BURGLARY IN A PLAY .sx TYPICAL MYSTERY BY MR. HACKETT .sx MISS MARION LORNE AS A JOURNALIST .sx By ALAN PARSONS .sx AFTER , the curious assortment of plays last week , the combination of Messrs .sx Walter Hackett and Michael Arlen , co-authors of " Good Losers " at the Whitehall Theatre , promised very well .sx It proved to be a most characteristic Hackett plot ; crammed with twists and turns and surprises , while occasionally one could trace some typically Arlen dialogue .sx In a short prologue we see Captain Randall , Commander Doyle , and Major Cunningham escaping from a German internment camp in 1917 .sx Fourteen years pass - Doyle and Cunningham are now cloak-room attendant and professional dancer at a night club , while Randall has become a crook and a burglar .sx There is a burglary , with a big theft of negotiable bonds - Cunningham shelters Randall in his flat , but when Inspector Preston is hot on their trail , Randall is discovered - dead .sx I must leave it to future playgoers to solve the mystery :sx they certainly deserve a special prize if they can worm their way through all the tortuous happenings and guess the correct solution .sx I will only say that through the whole mysterious business wanders Miss Marion Lorne , wilder and wooller than ever , the third daughter of an impoverished Scottish duke and now a " society journalist " with an open note book ( which she is always losing ) eager for what she calls " a scope " It is a never-ending pleasure to watch her fluttering around like a hen wondering whether to cross the road .sx Mr. Ian Hunter as Doyle , and Mr. Francis Lister as Cunningham are both admirable , while Miss Cathleen Nesbitt , Mr. Leonard Upton , Miss Grizelda Hervey , Mr. Eric Maturin , and Mr. Antony Holles all combine , in their characteristic ways , to keep suspicion jumping from one person to another .sx In Mr. Hackett's play " Sorry You've-Been Troubled .sx " I suggested that the plot was no intricate that the average mind was apt to become bewildered .sx . " Good Losers " is perhaps a little involved , but when one is becoming puzzled there is always Miss Lorne to act as a kind of chorus , and though she is more bewildered than any of us , she manages , in her own inimitable way , to illumine the proceedings .sx An entertaining evening , enriched by some excellent acting .sx ART TREASURES OF THE 18th CENTURY .sx FOUR GEORGES EXHIBITION .sx PICTURES , JEWELS .sx AND SILVER .sx A WONDERFUL GAINSBOROUGH .sx The King and Queen spent an hour and a half on Saturday at the " Fours Georges .sx " Exhibition of pictures , jewellery and old silver at Sir Philip Sassoon's house in Park-lane , W. They were keenly interested in the exhibits .sx The exhibition opens to-day in aid of the Royal Northern Hospital .sx GO and look at Gainsborough's painting of Mrs. Graham now on view at .sx Sir Philipp Sassoon's house , 26 Park-lane , W. where the Four Georges Loan Exhibition in aid of the Royal Northern Hospital is being held .sx It is a very , famous picture that for sweet charity's sake has been allowed to .sx return home , temporarily , from America ; there may never be another .sx opportunity for most of us of seeing this particular version .sx In her day , Mrs Graham was reputed to be loveliest of Scottish ladies .sx Dying young for 50 years she was mourned by the sorrowing husband .sx When he painted her Gainsborough was at the height of his powers .sx We gaze at a fascinating composition with Watteau-like tints .sx The picture lives and grows upon us , but after fully summing up its technical excellence the temptation comes to inquire whether the ill-fated Mrs. Graham was really so beautiful as they have proclaimed for over a hundred years .sx The shape of the face , the carriage of the neck , the toilette of the hair - all these are fine points ; but the lips pout and the expression would need to be less distrait to be considered charming .sx Would we say that to our twentieth-century taste she was as lovely as acclaimed ?sx Very doubtful .sx It is .sx Gainsborough' genius that gives her looks immortality .sx Let each visitor to the exhibition settle the question for himself .sx Gainsborough dominates the collection in numbers and general merit .sx A .sx particularly brilliant example