Variety (Dec 1934)

t v fMlEIGN SH«W NEWS • It. MiiMlll> fU**y Tdies Berg^ Die ■;/By,..BQp, STERN ■■^;>yi:;: 'i^'lLKyc^y iofiil is puttitiu on oiio of tho<« minor upawine3, A(t«.r 4>'VP' j)lnff \vlronvth» ;ijiQqnveri(;i»^ Ciivory.'■■' I''.,' v- "■' l-*v>r ii ii)ng While, after the rush pf A>pi ninn^isi at tb* beginning jjt the iK'asr n—anfl It wifHrh't »ue!»l4U4«r- ril''-^ v,:.>-'i :iv that - tlioro was a long lull wh.Mv almost nothintj new was pirl oti/ Now thoro's a hit of move- Mt >: s' --nitio:\nt Is tlvo. OilMl^ltltlff oi ;H<'nry Bornsloin's hPiV ' play, ;?E»!Voli*^ ('Hopo') nt tlu^ (tymnase toip^^h" f3^)i.;.|;)via H llori)«t<9ln coun;< <1 forono tJ.?l hrltttr'^ in th*» coin. Sioond liiij cpo.iln^r. of a iaiffipi'dm natur?. Ja iit tho Otieon, #h(pre all ehormou« nc^r f6nr-a,,ctf>* on tho 1 ifc of Joan^ of Arc i« 'beliiiR jiut on. t^lio play, by St> CIcorgc.s de r>oi!i:> "i r. .•<peciali!?t in historical ci.ic pia> :-, iMtupi'isos 3i. si t-n -s and iatits fnvr hour*. Mile, Fa'.oonetti .h»£: tihe^tlitttvfirtlfiK.-'■ 'iNNifciia^nli'; Albert i^bVu« a*il ft^^^^^*^^ attend- ed tlie rtnr>r drvss rt'h^ftWal/ which TKm a n:i;ional even.. PtUtr tvont of his wicli is X2haU4 ,M c llot and CoW). incSlywcK At ; iStir Coitii<»(ii© ^^es Ciiamps l-^lysec?. This is a prudiicl Ot the uitra-pophis'icitod diatn iUc art wliioh only the continont can prttducc, and which, unless tl)9 V^^V .'Ka:ipptni«'''te:;be' a.great- mastiillliii*^ '■||fivei^.;if^ti''|bff;:tho continent.-, <:,^vv•'■■il«tical» 6ne •of tho irrtporiant aniii<>tittee<il' pro.bi, for tho Chi islmas holi- day u uIj is the new Folios IJc-r- gere, now in rehear.sal. MiiUinguett Is -Gvt thi* rear, and p -vval sooms ti» be fbitewlngr Vapna'8 lead (at the C^lno) in puUing no roally out- ■ iltiindinij nn l highly paid n^^me at thi' Ik ad of his cast. About the best >)u;-.ine88 is beinr-7 Hlone bjr the lltite : bott*ii^i^^^^^ Variety i;how» of the t^rf hch, caba- ret typo for a low adml-^sirin price. I'rrnch public wants to bo amused in these tiiugh limes, wants a sure laugh, aiia won't '.■tay too much for It, so IHM^^^ I^^^ their ■■•ehanice.•*• -■■■..* One of the outstandings is the Tli<^ati>' do I'Humour, whioli puts on a good series of si o -t acts, nio-stly uingleip. Potinlcre is a new- comer in thU»- ^ ;M and the Noctamijiules lii the' l<attn Quarter, really a cahatet. comes into this cla.ss, with a show headed by Claude Pierre atid Charles Fallot, wiKocracKiiig singer. Mcff'tvkr h&t > show syppoMd to tbc Im iihitatloH of New Totit 1^ le.;iiuc, with a collection of virtual- ly .stnrU nude girls such as New " York nev«c.. ^lajftAc-: ^.t«4^ vdaliy.. ''y ■■■V .Ci«rwii»l -tliH- Of the comedies anif dramas put on tlii i year the Guitry .show, 'Nou- veau ToKtament' seems about the •truiigest, with 'Barretts of Wim- poie Street' iit the Ambassadeurs ^alsu holding up well, largely due to , the ni'ii'ii:; of Lucionnc ISogaert's Acting. Shakespeare's 'As Vou I.,ike It' is a success, at. the Atelier, in the-CcipMWi veraloti. Best recent opening wiui Wuis ^ouvei's adapitatioifi oif 'Constant Nymph' by Jean CJii-andoux, which got rave notices at the Athenee, and is ruiiing In J^ouyet's usual pvibli<B. Madeleine OitO^y ha* th«i femine lead, with j^yot hititseif oi>t>oiiite her, and thejT; an extraordinarily good Job. PilieA ia helped by recent auccc.