Judge — November 28, 1931 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

er ese enngeelan peeepwseuerenrese eet pe ng eT { i tT the Strand, Rose Hobart at- tended a young man with a rover, and thereby forced him to marry her. That she has a b-a-b-y, and even though her papa-in- law tosses her out of the house her husband follows after. At the Paramount Ruth Chatterton — Russian this time — marries a wealthy Englishman. Her father-in- law persuades her she is ruining her husband's chances for Parliament so she leaves her b-a-b-y, follows the world’s oldest profession in Paris and lives to sce her daughter worried in love. She rescues the daughter, of ging her own course, without ever divu identity. At the Capitol, Helen Hayes has a and then puts him through school by following — the world’s oldest profession, meantime not daring to tell him who or what she is. R se Hopart is not a good, but she is a fair actress. Why she had to be detailed to play the part of a slavey who is sinned against by society is something beyond me. I haven't any- thing inst Miss Hobart except the fact that several dramatic critics tossed hats into the air when she stood tall and firm in a white nightgown under a spotlight and said things about “death’—a_ trick that seems to impress any dramatic critie over forty—when she appeared in a dull alled “Death Takes a Holiday.” Since then Miss Hobart has been very firm and quiet in some of the trashiest shows we have had from Hollywood. But, even so, I see no reason why her employers should further have de- graded her limited, but certain, « ity by putting her in a movie “Compromis' After all, we still have Constance Bennett and Helen Twelvetrees for such things. Rv Cuatrenton is more than a good actress, so there is really some mystery as to why Paramount JUDGE should have gone to all the trouble of » Akins and Samuel Hotfen- stein to adapt a play by two strangers into a movie that might just as well “Compromised,” or » Woman Pays,” or even “Her Baby,” “Her Sacrifice,” as “Once a Lady.” Once a Lady,” sacrifices her all It may be, of course, that Miss Chatterton prefers to loaf these days, and prey upon the tear little daughter. duets of the ladies on their way home from Macy's rather than appeal to what I optimistically eall the mascu- line movie audiences, but sure woman who can walk across 4 who has passed the flapper sta who can speak with reasonable c ity, can squeeze a tear from an ence by erying over her leetle b-a-b-y. And that is at once the excuse, the be- babytalker in town last week was Madelon Claudet.” through more hardships th: est rookic working in the vice squad. She not only has a baby and has to give him up, not only does she turn alker in order to support him, she has. along with this gentle life, enough extra hardships to make her Recommended Business" —Furious ank the Lord OV ITY look like a composite of the Times? hundred neediest cases. I always have admired Miss Hayes's work. I also have admired the merit of her plays. No you has done better work on the stage; no young actress has appeared in as consistently ar in and year out. But, she exerts tremendous emotional sincerity in’ her hospital scene, and even though she does dress sup and make you and even though picture does not end with wealth and happiness, “The Sin of Madelon Claudet” seemed farfetched, and most of the time unbelievabl It was as though you heard old Rosenthal pl: ing the Makers. actress to my knowlec even believe her no in Ginsberg’s Music pu realize she is a great actress but you do not believe, and are not interested, in her show. T tere is one good reason why three etresses, ranging in talent froy fair to great, should reach the screen as sobbing mothers. That reason is that pictures of sobbing mothers may help pay the s uncles, cousins, financial experts and press agents responsible for our great industry. But I object strenuously to the Minsky theory that the best way to introduce actress to. the great movie world is to give her a baby and let her ery over it. Movie audiences want comedy now as they never have before. Miss Helen ves ha nod gift for light com- edy, and for that reason I object to the sales policy that necessitated her wasting her talent on a story that has served the industry every week in the year, aries for the nephews, 11s was ladies’ week, and I hope all the little mothers- in the city had a good time. Personally, I don’t vant to see another baby for several months. And right now I'm the country and see that my grand- mother finishes sawing that wood. It’s going to be a hard winter. comicbooks.com