Kiki (United Artists) (1931)

“KIKI” IS A JOY FOR THE LIVE SHOWMAN Mary Pickford’s Genius Triumphs —Fiery "Kiki” Role a Revelation Amazing Transformation as Roguish Madcap Is Star’s Most Brilliant Achievement Her advisors said, "No” ; her intimates maintained a discreet silence, and many loyal admirers held private doubts, when Mary Pickford, uncrowned queen of the screen, and world famous picture star, announced that she was going to appear in the title role of "Kiki.’’ Of course, like the king who can do no wrong, the queen had her way. "But she’s too sweet and lovely to play a part like that,” objected the mys¬ terious "they,” whose identity is so seldom traceable. Unwisely, "they” had forgotten what they readily admit, that Mary Pickford is a genius. "Kiki” proves it. Many Milestones on Fame’s Highway Marked Mary Pickford’s Career Child Stardom—One Night Stands—Belasco Plays— Many Film Ventures—Led to World’s Highest Screen Honors Once upon a time Mary Pickford, the most beloved personality of the world's screen, slept in grimy chair cars, propped up on dusty cushions; rested in tawdry dressing rooms of one-night stand theatres, and spent uncomfortable nights in cheap boarding houses. Starting with undoubted talent, unflinching determination, and a won¬ derful mother, she barnstormed her way to phenomenal success and a place in the hearts of all peoples. For those who do not know, it must be told that in the international stage success of that name, Kiki is a roguish, mischievous, madcap. Though the locale of the play has been changed from Paris to New York, the character of Kiki has been changed not at all. She is still a gamin; a street arab; a pert and pretty young person of small learning, but shrewd wit, who loves Victor Randall, owner of the "Broadway Revue” in which Kiki is a chorus girl. Ambitious to become a grand lady and a great actress; anxious too, to keep "the other woman” away from her be¬ loved Victor, Kiki is not too nice in her methods. Recall please, Mary Pickford in her little girl roles, as sweet, cute, demure; a wee angel in curly locks of golden hue —an ideal "America’s Sweetheart,” and deserving the title. Prepare now for the revelation. A Mary Pickford arising to new heights as an actress; the flame of her genius burst¬ ing forth from unsuspected fiery depths, long hidden behind a wistful face framed by the tresses of innocence. There is the true fire in Mary Pickford’s Kiki. She flys into tantrums; to protect her man, or rather to win him for herself, she is sly, tricky, cunning, constantly displaying an impish ingenuity. With bizarre ideas as to what consti¬ tutes correct clothes and good manners, Mary’s Kiki wears weird costumes of her own designing, and does outlandish things in a supremely self-confident way. As Kiki, Mary Pickford has risen above the tradition she has made for her¬ self. Into the role of the lovable hoyden she has thrown the wealth of her talent, the fire of her indomitable spirit, the splendid creative energy that has brought her through her own efforts to the very pinnacle of wealth and fame. Her Kiki is Mary Pickford’s expression of her determination to show the world that she is a thorough actress, possessing that divine spark which enables her to play roles other than those which her physi¬ cal type may suggest. With Pickford thoroughness, the "Kiki” production is fine and genuine. New York is presented in an impression¬ istic manner, the numerous special sets are from designs by Miss Pickford, Di¬ rector Taylor, and the supervising art director, William Cameron Menzies. A pony ballet, led by Miss Pickford, all in men’s smart evening clothes, requires a complete stage set. To film the entire sec¬ tion at one time Mr. Menzies invented a special camera, employing what is called "the rotary shot.” Moving in three direc¬ tions, two of them simultaneously, the device makes possible a new angle in filming big scenes. Much care was taken in selecting a leading man for the role of the theatre owner. From a score of applicants, Regi¬ nald Denny was chosen, his engaging manner, and deft handling of comedy making him ideal for the part. The same actress who caused Gloria Swanson so much difficulty in "What A Widow!” Margaret Livingston, now harasses Miss Pickford as "the other woman.” Joseph Cawthorn, veteran comedy star, has an important character role. Phil Tead, comedian of the stage and screen, is Denny’s valet, while Fred Walton, the world-roving actor, has the unique assign¬ ment of throwing Mrs. Douglas Fair¬ banks hither and yon, while he is thwart¬ ing her efforts to see the man she loves— in the story. In Kiki’s wardrobe is a negligee which Howard Greer, fashion designer, was in¬ structed to make weird enough to induce a nightmare, which of course, he did. Other members of the cast include Fred Warren and Edwin Maxwell, while hundreds of extras appear in the theatre sequences. But it is Mary Pickford’s genius and unique personality that animates the whole—a magnificent demonstration of that continuous urge, which made her, as it does all other great spirits, keep on planning and building anew, where lesser mortals would continue to cease their labors to enjoy the laurels already won. "Kiki,” Mary Pickford’s latest United Artists picture which comes to the. .Theatre at an early date, includes a sequence that caused the fa¬ mous screen star much amusement. In the action, Kiki, who has been fired from the "Broadway Revue,” to save her job, tells the manager that she has influential friends who want to back her in the show business, but she wants to make her own way. She thinks she is very eloquent. She loves her job and—her manager. But the manager says she will have to go. "Now, Miss Pickford,” said Director Taylor, "you’ve got to make the audience think you’re putting it over. On the other hand you mustn’t be convincing enough to hold the job. How about it?” The star’s eyes twinkled. "Any actor that has been on the road as long as I was, has had plenty of experience in failing to convince managers. And they always sounded convincing to themselves. I think I will just convince the audience.” The gallant director was equal to the occasion. "You always convince the audi¬ ence, Miss Pickford,” he said. PICKFORD’S LATEST "Kiki” Marks Extreme Departure from Former Roles Mary Pickford, who abandoned the golden curls and did not attempt childish accents when the talking pictures came along, has just completed "Kiki,” based on the Belasco play in which Lenore Ulric acted on the stage and in which Norma Talmadge appeared for the silent films. Tap-dancing, slicking, her hair in mannish fashion off her ears, flipping the phrases of a chorus girl, Miss Pickford has chosen a characterization as remote from her "Tess of the Storm Country” and "Annie Rooney” as Little America is from Times Square. It is in a New York that has been impressionistically recreated within the United Artists Studio in Hollywood by William Cameron Menzies that Miss Pickford performs as Kiki, chorus girl in Victor Randall’s "Broadway Revue,” not the Paris of the original story. As the owner of the show Reginald Denny ap¬ pears, and it is the same actress who caused Gloria Swanson so much difficulty in "What A Widow!” who harasses Miss Pickford this time: Margaret Livingston, playing the temperamental actress who had once been Randall’s wife. Others in the cast are Joseph Cawthorn, Phil Tead, Fred Walton and Fred Warren. It is Walton’s assignment, during one se¬ quence, to hurl Mrs. Douglas Fairbanks hither and yon the while he is thwarting her efforts to see the man she loves in the story. The gyrations of the star in a role that marks the most extreme departure from anything hitherto attempted by her have been photographed through a new invention of William Cameron Menzies, the usual winner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences award for set designs. It is called "the rotary shot.” Moving in three directions, two of them simultaneously, the device makes possible a new angle in filming big scenes. It gives a camera range of the entire stage in any direction, and from floor to ceiling, and requires a crew of six men to operate it. The opening scenes of "Kiki” were filmed by it from this angle. Sam Taylor, who directed Miss Pick¬ ford in "Coquette” and in "The Taming of the Shrew,” not only directed her in "Kiki,” but also adapted the play to the screen. Having known hardships and struggles from early in childhood, Mary Pick¬ ford’s formula for screen entertainment has been based on — optimism. The freshness and buoyancy of her spirit for comedy has been apparent in every pic¬ ture. "Kiki,” her newest vehicle, is hil¬ arious from beginning to end. She chose Reginald Denny for her leading man be¬ cause of his vein of light-hearted humor; and Sam Taylor as producer-director be¬ cause of his expertness in screen comedy. Mary Pickford, born Gladys Smith, made her stage debut at five, in her native city of Toronto, Canada, in "The Silver King,” in which she played two roles, a little boy and a little girl. Winsome, with curly gold hair, the theatre-folk of Toronto took