Stella Dallas (United Artists, 1925) (1925)

More Advance Stories About Picture and Cast FILM DEPICTS REAL LIVESOF REAL FOLK “Stella Dallas” a Screen Story Replete With Dramatic High¬ lights of Everyday People “Stella Dallas,” the stupendous film production which is the attraction at the . Theatre, a United Artists Corporation offering, directed by Henry King and presented by Sam¬ uel Goldwyn, is a vividly dramatic modern story of typical American life. It depends not upon the usual mo¬ tion picture “hokum” of wild chases, runaway stage-coaches, prairie fires, or battles for the dramatic element, but rather, upon the sincere, talented inter¬ pretations of typical American char¬ acters by a cast of unquestioned ability and popularity. Henry King, to whose lot has fallen the direction of many of the screen’s great successes, says “Stella Dallas” con¬ tains more real drama, intermingled with the lighter moments, than any story he has yet, interpreted for the screen. One of the high lights of this story is the unswerving faith and love for her mother, played by Belle Bennett, faithfully enacted by Lois Moran, Sam¬ uel Goldwyn’s most recent discovery. The little girl, and later, the young woman, fully cognizant of her mother’s shortcomings, remains blue true to the end, preferring to sacrifice friends, a beautiful home and the companionship of worth-while people which she really craved, rather than forsake her mother, whose every living ambition and desire has ever been wrapped up in the daughter. There is one episode where, humil¬ iated by her mother’s uncouth appear¬ ance and manners, before the fastid¬ ious crowd of young folks who were the girl’s intimates, Laurel insists that they leave at once the resort where they are vacationing. That night, aboard the sleeper, both hear the same crowd of thoughtless youngsters merrily rid¬ iculing Stella Dallas and sympathizing with Laurel over her mother’s appear¬ ance. The scene is one which will remain indelibly stamped upon the memory. The suffering of the mother at the re¬ alization of the probable humiliation of her daughter, and her “opossum play¬ ing” in order that Laurel, if awake, might believe she slept through the heartless conversation, rivals the con¬ cern of the girl, her slipping quietly from the upper berth to investigate, her relief at finding the mother ap¬ parently sleeping, and her slipping under the covers to pass the remainder of the night cuddling next to her dear¬ est possession—Mother! Another situation is that where Stella, finally determined to sacrifice everything that her daughter might have every advantage, and realizing her former husband’s love ' for his earlier sweetheart, played by Alice Joyce, vol¬ untarily goes to her rival and offers to divorce the husband, portrayed by Ron¬ ald Colman, if the pair will marry and take Latirel into their beautiful home. And when the loyal little Laurel dis¬ covers this sacrifice she haughtily in¬ forms her father and his wife that never, “as long as her mother lived” would she dwell apart from her. Failing in this play, Stella Dallas makes the supreme sacrifice marrying a mail for whom she has no love, and deceiving her little daughter whom she loves more than. life itself, into be¬ lieving her fickle and heartless. LONG PREPARATION IN “STELLA DALLAS” Samuel Goldwyn Spent Eighteen Months Before Finishing Great Photodrama A year and a half of careful prepara¬ tion and planning was spent by Samuel Goldwyn before actually putting into production his screen version of “Stella Dallas,” which comes to the .... Theatre .:. It is directed by Henry King and features an all-star cast of unusual brilliance. It is the first picture to be distributed by United Artists Corporation under the affiliation of the Samuel Goldwyn units with that organization. Nearly two years ago, this producer purchased the motion picture rights to this celebrated novel by Olive. Higgins Prouty. During all that period he kept up a constant search to find the ideal actress to interpret the title role of “Stella” which reveals a romantic girl at the ages of eighteen, twenty-five and thirty-five. Tests were made in both Hollywood and New York of seventy-two good pos¬ sibilities, and finally the great plum, sought by these many prominent per¬ sonalities. of stage and screen, was awarded to Belle Bennett. Literally, the producer and director found their ideal on the studio steps after a search through America and which had even extended into Europe. Miss Bennett has spent an entire life¬ time upon the stage and screen. She comes from a theatrical family, her father having been famous “on the boards” as Billie Bennett. She has had considerable picture experience but “Stella Dallas” gives her the first real¬ ly big chance she has enjoyed, and ob¬ servers prophesy for her a tremendous future as a result of her work in this great American drama. The titular role of “Stella Dallas” calls for one of the most difficult en¬ gagements ever attempted on the screen. It is a characterization of unusual emo¬ tional depth. “Stella” is a character we all know—a girl whose heart glows with romance, and a woman who fights a valiant but losing battle as her beauty fades. Frances Marion devoted four months to the preparation of the scenario. Henry King was not selected to di¬ rect “Stella Dallas.” He had read the book, knew that Samuel Goldwyn had the screen rights, and asked to be al¬ lowed the privilege of .picturizing it. It is known that with but a few ex¬ ceptions Henry King has clung to his ideal to only direct those pictures which he desires to do and on which he sets his heart. “Stella Dallas” reaches the scre'en as a happy combination of a producer who had vision and faith in a great novel, a director known for his ability to handle themes of deep human sympathy, with a cast that is considered unsurpassed— both for appeal and ability. Ronald Colman plays Stephen Dallas, Belle Bennett plays Stella Dallas, Alice Toyce plays Helen Morrison, Jean Her- sholt plays Ed Munn, Lois Moran plays Laurel Dallas and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., plays Richard Grovesnor. Endowed with a rare beauty to de¬ light the eye, “Stella