Babbitt (Warner Bros.) (1934)

(Review ) ‘Babbitt’? Pleases Film Fans at Strand Premiere Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee Score Triumph in Screen Version of Great Novel WO of the screen’s really great artists scored a new triumph in the film version of America’s leading novelist’s greatest book, when Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee opened in Sate. Oe te P28 Aes. 3 Theatre yesterday. When Sinclair Lewis, the only American who has won the Nobel prize in literature, wrote “Babbitt,” he not only added a new word to the vocabulary of the nation, but to a large extent influenced its ideals and mental habits. The irony, the dramatic tenseness and the humor of the novel have been retained in the screen adaption and certainly no better choice of players to portray Mr. and Mrs. Babbitt could have been made than Kibbee and Miss MacMahon. Kibbee gives the finest performance of his career as the successful small town realtor, whose vanity leads him into strange paths that end with the man disgraced, condemned by his fellow Zebras, for it was in his leadership of this organization he had his greatest pride, and in the toils of a blackmailing widow over whom he had made a fool of himself. Always humorous, sometimes pathetic and occasionally tragic, he seemed the veritable personification of the character he was portraying. He has been called “the perfect Babbitt.” He is — on the screen. As the shrewd, kindly and forgiving wife of Babbitt, Miss MacMahon has risen to even greater heights than she has heretofore achieved. Every tone and from tears to smiles and from smiles to tears with the certainty of genius. Her performance is one by which future efforts in the same part will be measured. Claire Dodd, perhaps the most charming “menace” on the screen, keeps her role convincing, and does a splendid piece of acting. Her cool, calm, seductive manner has never been displayed to better advantage than as the designing widow who made a sucker out of Babbitt. The romantic roles are well handled by Glen Boles and Nan Gray, both talented youngsters of whom much may be expected. Minor Watson, portraying a hen-pecked husband who shoots his ‘nagging wife, a part played by Minna Gombel, is excellent, as is Miss Gombel Other important parts are taken by Alan Hale, Berton Churchill, Harry Tyler, Maxine Doyle, Russell Hicks, Arthur Aylesworth and Mary Treen. William Keighley directed the production from the screen dramatization by Mary McCall, Jr., her self a noted novelist. The adaption was byi Tom Reed and Niven Busch with additional dialogue by Ben Markson. “Babbitt” will be enjoyed and appreciated if judged solely as a motion picture. As the film version of the most important book of small-town life in this country, it should be seen by everyone. So all you avid readers of Sinclair Lewis, here’s your chance to see his characters brought to the screen just the way you pictured them when you read the book. And if you never read the book, a visit LO“ EhGue vc ee Theatre should be made a compulsory pleasure, for truly, here is a picture that shouldn’t be missed. gesture bespeaks her perfect understanding of the role. She turns ‘Babbitt’, Lewis’ Famous Novel At ... Theatre Today “Babbitt,” Sinclair Lewis’ best selling novel and produced in screen form by First National, comes tothe) fo ieee Theatre today, with Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee in the leading roles. The book was read and enjoyed by millions, and the film version of small town life should have a tremendous appeal to all sorts of audiences. It depicts, in a colorful and picturesque way, the foibles of a fairly successful business man who is so convinced of his own shrewdness, that he falls an easy prey of a scheming banker and politician and later is played for a sucker by a designing widow who punctures his egoism and nearly causes his ruin. Guy Kibbee has the title role with Aline MacMahon in the part of his wife who understands both his conceits and the warm heart underneath them. Claire Dodd has the role of the widow to whom Babbitt boasts of his financial acumen and who then blackmails him to the tune of $10,000. The romantic roles are played by Glen Boles, as Babbitt’s son, and Nan Gray, the boy’s sweetheart. Much of the comedy is provided by Babbitt’s fellow Zebras. Harry Tyler, Alan Hale and Berton Churchill, the merry cut-ups of the lodge of which Babbitt is the ring master. Others in the cast include Maxine Doyle, Minor Watson, Minna Gombell, Russell Hicks, Arthur Aylesworth, and Mary Treen. William Keighley directed the production from the screen play by Mary McCall, Jr., based on the adaptation by Tom Reed and Niven Busch. Additional dialogue was written by Ben Markson. Page Six The Weigh of