New Play in Manhattan

Hope for a Harvest (by Sophie Treadwell; produced by The Theatre Guild) brought Fredric March from Hollywood to Broadway, but for no good reason.

Revealing how the descendants of pioneer California farmers have become effete, hence impoverished, hence embittered, Hope for a Harvest uses a vigorous, high-spirited woman (Florence Eldridge) who returns home, after 20 years in Europe, to whip her tired kinfolk into action. She succeeds immoderately: not only does her favorite cousin Elliott (well played by Actor March) regain his faith and flex his muscles, but his daughter slides out of a mess with the wrong man into marriage with the right one, and a neighborhood feud blossoms into a very pretty friendship.

The play has sound points to make about people who "want something for nothing," but its pulpit manner is a bore and its Santa Claus ending a betrayal.

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