Judge — December 27, 1924 — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

sort. Arthur Hopkins’ production is a praiseworthy one and James $ wood’s acting of the leading réle is im- mensely fetching. Ill HREE musical exhibits have been hustled onto the battlefield since my last lecture before this class. La Belle Fatima Belasco (Continued from page 9) humors are appealing to all us old sailors, saloon keepers and Elks. Lenore Ulric gives a very skillful and amusing performance as the wife who seduces her own husband. But the rest of the company, save Robert Fisher as a Turkish prince, is of a Springfield, O., stock company flavor. Il “Cisse Harmony,” by Dorothy Parker and Elmer Rice, is one of those plays admired by the crities at which the public, filing out into the lobby after it is over, says,"'I wish I'd gone to a musical show instead.” La Parker, aided by Le Rice, has done a generally excellent job with her play; she has wrought a bitterly amusing and observant comedy of suburban life; but she has been too truthful to please the popular taste. Far be it from me to say what the public wants, but one thing I am pretty certain it doesn’t want and that one thing is a play that doesn't compromise a little with truth. The public wants its truth in small doses and its illusions in large. It may, for argument’s sake, be willing to grant, somewhat reluctantly, that man. is descended from the monkey and that two plus two equals four, but it demands in return for these admis- sions that it be assured that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rain- bow, that Joan of Are was a virgin, that a belief in God will cure fallen arches, and that the spirit of one’s dead grandfather is ready at all times to show up in a black velvet cabinet and play a tambourine solo. Well, “Close Harmony” does not condescend to tickle the boobs in such wise, and so they do not hug it to their bosoms. In addition, despite its merits, it is theatrically a trifle tiresome at times, due to repetitions, and, in further addition, it comes upon the local scene about two years too late. ‘The public has become surfeited with plays of the Bathtub designed to give the bather the greatest comfort. Th are, first, the new Music Box show: second, “Lady, Be Good,” and third, ‘The Student Prince.” The Music Box show is an elaborate and attractive affair that looks as if it cost Sam Harris and Irving Berlin about $18,000,000 and ten cases of gin. It contains some beguiling tunes by the estimable Irving, some extremely lovely stage pictures, and some _ hil: ious low It also contains Grace fine singing voice, Bobby Clark’s humorous pantaloons, and a swift dancing chorus. Fanny Brice is mixed up in the proceedings, but her method is so familiar that she doesn't sem very funny any’ more. And here and there one hears a mot that was no flapper even in Chaun- cey Depew’s youth. But the show a whole is diverting and is to be commended to your attention. “Lady, Be Good,” is an indifferent affair, with some good melodies by George Gershwin and a dull libretto by the Messrs. Bolton and ‘Thomp- son, made brilliant by. the incom- parable dancing of the Astaires, seur et frire. Adele Astaire is the only musical comedy leading girl we have who can dance better than the chorus. ‘The vastly. effortless and ,OWED UNDER” Every Christmas is a white Christmas to Dad. ——$<—$$, DONT RESIST H i Nk Tamla NY GESTION TO LARGE STORES Why not a hypnotic department for recalling to mind the wife's order? —Passtnc Suow (London) comicbooks.com