Dallas,” the Henry King production, sponsored by Samuel Goldwyn, has pictorial values of the finest oil paintings, all the gay, glorious and glamorous scenes and sets so ably visualized in Olive Higgins Prouty’s novel are picturized with a view to the artistic. MOST POPULAR CAST IN “STELLA DALLAS” Henry King Production Presents Players of Great Ability and Appeal “Stella Dallas,” Samuel Goldwyn’s first photoplay production for United Artists Corporation, might well be called “the great American photodrama.” This picturization of Olive Higgins Prouty’s celebrated novel was produced under the direction of Henry King, who has given the world an endless succession of mas¬ terful cinematic offerings, including “The White Sister,” “Tol’able David,” and other plays which will live for years. In “Stella Dallas,” which comes to the ... Theatre ..;......, Mr. King has put forth his best efforts, and surrounded his principals with minor players of un¬ usual ability, until the story, read by millions, is said to live before one’s eyes. Belle Bennett, well-known actress of stage and screen, was chosen for the title role from a field of seventy-three interesting possibilities. Tests were made of that number of capable players in Hollywood and New York before a •choice was made. Miss Bennett was the only one -who seemed the very incarna¬ tion of “Stella.” Ronald Colman, as Stephen Dallas, seems also to fit the part perfectly. As the debonair man-about-town, he al¬ ways registers with great success, and this role gives him opportunity for much more than the usual amount of dramatic accomplishment. Alice Joyce, as Helen Morrison, com¬ pletes the interesting triangle. As the refined and wealthy widow whose charms supplant the neglected ones of Stella in Dallas’ affections, she has rarely if ever enjoyed a more telling characterization. The juvenile leads are in the capable hands of Lois Moran and Douglas Fair¬ banks, Jr. Miss Moran is the sixteen- year-old child wonder discovery of Samuel Goldwyn’s while recently in Paris. She is a native American, how¬ ever, and in this, her first American screen effort, interprets the difficult role of Laurel Dallas in a masterly and at the same time naive manner which is rresistible, foretelling a future of un¬ limited possibilities for the little lady. Young Fairbanks is a “chip off the old block,” not only in appearance but in mannerisms, and in the role of young Grovesnor, places himself squarely in the ranks of young leading men. Jean Hersholt, famous character art¬ ist, interprets the part of Ed Munn, the low-brow riding master with such finesse as to surprise even his countless admir¬ ers. In this role he is given a latitude such as he has seldom enjoyed and that he makes the most of it is very evident. The supporting players are meticul¬ ously chosen and all adequate. “Stella Dallas” is undoubtedly one of the best cast pictures yet released. “Stella Dallas” is the first production of Henry King since his recent affilia¬ tion with Samuel Goldwyn under a long term contract. Distinctive touches, flashing to the mind, keen insights and highlights on human nature, abound in the Henry King production of “Stella Dallas,” presented by Samuel Goldwyn. King is a past master in the wizardy of mak¬ ing a big dramatic punch hit hard and true by injecting just those bits of life that reveal a film full, in a flash. FOLK WE ALL KNOW PORTRAYED BY CAST IN “STELLA DALLAS” Distinctive Types Made Real by Players Specially Chosen for Each Role “Stella Dallas,” considered by readers of the novel to be fit material for the great American photodrama, has been re-created for the screen with distinctive types of personality. Each and every character in the film version of Olive Higgins Prouty’s book is recognizable as a person within the circle of every-day friendship. Stepping out as they do from the pages of the book onto the celluloid in the Henry King production, they become living, •breathing people, part and parcel of any community. And as a romantic drama with uni¬ versal appeal of intimate folk one knows, it comes a^ a Samuel Goldwyn produc¬ tion to the .. Theatre . date, as a United Artists Corporation release. Each role in the film drama portrays a character known to millions. There is Stella Dallas, played by Belle Ben¬ nett, who portrays the kind of girl whose being bubbles over with romance. She is shown at the ages of eighteen, twenty-five and thirty-five. She is a mill hand who reaches out for the high¬ er social sphere. She paints, powders, overdresses, is snubbed, and Main Street gossips about her. She is semi- pathetic, a trifle tragic but intensely human. Her prototype is in every community. There is Stephen Dallas, played by Ronald Colman, the type of man well bred, with a background of education and family, the victim of his father’s misdeeds who, becoming estranged from society, marries beneath, his station. He is reserved, tactful, studious and for¬ ward looking. This type is known in every social group. Mrs. Morrison, played by Alice Joyce, is the type of kindly, tactful and aristo¬ cratic matron.. She has the heart of un¬ derstanding. To her “Stella” comes and pours out her story. She is the type of mother that gives the name added glory. In every town or hamlet a Mrs. Mor¬ rison lives and is famed for her fine deeds. Ed Munn, played by Jean Hersholt, is the show-off riding master, a bit vulgar, with a flare for tricks, puzzles, imper¬ sonations and mimicry. Being of in¬ ferior intellect, he can only command attention by outward display. He wears loud clothes and makes wise cracks. He is the tragic mime in the guise of a comic. What community is without an Ed Munn? Laurel Dallas, the daughter of Stella, played by Lois Moran, is a child strange and beautiful. She has charm, depth, sensitiveness, wistfulness and arouses the protective instinct in men. Know¬ ing her mother as folk do, she is the kind of girl the community pities and loves. Richard Grovesnor, played by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., is the type of happy hearted athletic college boy. He typifies bubbling youth. What community is without him? 'He gives color and verve to every young set.