Critical Moments

Before curtain time last night there were but 18 legitimate shows left on Broadway and its environs, and this includes two arrivals of the week, “While parents Sleep” and “Caviar,” A musical comedy. From new until the after part of august there will be but few new attractions brought to town. But in he suburbs, up Westchester, down Long Island, and across New Jersey way, the countryside will be littered with stock companies busily trying out playwright’s winter efforts. From the number of attractions promised for the Fall one gets the idea that there should be many “Auspicious” events on the theatrical calendar.

ONLY THE HITS SURVIVED

Only the hits of the 1933-1934 season survived the first heat wave. Among the attractions for which it is still difficult to get tickets are “Are you Decent?” “As Thousands Cheer,” “Bosworth,’ “Mary of Scotland,” “New faces,” “No more Ladies,” “Sailors Beware,” “She Loves Me Not,” “Sevedore,” “The Milkey Way,” and “men In White”

The biggest money-makers of the seasons were “As Thousands Cheer.” “Ah Wilderness” “The Pursuit of Happiness,” “Her Master’s Voice,” “Roberta,” “Sailors Beware,” “Mary of Scotland,” “The Ziegfeld Follies,” “Roberta,” ‘No More Ladies,” “Dodsworth,” “Men In White” and “Double Door.”

“men In White” received the most unanimously favorable critical praise and did very well. Such Plays as “Yellow jack,” “Richard of Bordeaux, “The Scattered Lamp,” “Come of Age” and “Wednesday’s Child,” also came in fort eh raves of the critics but did little business while such things as “Double Door,” “Big Hearted Herbert,” “Tobacco Road” and “Three in One” received scant attention yet earned money.

All of which proves nothing at all except that critics although they exert a tremendous influence in the financial success of a play are not able to discourage the public completely.

MORE HENRY VIII FOR SCREEN

The tremendous success of Charles Laughton in “The Private Life of Henry VIII” has inspired London Films, which produced the picture, to begin plans for a sequel. It will be called “The Field of Gold” and will use as a basis other exploits in the life of England’s much married King Harry. Mr. Laughton will of course play the leading role and the film will be directed by Alexander Korda.

United Artists send word that the screen version of the stage play by Philip Dunne and Dan Totheroh, “The count of Monte Cristo,” is well under way. Robert Donat, a young Englishman, has the title role and Elissa. Landi plays the female lead. A recent addition to the cast is Eleanor Phelps, Baltimore society girl, who will make her screen debut in the part of Princess Hardee.

I don’t remember whether or not I told you about it but “Now I’ll Tell,” the story of the gambler Arnold Rothstein by his wife played a second week at the Roxy and is now headed for you neighborhood house. It is very entertaining stuff and well done even though it does give the late Rothstein better than an even break.

After Reading what the other movie critics had to say about “Little Man, what Now?” I went to see the picture again. I thought that perhaps my indigestion had played me a dirty trick and influenced my views the first time I saw the film but on second sight it seemed even duller than it did at first. I still believe Universal took a sensitive poignant novel and made it into a very ordinary Hollywood movie… Incidentally the week at the Music Hall was only fair as far as receipts went.