«is of film 'Kyin|>h^ *t RcMpAll ■il^. ;■■:;;;;::VV:^'■^^^:/•;^..:;■v■- iHiro'^:^^^^^ mtTney-wiakers th<' moment are huKlovors from Iwit season—'Tovaritrh' at the Theatre le I'aris, whicli isn't weak- . \i9|ing yet. and 'JQcoie des Contrtbu-, ■'■■iM^i»?:^;(^*girfiiOo!;": 'fof -; fftiaifpaye^s'), Verneull-I{err laugh opus at the Marigny. Film of latter has just been' finished and is cxporfil to be ahpwi) on the bouleyanls jjbon.^ v ' '•'■.';v-'-'-''"V -' v ""i* 'Xr? I "M. ^ London, Nov. 21. •It Ilappettca fe Adam/ by paVld JlbebtA, AW - AmWr'Ieart, bpeiied at th« Duke of York's and lasted only three .^ays. Papers hftd expressed dis- %i|irovat ^lib plfltyV frankness, lieverii:: 1 '.ss ildmitttttR the aUdtonc* •njoyi d the entei^taintnMrta V Repliant Attacks Mex Circus Owner ' ' Mexico City, Dec. I. 0|>eniAg of the AtirMitl«i«^ b.*Pe was delayed because of seri- ous injuries euftered by A^gel Caa- tillo, owner, when attacked by the show'.* star elephant as troupe was unloading at n l»>cal railroad sta- tion. '■■ - '•.y:i- ■ Attaphei «av«d C»«t|^lo froin death by pulling off tbi eteiiAt He sufTorcd a crushed right legj three broken, ribs and internal in- HTERV tm :C|ly. Pec.. 1. After hisVlng beett iiieaa foi* a long lime, n'Kht life here is re\iving the ^'lory it claimed a couple of decades •.go;;,.: v: c :f:y yj:\;':: Up to a short while ago, Mexico City, a metropolis of 1,300,000, was even dulb'r after dark than nine o'clock towna ilw,;lJ[; Jl. ; It was iheh the ipracfti««i to cram as much activity into daylight hours as pqssiide so that they would be isfriidy for bed after dinner. There wasn't niiich to see and nothing to do aft«r the ewnihg meiU in those times. Now night life is coming back here. And .strong. There are more nitori('^», All Atnerlcan i^yjf«nd they-'a^^- a[t!iylw"-oi^''|jrt^ ;'biz has picked up much because of the increased number of American visi- tors in town. It Is the smart thing to attend .ihows at the Palaoe of Fine Arts (National theatre) that start at 9.30 or 10 p. m., to dally at the Palace's restaurant, modeled along N. Y. lines, or; ai 4\|^^^ rolling home attii* liwHtli^ The Foreign Club is another spot that is coaxing back night life. Vienna. Nov. 21. > StdMy kil)«ii«»:'ff ^Mon tij White had a aWeefithf ■•^ Hein- hardt'a here. Press got all het up about thte new U. S. writer ami l*reu»lhg*r'« production. Lot» pf pral«<» alf6 f««r all the aftlsts. TOO. S. '• "■ ■•'■'Paris, Nov. 23. ' Utay Qoets is due back in I'aris ih a day or two from Vienna, where he has be<»n dlekertng With A 1nu|61i of musicians. He'U devote hi* At- tention to readying the Pdlie* Ber- gere stage show which United Artists Intenda to take to Amer- iefl^ h<»aMled W'tuNiueii perval, ntan- ager of the PoUea; In order^ to en- able Derval to cariieel his American contract with Cliff Fisdicr. Meanwhile Jacques Charles, who st.iged the original Fischer French show for the ehitExROr ia readying a new revue to be taken to Aiher- ica, sailing Nov. 28. Troupe is re- hearsing daily In the Theatre des Cli.anvps Elysees, and according to dopi^ Iwifrje- la to be