20th Century-Fox Dynamo (October 7, 1939)

2A STUDIO SPECIAL SEVEN ZANUCK SPECIALS NOW IN PRODUCTION M ovietone city —Before the cameras at press-time Zanuck had a total of seven im- portant productions. This is the largest number of specials he has had in “shooting” at one time since he took charge of this corporation’s production activi- ties. The total jumped to seven when “The Grapes of Wrath” and “He Married His Wife,” di- rected by John Ford and Roy Del Ruth, respectively, were started. • S TART of production on “The Grapes of Wrath” was Zan- uck’s answer to those who in- sisted that he would never at- tempt the picturization of that sensational best seller of today. His story treatment is a closely guarded secret. In fact, Nun- nally Johnson’s screenplay of John Steinbeck’s novel will not be revealed until its world prem- iere which will be an event of national importance. • N O venture Zanuck has ever undertaken has brought so much mail as followed his an- nouncement that he would make “The Grapes of Wrath.” Daily for the past two months this mail has mounted. Rumors ga- lore have been published. Mil- lions are wondering how the story can be transferred to the screen. Their curiosity was fur- ther heightened when word was given out that Author Stein- beck had personally approved and was most enthusiastic over Johnson’s adaptation. A MORE faithful picturization of a best seller this indus- try will never have turned out. That much can be reported here. When this company negotiated for the screen rights to “The Grapes of Wrath,” the deal car- ried the specific understanding that it could not be filmed until Steinbeck had personally ap- proved the script. Steinbeck re- cently was quoted as saying that he “was thoroughly pleased with the adaptation.” • S HOOTING” was not started until Zanuck and Director John Ford had cast every char- acter in the story. Henry Fonda, whose performance in “Drums Along the Mohawk,” in which he co-stars with Claudette Col- bert, is considered even greater than his characterization in “Young Mr. Lincoln,” will be starred as Tom Joad. John Car- radine will be Casy, the preach- er; Jane Darwell, Ma Joad; Dor- ris Bowdon, Rosasharn; Eddie Quillan, Rosasharn’s husband; Frank Darien, Uncle John; Rus- sell Simpson, Pa Joad; John Qualen, Mulie; Frank Sully, Grandpa Joad; Zeftie Tillbury, Grandma Joad and O. Z. White- head, Al. • 0 . Z. WHITEHEAD, who will play Al in “The Grapes of Wrath,” arrived here this week. He has been imported from Broadway, where he is well known having appeared in sev- eral hits there in the past two seasons. His selection completed a three-month’s search for some- one to fill this important role. Some two scores of screen tests of actors here had been made be- fore he was located. • I N “He Married His Wife” are co-starred Joel McCrea and Nancy Kelly. Other Zanuck spe- cials that were “shooting” at press-time were “Swanee River,” “Everything Happens at Night,” “The Blue Bird,” “First Kiss” and “Little Old New York.” “Drums Along the Mohawk . will be shipped to New York within a few days. j “Swanee River" and “First Kiss” At the left are Felix Bressart, Andrea Leeds and Al Jolson in a scene from “Swanee River,” one of the four Technicolor super specials scheduled for release this season. At the right are Warren Williams and Tyrone Power in “First Kiss,” the latter being the definite title selected for the sophisticated domestic farce formerly known as “Daytime Wife.” Powers’ next will be “Mark of Zorro." which is scheduled to start next month. j i j i i i i i i i j i I i i Plenty Interest “The Grapes of Wrath” is the big feature of the November issue of Photo- play, now on the news- stands. This article is unques- tionably one of the most interesting published in the “fan” magazines and should be read by every member of the distribution organization as well as by exhibitors. Zanuck has received more than 8,000 letters from readers of John Steinbeck’s best seller since he announced he would transfer the story to the screen. I j i i i j I i j i i j i j j “FIRST KISS” IS NEW TITLE FOR “DAYTIME WIFE” M ovietone city — “First Kiss,” a beautiful and show- men’s title that teases the im- agination, has been announced as the permanent title for the Zan- uck production formerly known as “Daytime Wife.” “First Kiss” is scheduled to be completed by the end of next week and is a sophisticated domestic farce comedy that promises to be one of the hilarious hits of the sea- son. Boasting one of the finest casts assembled for a single pic- ture by Zanuck. “First Kiss” is being directed by Gregory Ratoff and is important on many counts. • T HE production chief, after looking at the daily “rushes,” is certain that “First Kiss,” from every angle, will prove a strong- er box office vehicle than either “Wife, Husband and Friend” and others of that type that he has produced for this company in the past three seasons. For one thing, the studio is especially enthusiastic not over the fact that Ratoff is turning out what will indisputably be his best en- tertainment, but because the Ty- rone Power-Linda Darnell team rings the bell—and in no uncer- tain manner. Linda Darnell is living up to the studio’s high- est expectations, the “rushes” show. • J AMMED with breezy dialogue, hilarious situations and beau- tiful, intimate love scenes, “First Kiss” will present Tyrone Power in a role that is new for him. and in which he is certain to give extreme pleasure to his fol- lowers. SAY “20,000 MEN” RANKS WITH “COCK EYED