Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 9

I OAKLAND TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 18, 1939 YESTERDAY'S YOUTH IN REVIVAL CURTAIN DIVORCED ACTORS DRAW WOMEN'S FIRE Futility of War Retold In 'All Quiet' 'Petticoat Fever' Openr; Guild Season Woman Capture! Acting Honors With Assurance 'Die Walkure' Performance Is Thrilling Marjorie Lawrence Makes SJF. Debut In Waaner Opera FUNNYMAN Critic Sees Slim Film Fare If Theaters Adopt Idea Urged by By WOOD SOANES It wasn't enough that Mars should tfirust his hairy paw Into Hollywood's pants pocket and proceed to extract all the Aloose change garnered from the European film iMrket, the Women of the Moose in Lynn, must have their say on the movies. As the puts it succinctly: "Motion picture theaters here have been requested to dis- A acana from. "AH Qulat en lha Waatern Front" with Ben Alexander, Lew Arret, Ruaaall Glaoeen and William Bake-well uire undine a player whose Identity la momahtarilyioat.

Fox Oakland Bills 'Cavalcade' continue showing pictures mi which actors or actresses who have been divorced are featured. The request was made by 500 members St the Lynn Chapter of the Women of the Moose." That practically means that Lynn will have to subsist on a film diet made up of Shirley Temple, Mickey Rooney, Baby Sandy, Charlie McCarthy, Mickey Mouse, Deanna Dur-bin. Marlene Dietrich and W. C. Fields, with the possible Inclusion of Mae West, who contends she is a maiden lady, all assertions to the contrary.

Of course, It Isn't quite that bad. There are a few other benedicts and matrons with only one marriage to their credit and an occasional bid maid like Oreta Oarbo, but they are few and far between, and th most of them are males. The glamour girls are distinctly lit the minority when it comes to the rules laid down by the Women of the Moose. TWENTY SEASONS AGO TODAY Fanny Ward Is at the this in "Cry of the Weak." New Version of Remarque Drama Is On Esquire's Screen By WOOD SOANES In the Sprint of 1930, Oakland theatergoers tapped into the trenches and for the first time heard as well at saw what happened in the World War at "All Quiet on th Western Front" wat projected on the local screen. It wat a' harrowing experience and today it it no less grusomt be cause as It wat unfolded on the screen of the Esquire yesterday au diences realized full well that all the sacrifices had gone for nothing.

This new version of the Erich ReraaoQue novel tees to it that on lookers are made well aware of the futility' of war by the voice of a commentator which rises above the tumult and the shouting pointing morals at the young of imperial Germany march in serried rankt to their doom. Oddly enough this commentary weakens rather than strengthens the message that Remarque de livered so volubly In the original picture through the transcription of Georee Abbott and Maxwell An derson and the direction of Lewis Milestone. When Universal released the pie turf Poland was standing at tne crossroads and the text of the com mentator's mada reference to this. Since then most of Western Furone has been drawn into the conflict ana tne harangue rawer loses point. Released with an idea tnai Amer ica should be awakened to a sense of the seamier side of warfare, "All Ouiet on tha Western Front" would have been mora eueoiive naa heen left in its Original State.

It was a two-hour show to start with, Now with prologue and interprets tion it has suffered material cuis. of this the original con tinultv has been lost and what "All Quiet" gives now is a somewnai series of vivid pictures of the war. The actors, nooning in and out of the action, rarely nava a chance to develop their charac ter. Audience Interest in them now concerns itself more with curiosity than affection. Th mimntoft-LW A VMS.

RUI sell Gleason, William Bakewell ahd nn Alexander have become yei in ncreen work: the oldsters Louis Wolheim, Beryl Mercer and others are dead; only Slim Bum merville and John Wray carry on ki the Hoi vwood scene, summer' viti htx the comedy role: "All Ouiet on the Western Front, HhouBh it is lest an entertain ment than a harangue, still manag ers to serve its purpose and redound to the credit of, the late furl Laemmle. It is on the program with "Hero for a Day," a rather futile football ttory in which rhot-ie. r.ranewin and Dick Foran ar heroes for a day and Anita Louise is decorative. 1 mm mxm By JACK MASON Richard Wagner's star like the one before which Wolfram stood -abashed still burns bright and large in the musical heavens, Last night it rose over the San tTrancisco Opera House, where a performance of "Die recalled a slad day when the German imagination was still a mighty and resourceful power, and before bit oted minds had Shut off the flow or German culture. No opere in the Ring quite matches the dramatic intensity and musical opulence of "Die Walkure and at no time in recent history lias there Been a aalaxy of Wag nerian voices comparable In stature to Kirsten Flagstad.

