Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 21

OT'iTPTATB nTTVTTTr TTTT 7f 4riuT THE EVENING 2T Friday Tunc fi 1930' QUIET ON THU WESTERN A GREAT TALKING FILM BETTY NUTHALL writes about THE DEADLY SERIOUSNESS of the OTHER HELEN- SI) OF FIVE AMERICAN SISTERS WHO WILL MAKE LAWN TENNIS HISTORY In the second of her series of Evening Standard latcn tennis articles Miss Betty ISuthall writes of American girls ho will be playing at Wimbledon this month Sie mentions the deadly seriousness of Helen Jacobs the fit Palfrey sisters including Sarah of the lovely blue eyes and explains why Edith Cross is a great all-rounder hand of very clever young actors ot whom Lewis Ayres (the man who tells the story) and Ben Alexander (Kemmerich of the boots) aro outstanding Mr Alexander by the way mado his first film appearance as a four-year-old boy in another war film Griffith's Hearts of the thirteen years ago The one star of the film is Lewis olheim altogether admirable a-s the bighenrted Katcziiusky Jchn Wray is the bullying Corporal Hinimolstose He would have boon le tter had ho retained control of iiis voice Trench Atmosphere All Quiet on tho Western Front is a lino book As a film it ought to be the most effective propaganda against war yet dev i-od It ks a long too hut one of absorbing interest and power and a credit to everyone connected with it A few comments remain to he made Tho characters supposed to be German -peak American but it makes no difference That is a feat in itself Some of the dialogue in which Slve soldiers discuss the origin of war and its remedy provokes a round of applause Tho trench atmosphere is almost perfect The balance of the picture is not perfect We aro swept along to the battle scenes and then relapse into a long spell of cinematic quietness until we get the end a masterstroke j'lKN WILLS Helen Jacobs and Edith other time her sister Helen Jacobs As I said the latter day be a great combination Even think they rcpreent the greatest will one to-day sister double since the Misses McKnne Perfect Stylist MJL Cross all hail from San Francisco whic their homes and their clubhouses ovc the bay I he two Helens belong to ihe Berkeley Club and Edith to the Californian Club across on the other shore iv hi re Howard Kinsey now coaches his nVi promising pupils I have mentioned that American girls are given exceptional facilities for practice by By Our Film Critic Once during the war i was concerned in a small but successful daylight operation Two platoons had to occupy a small grassy hill to give covering fire for a subsequent advance by cavalry While climbing the hill mv platoon was attacked from the Hank by six Hermans witli a machine-gun hidden in an old gunpit A sergeant in charge of the rear party saw what was wrong crawled through the grass alone and shot all six of the enemy Two were not killed outright Later in the day I wont to them and found the sergeant who hail shot them doing what lie could -little enough for the wounded One was a bov of sixteen He looked younger than ami he died That was war which militant gentlemen believe to he necessary for the preservation of the manlier virtues I thought of that lad when I saw the talking film of All Quiet on the Western privately shown in Ixrndon prior to its public presentation next week Mr Carl aemmle junior whose idea it was to film book is a very young man He deserves the gratitude of the young men of all countries for having had the courage to make this picture Astonishing Battle Scenes Mr Lewis Milestone the Russian who directed it has made the most remarkable film I have ever seen His battle scenes alone are astonishing He shows you troops advancing on a trench viewed from a loophole The gun never ceases men are mown down in hundreds but others move on and on to their goal and capture the trench after a hand-to-hand conflict This attack and the German counter-attack alone are of terrific accomplishment but they are only a small pirt of a great film Kemarque traces the fortunes of a little group of students from the day when although under age they are inspired by their professor to volunteer until the last of them is killed Mr Milestone is faithful both to the letter and the spirit of the story He is helped by a lOO Years Ago Giv es Michael Faraday Evidence rs Wightman plays much with Sarah whose first (and almost only) tutor she has been Although Mrs Wightman is not to-day an aspiring champion she has that great gift which many champions lack the gift of imparting her knowledge She has developed in Sarah a style of play which can justly be described as beautiful Severity of stroke is not of course one of the characteristics of her game but she plays almost every shot in pretty nearly perfect style Severity can wait for strength To me if 1 may be allowed the comparison she represents the Dorothy Round of America