WORLD” By Airmail to New Dynamo M ovietone city—T he sec- ond Cosmopolitan production for 1939-40 release — “20,000 Men a Year”—is in the bag! That is the opinion of studio ex- ecutives and others who attended a preview of this Wurtzel special this week. Hot from today’s newspaper headlines, “20,000 Men a Year” is a showmanship coup, because it combines the ro- mance of America’s peace-time aviation with a highly significant and unprecedented, recent devel- opment—the creation of thou- sands of flyers annually in the in- terest of augmenting national defense. A MERICA will thrill to young America as tomorrow’s men I with wings zoom into the clouds and find roaring, ro- | mantic ad- venture in the conquest of the fron- tiers of the sky. It is the opinion of the studio that “20,000 MenaYear,” telling as it does the story of the lives of America’s aviators of tomorrow, is ideally geared for box office success. Studio at- taches who saw the picture were this week extending congratula- tions to Wurtzel and Director Alfred Greene. There is also much praise heard around the lot for the cast which features Ran- dolph Scott, Preston Foster, Margaret Lindsay, Mary Healy, Robert Shaw, George Ernest, Jane Darwell and Maxie Rosen- bloom. T HE general belief here is that what “The Cock Eyed World” was in its day, “20,000 Men a Year” will prove this season. where exhibitors get enthusias- tically behind this production with the two-fisted exploitation support its merits. Veteran fliers in the audience at today’s pre- view of “20,000 Men a Year” marvelled at the really terrifying action scenes in the picture. Notable were the scenes filmed in the Grand Canyon of the Colo- rado and in the canyons of Zion Park with zooming, soaring planes scraping the canyon walls, fighting their way ont of im- passes and dead-end canyon traps. Parachute jumps into the canyon where the walls are more than a mile high also provided plenty more thrills. • M argaret lindsay, who won a loyal following for her work in “Jezebel.” “Hell’s Kitch- en” and "The Under-Pup,” plays the role of a strong-willed, intel- ligent girl who opposes her younger brother’s flying ambi- tions. This brings her into op- position to Randolph Scott, her brother’s instructor,—and there the romance begins. Preston Foster, who has won added popu- larity in recent pictures, turns in a smashingly fine perform- ance. As the hard-boiled aero- nautical official he starts out as Scott’s aeronautical pal but clashes later, on occasion after occasion, as fate pushes them into opposition to each other. • F AVORITE of millions, rugged Randolph Scott plays the role of the veteran flyer who trains college youths as aviators for Uncle Sam under the new “20,000 Men a Year” national defense program. Scott, who scored per- sonal triumphs in “Jesse James” and “Frontier Marshal,” turns in a performance which will further boost his percentage rating as a star in thousands of theatres. Scott is handsome, virile, kindly and a square-shooter. He regis- ters all the genial qualities of a Gary Cooper, the steely strength of a William S. Hart in his hey- day. "SHOOTING HIGH" IS TITLE FOR THE S JANE WITHERS-GENE AUTRY SPECIAL I — i MOVIETONE CITY—“Shooting High” is the definite title for “Jubilo” which will be the Jane Withers-Gene Autry co- I j 1 starring vehicle. Production will start late this month. Autry j j is busy appearing in a production being made by a studio that = j has him under contract. But, he will have completed that I ! assignment well before Jane returns from a personal appear- j ( ance in Boston, starting next Saturday. Setting 1940-41 | j Zanuck’s plans for 1940- j | 41 are taking form. To date he has acquired i j rights to some 28 novels [ I and plays that he plans I ! including among this com- j | pany’s pictures for next \ | I season. This week he announced j j purchase of the screen j | rights to “Marching As to ! War,” which tells a com- j | | prehensive story of the i jj Salvation Army—and its ! ! founders, General and j I Mrs. William Booth. This [ j organization was founded l ■ many years ago and start- j | I ed functioning in America | j in 1880. Lawrence Pohle ! : and Thomas Aherne are j I writing the original story, j i _J “THE CISCO KID AND THE LADY” IS COMPLETED M ovietone city — “The Cisco Kid and the Lady” is I the title under which “The Ad- venturer” will be released, Ex- ecutive Producer Sol M. Wurtzel announced Friday. This is the first release in the new r Cisco Kid series in which Cesar Ro- mero will be starred as the ro- mantic outlaw'. Herbert I. Leeds completed production on “The Cisco Kid and the Lady” this week. Others appearing in this vehicle include Marjorie Weaver, Virginia Field, Chris-Pin Martin, Robert Barat, Harry Green, Ward Bond and Gloria White. • S TARTING dates were an- nounced this week for the third release in the “Charlie Chan” and “Jones Family” groups. The third of the former, starring Sidney Toler, will be “Charlie Chan’s Oriental Cruise” and will be started early in De- cember. However, on Nov. 1 Malcolm St. Clair will direct “Young As You Feel,” which is the title for the third of the Jones Family comedies. • P AUL MANTZ, ace screen stunt flyer in “20,000 Men A | Year,” has done such splendid work that Wurtzel has ordered screen credit for him. Under Director Alfred Green, Mantz served as technical director and also flew the camera ship throughout in addition to per- forming a number of spectacular thrill flights. This is the first time this studio has given such credit.