a pew version ot'-^tll«''IW«fbb*^fi:>^ ■ ALAm^ AMERICAN GAL SINGER MILAN OPERA CUCK - Milan. Nov. 21. Maiy Clarke of New Yoilv, wi. • Hings under the name of HiirnorJna FrahcffBca 8o)nnigll, will vVry sl>ortly slhg in Xe v York.. She ha«. iw^ signed a contract to slhg at the Scala of Milan, The Opera of Rome and the San Carlo of Naples dur- ing the forthcoming Winter se.ison. She la probably the only American duriiig the last feW years to obtain .sui h important engagements and b*- paid for her services. She has been studying for over s^^ven years in Italy and la afenerAlly mistaken for an ttaiiah, eveit^li^Mi; Another Aiiherican wh6 li aing|ng her WAjr to fame heVe lip Bdlth Mason of Chicago. * iBhA will appear here in Verdi's 'FVilstaff' In Feb. (•The Chain') Itudupest, Nt»v. 19. C'linxMly (Irtinia In threv a>'t.H by . Mb' llimiin,. at itif Mawyar Iheutr*. Mudii- jM'Ht. i'iitl; MarKit MHkiiy. lli-na Tltkn.s, Klla tJoth, lAly Mur.itl. KilKono Tit~.k. Oitviir l>«r«>Rl. MlkloM Jl)tJiH«iaity» ate U^' Lily Hatvahy, wh^» '^S^^ Never' was a Broadway success, and Whoso 'The Spell' la likely to be another, is reaponaiblf for thla clever, worldly, aumewhiA iiup«rf^^^^^ «ial huit eminently Amualiig ito'medy. It to ilAffed with thrUto 41)4 touchos •oine depths. It's A rAtber 6bmpU- ieatM 'Hind •oimewbat artlllislai plot, cl^vefl;;: %oveA Ahd ptaeed agalhst a aoelety background that . the authoress knows well and deporlbea with sarca-^m and gusto. Story has to do with a valuable pearl chain which Lona leaves «.»t the flat of her piatonle lover, a baron. It Is found by the baron's former mistresa. an Knglish .ad- venturess. wbO: tries blackntail by threatehing to jilAy It liito the hands of Lobars hpsband. Chain is stolen by ttdhA's liutld. who finds it in A place con\promisinjgr for the ad- vent uresis and I.ona'a husband. The maid's husband, a Itusslan valet, takes It from the wife and plays It back into tlie possession of Loiuv, in«' mistress whom he adt>res in secret. Soltnds rather confusing, but tho symbolical . iehain one pobion's amorous connection with the next, and so forth—Works Qiil beAUtifully like a pti^f In ^he end; IKTUh th* help of litis mystle Abd self-denlfliiir Husstan vAleit-^dmlitibly played by TOrsH—'libnA ipeCs rid of her dl»- itgrecable huaband and finds happi- ness with her baron in a cottage. 'The Chain' may count on popu- lar success here and abroad, and probably Alap on the AccTOli. Pae^0igumii» was lidmlirttble. with Mai«ir llAkAjr AS I/>nai ironA fit- kos a!ii the tnAnToating van>p. l>lly Mtiratl as the perftdious chamber- maid. Ella Goth as an eternally chattering countess, and Oscar Keregl as a most bbje^tlonable prig of a husi>and, V Jacobi. cvbg'nt ME') Paris, Nov. 20. <>l>friM(a in two ncia itnd Vi sconca. Iluok in<l lyrics by Henry Uuvernola. lluaio by Muiae MmpRA . vestariag piiu sad Tatwt. .simnn« Simon, |<yiMr Cuivvni aM Kovai. i'ro.lu<-e<l by Altt»H Wlliinneu aa« irtvis Mould ot liouftet I'SrUtoAa; r ^,., Itob OuilMTt PUto Patrice Uuvallon TattM Vivian^ Roblnet.. ....L.yn« CUvtrs lIunorlM ailMlt»art.r.k>i*.«^*.;»PMAiat CgyiM I.•iiiinu....V.. • • • *...> > •.• .Oliwtle TiiielcfQ IMUz ., • ........ f..^.4...«'^. • Niitnas roll u i(st«aadMi... *... .....