LiuriU Mel chior, Julius Huehn, Kathryn Meisle and Marjorie Lawrence. The result last night was a performance of heroic proportions. MASTERFUL TOUCH Miss Lawrence was tinging for the first time in San Francisco and protrayed Brunnhllde with a mas terful touch. Waaner concentrated the noble aad-jrppeallng virtues in Brunnhllde, and was content to make of Sieglinde a rather hapless and unromantic creature, who makes little inroads on the sympathy. Hence it was Miss Lawrence's good fortune to enter San Francisco in the romantic guise of the goddess, with helmet, spear and shield; leaving the drabber role to Miss Flagstad.

Miss Lawrence sang with a glorious, full-throated voice and gave a sound dramatic version of the headstrong daughter of Wotan, Her tones are strong and vibrant- powerful enough, indeed, to go ringing down Valhalla with the other great voices of Wagnerian repertoire. Withal, she has still a slim, courageous figure singing Wagner has-not yet imposed upon her the inevitable bulk! Miss Flagstad's soprano was as always a statuesque and sublime instrument, the tones suggesting the and grandeur of marble. But hasn't she added a pound or two since last year? It was difficult to believe in Sieglinde's frailty, even bringing all of one's credulity to bear. IN GRAND VOICE Melchior was in grand voice as Siegmund; there is not a Wagner ian tenor alive who sings as he does, holding his voice aloft with quivering sensibility, yet exhibiting at the same time an amazing power and energy. Louis Huehn was magnificent as Wotan, presiding over the final scene, in which a ring of fire rises about the recumbent Brunnhllde, with god-like dignity.

The power of that scene was unforgettably beau tiful. Tonight the season will resume with "Madam Butterfly," opening at 8:15 p.m. 4j A Will aw ma Stan Kavanaucjh, who promisM to- keep the chuckles going In "A Night at the Moulin Rouge" start lnj Friday at the Curran. 'A Night at Moulin Rouge' Opens Friday "A Night at the Moulin Rouge-opens its Sen "Francisco engagement at the Curran next Friday and will continue for 16 nights (including Sundays), giving in addition, four matinees. The cast Includes Stan Kavanagh, Helen Morgan, Toby Wing, Ada Leonard, Buster Shaveiy with Olive and George; Sharon de Vries; Zerby and Layton; Natasha; Grisha and Brona; Staples and Cerny; 36 Dorothy Byton dancers; 24 manne quins Pansenne: Laughton Stars At Paramount Charles Laughton's role in "Ja maica Inn," arriving tomorrow at the Paramount, is that of ''Sir Hum phrey Pengallan" rich Regency squire or a uornisn manor wu, unknown to his circle, heads a shipwrecking gang Who lure vessels to ruin on the rocks, loot tne cargo and slaughter the crew.

The film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, best remembered for his screen success "39 Steps." and Love," the sec- nnrfarv feature, has for Its enter talnment substance a blending oi comedy and romance. Jen Rogers, William Frawley and Minna Gotn-, bell are featured. each other will be costarred for the sixth time since they first appeared in "Dance Fools Dance." The new one is called "Not Too Narrow, Not Too Deep." Anna Neagle and Herbert Wilcox, marooned in Hollywood by the war, have agreed to do "Irma" for Radio, according to a wire from Connie Krebs. This will bethe first mod em film Miss NeagJe has done in five" years. Alice puerr Miller is now preparing the adaptation and the famous "Alice Blue Gown" will be retained.

Mis Neagle reaches Oakland presently in "Nurse Xdlth Cavell." Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Claudette Colbert, Madeleine Carroll, Dorothy Lamour and Carole Lombard will bite the dust of Lynn Immediately the Women of the Moose win their 'point, if they do. Charlie Chaplin, Herbert Marshall, George Brent, Ronald Col-. man, Douglas Fairbanks Wallace Franchot Tone and 1 Clark Gable will be in the discard 'I as As a matter of fact It Is difficult to forecast Just what sort of fea-; tures Lynn will be able to handle under such a mandate. Olt would seem to. me that the best defense of the Lynn theater mana- gers would be a sort of attack.

