Theatre

The Dynamic force in the modern theatre springs from the small minority of Americans who are of Jewish origin, according to John Corbin in an article entitled “Drama and the Jew” in the current issue of Scribner’s. He holds the “corrosive, vitriolic spirit” of this minority responsible for the “drama of acid intelligence.”

Much of what Mr. Corbin has to say may be true to a certain point, but he fails to consider that his desire for “hope and charity” in the drama, which aims to interpret contemporary life, is perhaps impossible in such times as these in which we are now living. The acidity of the drama which seems to upset Mr. Corbin is no doubt the result of our present scene and the fact that such an institution as the Theatre Guild and other theatrical organizations are “almost exclusively Jewish” may be merely coincidental and not directly responsible for the “scepticism which is to be found among intellectuals of the theatre.”

If the Pulitzer Prize is to be given this year in the theatre, there is danger that the award will be an approval of mediocrity in the drama. The two plays, “Another Language” and “When Ladies Meet,” which have been considered by some to be worthy of the award, fail in a great many ways to come up to the standards of the previous winners, with the possible exception of “Alison’s House.” There is no outstanding quality about either of these plays which would warrant their inclusion along with “Anna Christie,” “They Knew What They Wanted,” “Street Scene” and “Strange Interlude.”

An open meeting of the Jewish Theatrical Guild will be held this afternoon at 2:30 at the Morosco Theatre. Jack Benny, the comedian, will be the guest of honor, and guest speakers will include George Z. Medalie and Eddie Dowling. Julius Tannen, vice-president of the Guild, will preside….. The Theatre Guild will give a special performance of “Biography” tonight at the Avon Theatre for the benefit of the Stage Relief Fund…..”It Happened Tomorrow,” a play by A. Levy and D. Frank Marcus, is scheduled to open Tuesday night at the Ritz Theatre. In addition to Helen Raymond, the ##mpany will include Barry Townley, ###rances Sage, Ann Deighton, Alan ###ard and Winifred Cahoon. Mr. ###arcus is staging the presentation. ###..Edouard Bourdet’s “Best Sell-###ers,” a play exposing the maneuver###ngs of French publishers for the ###amous Zola literary prize, will open Wednesday night at the Morosco ### Theatre. Peggy Wood and Ernest ### Truex are starred in a cast which ##includes Ian Keith, George Coulouris, Ralph Locke and Edgar Barrier. ### Dorothy Chester Bennett adapted the ### play.

Paramount has acquired the rights ### “Three-Cornered Moon” and there is talk that Mary Boland may have ###hat part in the movie now played ###by Cecilia Loftus. The same company plans to release “One Sunday Afternoon” before the Fall….”The ### Return of Nathan Becker” at the Europa has broken the theatre’s box ### office records…. M.G.M. definitely ###announces that Greta Garbo has ### signed a new long-term contract and ### will resume work early in May. Her ### first film will be “Queen Christina,” ### an original story with a Swedish ### background. It has been adapted to ### the screen by Robert E. Sherwood. ### Continuity and dialogue will be supplied jointly by Ernest Vajda, Clau-#dine West and H. M. Harwood.

If Hollywood would forget that there is such a place as Broadway the film industry would benefit great### according to Charles Furthmann, ###aramount’s veteran scenario writer. ###lthough Mr. Furthmann admits that ###e plays have been successfully ### he explains that without ex###### the play script was complete###gotten and the dialogue discarded and a new screen play built around the title and the central situation….We wonder how long those concerned will refuse to recognize the basic differences between the stage and screen and continue to buy plays solely for the reason that the stage run has been successful… Mae West’s next Paramount production will be produced under the tentative title of “I’m No Angel,” from a story written by herself. The picture will have a circus background. Wesley Ruggles will direct and the screen play will be prepared by Claude Binyon and Frank Butter.