>. Kovsi Upb|n«t .>. .. ... l^VSUto ' .^Mtlp<W|sS •. r* ••' •■■ .:8t.BWM|e,'''illli|liiiv'.' Curt Bois, Enroute to New York ■;'.;,<CbnUA^ zone theatres may play against each other without regard to admission price. This Is a system from which Chicago has always backed away, believing It not to lM> ifl^lttAble. Local filmltes dan't underatAbd th<i rejection bit the local system sihce it has generally been regarded throughout the trade as the fairest clearance setup In tha country, being entirely dependent ph the Ad- mission prfee Aind not upon thei strength of a rival theatre. So .sat- isfied is the local group with the Chi setup . thAjt. the gener.al body exhibs Ara: 0mm aion^r as If the setup i)rii*« st^^^^ forces But the trouble now Is that some exhibs have already taken advantage of the rejection of the local setup by New York and have entered ncw l»ro'test»''.' wlth::'.|NM>#l•'';^ii•au^ for changes in their clearance position. If A couple of' these pirotests are okayed and these exhibs win revi- sions in their clearance aetupi» which td'im' In line with thitr A<hntoslot| prices, the local film' tx;!# jtpre^ a general explosion th't'oughbut this territory and a return to the dog- eat-dog type of protection systems 'Wlier^ '(li*''<iM»w|^fitii'''ll4|liM 'irUI de- man4 lbci^«Btf iM^tMH smftliifr theatres though tliey both n-.ay be charging the aamo tariff. Film exchanges are sitting tight and making no oyert move. Film 30Ard' b^ not hold Ainy meetings so tliAt theire iniay be no ehArgea ttiAt the film exchanges are getting to- gether on any general scheme. Kverybody is tense and waiting the Paris, Nov. 23. Since Paris started to be the stopping off place of exiled German geniuses on their way to Holly wood and Brbadway; every ex-Berliner here has given out Interviews tell- ing how quickly he was going to have America at his feet. Now one has arrived with a new techni<iue. '|^« :'l*\diirtl' B0to;'''^k>|«n«kl|: "flim-^ And legit comedian, and his lind Is that he is going to the United States to learn new tricks, not to teach them. Bois was one of Max Relnhardfs pets in the good old days in l^illii Relnhardt heAfd of 'Little ,^.tesse Janie^' first Jasc mUiiicai evisr to be put on in Herlin. in which Bois starred" back in 1924. and In 'Vic toria,' which Reinhardt next put on. ther^ W^ A speeiAl part for Bois. ; * fiwt mow; icbt out Germany a couple of days after Hitler took power, and hasn't been back since. He has been kicking around Europe with hto sister^ Ilsa Bol8« lirbo:; O^-^m-ihia^i^f^ consisting chiefly of tn^Atlonii; She recently played the Coliseum In London. Bois tised to be as well known in yientiA As Berlin, but he hash't be«<k bi«k iher% ,r«<^ntiyr^^^^^ e He's be«n i>iAylng 'Charley's Aunt,' which Is one of his biggfst <orn'dy hits on the Continent, in minor Cerman speaking v||i|K<li^ S^i^- Agi Zurich 'Apd: Pragiie. < . • Sieni w«nt tb for ihrcc months to learn the language, and he can actually talk it iiow. He's sailing Nov. 28, without an engage- ment In America. And he says he's not going to look for one, but If. .;; Figures that If he stays any longer on the Continent battling around, he'll get in a rut, and America will g|Vf him tb* kick be needs to pull London, Nov. 20. Now pluy by C. K. Munro In thrue acts .ti'i nn epilog. Praaented by I>>nba.