Arrowsmith (United Artists) (1931)

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An Array of Sure-Fire Publicity Material BRILLIANT CAST PICKED FOR SCREEN VERSION OF “ARROWSMITH” Ronald Colman and Helen Hayes Play Stellar Roles in New Sam Goldwyn Masterpiece The acknowledged masterpiece of one of America’s foremost nov¬ elists comes to the screen of the .Theatre on. in “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s production of Sinclair Lewis’ nov¬ el, with Ronald Colman playing the title role of the crusading young doctor. Its author was last year awarded the first Nobel prize for literature ever given an Amer¬ ican novelist. “Arrowsmith” is additionally notable in the fact that it gives Ronald Colman his first American role. Although he has been one of the screen’s most eminent stars for nearly ten years, his previous roles have always been English or Euro¬ pean, in such memorable suc¬ cesses as “Bulldog Drummond” and “Raffles” and “The Magic Flame.” In the character of Mar¬ tin Arrowsmith he plays a brilliant young doctor born in America and battling his way through prejudice and difficulties to the top of the scientific world, risking his life to battle disease among savage ne¬ groes, sacrificing everything to his passion for science. Brilliant Cast Selected To match such two famous names as Sinclair Lewis and Ron¬ ald Colman, Samuel Goldwyn gathered together a brilliant cast in support. Opposite Ronald Col¬ man plays Helen Hayes, the stage star whose performance in “Co¬ quette” was an event in the Amer¬ ican theatre; she has recently be¬ come an overnight success in mov¬ ing pictures in “The Sin of Made- Ion Claudet.” Then there is Rich¬ ard Bennett, another first flight star of the legitimate stage, and father of Constance and Joan Bennett. Beulah Bondi, the indi¬ vidual hit player of “Street Scene” and Myrna Loy are other famous names. Besides being a brilliant story in its own right, “Arrowsmith” is an accurate inside picture of the profession of scientific medicine. Sinclair Lewis derived his material for it from Dr. Paul de Kruif, author of “Microbe Hunters” and “Hunger Fighters.” “Arrowsmith,” the United Ar¬ tists picture, was directed by John Ford, the veteran director whose work on “The Iron Horse” long since made him a leader in the pic¬ ture industry. It was adapted to the screen by Sidney Howard with the same technique which made "Raffles,” “Bulldog Drummond” and “The Devil to Pay” outstand¬ ing successes. u Goldwyn’s Screen Version of Sinclair Lewis’ Novel Has Brilliant Cast In casting “Arrowsmith,” the current feature at the Theatre, Samuel Goldwyn gathered together a brilliant galaxy of the best known names of stage and screen, not only for the leading roles, but for minor parts as well. The wide scope and varied characterization of this master novel by Sinclair Lewis, the only American novelist ever to win a Nobel Prize, allowed opportuni¬ ties for every kind of actor. Ronald Colman plays the title role of the crusading young doctor, supported by Helen Hayes, the eminent stage star whose first pic¬ ture, “The Sin of Madelon Clau¬ det,” was one of the events of last year’s success. For the role of Son- delius, the plague-fighting Swede, Richard Bennett, the stormy petrel of the theatre and father of Con¬ stance, Joan and Barbara Bennett, was selected by Mr. Goldwyn. Other Prominent Members In addition A. E. Anson, who has been noted for character por¬ traits in the legitimate theatre for the last thirty years, plays the old scientist Gottlieb, who inspires Arrowsmith to his life-work in science. And Myrna Loy, Alec B. Francis, and Claude King. Last year Mr. Goldwyn brought to Hollywood practically the whole original New York cast of “Street Scene,” when he was mak¬ ing that play into a moving pic¬ ture. For “Arrowsmith” he re¬ tained several of the “Street Scene” actors, among them Beulah Bondi, whose portrayal of the gos- sippy neighbor in that play was a major sensation. Others are Rus¬ sell Hopton, DeWitt Jennings, and John M. Qualen. John Ford, director of “The Iron Horse,” directed “Arrow- smith” for Samuel Goldwyn, from an original prepared by Sidney Howard. MANY CAST IN rAGE PLAYERS ARROWSMITH” Ronald Colman ^Richard Bennett in