherodge, Herbert! more or less familiar to theater- "Let Freedom Ring" in the 1935- Master Builder Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Saturday matinee.

LITTLE THEATER Noel Coward's "The Queen Was in the Parlour" operis Wednesday night for 10 regular performances. GARRICK Burlesque, featuring Margie Hart. GRAND Burlesque, featuring Kitty Ellis. ON THE SCREEN AMBASSADOR 'Road to Singapore," with Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope; 'Five Little Peppers at Home," with Edith Fellows and Clarence Kolb. FOX "The Grapes of Wrath," with Henry Fonda, John Car- radine and Jane.

Darwell; oneymoon Deferred," starring Edmund Lowe and Margaret Lindsay. LOEW'S "Rebecca," starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine with Judith Anderson; "Outside the Three-Mile Limit," starring Jack Holt with Harry Carey and Irene Ware. MISSOURI "Pinocchio," Walt Disney feature cartoon; "Swiss Family Robinson," with Thomas Mitchell, Edna Best and Freddie Bartholomew. ST. LOUIS Gene Autry and Jane Withers in "Shooting 'Isle of Destiny," with William Gargan, Wallace Ford and June Lang.

Movie Time Table on Page 8, This Section. Symphony's Fourth Pop Concert Today TWO movements of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, the Gretry-Mottl ballet suite from "Cephale et Procris" and Rimsky-Korsakoff's "Capriccio Espagnol" are on the program for this afternoon's popular concert by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, at the Opera House, at 4 o'clock. This is the fourth such concert this season and the final one will be presented on Sunday, April 7, following the orchestra's return from its annual Southern tour. The first concert on the tour will be given tomorow night in Littla followed by others in Memphis, Jackson, New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Denton, Fayetteville, and Columbia, Mo.

The Brahms Fourth, Beethoven Seventh and Tschaikowsky Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Symphonies are major works to be played. Vladimir Golschmann will conduct. The program of today's concert, In detail Chora 1. "Now Come Our Savior" Rarti Orchestrated by Alexandre Tansman; Ballet Suite from "Cephale et Procris" Gretry-Mottl Tambourin. Menuetto.

Gigue. Two movements from Symphony No. in A Major, Opus 92 Beethoven Allegretto. Finale (Allegro con brlo. Waltzes from "Der Kosenkavaller" Strauss Alboradn del Gracioso Kavel "Capriccio Espagnol," Opus 34 Rimsky-Korsakoif Alborado.

Variations. Alborado. Scene and Gypsy Finale Fandango ot the Asturias. 24, 1940 XX 0' LIVES. "HEDDA GABLER," AT THE formances.

It was about a strike of underpaid workers in a mill town. Reports on "Heavenly Express" are only that it centers around a locomotive "made of iron, shooting all curves like a meteor, roaring down the Santa Fe road at 2000 miles an hour. Whatever the amount of imagination involved in "Heavenly Express," the American will settle back to actuality, to the Spanish Civil War and drama in the Florida isles, in "Key Largo," the closing play. This brings Paul Muni to Louis the week of April 22. 'Gone With the Wind' Into Neighborhood Runs "Gone With the Wind, which recently completed a record six weeks' run at Loew's Theater, will be shown at the Empress Theater, 3616 Olive street, and the Esquire Theater, Clayton road east of Big Bend boulevard, for an indefinite run beginning Thursday.

Exhibition will be on virtually the same basis as at the downtown house. Three performances will be given daily, beginning at 9:45 a. 1:45 p. m. and 8 p.

m. An advanced price schedule will prevail, with all seats reserved at evening performances. 'Let Freedom Swing' To Be Repeated Twice "Let Freedom Swing," musical revue given by the St. Louis locals of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union has been scheduled for two extra performances next Saturday and Sunday nights at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 3547 Olive street. The show is based on current political and social issues and is somewhat similar in structure to "Pins and Needles," which is in its third year on Broadway.

e. s. POST-DISPATCH, MARCH teeing him alone Florence Bates, a former Texas lawyer new to the movies, is a fortunate choice as the dowager Mrs. Van Hopper and creates quite an impression. George Sanders is tne DiacKmaning jacK raven, Gladys Cooper the sister-in-law and ijzei cruce ner ousuauu.

The second place on the program Is taken by another of those square- pegs-for-round-holes that Holly-' wood cans Class a pictures. jacK Holt in "Outside the 3-Mile about G-Men and a gambling ship and a cruise to Central America! 1 i ij tuuiliruciicia Kill I i. porter and rescue by the Comman- Joad Family Still Camping at the Fox p-HF: unusual situation of three I holdover programs at the Fox, will love him and sit through the picture twice for the purpose 1 the assassination, her li is saved by a mysterious stranger who turns out to be, necessarily, the gallant Frenchman, Sabien. -The Queen Was in the Parlour." never i. 1 a fvaa aiarshail, Francis Lister, Lady i Tree, C.

