Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1936)

July 2 5, 19 3 6 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 43 THE CUTTING ROOM Advance outlines of productions nearing completion as seen by the Hollywood staff of the Motion Picture Herald Th ree in Eden (Warner) Dramatic Romance This production is adapted from a novel by Somerset Maugham. The screen play is by Robert Andrews and William Jacobs. Frank McDonald is directing. The cast features Margaret Lindsay, Humphrey Bogart, Donald Woods, Paul Graetz and E. E. Clive. The locale is a South Sea island, hideaway for fugitives from justice and the site of a small pearl fishing industry. Miss Lindsay and Bogard, both of whom are on the island for reasons best known to themselves and which they keep secret, are no sooner married than the story turns strictly dramatic. Two men, Donald Woods and Paul Graetz, are rescued from a sinking yacht. Clive, an alcoholicconscious doctor, immediately becomes suspicious that both rescued men, particularly Woods, are agents of the law. Convinced that Wood's purpose is to arrest Miss Lindsay and take her away, Clive, after packing sailor Graetz away on another island, plans to get rid of Woods by taking him to still another isle where striking pearl divers are causing trouble. The dramatic highlight of the following episodes involves Bogart's rescue from the clutches of an octopus by Woods, the outcome being Wood's decision to report to his officethat he could not find Miss Lindsay and had killed Bogart. Though many additional persons appear in the story in character and atmospheric roles, the only other players of any familiarity are Tetsu Komai, Miki Morita, George Regas and Gordon Hart. While the prestige of the principal players has undoubted box office value, it seems that the fact that the story is by Maugham, remembered for his screen contributions which include "Of Human Bondage," "The Right to Live" and "Painted Veil," is an asset of considerable exploitation value. The General Died at Dawn (Paramount) Drama This is undoubtedly the most important production Paramount has undertaken in months. Certainly it is one of the biggest and one upon which large sums of money and great effort in preparation and production have been spent. Not in a long time has the studio called upon so many resources to make a picture. The story is thrill action dramatic romance. It spins to the tune of wild adventure, seething turmoil, desperate conspiracy, appealing love interest and whimsical humor. A headline hunting War Lord dreams of conquoring all China. He needs arms and ammunition for his rebel army. Powerful forces upholding law and order, realizing the menace of the War Lord's depredations, raise a vast sum to purchase arms with which to combat him. They hire a sentimental American adventurer to buy them. The War Lord learns of the plan. He sets out to frustrate it, to get the money and equipment for himself. Into the turmoil of this situation, a torrent of action, intrigue and deviltry, is hurled the American who is to be the instrument to end a reign of terror. A girl whom he loves is forced to ally herself with his enemies, to lead him into danger, to menace his life, though she herself would die for him and his ideal. A colorful vivid story, it seems to be of the same dramatic, romantic and eruptive quality as China itself is today. The production is based on a story by Charles Booth which has attained considerable popular circulation. The screen play is by Clifford Odets, a newer playwright who has zoomed to high popularity. His plays "Waiting for Lefty" and "Till the Day I Die" are well-known. His more recent efforts are "Awake And Sing" and "Paradise Lost." The musical score accompanying the theme was prepared by Boris Morros. Adaptability of the director chosen to handle this type of screen material, Lewis Milestone, is demonstrated by the skill with which he made "All Quiet on the Western Front." While the story promises to be entertainment of a different and unusual character and considerable showmanship exploitation significance is attached thereto, probably one of its most important commercial qualities is the selection of the leading player. That will present Gary Cooper, and it is interesting in this connection to note that practically all Cooper's pictures of the past several years have been Box Office Champions. With him, participating in all the romantic love interest and a key figure in most of the drama, is Madeleine Carroll, British actress seen in "39 Steps" and in "The Case Against Mrs. Ames." Principal supporting charactors are Akim Tamiroff as the war lord ; Dudley Digges, a friend of the patriots seeking to defeat Tamiroff ; William Frawley, an unscrupulous gun runner ; Porter Hall, Miss Carroll's father but a renegade and principal menace in the story, and J. M. Kerrigan, a sinister character, nobody's friend and everybody's enemy. Few of the incidental character and atmospheric players, including Orientals, have any marquee prestige, yet they are necessary adjuncts to various phases of the drama, romance and action. 