GRAND AND PLAZA

Evening Star, Issue 20138, 1 April 1929, Page 7

GRAND AND PLAZA

More, perhaps, than any film yet released ‘His House in Order’ will go to dispelling that often heard cry that England cannot produce a film to compete witlx the American article. From whatever point_ one looks at it. this English production is the equal of anything turned out in the States. In the leading part of this well-known ylay by Sir Arthur Pinero, is Tallulah Bankhead, at present the idol of Ihe English legitimate stage. It is her first appearance in motion pictures, and tor her contract she was paid a thousand pounds a week. Strictly speaking, Tallulah Bankhead is not an Englishwoman. She is tho daughter an American senator. Coming to England absolutely unknown, the heantiiul American girl rose to stardom in almost record time. She is at present the most sought after actress in ’England, and has the theatre-going world of that country at her feet. It is flic tale of a woman, worshipped as a saint by her husband, who turns out after death to have been anything hut saintly. But before the revelation comes her successor has had to boar the torments of invidious comparison--par-ticularly on the part of her predecessor’s priggish and ’Puritanical relations. Tho play is a. scathing and dramatic exposure of wifely or amvil’ely deception. and men’s blind intar,nation —with a plea, too, for the bright and lighthearted wife, who wears her heart on her sleeve, but is none the less honest and reliable lor all that 1 Beautiful Anita Stewart is featured in ‘ Whispering Wires,’ the second picture, which is a story ol two company promoters. Morphy Band and Stockbridge, whose business has tailed. The former is convicted ol dishonesty, and is imprisoned in Sing Sing, and his partner takes over Ids house. This is constructed with secret passages and cellars, of which Stoekhridgo is unaware, but which arc known to Norton, Alorphy’s brother-in-law, who uses them in a campaign against Stoekbridge. Bennett, the' latter’s attorney, fights Alorphy’s application for freedom on parole* and is killed by Norton, who also threatens Stoekbridge ami his daughter, Doris, who is in love with a young man named Barry Al'Gill. The story goes on to tell how Norton takes Stoekbridge’s life by means of an infernal machine pi need in a receiver, and of his attempt on the girl’s life Al'Gill, as the hero, is instrumental in bringing about the capture of Norton, and Alorphy is accidentally kilted by a negro servant. There is a great deal of excellent comedy in the play to relieve tho otherwise intensedrama, and an unusually interesting story is unfolded.