Among those 500 signers of the new film constitution, it is almost a lead pipe cinch that at least one divorcee is hidden. Certainly the marital av- erages ere in favor of such a dlscov The Oakland Theater GuHI opened its new- season at tha Clt" Club Theater last evening wit' Petticoat Fever" which brougb'-Dennis King, the musical start int- prominence at a straight actor i't New York four years ago and whic'x reached the screen as a Robert Ment-gomery vehicle. Last night, on the first of two per tormances, George Fees, Jane Ham shaw and Ray Morse divided tnt three principal roles with the younT woman who has had soma experi ence on the stage of Wheeler Hall at the University of California giving the easiest performance and showing the most assurance. "Petticoat Fever" it not major theater at itt best and amateurs generally find difficulty coping with farce, largely because authors of farce are Inclined to leave much to the resource of the players. Inexperienced thespians are not Ideal selections for farclal rales and last night't presentation wat no exeep tion to the rule.

After two acts in which Foss, play lng the King role, appeared to ba giving a performance -of a Thorn son gazelle on the loose, and in Mftrie wat wtBln a losing war against the diction and pomposity or an m.f teemeo better part of valor to leave the players to their curious devices and seek the fresh air. Tha Theater Guilders can be. ter than this, and probably win, They have been too long on vacation, WOOD SOANES. Franklin to Become Newsreel Theater I three more days Oakland will have its first complete Newsreel theater. The Franklin on Saturday opens itt door to a new and different type of entertainment The pictures will be tent froift New York City, air express, on Friday night, and shown en tha screen of the Newsreel Saturday afternoon.

Thli NeWireel Theater wilL IB addition to the newt feature, present two or more (elected short red MaeMurray 1 IN BALI" "Death ef a Champion" COOT www Daphne DuMaurler'iadven II ture-romance efthe fantai liv rnwiiAivi in uwinwti ivi in and the brave fllrlwrTO dare to beat him at hli own flafnel nn wruooociNfi MAUREEN O'HAitA DAHNI daMAURIEft kt AHAMOUNT HIUMfH 1 mm bb "From pies to pageantry, gagsters to genulses, ribaldry to romance, muggers to millionaires from the days of Keystone Kops and bath ing beauties to the saga of sound the lives, loves, laughs and thrills of an entertainment generation that turned nickelodeons into movie palaces," might be the best description fof Darryl r. Zanuck's eagerly, awaited technicolor production of "Hollywood Cavalcade," opening tomorrow at the Fox Oakland. Starring AHca-Faye and Don Ameche, it it tha story of a legend ary director who rose to the heights, fell to tha depth! and rose again, and tha obscure actress ha made queen of the screen, during the period from 1013 to 1937. 'The Women' to Close At Orpheum Tonight Tonight brings to a close the pro tracted run of "The Women" at the Orpheum. The three principal roles are being played by Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Rus sell.

The "Bill of Rights," in tech nicolor, is an added feature of the program, Ends Tonite Madeleine Carrol-f "HONEYMOON jrmm if 4 jut iifA And re' 20th 6f family JEAN MINNA Of course, any kind of success AT LAST WE DARE SHOW ui-netnui trm mm tmn ON THE Uniotnal Pictart iMftn Mr UUM A 1 All Qaltt" mt turn 1:15 4:25 1: Jn the campaign of tne women oi the Moose may lead to unexpected sorties. Why stop at barring divorced ac tor from the screen What bout the directors and producers and relatives of same? Should they be entitled to -one wife only, or one husband for that matter? And should the entertainers of the radio and the. stage be entitled to remarriage, Just because they have no screen tickets? FORTY REASONS AGO TODAY Lily Lanetry Is writing her me- moirr in New York instead of making a tour this season. Of course, I'm pretty backward about a number of things, but I can't tee the point of the Lynn Women of the Moose campaign. I can't see, for example, why the fact that Miss West has or has not been married or divorced, or that Marlene Dietrich has had only one husband of record, make them tet ter or worse as actresses than Miss Davis and Miss Colbert who have mad one false start along the mat rimonial highway.

knew Clark Gable when he was married to Mrs. Gable No. 1, and Still knew him whe.i he was mar ried to Mrs. Gable No. 2, and ex pect that when run across him next as the husband of Mrs.

Gable No. 3 (Miss Lombard) 4 won't find him- a whit different. I knew William Powell when he was married to Mrs. Powell No. 1, Snd when he was married to Mrs.

