Variety (May 1934)

VARIETY Tiiesdaj, May 15, 1934 Going Places By Cecelia <\ger impled 'Cheaters^ When 'Cheaters' run its course, ?i6body Is solner to be. bitter enouirh to deny that June Collyer a fine lot of dimples, may tliose -around who'll maintai that acting comes hard to her, In and there'll be those who'll argue that her personality wants for a certain b\it npbody can. say that as a lady with dimpleig- she's not a young lady with dimpleg. Nor can ianybpdy complain that she wields a nigga.rdly eye-pencil. In the beginning she's .a shabby, wrongfully convicted ■ jailbird; - she becomes, the cast exclaims, a ravishing, . talented,, exquisitely ; groomed beauty — but either way her lower eyelids are ringied with blacky intended to enlarge her eyes, but which In fact only defines their actual boundaries. And In so doing it rigidly marks their limits. Nic6 enough eyes, pushed close together, and belittled by over-zealous use of. eye-pencil, in the wrong direction* •The hero, rehabilitating ex-con-. Vict Miss Collyer, takes: her to., a "shop where the manlkina model step-ins. Its fahtastid nature thus established. It la not top 9urprising ^o see Miss Collyer leave the shop clad m an ankle length black and white street frock with a too-tiny off-the-face hat, holding a pair of silver fozea. gingerly about, her shoulders, perhd,ps In care not to wear them .out. Miss Collyer plays tennis In Slacks, rather well, for she's sufflclehtly slim. She wears, too, a black velvet dinner dress with a -w^hlte, lace back,. or maybe ft's a negligee. . Dorothy. Mackaill plays, a slaiigy wife: and belts her frocks char- acteristically at a low walatllhe. She pours tea .In a dog-breeding Sftnta Barbara millionaire's, haden- daT but the property man forgot sugar, cream, and lemon.. Maybe he likes his tea neat,. niaglc of making, itss reigning beau ties chic little personages. . It re allzes that Miss Sidney's hair must bia" massed, in a deflnite line, whether in a banged, old-fashioned halrdress or In an Empress" Josephine^ ar- rangement of hijgh puffs a,nd curls. But Its couturiers are timid about discovering, a silhouette as distinc- tive iis the lead given them by its hairdressers, and so the princess goes to receptions In trite wlilte neti with ruffled peacock train Or black, with a back. T-strap decolletage of white. gardenias. They thought up chenille dots on a dark sheer tai- lored frock with a little white turn- ovier collar, saw that It was good, apd gave up. Though she's a prin- cess, maybe there's sbttiething about •Miss Sidney's own way with clothes that doesn't inspire them. Two Kjndf 'The- Crime Doctor* acknowledges two kinds of women; the wife, Karen °Morley> and .th^ other kind, Judith Wood. "'The wife, an' unhappy, throaty- voiced lady, spends" a lot of money on'her clothes but gets nowhere. Preoccupied with her marital prob- femSt she buys 'What her vendeuse has got to sell, anC winds up with A'lot of fancy clothes worked Vrith beads, sequins and odd. necklines, and a' batch of fancy hats with striangely. jagged brims. One Qt Mlsis Morleiy's hats haS' a plain' brliii; the becoining one. The wife, furthermote, Is so dis- trait that she can't put. her mind to devising- a becoming halrdress, but entrusts this Important point to someone else who, it turns out, hasn't her best' interests at hieart, and sends her out Into th^ cold world with unimaginatively wa'ved tresses whose one virtue Is their neatness, which is not the virtue that counts. There's too much neatness about Miss Morley, any- way. That's why the detail of her clothes does her in. She habn't the abandon to make their fanclness subjective; she yields to their in slst:ence upon trimming. But once. In a trim tailored suit with a deep square collar of fox and a simple, dark' blouse, she escapes -trimming and shines herself, very smartly So she has style, but is too noble to care. Judith Wood, the other kind, proves It with the, badge-^black lace Qhemlse, lots' of little blond curls bunched on top of her head. Miss Wood has a very fine figure, and little timidity about here. But since 'The Crime Doctor^ Is set in Its ways about the two kinds of women, Miss Wood soon dies the death of a dog. Too soon, the more tolerant ience will be Inclined to think. idemic of Bpops All of a slidden the Four Betty Boop Girls become aotresses, with individual names. Individual dresses, Indiylduai specialties, it happens on the stage of the Pirampunt the- atre, where the suddenness of It all is terribly aparent. What- do the girls behind the Betty Boop voice look like? Does the iJossessloh of a Betty Boop voice entail certain characteristics common tp all Betty Bppp voices? Well, yes and no. All Betty Boop Girls want to be cute, and about half of them succeed. Betty iBoop Girls do not neceSsarilir resemble Helen Kane. None