St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 38

T7l HtH Jk mm MSL XmSSNT! PAGE 4E ST. LOUIS, SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 24, 1935. "Mutiny on the Bounty" Still High Adventure "Tobacco Road" to Open At American Tonight Play Suppressed in Chicago and Detroit Makes Hurried Local Booking Henry, Hull Heads Cast Two-Year Run in New York. Screen Adaptation of Resources to Depict Voyage Hollywood Novel Employs Vast Famous South Sea Adds Own Touches. OBACCO ROAD," the Jack Kirkland play which iev York has been going to see uninterruptedly for two years now, and which both Chicago and Detroit have suppressed recently, Amusement Calendar AMERICAN" "Tobacco Road," with Henry Hull, opens tonight; matinees Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

LITTLE THEATER "School foV Husbands" tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday nights; "Wunderkind" Friday and Saturday nights. Motion Pictures AMBASSADOR Douglas Fairbanks and Gertrude Lawrence in "Mimi;" "Navy Wife," with Claire Trevor and Ralph Bellamy. FOX "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo," with Ronald Colman and Joan Bennett; "Streamline Express," with Victor Jory and Evelyn Venable. LOEW'S "Mutiny on the Bounty," with Charles Laughton, Clark Gable and Franchot Tone. ORPHEl'M "Stars Over Broadway," with James Melton and Jane Froman; "Annie Oakley," with Barbara Stanwyck and Preston Foster.

SHUKERT Burns, Fugitive," starring Sylvia Sidney with Melvyn Douglass; "I Live for Love." starring Everett Marshall and Dolores del Rio. will open at the American Theater tonight. Heading the cast is Henry Hull, who created the principal role of Jeeter Lester in the New York company. Later in motion pictures, Hull joined the present road unit in Los Angeles last spring and has been with it ever since. The tour has included 20 weeks in Los Angeles, seven weeks in San Francisco, engagements in Salt Lake City, Denver and Colorado Springs, all without arousing the ire of censors.

The show had been running seven weeks in Chicago before Mayor Kelly saw it and ordered it closed. Since then, Kirkland, co-producer with Sam H. Grisman as well as author, has carried on a legal fight to effect reopening. With many of Chicago's intellectuals ranged up for, and city politicos against, a decision in the United States Court of Appeals last week upheld the legality of the Mayor's ruling. Kirkland, who came to St.

Louis last Wednesday, says he fought for the re-onenine as a matter of i iff-' 1 I 1 I v-J 1 I V-i-r'J," txiJ ff' iTs I 'Sw Henry Hull as Jeeter Lester in IfjJ'jzf llfi.yf ArfJal "Tohnwo Roar." American. pride, since he regards his work as an artistic transcription of the Ers-kine Caldwell noved. Kirkland, a former St. Loui3 newspaper man, was born in the city, attended Soldan High School end was graduated later from Columbia University. He has written, singly or in collaboration, such screen plays as "Zoo in Budapest," "Now and Forever." "The Gilded Lily" and the forthcoming "Sutter's Gold." Admitting that the play, which deals with the abject poverty of share-croppers in Georgia, shocks "people more ofien than not, he says the reason is that "Tobacco Road" is "the negation of conven tional thought processes." Words Aised by the characters are far less offensive, he asserts, than the atti- tude of the characters toward death, marriage and the Ten THESE attitudes, Kirkland points out, are part and parcel of the depravity that comes by rl Vi a cr rn tn tlna land after it has become too poor t.