Powell No. 2 (Miss Lombard), and when he was the fiance of the late Jean Harlow, and, S'help me, he seemed to be the same individual. And, strictly between us, you understand me, we have some very close friends who have divorced and remarried. Yes, sirree! And they have never once tried to un-dermihe the morals of my children. I suppose that's really what is bothering the women of Lynn, unless, of course, it's simply indigestion coupled with a Napoleonic Exits and Entrance! Shirley Temple, just turned 10, Is new a full-fledged member of the Campfira Girls.

Mrs. Albert Wil liams. National president, went from Dallas, to Hollywood to Induct tne unmarried siar into me group. Joel McCret. who has had only one wife, has been set by Radio to nlav opposite Ginger Rogers, a divorcee, in "The Primrose Path, Dorothy Lamour, divorcee, has been lent 20th-Fox by Paramount to costar with Tyrone Power, one wilt, "tionnny apouo.

Sonja Henie, spinster, and Robert Cummtngs. bachelor, have been rc called by 20th-Fex for new scenes on "Everything Happens at Night. Clark Gable and Joan Crawford both divorced, although not. from LOVE Under fh. ass? ANN Rich CARLSON Plat Am.

UU MICMABL WHALE INSIDE STORY All Three Smart Girts oraw Up ''M7y mm Winter Cariiival Now at Roxie "Winter Carnival." a ilm romance of life and love on the Dartmouth College campus during the hectic period of carnival, times, plus 11 year-old Gloria Jean, the screen's newest tuning star, in "The Under-pup" are the twin hits opening today at the Roxie. Ann Sheridanhailed by glamour experts as America's Oomph girl it costarred with Richard Carlson in Winter Ctrnlvtl" and others in the cast include Helen Parrith; Robert Armstrong and Virginia Gilmore. "The Underpup" tellt tne story oi poor little New York girl whott spirit ahd personality triumph over the snooty little daughters of the rich. The current issue of the news weekly completes the bill. Downtown Is Near Completion Scaffolding will be removed from th front of th Downtown Theater this week, 12th Strett heir Broadway, marking th final touches on the edifice which will open soonfhe structure It being completely rebuilt, re-equippd and refurnished.

The Downtown will be operated by M. Mechel and R. T. LaMarra, both veteran theater Feature pictures, variety entertain ment and fnformal "surprise" nights will comprise the policy, Th site, it it planned, will be tne most brightly illuminated spot in downtown Oakland. Directly under th marque will be a pavement design in the form of a sunburst, built pf chromium painted terraza cemeht etnStlph St KsatfXtllr "FRONTIER MARSHAL Mtlrln plu Jo.n ftlcnttlt "Cnnri Clrla CaTaPar "Battle rusts ef lasuat" JJItlcA ran MURDER IT rw eaaamw Isatst-rsal CIOMTB (InclueitiJI bit, liturd.K, Ort.

tsi ic 11.16. si.ts. si so. ai.fi, Ml, I MVS sJ.lmt iiUnnHnaail rnit JBpiL PtiATt ONLT BUT CHEERS AND APPLAUSE tail the World thot here It a Motion Picture Masterpiece! mm JL. The Unbelievable Stery of Hollywood from the Days at the Keystone Copt Until Today AAA Kfl DARRYL F.

ZANUCK 8 GREAT DOUBLE BILL If I vaxte sgsflcnsa? i amy SATURDAY AT NOON I www 2nd BU iFor tat Itt Century-Fox'i Joyous Comedy Life and Younfl Uvet MfYrtotf ey GLORIA ot" SUA i Want SM1 CLAUDETTE COLBERT IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD also RISKY BUSINESS GEORGE MURPHY TUESDAY NIGHT am it And Xnd Great femturwl VrixktMM-att-aii IsttaA ef HtteStyend ROGERS WILLIAM FRAWLEY GOMBILL Cera Sue th SLfrh ef Law. Beyond Hope ef LorsI ffmm 1 PRICES! MATS 25c EVES 33c fflm 3HSJL fs.4 QUIIiHa tnllT BLUKB A rnmnat Bit wn ARXA MAYW0lRr J. CARROL RAISH, ARTR0RT 1 Lett Hli Mirth GENERAL r- ADMISSION SEA13 Childrtn IS ytart and under, Fhone tiervsC'ons I nitfi Akin AAiiuiriPAi rr rTTr tr. AUDITORIUM ARENA.