36 Hours to Kill (20th Century-Fox) Comedy-Drama In relation to the story told, the title of this production is far from explanatory. America's foremost public enemy is enjoying the safety of an idyllic hideout in suburban Los Angeles. With a couple of his pals he learns from newspaper reports that a lottery ticket he holds is the winner of a $150,000 prize. Unaware of it, he is surrounded by G-men awaiting opportunity to grab him. With his minions he sets out for Kansas City to claim his winnings. Thereupon the production settles down to a gangster-G-man picture, alive with thrill action, contrasted by intriguing romance involving a government operator and a feminine newspaper reporter and comedy that features two of the screen's funniest characters. The production, at first titled "Across the Aisle," is based upon W. R. Burnett's gangster-government published story. The virile character of Burnett's writings is attested by such screen attractions as "Little Caesar," one of the first gangsters, "Scarface," "Dark Hazard" and "Dr. Socrates." The screen play is by Lou Breslow and John Patrick. The director, Eugene Forde, numbers among his dramatic action pictures "Mystery Woman," "Charlie Chan in London" and more recently "The Great Hotel Murder." The cast undoubtedly was selected with a particular view to having the featured players appear in typical roles. The gangster is Douglas Fowley, who in several recent pictures has demonstrated his ability as a menace. His confreres are Isabel Jewell and Warren Hymer. Brian Donlevy, usually a heavy, is the G-man, and the girl with whom he shares the story's romantic contrast is Gloria Stuart. The next most important principal is Julius Tannen and in support the picture presents Stepin Fetchit in a characteristic dumb comedy role as a Pullman porter, Romaine Callender, James Burke and Jonathan Hale. Action in the picture takes place in Los Angeles, the Kansas City railroad station and in a Midwest gangster hideout. Follow Your Heart (Republic) Musical Romance More than ordinary importance attaches to this production. Not only is it one of the most costly features undertaken by this company, but it also marks the screen debut of Marion Talley, opera singer. The character of the story is quite topical to the player's personal career. It deals with a talented singer who refuses to consider a stage career as she is content to play marriage with a home town business man. But a stranded operatic company arrives. Included in it are the girl's aunt and uncle, both of whom endeavor to pursuade the songstress to join the troupe. She is adamant in her decision until the company's star-director sets her heart aflutter and when he stages a performance on the lawn of her home, she is tricked into assuming the prima donna role. A hit, she forgets her old dislike for* the stage and signs a contract to star for the company and another one that leads to marriage to its director. The feature is being given elaborate production. Though there are several operatic numbers, topical songs which will be featured were written by Victor Schertzinger and musical settings were arranged by Hugo Riesenfeld. Atmospheric choral dances were devised by Larry Ceballos. The story is based on an idea supplied by Dana Burnett from which the screen play was evolved by Lester Cole, Nathaniel West and Samuel Ornitz. Aubrey Scotto is the director. As Miss Talley is starred, Michael Barrett, remembered for his appearance with Grace Moore, is the singing director. Nigel Bruce is Miss Talley's father and Luis Alberni and Margaret Irving are the girl's aunt and uncle. John Eldredge is the first love. Others composing the exceptional cast are Henrietta Crosman, Vivienne Osborne, Walter Catlett, Eunice Healy, Ben Blue, Si Jenks, Josephine Whittell and Clarence Muse. Featured in the musical content of the story is the Hall Johnson Choir, heard in "The Green Pastures." McGeehan Joins Sporting Club John McGeehan, former publicity agent for large picture companies, has joined the Twentieth Century Sporting Club staff as publicist and new business representative at their new Hippodrome offices in the Brill Building, New York.