The two may well climb side by side up the ladder The American chances at Wimbledon? Helen Wills will probably retain her championship but I do not think an all-American final is very likely Much dejiends on the draw of course even though it is But the second Helen will be facing stronger opposition all the way round She will have improved because she is so keen on improvement but I think the general standard of play will be exceptionally high at Wimbledon this year Evening Standard Junk 7 1S30 Price 7d No 9-5 Mr John Gibbon of the Three Tuns Rupert-street lfayniarket was charged before tho Board of Excise with adulterating his porter Mr Michael Faraday the famous chemist and director of the Royal Institution stated that he had analysed the porter and discovered in it sulphate of iron sodium chloride and other foreign matters Gibbon was fined £70 We understand that Lord Castlcrcagh has been dismissed from the Admiralty Board on account of some insubordination on the part of his father Lord Londonderry We have no idea who will succeed him but of course his place will be filled from the Army List You were not born heavy eyed pasfyfaced tired and unhealthy You have let unsuspected constipation bring you to what you are Sarah Palfray Edita Cross their men friends '1 here is another feature about their practice which I found strange the girls in the top class never practise with each other They meet only in matches Ml of them seemed to think it strange that English girls played with or against each other indiscriminately in practice Tense Expression Personally I do not see that there is much gained or lost by playing with possible future opponents I think one can learn as much or more about another play by watching The strain of playing is absent and it is possible to be more closely observant of details and to analyse more fully Apparently my American friends do not think so What strikes me about Helen Jacobs is that she takes her lawn tennis with a deadly seriousness which contrasts very strongly with her jolliness off the court No one in the world not even iss van wears such a tense expression when on court Of course it matches her tennis which is a very forceful business but I think Helen has a weakness She can only force her game when she is not being forced herself I noticed this particularly during her match with Mrs Watson in the Wightman Cup Helen oould not meet force -vith force in the way Miss Wills woniil have done It is true of most players that they only play as well as their opponents let But the real champions soon find a way if I may put it so of making their opponents let Five Sisters Miss Jacobs is one of the girls who is equally gnd on both She backs up a fine service with a curious chop drive It is not ns much ot a chop as Miss but it can be Very awkward 1) play In spite of her good eh hand however I think Helen can or Co I beaten by hard corner driving I know Edith Cross be-t of all the American Is Slio is one of a big family and is great Ul" A an all-round player I think she has 0(l'ials She is an nll-rounder because she equals She is an all-rounder because she lawn tennis as a game first of all I regard ail Mrs Ilarpcr as the best doubles pair the States Iliore are five fall rev sisters Margaret i Elizabeth (Lee) Mianne Sarah and oiiiiia Mi amic has just won tho Women's Inii "'ii 1 luor Championship beating Mrs i li Jessup (Maria Zinderstein) in the final make -i i 110 niahes a fine double for Sarah partner the i'rXrL -VOV niay seo this pair nt the top of a Ion Calf lawn The trouble with constipation is that nine people out of ten think that it does not exist until it becomes a serious and noticeable complaint in itself And then they proceed to shock their systems into temporary obedience with some crude and violent purgative While long before their tired eyes pasty skins and weary bodies could have told them that their foodways were dangerously clogged and poisoned Take Fruit Salt every morning and avoid constipation and its disastrous The purpose of Eno is not so much to cure constipation as to see that your foodways never BECOME congested Its action is entirely safe harmless natural and sufficient To risk taking any drastic substitute is to risk your health Flue Eyed Snraii course Sarah in whom we are all fan Inst interest at the moment I hor at small piquant of lovely blue eyes framed by her i ai lr and the bandeau she wears when playing 1 lS cvcrybodv likes Sarah in America so a ih thy do England She has hard" Perso'ality and although she plays flu ncvcr assumes that un-human attitude l(h 'no people do on court She can and this ui Rh i0t own faults and she can do wini i le IS as well as when she is be f'ara1 only in doubles' Once Mrs Wightman as her partner and the ENO cost 1 6 end (double quantity) 26 The word ENO and FRtlT iT aro registered Trad Marks.