of them under- stands motion picture makeup, gleaned froni their hewsr'eel clips. A quarter of them have chic, as established by the girl in the yellow ace dress and jacket, and the other quarter are cuddley and know how to make'the most of It, as proved by the girl in the bpls de rose taf- feta frock with the shaded net flounces, who also does - Iniita-tions. Others are apt to vyander away from the mike, moved by a frenzy of booplng—witness the girl in the pale blue net—and most 6t them should not be allowed to use their o'wn . Judgment about their stage costuming, as evinced- by tbie girl in the carmine Velvet jacket with printed white chiffon skirt, and the i^lrl in the blue net again. And if Betty Bopp Girls were dressed alike, that wpuld be better still. Jand Bfpore, of Moore and Bevel, wears black and white printed satin fbr her amusingly Grotesque dance iantics. Leah Ray looks; very pretty and cool In white chiffon sprinkled with sequins,.'designed with a cape scarf-thrown higli across her.i^eck, aind to show how conscientiously she takes her grooming—^there's a red bow in her hair to. match her red bracelet. Series of Coiffures Uncertain as to what sort of ac- cent bespeaks a princess of a myth- ical kingdom, ,but It's sure that some sort of accent Is essential. So Sylvia Sidney talks In a peculiar manner In 'ThlrtyrDay Princess,' meanwhile displaying a series of in- teresting and becoming coiffures. Miss Sidney looks very little and very appealing as the princess. The kingdom that spawns Miss Sidney Is frightfully up in the art of the «olffure, deplorably Inept in the Ladi , usiciana and Costumes A gal band is no novelty to vaude, but a gal band that can play sweet, then play hot, then give out mighty forte flourishes, yet always remain a unit-^ gal band that has learned to overcome the femme musical tend ency to play with expression rather than with attack and tempo—^that kind of a igal band" is 'so hdverit'Sf Just never been—until Phil Spltalny understock to prove it could be. He's proving it this Week at the State,, where his thirty Musical Ladies are startling the customers with their skill, not as lady musl dans, but as flrstrclass musicians never-mind-gendei. They're femmes, but there's . nothing f emmish about their interpretations except in their yocai harmonies and costumes.' They stress their femininity in their uniforms, \vhite embroidered lawn dresses with full ruffled shoul ders piped in red; narrow red rib bon belts with streamers to the hem of the skirts—that's to make the plumper ones seem slim'—ancl clus; ters of cherries at the 'V-necklines Having thus niade It clear thttt gal bands should never wear pajamas, -because some lady musician^' hips do not adapt themselves to pajamas, "tlrey=aevDte"themselves-^to*the^best possible rendition of their interest ing arrangements, and, due to Mr Spitalny's GTuIdance, achieve that best possible rendition. It must be hecause of his guidance, for. It Is hot the way of thirty Musical Ladles, amongst them many soloists,, to fall into line with an all-for-dne aspira- tion -unless there's someone at hand to sort of coax them. The State presents, too, Dave Jones and Company, which latter means Dean and Joyce and Peggy Lee. Peggy Lee dances first in aquamarine taffeta leotards with tiny deeper-colored chiffon godets' that reveal a. long expanse of 'white flanks more alluring when sheathed In her second costume, a. 'white satin princosse gown. The bounc Ingly acrobatic miss of Dean and Joyce is admirably concerned y(;ith the fresh appewanceJ^ of her little dancing costumes; one is white crepe with red checkfsd taffeta scarf and cuffs, the other Is made of apple green satin. THE MILKY WAY (Continued from page 62) part. He knows the iflght. game, so a great deal of his stuff is authentic. William Foran 'as . the trainer. Spider, was also Well cast. Brian DonleVy is Speed, the most horizontal champ ever on the stage; He has bee>n In plenty of shoWs this season, but this time lie has the best chance ..to stick , around the saine theatre for a while. Gladys George, on the road for some time, comes through as :hardboiled Anne. Her line about the pot drew the best laugh of the premiere, which is something, despite its implication. Emily LoWry Is the other well^ Chpsen principal, playing. Mae Just about the way the .authors intended —nice girl with a.yen'for , home and babies. 'The Milky Way' at least is in tune with the latter end of the sea- son, its Irresponsibility adding to Its sticking chances. Ihee, THESE TWO Drama In three\fu;ts presented at Henry Mlller'q 'M&y 7 by Leslie J. Casey and James W. 'Llddle; -crrltten by Uonel Hale; staged by A. B, Matthewo. Tom Bowlands............A. E'. Matthews Miss Butterwortb.... ..Hilda Spong Mr. Gregory............... Bid ward Emery Simon More...iBramwell Fletcher Cella Desmond.