Alcatraz Island (Warner Bros.) (1937)

PUBLICITY Mat 203—20c Ann Sheridan and John Litel, in a romantic scene from the thrilling melodrama “Alcatraz Island,” which comes to the Strand Friday. (Review ) *“Aleatrazs Island’? New Thrilling Strand Film America’s most widely publicized penitentiary, that ‘Big Rock’’ situated in the chill waters of San Francisco Bay, is brought to the motion picture screen for the first time in ‘‘Aleatraz Island,’’ a thrilling Cosmopolitan melodrama which Warner Bros. presented for its local premiere yesterday at the Strand Theatre. Grim but fascinating is this story of men who live outside the law, and of the men whose duty it is to apprehend and convict them. Every moment is loaded with thrills as this drama moves swiftly to an unexpected and exciting climax. But “Aleatraz Island” is more than a story of crime vs. law and order. It also carries a splendid human story of love—both romantic and parental—and of exciting adventure on the mainland. John Litel is featured as a racketeer who is, despite his business, rather likeable. Income tax evasion catches up with Litel just as it did with Al Capone and other real-life racketeers. Gordon Oliver, a government attorney, procures his conviction. He is sent first to Leavenworth. There, in a fight with a lesser gangster which is forced upon him, he is pronounced incorrigible and transferred to Aleatraz. An amazingly dramatic sequence of events, occuring behind the walls of Aleatraz while the trial is going on, bring out the truth concerning the murder, and real justice has its way. “Aleatraz Island’ was _ splendidly directed by William MeGann from an original screen play by the one-time famed actor, Crane Wilbur. The picture is a novelty and a satisfying thriller. The Eyes Have It (Lead Story) ALCATRAZ PRISON IN STRONG FILM SOON AT STRAND Everybody in the United States has heard of “Alcatraz Island,” that rather smallish bit of rock which is washed by the chill cross-currents of San Francisco Bay. But few persons apart from San Francisco residents have ever even seen the island itself, and almost nobody has been on the inside of the prison situated on the rock. The picture is called “Alcatraz Island,” and its leading players are John Litel, Dick Purcell, Gordon Oliver, Mary Maguire and Ann Sheridan. The tale has to do with a racketeer—played by Litel—who is, in his way, fairly decent. He’ll take all the money he ean get but he won’t countenance murder. Because of this latter tenet, he is framed by underworld associates and sent to Leavenworth, a minor Federal pen on an income tax evasion conviction. Here he’s framed again, made to appear like an incorrigible, and sent to the Big Rock. “Aleatraz Island” isn’t altogether a prison story. It would be too drab if it were. Gat Brady (Litel) has a daughter whom he has kept in private school before his arrest, and who knows nothing about his means of livelihood. The yarn concerns itself with how the girl (Mary Maguire) falls in love with the District Attorney (Gordon Oliver) who has sent Gat away, and with how — —after still another framing, this time on a murder charge—Mary and Gordon rally to his rescue at his trial for life. “Aleatraz Island” is a complete novelty as a movie, and has a smashing climax which straightens everything out in a logical manner, William McGann direeted the picture from a story by Crane Wilbur. Among other notables in the cast are Vladimir Sokoloff, Ben Welden, Addison Richards, George E. Stone, Peggy Bates, and Ellen Clancy. = Mat 2vz—zve (Left to right) John Litel, George E. Stone and Dick Purcell heed the grim warning on the table in this scene from “Alcatraz Island,”’ the exciting prison drama coming to the Strand Friday. Thief Foiled By Sheridan Dreams of an easy way to sudden wealth were rudely shattered recently for a young man with racketeering inclinations, by Ann Sheridan, Warner Bros. featured player in “Alcatraz Island,” the Cosmopolitan melodrama, which is now showing at the Strand Theatre. When Ann left a neighborhood movie, which shé had attended alone, she found she could not start her car. While she was wondering what could have happened to the machine, a young man suddenly appeared on the deserted street and offered his services as a good samaritan. “Hmm,” said the young man shaking his head as he looked under the hood. “It looks bad but I know I ean fix it—if it’s worth $5 to you.” “What’s wrong?’ Ann asked curiously as she too peered under the hood. As she spoke she noticed the lead wires to the spark plugs were disconnected and she reattached them. “Oh, a wise dame, eh?” snarled the young man. Ann, frightened by his attitude, stepped back and then was amazed to see him turn and run as fast as he could. The reason for his flight became apparent when she saw a policeman rapidly approaching down the street. McGANN HAS FINE CAREER Though still young in years, William McGann, director of the Cosmopolitan-Warner Bros. melodrama, “Alcatraz Island,’? which comes to the Strand Theatre next Friday, has had an extensive and colorful career in motion pictures. Born at Pittsburgh, McGann was educated at LaSalle Academy and at the University of California at Berkeley. McGann’s first directorial assignment was on the dog Rin-TinTin in “On the Border.” He made the first Vitaphone shorts and directed Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Loretta Young in “I Like Your Nerve.” With Irving Asher he opened a Warner Bros. studio in England and directed “Murder on the First Floor,” by Frank Vosper, the first picture to be made on that lot. During a year and one-half in England he directed Pat Patterson, Benita Hume, Margo Graham and others. He is married to a non-professional. McGann likes to dig in the earth for relaxation and is an expert on the growing of orchids and cyclamen. He has two dogs, a smooth haired fox terrier and a Dobermann-Great Dane. His. recent pictures include “Polo Joe,” “Penrod and Sam,” “Marry the Girl,” “Brides Are Like That” and “Alcatraz Island.” MARY MAGUIRE, PRETTY AUSTRALIAN LASS WHO IS FEATURED IN "ALCATRAZ ISLAND" AT THE STRAND, GIVES A LESSON IN MAKE-UP First step to eye beauty is washing For glamor, she shadows her them with lotion. Mary uses a gen This 5 column strip in mat on order from Warner Bros. Campaign Plan Editor—501-B—50c. To frame her eyes becomingly, she She lengthens here eyebrows lids with blue, keeping it well uses brown mascara on her lashes, slightly with a pencil to con As a final touch she brushes her eyebrows with vaseline to make them erous dab of cotton for the purpose. away from the inner corners. applying it very lightly with a brush. form with the facial contours. glisten and to remove powder specks. Page Seven