<4Hy Pro- luottons, lAd., tor two weeka at tha Km- iiuasy tliaat**.'' Jg0,,,m.-:' nins....... .'it •w'.'.'•^v'»...Wynl)bam Quldle I'nple .Rlchanl OooUan I'ony Peter Trevelyan I'^rltz Jphn DuncM T(iiin...... PatrM. ^teuMt Mope. ....v.......... .. .(''ntli#rlitw iMcriy I:<iiiert ChiintophM* Oaaaon '''"1 .Torin TtiRtcher Martin,.............Jack Ansalo *'»>«»»«.'«'.'•«'. .Psmeta gkar^ Wss.............. Iliifrihsid Flafch^r C. K. Munro's play, 'Ding 4^ Co.,' OATrytng the iiibf^tUhi 'War thi Ih-^ truder, 'comes as near to being a great play as it is possible without ictually achieving thAt status. As such, it cannot have aufllclent pop- ular appeal because; ais the AverAge play producer knowsi ft fives bne something to thti^k abottt. Piece Is a discursive p;imphlet against war. There Is nothing new in It, but a frnnk exposition of the subject from a nnml)er of angles, A cabinet minister says pfopl*; do not min<i war Ix'l'ort. it li;is li.'ippene<1. and when it is (iver tiit y forget its ml.series; if tliey had rilw.iys ob- jected to it, war cuuld not liave been used as a means of governing them Author Jumps from one thesis to another, suddenly Injecting a hitherto unrelated probhin, afl all of it is neatly acted and well pro duced.-' ■ ■ But It i^n't plAy<^. If It Is. It's the sort of play onii Would like to read, Mcause When there Is a par- ticularly thoughtful dbsorvation* one like t<».';l^fi|iM|'.idlf|il:it. This Is the operetta siitMMiaa <tf^ Paris this season. Bought for Lon- don production by Lioe Kphralip; Amertcan rlgbtS'^'iib'' itltt.''«lpMI' present writing. SU^pw is nuthlntf extraordinury. ii'^''lii.::'geniiMrali^ the banal side, from an American l^int of view, although there are MverAl airs In it whieh are already dolhi well with I'arislans. Tunes arc of old-fashioned mu.sical comedy type. (July musical number of any dis tlnction Is second scene of second act. titled "Using the Scale," fairly clever harmonization of scale In which principals do A quintet against background of singing chorus. Molse Simons hAs been distinguished In the paat As i^i untQue comtMMMr. notably for .'PeA^ ntit Vendor* and other jru«HbA tiiilMik Plot is stock mufileAl ee«ii«d]f atutt, . based on deiiberAie <i6ntilslbA ii^;- identity—TAbei. the AackM*. i« tAkM^; ^br Pilliti the wUib g«y. And ceta tliib. dlrtjr dtea intendMT for bimi. < '..:•;.•' I>0sj»lte tiU thtse c^^ piece lA A wbw here. And reason seems to be this type of colorless show, with music good enough to catch the public ear once in a while, although not distinguished, an ordi- nary plot and stock humor, is Just wh.it Is needed to carry production numbers and particularly to set off good names in tho cist. It doesn't cramp anybody's style. It's tho principals wlto make this show in Paris, and the thing might be a good vehicle In New York, too. that way. Humor is supplied by the A. K. pair. Koval and Pauline Car- ton, for whom the boulevard public is crazy, especially Koval. Looks are contributed by Simone Simon, who has a film rep. And hArmony by Pills and Tabet, who soHnd good ta Parisians but are nowbere vp tA,, American standards for hlgh-claig work. I«yne Clevera gets a bai j deal; she's not lH tlie eomiiAnir aha < requires, her numbarii Aii not lAiMli and she doesn't show the goods wtm'- really has. : Anybody coming to look tt ever here shotild stick n>r the second aoW which to lots better than ^< tipiifhn, Nov. 21. N4vr pluy in tbjrffc' acta by .luhn van Drutcn; p^^^^nita^i liy J«rk liiirhunan Mn<l .