^.M.4......Helen Chandler Fay Carllle... ..,Kay StroezI Taxi Driver.. Egbert Jones These new producers had what looked like the right set-up and first nighters ' Were expectant of a dick, only to have 'These Two' turn out another spring disappointment.. Author is ah Bngllshnum, but the pliety was not publicly presented abroad. Claimed that one promi- nent Broadway mantiger had the rights, lettlni, them t(o because of casting dilBculties. Also that manager Is considering another play or two by the same writer. Lionel Hale. Nevertheless the story did not seem well written, its Idieias being muddled, with audience interest , de- creasing as \,the play developed. At the premiere several inishat>s of no great importtmce tended to mar the perfornaance. Two British male leads, A. £]. Matthews iand Bram'well Fl.etcher, had attractive opposites in Helen Chandler ahd Kay Strozzi. so the fault lay in the play and not the playing. . 'These Two' has its young lovers starting , off badly. Simon More is wholly in IbVe 'with' Celia Desmond but she has . an open heart and is at the moment engrossed with aur other chap. They are to dine to- gether and he to propose marriage but she breaks the date. Several months later, dtuing which tiine Simon pines around the flat, Celia comes to him in desperation—she is to have ia baby—the other fellow being, involved. Gallant . Simon takes the slap rather placidly. He insists they 'Wed pUtonically and after the child ar- rives they can divprce. That is not the first stage situation of the kind, but the switches in their relations is puzzling. Infant dies at childbirth and thereafter Cella. goes to nightly parties and dances, but ' 'without Simpn. ■ within a year Celia realizes she has fallen in Ipve'With Simon. There Is a tender scenes perhaps the most effective In the play, spoiled by a bedroom trek. In. the six months that follow, Simon Is promoted and Is drawing an excellent salary. Celia Is all devotion,- perhaps too much so. Maybe that is .'why. the young husband tires of her attentions and turns to Fay, Who was the mistress of his best friend. Tom Rowlands. Tom had warned Simon not to fall for that tyi>e of Woman and why he should seek extra-n^arital rela- tions so quickly is unexplalnable be- cause the author, carefully built up the man's character and made it seem that Cella was the only woman In the world for him. Final scene has Simon exiting, saying that if it were not Fay it would be Some one else and Celia is toying with a bot- tle of poison, suicide bent. Matthews directed the play with some skill and also some errors. His wn^ Twrforman^ce^^'was ^^generally smooth while Fletcher as the baf- fling Simon, Miss Chandler as Celia and Miss Strozzi in. the less Impor- tant pai>t of Fay. give the show what charm it may have. It Wasn't their fault that the play resembled a sherry ' drinking tournament. Na- turally there was no stew stuff. New firm could have had better first night luck, but the result could hardly have been different with this play. Ibee. (Withdrawn Sattirday (12); played one week; printed for the record.) Among the Women By The . Skirt The Best Pressed Woman of the Week: CONSTANCE CUMMINGS (ROXT) Nice Clothes lamour* the Rpxy this week. Cum- ntings starts off. as a chorus girl, stardom shortly after and at least has revised the line rhet pnly tpp often in pictures. Wher others have said, ^I'm. this miss, 'I want a iiaby'. She gets her wish. Miss Cummings wears spme One black'" dress trimmed with tiny buttons running up the sleeyes over the. shoulders glave her a peculiarly square look; hut In a white spangled ballet dress Miss Cummings did look nicei A flowered watered silk evening gown had a flounce bottom. A street outfit was trimmed at the neck with mink, .the same. fur bordering the A traveling frock was a dark material trimmed at the neck and down the front ^ith a frilling of iace. A black wig was Worn with a white e-vening gown. gown was ruffled with black edging. A white wig enhancied a hooped costume of black velvet Another black velvet gown was cut off the shoulders with the bodice held in place. with sboiilder straps. IWer fox trimnried one cpat. Stage show at the Roxy starts off .with the Gae Foster girls in red dresses made long and flaring at the knees. White lacy frills were at the- front With white belts around the waists. Large picture hats were red and white also. Another liUmber was done in black yelvet .'with brilliant sleeves, red collars and berets. Some of .these costumes were pajamiEis and some silt skirts. The girls looked very nice In 'White satin gowns with silver sequin tops and blue sashes. They carried radiiim caiies. using them effectively In the dark. The little miss of Nash and Fately was-on first in a very short-dress of mauve satin and a blue belt. She changed to green pnjamas, Nadlne Gae wore a good looking frock of. cerise satin. It had. long sleeves but no back. Two long ends hung from the waistline. Fashionable Opera Radio City. Music Hall is stepping out of its character and presenting grand opera. 