The New Pictures

The Woman Between (R. K. O.-Radio) is an example of appalling incompetence. Its story is 1915 drama couched in the seedy terms of 1890 farce. Lily Damita, the star, is unbecomingly attired, subjected to poor lighting and a badly written role. O. P. Heggie, an actor of good standing, chants his horrid lines with fearful, wooden verve. The direction, by Victor Schertzinger, is atrocious. The dialog is unspeakably bad. The photography, credited to J. Roy Hunt, is an unhappy reflection on himself and his subject. And the whole is a pitiful commentary on the attempts of the glorified "radio interests" to create cinema.

This picture concerns an elderly plutocrat (Heggie); his attractive second wife (Damita); and his son, an amorous prodigal (Lester Vail) who returns from abroad to become sexually interested in his stepmother. Finally, the scion goes away by himself and Damita embraces Heggie, who leers in a manner reminiscent of Daddy Browning.

The Mad Genius (Warner) differs from Svengali in the fact that John Barrymore's protege is this time a dancer instead of a singer and a young man instead of a young woman. Barrymore also uses a slightly different make-up--a thin mustache, straggling goatee and a clamp on his left leg, to make him clubfooted. Unable to be a dancer himself, he becomes an impresario hypnotized by ambition to make an expert dancer out of someone else. Presently he finds a suitable subject --a young man with a Slav countenance and an impetuous disposition (Donald Cook). The part (like Svengali) gives Barrymore magnificent opportunities for acting with his eyebrows. His ocular agitation reaches its peak when the young man falls in love with an amiable blonde (Marian Marsh). He persuades the girl to go away with a Count, the young man to return to his ballet. Finally, on the night of a grand premiere, Barrymore is murdered, with an ax, by his musical director. His body rolls down into the middle of the ballet, confusing the audience and causing the young lovers to be reunited. Typical shot: Barrymore eyeing Marian Marsh into going off with the Count.

John Barrymore's contract expired with this picture and has not yet been renewed. Warner Bros, had their profits from his activities on the screen enhanced by Barrymore's discovery of Marian Marsh. He chose her on the strength of an appearance which slightly resembles that of Mrs. John Barrymore (Dolores Costello) to play the lead in Svengali. Cinemactress Marsh did well enough to earn a long term contract; in her next picture, she will be the star.

Marian Marsh's real name is Violet Krauth. She spent the first seven years of her life in Trinidad, British West Indies, the next seven in Massachusetts, and the last four in Hollywood. Her sister Jean, who had been trying to get parts for herself, helped Marian along till Barrymore noticed her. Cinemactress Marsh has greenish eyes, a faintly English accent, a toothy but ingratiating smile. Her next picture, Under Eighteen, will be an anachronism: she had her 18th birthday last week.

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