Madimir. Go 1' SS SSS fn 1 ggS tfe-rL-: z.ri Billy Rose's "Jumbo" Lands on Broadway With Wide Acclaim AFTER sundry postponements, Billy Rose's big musical comedy-circus-carnival, "Jumbo," is running at the Hippodrome in New York and bids fair to be the big theatrical event of the year, if not of many years. Although there is a book, written bv Ben Hecht and Charles MacAr-thur, and songs by the Rodgers-Hart team, first-week audiences all but forgot those aspects in viewing what is admittedly the most handsomely staged extravaganza in a long time. Some of the sights are the entrance of Paul Whitcman, on a white steed, directing his band; ballets on horseback; a love duet by Donald Novis and Gloria Grafton, while both perform equestrian feats; the clowning of Jimmy Durante, who invites a huge elephant in the role of "Jumbo" to sit on him, and a general assembly of camels, zebras, lions and goats. The Hippodrome itself, site of many stage events, has been remodeled to provide an arena in the center, with tiers of seats rising on all sides.

ing.to Jiote that Kirkland did not Visit Georgia during the writing of the play, but did most of his work in Europe and for his material outside the book, drew largely on his acquaintance with families in certain sections of the Missouri jDzarks. The American Theater is offering the play here, because it "feels an obligation, as the city's only legitimate house, to present everything meritorious in the theater 'whether it appeals to one section of the community or another," according to Paul Beisman, manager. The action of "Tobacco Road," moves toward tragedy, takes place in three acts, against one set depicting a tumbledown house in the Georgia backcountry. The characters are dressed in dirty, tat tered garments. Actually two and a half tons of dirt is spread on the stage.

Hull, known on the screen for his roles in "Great Expectations" and "Werewolf of London," was formerly a stock actor at the old Park and Shenandoah Theaters By COLVIN McPHERSOX THE picture version of "Mutiny on the Bounty," at Loew's is usually well worth seeing. As an example of the screen's bit setting of an adventure story, it has no equal among recent It comes from the distinguished novel by Charles No" hoff and James Norman Hall who, in turn, had borrowed heavMy from fact. It tells the story of the South Seas cruise of an Eng warship of the cruelty of its captain and the resultant rebenit The studlos ig jn the most nMew ma build an exact replica of every property involved. "Mutinv on the Bounty," therefore, possesses every pictorial resource-real ZUl vessels, real islands, real natives, real storms, real wrecks. It can teach school children a whole era of maritime history in the 'pace of an hour.

It has amazing sights, with the camera ranging over harbors, sails, tropical landscapes and native villages. It compresses and rearranges the action of the novel, principally in building up the Tcr KBHgh (CharleS Lauhton Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable), but it never distorts. So refreshingly different is Mutiny on the Bounty" in a picture year of "G-men" melodramas, blubbering mother stories and trashy musicals, that one might easily jump overboard in his enthusiasm for it. Yet the producing com-pany has succumbed to its fear of losing $2,000,000 at the box office and its great drama has been diluted. For "Mutiny on the Bounty" must spend nearly a quarter of its two hours, 11 minutes, dallying in a palm-covered paradise with no thought of bloody insurrection; it must make space for lyrical love-scenes between its Hollywood heroes and the rotogravure cuties of Tahiti; it must leave keepsakes behind for those same enticing inhabitants to snivel over.

Its humor is repeatedly that of the overheard conversation of seasickness, or the juvenile prank. Those who wish to see Charles Laughton as a merciless villain will see him just that, with few-flashes to explain his stern will, with very little of his superb seamanship. To me, Clark Gable's performance is a great deal more interesting. He gives some evidence of understanding, Fletcher Christian as a man who actually lived and was moved by several forces in his nature. In the midst of photographic magic, stormy scenes on shipboard resort to a crude use of process shots, the ocean heaving volcanically in the background and Messrs.

Tone, Gable and Laughton keeping his drawing-room poise in front. Verse and line could be cited on many other complaints, but they would tend to obscure the fact that "Mutiny on the Bounty" is highly deserving. As much as we may deplore the more than faint odor of Hollywood about the thing, we still set it apart from hundreds of other imports from the West. ANNIE OAKLEY. An example of smoother direction in a far less pretentious work is to be found in "Annie Oakley" at tha Orpheum.