is his portrait of lobe Frederick Sackville that .sx comes from Knole :sx Colour and firm handling are striking features of a picture in which the strength of character of the sitter has been wonderfully brought out .sx Perhaps the finest picture is an exquisite Reynolds , the very pleasing Lady Anne Bingham ; lent by Earl Spencer from his famous gallery .sx Rarely does one meet a Reynolds in such a perfect state of preservation or where pose , design , colour , and grace are so harmoniously blended .sx GENIUS OF REYNOLDS .sx We must be more respectful to Reynolds .sx The unfinished painting of Georgiana , Duchess of Devonshire , holds its own with any of the flashing fully finished portraits in the exhibition .sx It has genius written all over it .sx like Hogarth's " Shrimp Girl .sx '' Not a single additional stroke of the brush is , needed .sx Just as it is , this Reynolds , partially completed , captivates the eye .sx A miracle in paint happened .sx That is all .sx The Raeburn portrait of Mrs. Campbell , as fine as anything he has ever painted ; the Hoppner lady with the coal scuttle bonnet , lent by Mrs. Leopold de Rothschild , and the glowing Lawrence picture of Lady Marla Conyngham with a dog are gems deserving of lengthy praise .sx Each should be carefully studied .sx Then the visitor should return to Gainsborough's Mrs. Graham and notice how he has painted her hands , remembering that no English 18th-century painter could paint hands with the skill of Gainsborough .sx THE QUEEN'S LOAN .sx As regards the many other features of the exhibition an inspection of the exquisite Chippendale chairs should provide much enjoyment .sx Then time will be well spent in examining the delightful balloon long-case clock with movement by Vulliamy , that normally .sx hangs in the Governor's room at the Bank of England .sx The Queen's loan contribution is a caseful of delicious objects of which the most interesting will be judged a miniature jewelled casket made by that ingenious 18th-century crafts-man , James Cox , celebrated for his quaint clocks , singing birds , and costly mechanical toys .sx He opened an exhibition at Spring Gardens with 56 of these bizarre contrivances , and they were disposed of by lottery in June 1775 .sx Probably her Majesty's exhibit was the pick of the collection .sx F. .sx PAVLOVA'S BALLET .sx MEMORIAL PERFORMANCE .sx BRILLIANCE .sx Anna Pavlova's ballet company gave a performance at the London Hippodrome on Saturday for the funds for a memorial to the great dancer , their late leader .sx It is a good thing that this little company is not to be dispersed , for it numbers some pretty talents .sx The programme included " Chopiniana , " a piece on lines of Fokin's Sylphldee ; and then a variety of short turns , brilliantly executed .sx The popular success of the evening was a solo mazurka danced by Mr. Paul Haakon , an athletic , and light-footed young Dane .sx An old friend of the Diaghlley days , the famous Woizikovski , was also in great form .sx He danced a fierce Hungarian Czardas with Miss Nina Kirsanova , and both were remarkable .sx Miss Mather was accomplished in a strict classical number .sx There was also Spanish dancing by a little party of Sevillians including Mr. Vincento Escudero , whose intensely rhythmical Farruca was something well worth seeing .sx It brought back to mind Diaghiley and his " Cuadro Flamenco .sx " The dancers of this company are inclined to forget one good rule of the past .sx The girls are too much aware of the audience .sx In the old days the Russian ballerinas owed a part of their effect to their seeming to be oblivious of onlookers .sx TALK-FILM STORIES MUST HAVE THE HUMAN TOUCH .sx By W.A.MUTCH. .sx AMONG the historic examples of those who would run before they could walk may be numbered those film-makers who thought pictures should sing before they could talk .sx In the earlier days of talking pictures , song-writers descended upon Hollywood in clouds which made locusts look like hermits .sx For many moons they remained in possession of all the best studio bungalows .sx Now they have departed ; leaving if not desolation , at least a sadness and a wiseness in their wake .sx " Paramount " Proves It .sx " Paramount on Parade , " generally released to-day , may be regarded as one of the last remaining evidences of this past age .sx This picture will attract attention on account of the thirty Paramount stars it presents and the elaborate settings prepared for its songs , dances , and sketches , rather than the material provided for these stars and settings .sx The outstanding players in this talking picture revue are Maurice Chevalier and Evelyn Brent .sx Their material is not of the best , but by their ability they almost make it appear so .sx Other not-able personalities are Mr. William Powell , Clive Brook , Gary Cooper , Miss Clara Bow , Harry Green , Warner Oland , Kay Francis , and George Bancroft , the last in a sketch of humorous intent .sx The Difference .sx PROBABLY the reason for what in the interests of flattery one may call the musical age in talking pictures was the film-maker's conviction that filmgoers would be satisfied to see him appropriate the material of the stage , provided he would add a measure of the spectacle and movement which had been the outstanding physical assets of the silent film .sx But the characteristic difference between the silent film and the speaking stage had been the difference between emotional and intellectual entertainment , and the film-maker , in rushing to the stage for material which , in many cases , he used without modification , ignored or overlooked the fact that he was changing the nature of his wares without reference to his customers .sx One does not for a moment prefer the theory that the film is devoid of sense or the stage of sentiment , but with that reservation the emotional-intellectual difference hold goods .sx Too Talkative - and Costly .sx THERE is evidence of that in the latest picture panic .sx Hollywood has just discovered what Mr. C. B. Cochran said six months ago when he pointed out that the film world must shortly exhaust the supply of stage plays , since every year filmgoers demand 800 new talking pictures and since every year the number of new plays in the English language does not exceed 200 .sx Hollywood has discovered also that the best of the new plays have acquired a rarity value of anything from 15,000 to 30,000 each , which is chastening .sx Hollywood has further discovered that the photographed stage play generally makes a talkative rather than a talking picture , a fact signally illustrated by contrast in Mr. D. W. Griffith's brilliant picture , " Abraham Lincoln .sx " Hollywood's Hundred .sx THIS has led to a change of film heart .sx In Hollywood now , in place of a cloud of song-writers there are more than a hundred playwrights and novelists working direct for the screen .sx Among famous writers under such contracts we have , or have had , Mr. Frederick Lonsdale , Mr. Somerset Maugham , Mr. P. G. Wodehouse , Mr. Walter Hackett , Mr. Michael Arlen , Mr. John Van Druten , Mr. Charles MacArthur , Mr. Ben Hecht , and Mr. Sidney Howard .sx Inevitably among these authors there are some who have found the film atmosphere uncongenial , as , for example Maurice Maeterlinck found it in silent-film days , but the salient fact remains that film-makers , probably by necessity rather than choice , have come at last to the point at which they are scouring the earth for men who can tell stories having the human touch .sx Film Without a Woman .sx From this point of view , perhaps the outstanding release of the week is " The Davon Patrol , " starring Richard Barthelmess , with Neil Hamilton and Douglas Fairbanks junior as excellent support .sx This is not light entertainment .sx It is a poignant drama of an Air Force commander compelled by necessity of war to send his friends to their death while he remains behind .sx There is no woman in the story and it has a tragic ending , but is has very great emotional and spectacular merits .sx Melodrama and Fashion .sx ON the other hand , " Our Blushing Brides " is a picture of strong feminine appeal .sx Its dramatic , or rather melodramatic basis is the good old theme of the trials and temptations , punishments and rewards which come to shop girls in story books .sx Miss Joan Crawford , Miss Anita Page , Miss Dorothy Sebastian , and Robert Montgomery are outstanding players in an excellent production , a feature of which is an elaborate fashion parade .sx