Samuel (jolclu/yris MlTOVVSmith 2— Two Column Scene (Mat, 10c; Cut, 50c) Technical Difficulties for Filming of “Arrowsmith” Presented Big Problem Ronald Colman as Leading Character Took a Short Course in Practice of Handling of Medical Apparatus The technical difficulties of filming “Arrowsmith,” the Samuel Goldwyn picture, starring Ronald Colman, which comes to the . Theatre on., were all that any reader of Sinclair Lewis’ kaleidoscopic novel would imagine, way from a country kitchen in South Dakota 'through the elaborate lab¬ oratories of a great research institu¬ tion to the burning of a complete West Indian village were required in the production. Hundreds of rats—necessary be¬ cause rats spread the bubonic plague against which Arrowsmith fought his great scientific fight were pro¬ cured from professional rat-catch¬ ers all over California. Two herds of cattle, carefully doctored to look as if they were suffering from hoof- and-mouth disease, furnished a prob¬ lem to the Goldwyn make-up man such as he had never experienced in his life before. Technically Correct The problems were all the more complicated because “Arrowsmith”, laid as it is in laboratories and among doctors, would have to be technically correct in every scientific detail to satisfy the several hundred thousand doctors who could be ex¬ pected to go to see the picture when it was released. The latest laboratory equipment was gathered together, some of it specially pur¬ chased in Europe, electric furnaces, marble dissecting tables, micro¬ scopes, crystal test-tubes, and set up in the Goldwyn studios on sets carefully copied from careful photo¬ graphs and drawings of the most modem laboratories in the United States. Ronald Colman had to take what amounted to a short course in medical practice to enable him Fifty-eight settings, ranging all the to handle the instruments with pro¬ fessional assurance. Training was particularly neces¬ sary in the scene where, as the bril¬ liant young Dr. Arrowsmith, he has to inoculate the cattle with his new serum that first brings him fame. For jabbing hypodermic needles into re¬ sentful bulls is not only a delicate operation but a dangerous one. Mr. Colman was coached for the job by a whole staff of veterinaries and brought it off successfully with little damage to either the cattle or him¬ self. Details Carefully Checked The details of the original story, carefully preserved in the screen ver¬ sion, were secured by Sinclair Lewis from Dr. Paul de Kruif, author of “Microbe Hunters” and “Hunger Fighters” and one of the best known contemporary writers on medical subjects. Each detail in production was carefully checked by eminent physicians in Los Angeles, to make sure that no doctor who saw “Arrow- smith” would have any opportunity to object to Mr. Colman’s perform¬ ance either as physician or as re¬ search worker. In the cast supporting Ronald Colman are such eminent stage fig¬ ures as Helen Hayes, Richard Ben¬ nett and A. E. Anson, along with Beulah Bondi and Myrna Loy. This United Artists picture was directed by John Ford, maker of “The Iron Horse” and adapted to the screen by Sidney Howard. Samuel Goldwyn’s “Arroivsmith” is One of Screen’s Outstanding Achievements Ronald Colman Portrays Leading Role; Splendid Performance Is Given by Helen Hayes in Powerful Story (Review) One of the classics of modem American literature has become one of the classics of the screen in “Ar¬ rowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s pro¬ duction of the famous novel by Sinclair Lewis, which came to the . Theatre last night. It has reality, tension, splendid act¬ ing, a gripping sweep of emotions, and a new type of role for Ronald Colman to make it one of the film events of the year. It is easy to see that Colman’s per¬ formance of the young hero, Dr. Martin Arrowsmith, has as much to do with the success of the picture as the brilliant story that made the book a best-seller. Without a single false step, never losing the personal appeal which has made him such an eminent figure on the screen, he builds Arrowsmith up into a com¬ plete character who will live a long time in the memory of picture fans. It should rank with his performances in “Beau Geste” and “Bulldog Drummond.” Helen