In depicting the life and romance of the celebrated rifle shot of a few generations ago, Director George Stevens has held himself to the naive qualities of his characters. The part of the clear-headed, self-dependent Annie is a "natural" for Barbara Stanwyck and the stern manners which have often been out of place in her previous pictures here form a highly acceptable characteriza." tion. Moroni Olsen, who did good work in "The Musketeers" a few weeks ago, holds Buffalo Bill inthe palm of his hand. Preston-Foster's part does not require much of him. Chief Thunderbird a genuine Cheyenne, is a rare exhibit in the role of Sitting All in all, "Annie Oakley" wastes so little time, in spite of almost" no connected story, and has such good humor to offer, that it ia" fine entertainment.

"Stars Over Broadway," the team-mate, 13I either James Melton's story or Pat O'Brien's. James is a singer," Pat his manager. The picture makes an honest effort to lets Melton try out at the Metropolitan Opera and sing Aida," it introduces Jane Froman and gives her a lengthy production number, it opens up its cocktail bar, it has its amateur "hour, with Frank Fay conducting. Why doesn't that make a picture? THE MAN WHO BROKE THE BANK AT MONTE CARLO. What fun theater managers around the country will have trying to send 10-word telegrams about the picture at the Fox! For the film, which I shall not name again, cannot be described in a phrase.

Detailing how Ronald Colman, ex-prince of Russia, cleaned out the' Casino with the savings of a few friends as his stake and how Joan-Bennett was sent to lure him back to the tables, the film is at tended by a great deal of skillful setting. It lacks humor and the" whimsicality it needs but holds interest, anyway. It isn't bad and it certainly isn't good, compared to Colman's successes. "Stream- line Express," taking about the same length of time, sets a 160-. mile-an-hour train out on a cross-country run, with hardly a holl-Z day crowd in New York to see it off.

Aboard are the husband, the wife, the actress, the producer, the stork-hunted, nusband and the old snake in the vestibule. Eventually they alP get to California, where they belong. 0 MARY BURNS, FUGITIVE. The most satisfactory feature of" the Shubert's principal picture, so far as its audience is apparently is Melvyn Douglas' grouchy reception of ministrations, in the hospital sequences. It is in the hospital that he and Miss Mary Sylvia Sidney Burns meet.

Sylvia at that time is on a vacation from the "big house," to which she has been sent because she said the wrong thing at the right time or was confused in the meaning of "guilty" and "innocent." The "G-men" actually aid her escape in order to track down Dillinger or somebody who is her boy friend. At the final moment.it all works out and now Melvyn does sweeten up! "I Live For Love," from the left side of the exhibit, is one of those "I'll show him" drammers in which two lovers are kept apart for an hour. Everett Marshall's task is to sing at every opportunity and to long for Dolores del Rio. Miss Del Rio's job is to hate him to pieces and then to give in on her weddins day. NAVY WIFE.

A process shot tour around the San Diego fair and the docks at Honolulu is to be had in "Navy Wife" at the Ambassador. After five-eighths of its length as the study of a man who remembers his first wife too well, "Navy Wife" becomes triangle, then a spy story and comes to a bedside finish. Set iu at convenient intervals are muddy backgrounds with palm trees sil-. houetted on them, the kind of exotic compositions that no cameraman would ever call "beautiful photography" but which will heralded far and wide as that very thing. "Mimi," rest of the ticket, is "freely adapted from 'La Vie de Boheme the announce- ment says.

A vehicle for Douglas Fairbanks and the colossnUy, wistful Miss Gertrude Lawrence, it is the kind of thing actors and actresses insist on playing. Some of -Mr. Puccinin's famous music, goes with it. 1 Kreisler to Play Mendelssohn Work With Symphony FRITZ KREISLER. soloist with the St.

Louis Symphony Orchestra at its concerts on Friday afternoon and Saturday evening of this week, will play the Mendelssohn Concerto in minor, Op. 64, which he last performed with the orchestra in the season of 1913-14. Although a popular solo artist with the Symphony two decades ago, the eminent Viennese violinist had not appeared with the orchestra since 1921. when he returned last season. At that time he played the Brahms' Concerto to overflow houses.