M. Hallaid and Ada King; i 1. in the cast. enore Griffith is Nadya In the! Little Theater production. Julien Luckett is Sabien, Robert Pastene prjnce Keri.

Nadva'a rnval h. jtrothed; Bruce MacFarlane is the General, Eula Morgan, Doris Dis-brow and Elsie Yehling the other players. Gordon Carter is direct- mg- Xnlrot In 'WnrsU'. VOCeS in KmOCChlO a lerl Vwj re Taking account of many reouests 0 more guessine. the Walt Dis- ney has made public the list of voices for the animated characters "Pinocchio." It was already known that.

12-year-old Dickie Jones had the title role, vocally. and Walter Catlett revealed in a radio Program that he spoke lammar cnaracier actor. Charles jJuaels flourjed lor btromboli and Molnar's fantasy. "Liliom." will be presented at the St. Louis School of the Theater, Waterman and Lake avenues, tonight, by students of the master class in acting.

The production is directed by Harold Bassage, who also will take the role of the carpenter which he had in summer theater in New England two years ago. Elmo Joseph plays Liliom, Wanda Alberini, Jane Bruce, Dale Douglas, Dorothy Mildred Basden, Jay Alan Green, Albert Miller, Fred by Ida in it a I to in I I 1 Wanted! IFor Cash IILVER We are large BUYERS and SELLERS of used Sterling Silveri HIGHEST CASH PRICES PAID for your flatware sets or odd pieces, monogrammed or plain, old or modern, tea and coffee sets, bowls, trays. Early American or English Silver, etc. We purchase Silver for resale and not at breaW-up or scrap prices. GILID We pay TOP PRICES for your old Gold, Jewelry, Watches, Chains, Rings, Dental Gold, Antique Jewelry, etc.

Get our appraisal and cash offer before selling your old Gold Jewelry. Ambassador and Missouri, pre-, 1 Jonn lne lenoff, a magnificent actor, pro- vailed instead of change of billing The studio now says all those, duced it at the Russian East Side at these theaters on Thursday rlpht who 8aid Jminy Crick-j Theater, New York, with tremen-Friday. "The Grapes of Wrath" 1 et sounded llk Cliff Edwards, that; dous acclaim by the denizens of nd "Honeymoon Deferred" stayed GePetto not only looked like Chris- that section. Thus inspired, Nazi-rn at the Fox, "Road to Singapore" but sounded like thatmova decided to play other Ibsen end "Five Little Peppers at Home" et the Ambassador and "Pinocchio" A A end "Swiss Family Robinson" at lne coaenman; rankle Darro, who tiie Missouri. always rides a crooked race in ev- Most cheer is to be taken Picture in which he is a jockey, finding that "The Grapes of iread Lampwick's lines.

And the Wrath," an outstanding artistic I BIue Fairv was Evelyn Venable, tuccess, did not do a nose-dive atiwhose stae training gave her lb', box-office. Into the screen Proper enunciation and yet warmth Captation of John Steinbeck's tone. Startling novel. Director John Fordj 2 JT.i. 1 oas woven all kinds of beauty.

Anj Students IH LlllOm -ziuiely new camera technique for; a shortened version of Ferenc EDIAMDTD Wanted Any size, large or small. Get our appraisal and cash offer before selling. Diamond Rings, Bracelets, Brooches, Fine Jewelry, Emeralds, Etc. We Appraise, Buy and Sell Estates Prompt Attention Given to All Out-of-Town Inouiriet Bank Reference! Available The "Trmlors in Treures" 722 LOCUST 30 Y.ar, CHestnut 1062 Opp. Mtrcntil-Commc 8nk 4 Tryst Cft.

-eature pictures candid camera makes ita appearance. Although the interest in the pitifully poor Joad family from Oklahoma makes the acting seem secondary, Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine and Russell bimpson deserve all the applause that can be given. The two features at the St. Louis, both new until last Wednesday, are 'Shooting High," teaming Jane Witheis and that two-gun and guitar man. Gene Autry, and "Isle of Destiny," a toy of two marines, in unsuccessful color.

PA(JE G-I The result is now a matter of stage Cw Ai history; she created a furore by Elbiecht. Eileen Murphy and Emilejthe simplicity of her interpn tation. Buchman aie other players. I The public responded eagerly and LENORE GRIFFITH AND ROBERT PASTENE, OF "THE QUEEN WAS IN THE PARLOUR," LITTLE THEATER. EVERYDAY MAGAZINE ST.

LOUIS.