Arrowsmith (United Artists) (1931)

More Feature and Biography Material for Newspapers HOWARD DID NOTABLE JOB IN SCREEN ADAPTA¬ TION ON “ARROWSMITH” Sinclair Lewis Acknowledged Splendid Treatment in Film at New York Premiere Sidney Howard, the American playwright who has been adapting picture-plays for Samuel Goldwyn ever since talking pictures first be¬ gan, has achieved what is probably the high point of his career in Hol¬ lywood in “Arrowsmith,” which comes to the.Theatre on. Even Sinclair Lewis, author of the famous novel from which the pic¬ ture was taken, acknowledged af¬ ter seeing its New York premiere that Howard’s work had accom¬ plished everything he had tried to do in the novel. Reproducing every scene and bit of dialogue in the 200,000 words of the original book would have taken half a dozen moving pictures of ordinary length. Mr. Howard had to work from a simplified outline of the plot of the novel, adapting individual scenes to cover the sweep of the whole. But the testi¬ mony of the author himself is evi¬ dence that this compression did not distort the purpose of the book. Wrote Many Plays But then Sidney Howard is a notable figure in himself, being known all over the world as one of the most eminent of the younger American dramatists. With plays like “The Silver Cord” and “They Knew What They Wanted,” “Ned McCobb’s Daughter” and “Lucky Sam McCarver,” he has made his name known wherever connois¬ seurs of the drama exist. With “They Knew What They Wanted,” as produced by the New York Theatre Guild, he won a Pulitzer Prize for drama some years ago. He has been associated with Samuel Goldwyn, producer of “Arrowsmith,” for four years, adapting for him such successes as “Bulldog Drummond,” “Con¬ demned,” and “The Devil to Pay.” Ronald Colman heads the cast of “Arrowsmith,” supported by such eminent names as Helen Hayes, A. E. Anson, Richard Bennett, Myrna Loy and Alec B. Francis. Author of “Arrowsmith” Was Awarded Nobel Prize In filming “Arrowsmith,” which comes to the .. Theatre on , Samuel Goldwyn had the honor of producing a film version of a novel by Sinclair Lewis, the only American novelist ever to be award¬ ed a Nobel Prize for literature. In book form it ran into thirty editions, was translated into twelve languages, and sold over half a million copies. Its action, shifting from the Dakota wheatlands to a plague-infested is¬ land in the West Indies, provides a stirring background for its story of man’s fight against the malig¬ nant forces of nature. Ronald Colman plays the starring title-role, and is supported by such individual luminaries as Helen Hayes and Richard Bennett. In ad¬ dition, the cast includes names like A. E. Anson, Myrna Loy, Alec B. Francis, Florence Britton and Beu¬ lah Bondi who was last seen in Samuel Goldwyn’s screen version of “Street Scene.” “Arrowsmith” is a United Artists picture. John Ford, who created a sen¬ sation with the production of “The Iron Horse” and other Fox pro¬ ductions, directed “Arrowsmith.” Conoid ColmarwHelen Haues in Samuel qoldu/yns Arrowsmith" 7 —One Column Scene (Mat, 5c; Cut, 30c) Ronald Colman Got Screen Start With Lillian Gish in “The White Sister” His First Appearance Attracted Attention of Goldwyn and Resulted in a Contract; Now Stars in “Arrowsmith” When “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s film version of the world famous novel by Sinclair Lewis, comes to the screen of the . Theatre on , Ronald Colman will be making his first picture appearance as an career in Hollywood he has never before played the role of a native of his adopted country. He has played Englishmen, Ital¬ ians, Dutchmen, Spaniards, French¬ men, however, and fought during the world war in a Scottish regi¬ ment, so that he can be said to be a sort of melting-pot in his own right. An Englishman born, he was just another young man making a living in London until the war came and sent him to France for two years. Invalided home with a game leg, he turned some amateur acting experi¬ ence to account by becoming an actor on the London stage, rising to some eminence as a leading man. In 1919 hard times in the English theatre sent him to try his luck in New York, where, after some road trips, and a good deal of enforced idleness, he was engaged to play opposite Lillian Gish in a company that was going to Italy to film “The White Sister.” Is Signed by Goldwyn His work in “The White Sister” and “Romola” which succeeded it on the same trip called attention to him in the picture world and, while he was still in Italy, Samuel Gold¬ wyn signed him by cable and brought him to Hollywood. He has been the standby of Goldwyn pro¬ ductions ever since. “Stella Dallas” brought him still i. Throughout a long and brilliant more approval, but it was not until Mr. Goldwyn teamed him with his new discovery, Vilma Banky, in “The Dark Angel,” that his success began to take on genuine propor¬ tions. The Banky-Colman team be¬ came a picture sensation in “The Magic Flame,” “Night of Love” and “Two Lovers.” Then he was starred alone in a picture version of Joseph Conrad’s “The Rescue” and was ready for the brilliant triumph which has made him an even more im¬ portant figure in talkies than he was in silent