Hayes Scores Again In addition, “Arrowsmith” gives the world of movie-goers another opportunity to see Helen Hayes, whose emotional powers made her first picture, “The Sin of Madelon Claudet,” such a triumph. Here this great American actress has another role exactly suited for her, that of the little nurse who marries Dr. Arrowsmith and stands by him in the face of disappointment and death. This picture confirms the hope that she would become one of the most appealing and brilliant heroines in pictures. The rest of the cast matches the principal characters in brilliance. Richard Bennett in particular, as the plague-fighting veteran, stands out; and Myrna Loy, A. E. Anson, Alec B. Francis, and Florence Brit¬ ton are not far behind. A Powerful Story The story sweeps from the Dakota wheat country to New York and then down to a tiny island in the West Indies where Arrowsmith and his wife go to fight the Black Death that is threatening the whole civil¬ ized world. Quiet heroism, devotion, comedy, mingle in it in faithful transcription of the book. It would be worth seeing for Colman’s per- performance alone. As it is, with its gripping, human story and perfect casting, it is making screen history. It is a United Artists picture. “Arrowsmith” Reveals Fearless Battle of Scientists to End Bubonic Plague Ronald Colman Appears in Role of Crusading Hero-Doctor in Samuel Goldwyn’s Adaptation of Sinclair Lewis’ Novel “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s picturization of Sinclair Lewis* novel, starring Ronald Colman, which comes to the . Theatre on ., records the thrilling, tragic story of what fearless scientists have done to stamp out the great plagues which have always been the worst enemies of mankind. In the role of its crusading doctor- hero, Ronald Colman goes down to a savage island in the West Indies to risk his life against bubonic plague, the historic Black Death, in hopes of proving that he has discov¬ ered its cure. The novel of “Arrowsmith,” acknowledged to be Sinclair Lewis’ masterpiece, is, of course, fiction. But neither the ravages of the Black Death nor the perils of the men who have sought to stamp out such scourges are fictitious. Plague No Longer a Threat Nowadays the civilized world pays little attention to bubonic plague be¬ cause it is no longer a threat. But until a few years ago it was not even known that it was rats which, travelling from one continent to an¬ other on ships, carried the terrible disease from its breeding places in the East to Europe and America. Time and time again, both in me¬ diaeval and modern times, the Black Death came out of the East and ex¬ terminated whole cities and coun¬ tries. In the fourteenth century it killed half the population of England. In the seventeenth century, as Samuel Pepys and Daniel Defoe have re¬ corded permanently in literature, it killed 70,000 people in London alone. New Orleans and San Francisco have both had frightful epidemics of it in recent times, and it is said to have killed six million people in India between 1896 and 1907. And it is only through the fearless in¬ vestigations of men like Mr. Lewis’ Dr. Arrowsmith that the plague has finally been removed as a constant menace to the civilized world. Scientists Faced Death When Congress recently awarded a medal to the last survivor of Dr. Walter Reed’s yellow fever experi¬ ments in Havana in 1898, the world was again reminded of how gallantly scientists have faced death for the general good. There, after the Span- ish-American war, several soldiers and army doctors deliberately used their own bodies as proving grounds for their theories that yel¬ low fever, which was decimating the American troops, was transmitted by the bite of a particular kind of mosquito. Some of them died as martyrs to science, just as Martin Arrowsmith’s wife dies of the plague she is exposed to when accompany¬ ing her husband. So that this “Arrowsmith,” which now serves Ronald Colman for one of his greatest roles, is a story of modern heroes, fighting with test- tubes and microscopes instead of with sword and shield, but crusaders all the same. It is a faithful record of a grim romance of modern life. “ARROWSMITH” BIGGEST OF SINCLAIR LEWIS’ STORY SENSATIONS