\uri6l Leo ot tti^ \Viiltohn11 thi>atra, Nov. JO. un<)(-r "lircoilvn x»t Auriol l.f'o. l!<Tyl ll'>•l^•scln.,>i'i,. shojx.nrO Ntaomi Jiu'klici.... . l''riinK<''in-I'avlc)i I.*v.la Japkim........ . IPniy Onoar MatbaMon ............lla<ltIon Masun .Mi'p'iii llnntlpiiih MoTila Vnnnc I narl Doiil- :Kt<.phnt] Ilaiojir.l I'he ilev. J'ercy iluntl>a«:h....I.oui.s < Mrs.. Hatil^cK.. ........ Kdiih ii.-iri' v UlRlMrt $rMr:|«w.<>Mre.;. Il.irry K. M iriu * Wallowing in a mh o or*1i(ip.-lcs.s iM. liiliiy t'l »-\pl;iiii its I (iMtctit or iiial-.f Jt clear, there is only this to SM >•: ■ It; is -An' 'luittrkAr •'iHTPpi^nrra ' play. ■'.'. ■',■ ■.:..'■ ■'■/■i'r'.- ':- But its unfukltncnt,„by A raMi, of n^j ixed •;■';.■ Attalltj^, ■ :-ffM •;, 0<;ditoionAlly good, ■m^<!)md^,^»6iBMi^^ ■■•r- A f-ouplb: nC; thsiAti^lE; scenes were dragged lb. hut even titosb will not have^uftlf lent app«Al to Attract the generAl publio. ^•Im NAPOLYI KALAND ; ('Adventure At Naplee') / BudApeeW Not. in Musical eomady with l>ook by BAkalTy and Vuiliiay, mualc by lAjtat, at tha Povaroal Operetta (heatra, Budapest. Cast: Hann»a A spirited book on the verge of being risque but Just inside the borderi'tiM»''''oC':gobd- '''tMM^'-''''tuneful'.' music on the edge of being rcminis- <-ent but with Just llie right plncb ot >eit Abd iiiiigttii^^ 'SiM and a couple of capital comedians combine to produce a very pleasant evening. Tlieso comedies with mu- .sic latlier than musical comedies, with a good farce plot and some catchy numbers instead of tho old sentimental Viennese operettas with operatic finales, are developing into a local speciality and have a de- cided future aboard. Sort of miss- ing link between farce, revue and pre-war grand op^retUw Ibay to strike the .no^';€fli^;'-''i$p^ff:-;tA.'. the public. "■.i->. ':.■' ":; Adventure At Nn^^ '. tfoas not happeii M NAplei At Al^ 1^ Pi^^ pemtely ,:-lbr ih9^:^t0i0^'Wi^. 'f0>- sponded to bis klsMi^ ilfpl. bin the durk boi^t plylnjfir bctweiij|i Naples Attd ' Palermoi And whosi face be never saw. Once this situ- ation is accepted there is nothing luore to object to. A girl who is In I'jvo with him, hut of whom he takes no notice because he Is ob- sessed by thf! lair un.secn, pretends it w;is herself, thinking It will make h'lm fall in Idvo witii her. Instead, he roluscs ti> iMin ry her l>ecau8e he believes she iS, his unknown mis- tress and lie won't marry a girl of that .sort although in the meat\- time he has groWn enamoured cif Iter. Woman Who Was reAlly on the boat explains^ And. laftelF pome ad- driioual cumpllcat lons^, jW^orythibg Is Mtraigbtencd out. 5 . Nothing out of the obrtiiaion. btrt A wbolaMie pl«>« m f tiii a ^MmI^ of aentlment nnd plenty of <;Oin<M|^. There is no reason why it sbottta not have a long niA'riiAye the still prevalent depresh, r Jtteobi.