The Mendelssohn Concerto, one of the most familiar works in violin repertory, was written in the years from 1833 to 1844 and was first played in March, 1845, by Ferdinand David, the virtuoso for whom it was written. It is characterized by rich melody and strik- Golschmann, of the orchestra who appeared at guest concerts with the Philadelphia Symphony last week, will return to do a program with Kreisler, which includes an American premiere and two first St. Louis performances. The work new to this country is "Naiades au Soir," a symphonic sketch by Gustave Samazeuilh, noted French composer, and was written in 1924. Works new to St.

Louis are a chorale, "When Our Last Hour Is at Hand," by George Templeton Strong, a former American now living in Switzerland, and a Spanish dance from "La Vida Breve." by Manuel de Falla. famous Spanish composer. The major work for the orchestra alone is Mozart's Symphony No. 38 in major, which has not been played here in six years. Called the symphony "Without Minuetto," it is in three rhythmical and sparkling movements.

The soloist for the concerts on Dec. 6 and 7 will be Max Steindel, violoncellist of the St. Louis Symphony, playing Saint-Saens' Concerto in A minor. Scipione Guidi, This week's complete program: Chorale. "When Our Last Hour Is at Hand." on a theme of Leo Haggler (1601) Templeton Strong Concerto for violin and orchestra, in minor.

Opus 64 Mendelssohn I Allegro molto appassionato II Andante III Allegretto non troppo: Allegro molto vivace Symphony No. 38 in major, "Without Menuetto" Mozart I Adaeio: Allegro II Andante III Finale: Presto Symphonic sketch, "Naiades au Soir." Gustave Samazeuilh Spanish Dance from "La Vida Breve." De Falla Blore Butlers Not All Alike. Eric Blore. the perennial butler ot the movies, does not find his oc- cupation tiresome. "Each butler part is entirely different," he said.

"In one picture I am called upon to portray a flippant servant, next a scheming one or a docile, cringing fellow. So, you see, to carry the ent characters is an interesting and aiiucuu tasK. "I Won't Dance" for Astaire. With Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers at work on "Follow the Fleet," their studio had bought another story for them, which will be brought to the screen as "I Won't Dance." Astaire will have the role of a happy-go-lucky young gambler and Miss Rogers a dance hall hostess. ianne, and the folk-oDera "Pnrirv Uld Sthi.

when the flowers bloom again. sr0 here. A native of Louisville, he has concertmaster and assistant conduc-cften played in St. Louis. Some of tor.

will direct, since Golschmann his roles were in "The Man Who wil1 be away conducting the Roches-Came Back," "Grand Hotel," "Lulu ter Philharmonic. I Belle," "Springtime for Henry" and -The Cat and Canary." He has given more than 400 performances as Jeeter Lester. The New York version has made two other actors, James Barton and James Bell, famous, and its run is eclipsed by only two other shows, "Abie's Irish Rose" and "Lightnin'." company which met with reverses after four weeks in Detroit is now playing in Cleveland, so three companies will be operating during the coming week. In the cast with Hull are Mary feervoss, Donald Barry, Fiske O'Hara, Bonita DesLondes, Haila btoddard, Leon Ames, Herbert Pratt, Howard Banks, Pauline Drake and Hallene Hill, several of whom will be familiar to St. Louis theater-goers.

EGARDLESS of the reception "Tobacco Road" gets here, One of the scenes of the actual "Mutiny, on the Bounty," at Loeic's. The gentleman in uhite who is rocking the boat is Charles Laughton as the infamous Captain Bligh. First Ambassador Stage Sbow Dec. 13, With Local Talent STAGE shows will begin at the Ambassador Theater on Dec. 13, instead of Dec.

20, as announced last Wednesday by the management. The first show will be the "KMOX Columbia Radio Revue," featuring a group of entertainers over the local station. Following on Dec. 20 will be the Olsen and Johnson show and after that, Henry Armetta, the motion picture dialect comedian, at the head of the "Sunkist Revue." Possibilities later include the Texas Mustangs, Fred Wa ring's Pennsyl-vanians and one of the Major Bowes' A new agreement with the Musicians' Unfon provides that 20 men will be used in the orchestra pit in those weeks when the theater can book, a large traveling show for the stage. There will be no local master of ceremonies or dancing chorus.