Goldwyn Brings Best-Seller to Screen with Ronald Colman Playing Lead HELEN HAYES IS GREAT HELP TO BOTH STAGE AND SCREEN, GOLDWYN Producer Points Out Success on Stage a Great Help to Her Work in Pictures “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s picture starring Ronald Colman as the crusading young doctor, now at the . Theatre, is ac¬ knowledged to be the masterpiece of Sinclair Lewis who is the first Amer¬ ican novelist ever to be awarded a Nobel Prize. Even before he re¬ ceived that world-wide honor last year, he had been known for ten years as a leader of American litera¬ ture. His “Main Street” and “Babbitt” added new words to the American language and had a large part in developing the current interest in Europe in contemporary American literature. His books have been translated into almost every civilized language and have sold over a mil¬ lion copies all over the world. “Dods- worth” and “The Man Who Knew Coolidge” are other works, but “Arrowsmith,” his story of man¬ kind’s battle against disease and pre¬ judice, stands in the front rank of his achievements. Dr. de Kruif Aided Lewis The notion of writing a novel about a plague-fighting hero came to him from Dr. Paul de Kruif, the famous bacteriologist and eminent writer on medical subjects. All of the authentic material contained in the book and the picture was sup¬ plied by Dr. de Kruif, whose books “Microbe Hunters” and “Hunger Fighters” have been best sellers al¬ most as popular as Lewis’ own. “Arrowsmith” was one of the issues which led to the famous quarrel last year between Sinclair Lewis and Theodore Dreiser at the Metropolitan Club, Dreiser claim¬ ing that the project had been of¬ fered to him before it was to Lewis and that he had refused it. Adaptation By Howard Sidney Howard, the Pulitzer Prize playwright who has done the adapt¬ ing to the screen of all Ronald Col¬ man’s talking pictures, asserted, after finishing the adaptation of “Arrowsmith,” that Sinclair Lewis’ method of writing makes his books ideal from the technical point of view for the screen. Their vivid char¬ acterization, episodic treatment and rapid action, he said, left the adap¬ ter little to do but concentrate the action and cut out minor details. John Ford, director of the fa¬ mous “The Iron Horse,” had charge of the production of “Arrowsmith,” a United Artists picture, for Samuel Goldwyn. Besides Ronald Colman in the leading role, the cast contains Helen Hayes, Richard Bennett, A. E. Anson, Beulah Bondi and Myrna Loy. How an eminent stage-star like Helen Hayes can help both the stage and the picture industry by making a success in motion pic¬ tures is explained by Samuel Gold¬ wyn, producer of “Arrowsmith,” his film version of Sinclair Lewis’ novel, in which Miss Hayes plays opposite Ronald Colman at the . Theatre. Although the great screen-public had hardly even heard of her be¬ fore her triumph in “The Sin of Madelon Claudet” last year, Helen Hayes has long been known to the New York theatrical world as one of the most brilliant of the younger actresses. As the heroine of “Co¬ quette,” the play which Mary Pickford did on the screen, she be¬ came famous overnight four years ago. “Arrowsmith” is her second picture. The point is, says Mr. Goldwyn, that the presence of a name like Helen Hayes in the cast of a pic¬ ture will bring into the picture- theatres stage-fans who seldom go to movies and know little or noth¬ ing of the new developments in the cinema. That will be particularly true in large cities where Miss Hayes has played in theatrical pro¬ ductions and developed a follow¬ ing. Now on Stage On the other hand, film-patrons who share the present enthusiasm over Miss Hayes as a picture-ac¬ tress will be drawn to see her on the stage in New York and Chicago and Boston and the other large cities when she is in a stage pro¬ duction. That is particularly im¬ portant for all concerned, since her screen activities are not pre¬ venting Miss Hayes from going on with her stage career. She is now playing in “The Good Fairy,” the play by Ferenc Molnar which is one of the comedy sensations of the present theatrical season in New York. Ronald Colmon v aHelen Haues in Samuel QolduuL/ris !/%rCW5mitn 8—One Column Scene (Mat, 5c; Cut 30c)