Cinema THE CRIMSON PLAYGOER Music

"Disraeli", at the Metropolitan this week, has the virtues of an intelligent, dramatic theme and dialogue, and the acting of George Arliss. Few pictures offer either of these. As a result "Disraeli" merits exceptional praise. It is a close photographic version of the stage play in which Mr. Arliss has long given the title role; so the scenes end abruptly, and concentrate entirely on straight dialogue, rather than presenting any attempt at original photography. What is lost in color is, however, well balanced by the gain in directness and clearness; and, more important, adherence to the stage version keeps Mr. Arliss on the scene most of the time.

His acting is of the highest order. The character of Disraeli subtly, surely grows under his hands; the race for the Suez Canal passes the bounds of national interest and becomes a contest for the breathless world to watch. His scenes with Lady Beaconfield (Mrs. Arliss) are touching, without being sentimental; with Lord Probert (Ernest Torrence) he transmates financial discussions into powerful drama. The lovely Joan Bennett has charm in the innocuous romantic subplot. But none of the other characters are, or need to be, outstanding. The leading man carries off the play.

The stage show is commonplace, aside from the antics of Herschel Heniere. His performance; at the piano and as a one-man orchestra is good enough to counter act the series of mediocre dances that precede him