“Say kids, you wanted to go to the movies?” I asked.
They nodded, “Yeah, let’s go see a movie!” Jonathan said.
I asked Tora-san if he wouldn’t see a movie with us: “Eiga to issho O mi ni ikimasen ka?” He looked a bit surprised then said, why not? He thanked me….etc. I asked my neighbor if I could borrow his beat-up NY Times? He sheepishly gave me the whole paper. I found the very tiny movie and theatre section, actually little more than half a page with tiny notices of shows and show times.
The Roxy was playing ‘The Loves of Carmen,’ not suitable, as much as I wanted the kids to see the immense golden palace, for that’s what it was, mind-boggling opulence. At the Times Square Theater, was ‘Sunrise’ and, yes, a couple of short subjects, including a speech by none other than Italian Dictator, Benito Mussolini (Benny the Moose) who was held in some high regard at the time - with SOUND! It used the Fox Movietone process, a very early sound-on-film technique that involved filming the actual sound waves and etching them on the side of the film - very advanced stuff….so ‘The Jazz Singer’ that would be released in November was NOT the first sound film after all, even though it was the movie that really popularized sound films or ‘talkies.’
‘Wings’ with Clara Bow (the It Girl - the ultimate flapper) which will win the first Academy Award (Oscar) as best picture was playing at the Criterion, right around the corner from the ‘Gonk. Twice daily, with one evening performance at 8:30pm - too late for the kids. We settled on ‘The Big Parade’ at 7:30pm with John Gilbert, just slightly less popular than Rudolph Valentino who died the previous year. It was playing at the Capitol on 51st and Broadway. We could just make it if we left now. It was 6 pm.
With Tora-san in tow, just behind Derby Hat with his girl and ‘the boys’ in front of us, we worked our way through the crowd. Of all people, we ran into columnist and baseball enthusiast FPA (Franklin Pierce Adams) of the Round Table, chewing an unlit cigar on his way out of the press box and he recognized us. He mentioned that Ruth would be at a party at Jack and Charlie’s tonight, where we had met F. Scott Fitzgerald and if we liked, we could stop by as his guests, so the kids could maybe get his autograph…but after nine o’clock. I thanked him and said that maybe we would - that would give us time to see the movie.
“Gotta go, story to file. Maybe I’ll see you tonight - after 9:00, OK?” he grunted and pushed his way out of the crowd. I noticed Derby Hat had stopped walking and was apparently listening in. In the rush, FPA didn’t appear to notice. Didn’t see what harm it could do anyway.
“Can we go?” Jonathan said.
“We’ll see…it’s kinda too late,” I said as he frowned. It really was too good to resist, though. I wondered what kind of trouble Tora-san could get into if the speakeasy was raided?
We elbowed our way out leading Tora-san and walked to the Interborough Rapid Transit’s 161st Street elevated station. We packed onto a downtown local with the elated baseball fans, diving underground in the old manner on the three-track line as it becomes the subway, changing at the next stop 149th street for a crowded 7th Avenue Express downstairs that jogged underneath Manhattan making a number of stops until joining up with the Broadway line. We dashed along on the express tracks to 72nd Street where we changed for a local to take us to 50th Street and Broadway. The kids, almost buried by the rush-hour crowd couldn’t help laughing. Tora-san drew a lot of stares from the crowd in his black uniform, hanging onto the leather straps like a good New Yorker would.
Tora-san was very impressed by the subway, narrow and crowded though it was. He said they were building a line in Tokyo.
“Yes, out of Asakusa to Ginza, right?”
He nodded. “So yo!” he said.
We got there in only 40 minutes so we had some time. The kids were full of hot dogs and peanuts so nobody was hungry. 50th Street station was so familiar to me, my parents and I used it all the time on our trips to New York staying nearby.
We got to the theater early and I was momentarily shocked to realize that all seats were reserved in advance just like legitimate theater. Luckily they had plenty of seats available for the 7:30 pm show as it was a weekday night. The girl in the box office gave a big smile to the rather handsome Tora-san. The theater was beautiful with a glittering lobby of white marble and a sweeping marble staircase.
“This is like a palace, Lito!” Lauren said.
We took balcony seats, and there was a huge crystal chandelier above the audience.
The show opened with a newsreel of events of the world, including footage from today’s Yankee game (I was shocked at how quickly they processed and rushed the film into the theaters!) then some ads, a cartoon, a short comedy with baby-faced Harry Langdon then the main feature, King Vidor’s ‘The Big Parade,’ advertised as held over. It had been playing for over a year, and there was still demand for this marvelous World War One movie.
It is still an impressive picture. The three men from different backgrounds, joining up and going to France to fight, John Gilbert flirting with and falling in love with the French girl, Rene Adoree, as she learns to chew gum and the classic scene where she is tearfully chasing the truck of soldiers as it takes John away from her to the battle, trying to keep hold of his hand, and falling behind.
The most dramatic scene is the fresh American soldiers advancing quietly through mysterious, undisturbed woods against a concealed enemy. The accompanying organ score plays music that mimics the tramping of feet, and loud bangs representing the German shells begin to take down the advancing Americans one by one. Even the kids enjoyed it; they could read the titles. Tora-san’s face was impassive but you could tell he enjoyed the realism. The movie was very moving, no wonder it was still in first run theaters for almost two years.
PARTY
After it was over around 10 pm, we filed out into the cool night. Tora-san said he’d see us to our hotel since he wanted to see Times Square after dark to compare it to Ginza in Tokyo. We walked down 6th Avenue from 51st Street under the old El. Remembering what FPA had told us, it was too good to resist! I asked Tora-san if he wouldn’t mind stopping by Jack and Charlie’s for a minute and meet Babe Ruth? He nodded and grinned. The kids were all for it - any excuse not to go to bed.
At 49th there was a small crowd gathered around Jack and Charlie’s. Taking Tora-san and the kids in tow, I excused his way through the curious people and rang the bell. The same doorman was there. Looking surprised when I gave the password, ‘Thanatopsis,’ he opened the gate to the gasps of the onlookers, whom he waved away.
“Alright everybody, beat it or do I gotta call a cop?” he said hospitably, which I found odd since it was not exactly a law-abiding establishment. I told him the Japanese guy was with me. He didn’t look happy but to his surprise, he did see that we had been invited by FPA.
Inside, the place was not too crowded. There were some small parties at the tables and there was Jimmy Cagney himself in tuxedo with some very attractive girls, probably cast members, celebrating. He saw us and waved. We waved back and Jonathan went into a boxing stance. Cagney laughed.
The maitre d’ asked, “Hey, what’s the deal, bringing kids in here and the Chinaman?”
“He’s a Japanese officer on a goodwill tour,” I explained. “Anyway, FPA invited us.”
Skeptically he led us inside over to the Babe’s table where Ruth was holding court like a knight of old with a very pretty girl on his arm. There was Dottie, with Robert Benchley, Harpo, of course FPA and a sour-looking guy that turned out to be Ring Lardner, THE most famous sportswriter in the country and intimate member of the Round Table.
“Look what the cat dragged in! Well, welcome back to our little family!” Dottie said warmly, making me feel like Norm in ‘Cheers!’ as she waved to us to come over and sit down.
Lauren jumped for joy…