her into their affections. Hollywood’s one hundred most serious faces were seen recently at the United Artists studios in Hollywood. The reason: They were making a comedy. It’s Sam Taylor’s paradoxical method. He gets his whole company that way. Taylor is producer-director of Mary Pick¬ ford’s new picture, "Kiki,” a sizzling combination of laughter and heart inter¬ est, now showing at the. Theatre. Miss Pickford seriously studied a dance that turned out to be uproariously funny. Reginald Denny, light-hearted leading man, looked like he had the weight of a world on his shoulders. Margaret Liv¬ ingston, comedienne, hadn’t a smile to her name, and didn’t have until the pic¬ ture was finished. Joseph Cawthorn, who has wrung laughter from thousands on The departure of the Smith family from Toronto came as the result of an offer from Hal Reid, father of the later famous "Wally.” He had written a play called “In Convict's Stripes,” in which Gladys assumed a role. To obtain her the company had to engage the whole family, her mother, sister Lottie, and brother Jack. Thus began several years of barnstorming, during which Gladys was starred in "The Fatal Wedding.” Once when her mother was alone on the road, Gladys was left in New York with friends. She couldn’t be idle even for a few weeks. 'She went to Hal Reid who got her a part in a Bowery Theatre where she played in lurid melodramas. She lived with a member of the company, Mrs. Jean Hopkins, who encouraged her and helped her with her schooling. Determined to become a great actress, Gladys Smith managed to see David Belasco and asked him for a chance. He said that he would keep her in mind, and suggested that she take Mary Pickford for her professional name. Mary was her saint’s name, and Pickford was a family name. He little thought that he was christening a future great star. Months later he sent for her and gave her the role of Betty Warren in "The Warrens of Virginia.” One day she went to the old Biograph studios out of curiosity. D. W. Griffith engaged her for her first film appearance, a 500-foot affair called "Her First Bis¬ cuits.” She remained with Biograph eighteen months, going from $40 a week to $5,000 a year, a high salary at that time. Later, Belasco presented her in "A Good Little Devil.” In 1913 she made a film of the play for Famous Players and never again returned to the stage. The list of pictures in which she has appeared, and which built up an inter¬ national following, runs into scores. Her rise on the screen was phenomenal. America was looking for a screen sweet¬ heart. The title of "America’s Sweet¬ heart” was coined by Sydney Grauman, dean of Pacific Coast showmen. Miss Pickford was vice-president of the Mary Pickford-Famous Players Com¬ pany in 1915, with an amazing salary. In 1916, the Mary Pickford Company was organized; in 1918, she became an independent producer, and in 1919, she became one of the original organizers of the United Artists Corporation. In March, 1920, Miss Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks were married and established the home called "Pickfair,” the palace of dreams that ckme true to the girl who began her career barnstorm¬ ing the country in one-night stands. Her current picture "Kiki” marks her farthest advance as an actress of real genius and genuine fire. Given a lavish production, a brilliant cast with Reginald Denny as leading man, and produced under the direction of Sam Taylor, the latest mile¬ stone in her eminent career seems des¬ tined to add to the already glorious fame unanimously accorded to Mary Pickford wherever motion pictures are known and shown. the stage and screen, went gravely about the business of being funny. Phil Tead, who was a comedy star, put aside his sense of humor temporarily because it was necessary. Fred Walton, who played the comedy bits in "Taming of the Shrew,” had a limp in his features. So did Edwin Maxwell. Taylor always had his players in a serious mood when he used to write and direct Harold Lloyd’s comedy hits. When Taylor directs a drama, contrarily, he is a joking individual. He insists that John Barrymore is a great dramatic actor be¬ cause he never takes himself seriously, and Lloyd is a comedian because he does. And now that Miss Pickford is serious Taylor predicts she will make the most blithesome picture of hef career. Out of all the serious endeavor has come an avalanche of laughs. Page Five HTlnrq Qich/orcl FLeueals Her IQany_ Personalities in “JKLikP 9 —Three Col. Pickford Feature (Mat .20c; Cut .75c) Being Funny a Serious Matter, Says Mary