Rain (United Artists) (1932)

SPOT NEWS FOR YOUR NEWSPAPER CAMPAIGN Has Photographed Picture Stars Since 1910 Oliver Marsh, “Rain” Cameraman. Celebrates 22nd Anniversary in Films Oliver Marsh, youthful-looking veteran motion picture cameraman, has just celebrated the completion of twenty-two years spent in photo¬ graphing the stars. Heading the camera battery on “Rain,” United Artists picture star¬ ring Joan Crawford under the direc¬ tion of Lewis Milestone, which comes to the . theatre on., Marsh paused long enough to receive congratulations on a career that has embraced prac¬ tically the entire history of the film industry, and then resumed work on his estimated 350th feature. Widely Traveled Marsh has lost track of the num¬ ber of pictures he has photographed since he started with the now long- extinct Reliance-Majestic company. His work has brought him in con¬ tact with practically every star, di¬ rector and producer of importance in the history of motion pictures to date. As a youth, Marsh debated be¬ tween joining the navy and seeing the world, or going to work in a California hamlet called Hollywood, then unknown to the world at large. Since then his duties as a camera¬ man have taken him to every coun¬ try in the world except Java and Siam. He has been to Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Australia, the British Isles and other principal islands, traveled on the seven seas and crossed the North American continent scores of times. If he ever takes a long vacation, he says he will visit Java and Siam and then feel that he really has “seen the world.” Mae Marsh’s Brother Mae Marsh, one of the earliest of the world-famous film stars, who played the immortal character, “Lit¬ tle Sister,” in D. W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation,” and who re¬ cently returned to the screen after several years’ absence, is his sister. If Marsh haS a hobby, it is mak¬ ing home motion pictures of his wife and three children. Fishing a Duty in Picturing of “Rain” Natives Had to Keep Isolated Company Provided with Food Fishing wasn’t a pastime with members of the film company which made the United Artists picture, “Rain,” starring Joan Crawford, at Catalina Island Isthmus. It was a vital part of the daily production schedule in bringing the romantic tropical drama based on W. Somer¬ set Maugham’s story to the talking screen. Scores of native extras who play atmospheric roles in the Lewis Milestone production were required to bring in a big daily catch for use in creating authentic backgrounds for the story of the American girl, the reformer, the Marines and other characters laid in the South Sea island of Pago Pago. The natives, to whom finding the places where the fish are biting is second nature, took their canoes out in the bay each morning before the company started work, and returned an hour or so later with plenty of “atmosphere.” Between scenes, the fish were kept fresh in iced containers, and served at the “Rain” company com¬ missary for lunch and dinner. The natives frequently prepared the fish “a la Pago Pago,” wrapping them in leaves and cooking them with hot stones on the beach, and carried them as a special treat to the tables of Miss Crawford, Direc¬ tor Lewis Milestone, Walter Huston, William Gargan, Guy Kibbee, Wal¬ ter Catlett, and other members of the company. One morning when Huston and Catlett had a late call on the set they loaded tackle into a launch and followed the natives to the fishing grounds, but returned at noon to report that the fish must have been suffering from dyspepsia. A Home Town Boy A son of the South Sea trader who is said to have been the orig¬ inal of the character, Joe Horn in W. Somerset Maugham’s story, plays a small role in Joan Craw¬ ford’s United Artists starring pic¬ ture, “Rain.” His name is Maxwell Reid, and he was born and reared in Pago Pago, locale of the roman¬ tic tropical drama. doan Crawford and Walter Huston, in "Rain" 2—2 Col. Scene (Mats 10c; Cuts 50c) Milestone Has Won More Laurels Than Any Other Film Director Producer of “Rain” Has Stuck to Aides Who Started With Him on First Picture Courteous to everybody at all times —appreciative of the other person’s viewpoint—loyal to the men and wo¬ men who work for and with him— possessing a rare sense of humor even in the most trying situations— detesting sham in people and things —insisting on working harder and putting in longer hours than anybody else. That is part of the human side of Lewis Milestone, motion picture direc¬ tor, who has won more honors than any other member of his profession, and whose latest production, “Rain,” comes to the . theatre on ., with Joan Crawford in the starring role. Has Same Staff Milestone’s hat-size has not changed since he started on the lower rungs of the film ladder and climbed to rank¬ ing “ace” director of the industry. The people who “knew him when” as “Millie,” still call him “Millie,” and the director would resent it if these old friends and associates attempted to “mister” him. Many members of Milestone’s staff have been with him for years. Nate Watt, his chief assistant, has been with him for ten years. Other veterans on Milestone’s staff include John Orlando, Arnold Belgrade, Mike Jeffries, V. L. McFadden and Russ Woodin. Mile¬ stone wouldn’t think of making a pic¬ ture without them. Milestone’s modesty is proverbial in Hollywood. He lets his productions speak for themselves. When “All Quiet on the Western Front” was hav¬ ing its world premiere, and the audi¬ ence was yelling for the great director, Milestone was riding to the railway station, with one of his old friends, to start his first real vacation in years. Milestone was the unanimous choice of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the outstanding direc¬ tor of filmdom after he made “All Quiet.” Is Ace Director He is the only director ever honored by the Academy without a dissenting vote. In previous years he won hon¬ ors from the Academy for his direc¬ tion of “Two Arabian Knights” and “The Racket.” For the past four years Milestone has been voted one of the ten best directors in a nationwide poll of mo¬ tion picture critics. For the past two years the critics have placed him at the head of the list. He can direct for the masses and the classes, put it into one picture, and please everybody. Bill Gargan Was Too Handsome for Joan Craivford’s Leading Man Director Milestone Had to Place Scar on His Face and Otherwise Toughen Him up for “Rain” William Gargan, Joan Crawford’s new leading man, was considered too handsome for his first Holly¬ wood picture assignment, so the United Artists studio manufactured a scar on his face and used the clip¬ pers on his well-groomed auburn hair to put him in character for his role as the Marine sergeant in “Rain,” which comes to the . theatre on ... Gargan, an Irish boy from Brook¬ lyn, N. Y., who became a Broadway sensation last season after a versa¬ tile career as broker’s assistant, de¬ tective, bookmaker and salesman, was bought from “The Animal Kingdom.” reigning Broadway stage hit, for his part opposite Miss Craw¬ ford. He is a strapping six-footer. Had to Buy Release Bill, as his cronies know him, had to buy his way out of “The Animal Kingdom,” in which he was paired with Leslie Howard. He had been given a test by Lewis Milestone, who had just become affiliated with Joseph M. Schenck, but when the United Artists unit was ready to start shooting the producers of “The Animal Kingdom” were loath to let him go, their reason being that he was nearly the whole show. But Bill was so anxious to get to Hollywood that he dug up a sum of money and bought his release. When he arrived at Catalina Isl¬ and, California, where the picture was photographed in its entirety, he encountered actors and actresses who had been working in the Cali¬ fornia sun for years and had, there¬ fore, deep-dyed tans. Bill’s face was white, for his Broadway engage¬ ments had prevented him even from spending week-ends at the shore. Synthetic Tan Ffowever, a little thing like the absence of a Tan would never feaze Producer Milestone. There wasn’t sufficient time to let Bill lay out in the sun until he became two or three shades deeper, and Milestone didn’t care to use make-up for it, so he sent a hurry-call to Flolly- wood for a sun-tan machine, and every minute Bill had to himself for the next two days was spent under that machine. For two nights he even slept under it, with an at¬ tendant on duty to regulate it. The result was that when actual picturization started, Gargan looked as if he had spent several months under the tropical sun. Working with Miss Crawford and Mr. Gargan in “Rain” were Walter Huston. Guy Kibbee. Matt Moore. Beulab Bondi, Ben Hendricks, Wal¬ ter Catlett, Kendall Lee, Frederic Howard and others. Made 350 Films Oliver Marsh, who photographed his 350th film, “Rain,” United Art¬ ists picture starring Joan Crawford has been a cameraman for twenty- two years and has worked with practically every important star, di¬ rector and producer during the en¬ tire history of the screen to date. Marsh’s duties have taken him to every country in the world except Java and Siam. Joan Crawford's Private Life as Zestful as That on Screen Star of "Rain" Vital, Moody Example of Joan Crawford, who will be seen in “Rain” at the ... theatre on .. is herself far more interesting, more vital, than any role she has created upon the screen. Restless, moody, high-strung, she makes full use of every hour as if she felt that life is all too short. She is a brilliant ex¬ ample of the modern girl, whose courage and ambition thrust all else aside. Anyone looking into those wide, gray-blue eyes must know she was born to be an emotional actress. It has taken time, of course—for the young woman started life as a dancer—but she is finally reaching her niche, and in her recent pictures she has displayed a marked increase of dramatic power, a finish and a polish in her acting that place her among the most important film stars of the day. Reaches Her Zenith In “Possessed,” in “Grand Hotel” and in “Letty Lynton” this dramatic power has been manifest, and now in the famed role of “Sadie Thomp¬ son” she reaches a zenith enjoyed by few Hollywood actresses. And in this role she completely reverses anything else she has contributed to the screen. Ever since she became a star, some three years ago, Joan Craw¬ ford has been the perfectly-groomed sophisticate. She has been copied by girls throughout the world. But here she is now in a role which makes her nearly the exact opposite, the role which served the late Jeanne Eagels so well upon the stage. Joan