pictures. Signed New Contract His work in “Bulldog Drum¬ mond” came as a sensation showing just what could be done with the new dialogue pictures. Ever since, “Condemned,” “Raffles,” “The Devil to Pay” and “The Unholy Garden” he has been consolidating his posi¬ tion as one of the most eminent and popular actors in the talkies. With the start of production on “Arrow- smith,” a United Artists picture, he signed a new contract with Samuel Goldwyn, continuing the association that has lasted without a break since “The White Sister” was released. Tennis is his hobby, at which he plays a brilliant game. He is noted in Hollywood for leading a quiet life, largely in association with William Powell and Ernest Tor¬ rence who have been his best friends since the early days. Members of “Street Scene” Cast Now in “Arrowsmith” Those who delighted in the per¬ formance of Beulah Bondi as Em¬ ma Jones, the gossippy neighbor, in “Street Scene,” will have another opportunity to see one of her char¬ acterizations in “Arrowsmith,” Sam¬ uel Goldwyn’s picturization of the novel by Sinclair Lewis, which comes to the Theatre, on . She is a prominent member of the cast supporting Ron¬ ald Colman in this picture, which also includes such stage luminaries as Helen Hayes, Richard Bennett, and A. E. Anson. Three other members of the cast of “Street Scene” were kept in Hol¬ lywood by Samuel Goldwyn to play in "Arrowsmith,” the United Artists picture. All of them were members of the original New York cast of the Elmer Rice play. Colman Plays an American Hero in His Latest Film Admirers of Ronald Colman will have their first opportunity to see him playing the role of an Amer¬ ican hero in “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s picturization of the novel by Sinclair Lewis, which comes to the Theatre on.. In his long and successful picture career, he has played Frenchmen, Dutchmen, Englishmen, Italians and Spaniards, but never Ameri¬ cans until he took up his “Arrow- smith” role of the gallant young doctor fighting against ignorance and disease. Supporting him are such famous stage names as Helen Hayes, Rich¬ ard Bennett and A. E. Anson. John Ford directed the picture, which was adapted to the screen by Sidney Howard. NEWSPAPER SHORTS A New York blizzard with the thermometer at ninety-six in the shade was one of the ordeals facing the cast of “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s picturization of the novel by Sinclair Lewis, which comes to the. Theatre on.. It forced Ronald Colman, Helen Hayes, Richard Bennett and the other members of the cast to swathe themselves in fur coats, ulsters and heavy mufflers on one of the hot¬ test days of last summer in Los Angeles. To give a proper effect of winter, the Goldwyn technicians had to glue salt on approximately two thousand ledges and surfaces of the miniature New York skyscrapers used in the scene. The heat was so intense that the wax flakes which are generally used to counterfeit snow in pictures melted into lumps. Matters were finally arranged by purchasing large quantities of ordinary breakfast-food corn-flakes which photograph white and stayed in shape, no matter what the thermometer said. * * * * Helen Hayes, the brilliant stage actress whose appearance opposite Ronald Colman in “Arrowsmith,” now at the . Theatre, is one of the current picture sensa¬ tions, following her success in “The Sin of Madelon Claudet” and is'a new name in pictures. But long ago, when she was a child prodigy on the New York stage, she had her first taste of movie-making and nobody knew about it. In those days, it was beneath the dignity of stage-players to be seen in movies, and Miss Hayes’ mother, when she took her to the movie studios across the Hudson from New York to make a little spare change in the afternoons, kept their disgrace as dark as midnight. Nowadays all that has changed, and the greatest names of the stage flock to Hollywood gladly. For instance, besides Miss Hayes, the cast of “Arrowsmith”, a United Artists picture, includes Richard Bennett and A. E. Anson, both among the most eminent actors of the day, now breaking into pic¬ tures and liking it. Henry Ford made a tin horse and became famous. John Ford, director of “Arrowsmith," Samuel Goldwyn’s picturization of the novel by Sin¬ clair Lewis, which comes to the .Theatre on.. made an “Iron Horse” and also be¬ came famous. His picture of that name made history as one of the greatest epics ever produced in films and he has been in demand as a director ever since. Now, in “Arrowsmith,” a United Artists picture, he has another epic, not concerned with locomotives this time, but with mankind’s struggle against ignorance and disease, as ex¬ emplified in the career of Dr. Martin Arrowsmith, acknowledged to be one of Sinclair Lewis’ masterpieces. Ronald Colman plays the crusading young doctor, supported by Helen Hayes, Richard Bennett and A. E. Anson. * * * Sinclair Lewis, the only American novelist ever to be awarded a Nobel Prize, spent three years writing “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s picture version of which comes to the .Theatre on ., starring Ronald Colman. Critics acknowledge that in many ways it is Lewis’ masterpiece. The detail in which both novel and picture describe the inside story of scientific medicine was given Lewis by Dr. . Paul de Kruif, the eminent bacteriologist and writer on medical subjects whose “Microbe Hunters” and “Hunger Fighters” have been best sellers. Ronald Colman, star in /f Samuel golctiJuyris'AFC OWSmith 4—One Column Colman Drawing (Mat, 5c; Cut, 30c) Well Known Stage Stars Have Parts in ‘Arrowsmith’ “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s picture version of the master-novel by Sinclair Lewis, which comes to .Theatre on.., sets a new record for film casts. Be¬ sides Ronald Colman as the star, Helen Hayes and Richard Bennett who head the supporting cast, are stage stars in their own right. Miss Hayes recently made her film debut in “The Sin of Madelon Claudet” and has been one of the most eminent actresses on Broadway since her tri¬ umph in “Coquette” four years ago. Bennett has been a leader on the American stage for twenty years, with star roles in plays like “They Knew What They Wanted,” “He Who Gets Slapped” and “Damaged Goods” to his credit. Other notables who help to make the cast of “Arrowsmith,” the United Artists picture, historic are A. E. Anson, Myrna Loy, Alec B. Francis, Florence Britton and Beulah Bondi. HERO OF “ARROWSMITH” CHANGES PISTOL FOR HYPODERMIC NEEDLE Ronald Colman Discards Crook Role for Medicine Man in New Goldwyn Production Ronald Colman is going straight. After having been various kinds of crooks in three out of his last four pictures, the police-ridden hero of “Condemned” and “Raffles” and “The Unholy Gar¬ den” has forgotten all about Scot¬ land Yard and become a crusading doctor in “Arrowsmith,” the Sam¬ uel Goldwyn production of Sinclair Lewis’ novel which comes to the .Theatre on. Instead of a pistol, he now carries a hypodermic needle. Instead of stealing jewels, he is stealing sci¬ entific secrets from nature. There is, however, no lack of action in this masterpiece from the pen of the only American novelist ever to win a Nobel prize. Its cli¬ max, the hero’s battle against the Black Death on a savage island in the West Indies, is just one of many scenes giving the star of “Bulldog Drummond” new oppor¬ tunities. Helen Hayes in Cast Assisting Ronald Colman to stay on the path of honesty is a support¬ ing cast of famous artists, includ¬ ing Helen Hayes, the stage star recently introduced to the picture world in “The Sin of Madelon Claudet,” Richard Bennett, one of the best known contemporary stage actors, Myrna Loy, A. E. Anson and Beulah Bondi. The di¬ rector is John Ford, whose “The Iron Horse” has been a landmark of picture achievement ever since its production. “Arrowsmith” is the first dia¬ logue picturization of a novel by Sinclair Lewis, winner last year of the first Nobel Prize for literature ever awarded to an American nov¬ elist. Even while acknowledging the merits of “Main Street” “Bab¬ bitt” “Dodsworth” and his other novels, critics acclaimed “Arrow- smith” as its author’s masterpiece. Its account of the career of a bril¬ liant young doctor whose passion for science brings him world-wide fame and disillusion is a permanent contribution to American litera¬ ture. . “Arrowsmith,” the United Ar¬ tists picture, was adapted to the screen by Sidney Howard, the Pul¬ itzer Prize playwright who has al¬ ready adapted for Samuel Goldwyn and Ronald Colman such successes as “Bulldog Drummond,” Raf¬ fles” and “Condemned.” Covered Wagon of ’49 Is Used in Scenes for “Arrowsmith” There were plenty of covered wagons round Hollywood some years ago, but nowadays Samuel Goldwyn’s production staff had dif¬ ficulty in finding an authentic speci¬ men when they needed it for. the opening sequence of “Arrowsmith , the picturization of Sinclair Lewis' novel, which comes to the Theatre on.. Eventually they had to borrow a real covered wagon which had actually crossed the plains in ’49 and now stands on permanent exhibition in front of the Santa Barbara Mission in Santa Barbara, California. There was some doubt at first that the old veteran would be able to run long enough to get the film taken, but axle-grease and new tires re¬ juvenated it to such an extent that it would probably be able to cross back again to the East tomorrow. Ronald Colman plays the role of the crusading young doctor in this United Artists picture version of “Arrowsmith,” supported by Helen Hayes, Richard Bennett and A. E. Anson. Some Souvenir Ten small boys with loose teeth were impromptu members of the cast of “Arrowsmith,” Samuel Goldwyn’s picturization of the novel by Sinclair Lewis, which comes to the Theatre on.. The story called for a sequence where Ronald Colman, in the title role of the crusading young doctor, pulls a boy’s tooth with.a piece of string, and teeth of just the right degree of looseness were essential. There were delays after a sufficient number had been rounded up, and, by the time the scene was ready to be shot, most of the loose teeth had already come out in the natural course of events. There were enough remaining, however, for the star to practice on, and finally one lucky urchin for the actual tak¬ ing of the scene was selected. He is carefully keeping the tooth as a souvenir.