'Madame Butterfly' is presented in two scenes and a more besiutiful picture has never been shpym pn the enormpus stage of this theatre.. The exterior, of Pinkerton's house represents a giarden. witli full size trees, bridges and flowering plants in enormous bowls. The Interior of the house Is equally .beautlfnl, with Its altar and many colored cushions. Anna Roselle as Butterfly wears the most gorgeous kimonas, all colorful, hea'vy "with exquisite enribroideries. A voice far above the ordinary is displayed by this artist, but how Is she going to stand sing- ing the difficult arias four times d<>>ily« Edwina Eustls as the servant sang her tragic role in a brown kimona. Doair Rlnehart, seen , but for'a minute, 'was in a summery chiffon frock Wlth'a large picture hat. The picture this week brings together again the well khpwn team of Gaynpr and Fiarrell and, althpugh the picture ('Change of Heart') is very 'weak, it is made enjoyable by the comical antics ot James Dunn and shootiiiess of. Ginger Rogers. Miss Rogers is far better dressed than Misis Gaynor. But the picture dealing with the struggles of these-two misses in the Metropolitan city, are what Is known as the simple sttorts type. Two girls, hpwever. Ippk adprable. Light and dark materials are all niore or less collar trimmed in .'white. A cocktail dress 'worn by. Miss. Rogers had a'silver sequin blpuse With dark skirt. Small hilts were shpwn in various styles. The Casino Varieties has a unit this week called ' roadway Merry-Gp- Round*. A line of girls start proceedings in full black satin skirts with jet bodices. Different colored ruffles line the skirts. In long green frocks with Jet capes the girls do a number with a soloist in a silver gown with Jet sleeves. In a cafe scene the girls, are in ruffled frocks of many colors. Medley, and Duprey, featured in this unit, has the rlrl In a blue frock. A small blonde miss, unnamed, looked well jn a gowh of brilliants In a latticed design. The picture, 'In Love With Life', is rather an indifferent affair, fea- turing Dickie Moore. Lila Lee, as the mother of Dickie,,is seen first In a. black suit with a dotted satin blouse. A dress 'made sailor fashion was of black 'with white braid. Gi.ood Show A large and more than usually enthusiastic audience greeted the Palace bill Saturday matinee. Alien iand Kent opened, with the young miss in a white full skirted dancing frock. The older woman was in black. .Paul Gerrlts is niore than a roller skater. This .ypung-man should be tested for the screen. With Ipoks and poise he should make the grade easily. violet Carlson In a tomato red taffeta ft^ock, after the first number was what used to be known in the old days as a -Wow, a comic operatic number was fittingly jgarbed -with the usual trimming and a comedy dance routine had Miss Carlson, in a gold colored satin frock. Stuart and Lash were a young riot. Bernice Tishman, more beautiful than,ever, assisted these t'wo men in a pale.green Satin go1vn with but a diamond, jpln as ornament Long Tacit Sam's t'w;o daughters Were loVeiy In their Chinese embroid- eries. One' did a toe dahce in a white chiffon made very full. The bodice was trimnied with white coq^ue feathers. A violin number was! by one of the sisters In brick colored satin pants with beaded blouse. "The Carloca had a girl in boy attire and the other In a ruffled skirt bare of waist with but a brassiere. They were In pale pink long straight robes for the finish. Gladys George's Break 'The Milky Way', at the Cort theatre, got. away to a gopd ready causing tileasant comment on the Street. Resembling somewhat Jimmy Durante's *Palooka' film, 'Milky Way' is one laugh after another. Gladys George has the role of a young womian who hangs around prizefighters and knows all the ahsw,ers. Every lino she utters-ha»rthe-house-in^stltchesr-=MIss George is-slgned-for-pl^ and must leave the show shortly,'but she is a chump if she does. There will always be pictures. There is but too seldom a good plsiy, Misis Gieorge wore very good looking clothes. A green suit was trimmed with summer ermine, a white linen suit wiis smartly cut and a white jacket worn with a black gown was trimmed with silver fox. An evening gown was of black beaded material with a matching sequin jacket. Over all sh^ wore a black velvet coat With ermine collar. All hats were of the small model. Emily Lowry was neatly dressed In cloth ensembles, mostly. She chose the browns, blues, tans ahd one emeral green. A color once known as crushed strawberry was used In one dress made with a double pleated frill at the neck.