had wanted to play this part ever since she heard rumors that Lewis Milestone and Joseph M. Schenck had decided to do it. She had spirited competition for it, as Talullah Bankhead and several other stars had been tested for it, but she won out, even though she had to prevail upon Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to loan her to another company for the first time. Company “Went Native” The picture was made in its en¬ tirety by United Artists over on Catalina Island, and the company was permitted to “go native” for the two months it required. Sub¬ merged in her part, Joan became Sadie Thompson, with frowsy curls, cheap clothes and flashy jewelry. So earnestly did she concentrate upon this character that she permitted herself to gain a few extra pounds. “You see,” she explained, “Sadie is that kind of a girl. She has curves and lure. She lets her hips move more freely when she walks, chews gum, and neither knows nor cares for the so-called social graces. But—she is very real.” Films Mean More to Her Than Society Kendall Lee Glaenzer Forsakes Drawing Room for Studios A Flollywood film career means more to Kendall Lee Glaenzer than a leading role in the highest social circles of New York, London and Paris. Miss Glaenzer, who is making a bid for screen recognition in the United Artists picture, “Rain,” which conies to the.theatre on ., said today that she hopes to continue indefinitely in pictures. A member of an old southern family, the New York and continental society beauty is the wife of Jules Glaenzer, vice presi¬ dent of Cartiers, internationally fa¬ mous jewelers. They maintain homes in New York, London and Paris. When Miss Glaenzer met Lewis Milestone in New York a couple of months ago, the director laughingly remarked that she was the type of personality he had in mind for the part of Mrs. MacPhail, the doctor’s wife, in “Rain.” The society woman surprised him by suggesting a film and voice test, and when it proved so successful and the Joseph M. Schenck organization discovered she was in earnest about seeking a screen career, she was signed for the role. Miss Glaenzer was born in Wash¬ ington, D. C., and educated in pri¬ vate schools. She is the sister-in-law of Rock¬ well Kent, writer, artist and ex¬ plorer. and High-Strung—a Brilliant Modern Girl Joan Crawford Reaches New Heights Sadie Thompson in “Rain” Best Thing She Has Done (Review) If there remain any skeptics who doubt that Joan Crawford should be placed at the very forefront of Plollywood’s leading dramatic ac¬ tresses, those skeptics should not fail to include “Rain,” the United Artists picture at the . theatre, in their entertainment bud¬ gets. For here is a characterization to win the hearts of even the most skeptical. The startling feature is that the role of Sadie Thompson is an en¬ tirely new departure for Miss Craw¬ ford. Never before in her great gallery of portrayals has she essayed one like it, and yet there is prob¬ ably no actress in Hollywood—or on the stage either, for that matter —who could approximate the art¬ istry she displays. The Modern Girl Joan Crawford had come to be known as the exponent of the mod¬ ern girl, she had been known as the perfectly-groomed sophisticate. But here she is portraying a character of another generation, a young wo¬ man of questionable morals, and she does it as if she had been doing this sort of portrayal from the first. “Rain,” of course, has had the ad¬ vantage of production by Lewis Milestone, that surprising director- producer who gave us “All Quiet on the' Western Front,” “The Front Page” and other masterpieces. And “Milly” could not possibly produce an indifferent film. Besides which, the brimstone-smelling missionary is portrayed by Walter Huston, one of the best character actors upon stage and screen, and William Gar¬ gan, last season’s Broadway stage sensation, has the role of the young Marine sergeant. So, you may ask, how could the picture go wrong? Adapted by Anderson As you probably know, “Rain” is an adaptation by Maxwell Ander¬ son of the stage play by John Col¬ ton and C. Randolph, which in turn was adapted from the W. Somerset Maugham story for Jeanne Eagels. It concerns itself with a young wo¬ man of limber morals who finds herself quarantined by cholera on a South Sea island with other pas¬ sengers of the ship on which she had been bound for Apia. It is the morals of the girl contrasted to the rigorous teachings of the reformer which provides the background of the story. That, and the incessant rain whose monotony finally drives the entire company to a state little short of insanity. Miss Crawford never has attained such artistry as she displays here, and her ecstasy seems to have found its way to every other member of the company, Huston and Gargan are superb, and so are Beulah Bon¬ di, Guy Kibbee, Matt Moore and Walter Catlett. Photography Superb In fact, every least member of the company, even down to the native extras, appears to have caught the fervor with which Producer Mile¬ stone has permeated his story. The photography, which I under¬ stand was done on the island of Catalina, off the coast of California, is some of the best seen here in many a moon. In fact, “Rain” must be put down as one of the best pictures of the season. in a scene from "Ra in' 4—1 Col. Scene (Mats 05; Cuts 30)