The arrangement is to continue indefinitely, instead of for the limited 12 weeks of the last year. Fanchon and Marco, who operate the Ambassador, Fox and Missouri, will observe a straight picture policy at its other houses. The Fox shows first-run pictures exclusively, the Missouri both first and second-run films. same physique and clothes into dif-of ferent pictures and portray differ it Jane Froman in "Stars Over Broad-way" Orvheum Theater. Director to Allow No Scene-stealing, heretofore regarded by Hollywood as a misdemeanor at worst and sometimes a meritorious achievement, has been made a major offense by Archie Mayo, currently directing Leslie Howard and Bette Davis in "Petrified Forest." "Scene-stealing by atmosphere and bit players is intolerable" Mayo declared, after seeing some "rushes" in which a woman extra diverted attention to herself by crossing her hands on her breast.

"It's impossible to keep the interest centered on the main characters if some player in the background is drawing the attention of the audience." He has laid down the edict that any person doing such a thing during the filming of the pictures will be discharged immediately. Vaudeville Acts at Grand. The Grand Opera House, in its third week of offering vaudeville with burlesque, is featuring Pope and Thompson. LaTour and Peggv, the LeRays, Doria Ross and Tex D'Art Joan Bennett and Ronald Colman in at Monte Carlo," at. Liouis is enterins- into busy theater season.

The management of the American will present "The Great Waltz" at the Auditorium Opera House a week from tomorrow night, reaching the exact polar opposite of "Tobacco Road." For "The Great Waltz" is all old Vienna and Strauss music, with a concentration on romance amid the silken setting of the pre-Gay Nineties period. Guy Robertson and Gladys Baxter, recent Munieinal "The Man Who Broke the Bank Fox Theater. Forge" on its schedule, the first serious play on the Revolutionary War in many a day. "The Last of the Mohicans" probably will star George Houston and Greta Garbo may be seen doing an early California pioneer. Meanwhile, the Civil War is getting more than a little attention in "So Red the Rose" and "The Littlest Rebel." So it's home again.

Allan Jones in "Rose Marie." Allan Jones will appear in the new Jeanette MacDonald-Nelson Eddy version of "Rose Marie" as an opera star opposite Miss MacDonald, in opening sequences of the picture. He will sing the balcony scene from "Romeo and Juliet" and part of the last act of "La Tosca," National History Coming to Fore in Dcreen Pla nning FILM audiences in 1936 will see America, in its earlier days as well as in the present. Cecil B. DeMille, for instance, has become so enthusiastic about "Buffalo Bill" that he is setting aside "Samson and Delilah." The Fox studio will unfold the story of John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin, in "Shark "A Message to Garcia" will bring back the days of President McKin-ley. R-K-O has "Mr.

Grant" on its shelves for Walter Abel. Columbia has Maxwell Anderson's "Valley Opera favorites, with Lee Whitney, beginning iw i ti, 7T head the cast of 140 persons. a Horse" St. Louis and Pittsburgh are the tK-ooTer Tt only cities on the show's tour so "Three Men On far which have not required sdp- of til a Hrse gets out cial construction to carry the elec- sLa, "Per-trical power required for the elabo- IZ Ev LeGalli-rate lighting effects The sta OUs Skinner and here was said to be perfectlv York Th New -equipped" also to handle th. ft 7 I Theater Guild sent out word -tonsof scenery that hive 5o be ITiZ US tW succes hoisted aloft I Present season, "The Taming i Looking hevonrl -tv, the Shrfw" with Lunt and Fon- rv vxiea.1 we 'S? a wee of The Old Maid," Bartlett With Grace Moore Again.

Michael Bartlett again will sing opposite Grace Moore in her new picture..