All Flesh This Actress Never Sought a Job Claire Dodd, who plays the beautiful female menace in “Babbitt,’ the First National picture whichscomes to.the aise oe: Theatre*"on’1)..2.5..02.8 ; is the only actress on the screen who never asked for a job in her life. Her first appearance was at the request of a producer who saw her in a cafe. Her next was when Ziegfeld, having seen her on the screen, wired an offer of a part. Even her Warner contract, which has made her one of the leading featured players, came to her unsolicited. Aline MacMahon Never Goes to Openings Aline MacMahon, for years a Broadway star and now a picture star, has never seen a Hollywood opening. If she fails to see her own pictures at the studio, she waits until they are playing a regular engagement in some theatre and slips in to see them. Her latest vehicle, “Babbitt,” which: comes to ‘the! ss.026. Ss Theatre*on.. 8.306.53: , was finished the day she left for a New York vacation without seeing it. Beauty Title Now Awarded Nan Gray “The Prettiest Girl in Hollywood” takes in more ground than any superlative that ever came out of Cinemaland. Yet, no less than three Eastern artists definitely awarded this title to Nan Gray, the new First National player, who has an ingenue role with Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee in “Babbitt,” the picture made from Sinclair Lewis’ novel which comes touthew.i Hee TheatresOnes..0.........6 Comedy Players Fine In Dramatic Scenes The idea that Guy Kibbee and Aline MacMahon are exclusively a comedy team will have to be revised after “Babbitt,” the First National picture now showing at Chevy eerh er a Theatre. Some of their dramatic scenes prove the old theatre adage that “good comics” do the best serious scenes. There’s a human quality to these two that cannot be denied. Trying to remove a bit of excess waistline is Guy Kibbee, who plays the title role in “Babbitt,” First National comedy at the Theatre. Aline MacMahon, Claire Dodd, Maxine Doyle and Glen Boles are in the cast of this filmization of Sinclair Lewis’ famous novel of the same name. Mat No. 7—20c val er RN ER if a ASILY on, 5 Gw Hieae FROM THE GOPZSrATE . MY MESA A Scasewianns FOUGHT ‘LONG WITH PoVER-@B AND FS; *FIVE STAR FIN i SECRETARY NE ACTED. ANON, THE. LANDS scgy,-[ee Oe Fm BY = WAITRESS NOTHING GA GREAT BIG f e tas BEG ges vaginas | THREQYPP THE MERRY, peed HEAT LIGHTNI g GARAGE OWNER GoT ONLY ] OUTSTANDING RoLE *Sioe SrRE TS~ SHOPKEEPER HE PLAYED A 89) sALEG-SGf GAY... AND ] THe OF oLD B----way/ Guy KiBERP HAD HIS WISH AT WHEN IN THE OPO P HE WAG CACT Hie GK 1¢ D frone7? AND "THE LIFE oF JIM M Y DOLAN “ScoTcH WoMAN AN? ied HIS EF FROM ITP CO), | "Suver dott A R” MISTREATED WIFE: LIKE WIM EVEN <>) ano SQ "BiG HEARTED TT ERBERT REBELLIOUS MoTHER ied Guy sso sie PD ‘Goto DIGGERS O F 1933" MopERN'GIMME' GIRL NOW THAT ACTING I$ A HABIT — bey pairrsue ag Now-as Mes. BABBITT HE SQ tHe Cum swira wi BABBIIT HE M ERRY FRINKG_ House WIFE “ONE WAY PASS A QE — FAME COUNTESS THE WoRLD HANGES ~PIONEER AGES 20490 Mat No. 10—20c Babbitt" Setting Is Guy Kibbee Plans to New on Screen Go to the Orient the First Guy Kibbee, who knows every “B * ” ] bf “ * pro pe, wie cans ans city and large town in the United heal re Bal States and Canada from having nrc. come PNCALTC! ON 20. 6. 3 with Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee in the stellar roles, has one setting new to pictures. It is a Lodge Meeting. This is a distinct novelty and as shown in “Babbitt,” with initiation ceremony, costumes and all it is one of the comedy highlights of the production. Kibbee Nearly Cracks Claire Dodd's Ribs Claire Dodd, playing the vamp in the First National production, “Babbitt,” which comes to the Se ae ‘Theatre: on v2.65 has a couple of torrid love scenes with Guy Kibbee. After one of them, in which Guy takes her in his arms, he turned to Claire and said jokingly, “How am I doing?” Miss Dodd sighed and felt her ribs. “Well,” she said, “I never had such a ‘heavy date’.” Plays Similar Role to Part on Stage Berton Churchill, who gained his greatest fame on Broadway as a “Deacon,” plays a similar characterization as Judge Thompson in “Babbitt,” the First National picture now showing at the .................. Theatre, with Guy Kibbee and Aline MacMahon in the stellar roles. Churchill has appeared in many Warner Bros. pictures before, his previous one being “Dames.” Escaped Trout Calls Guy Kibbee a Liar Guy Kibbee, who has a stellar role with Aline MacMahon in “Babbitt,” the First National picture now showing at the .................. Theatre, is the most rabid fisherman in the picture colony. While working on the picture he received a wire from a mysterious source, but suspicion points to Hugh Herbert, another Warner Bros. player. The wire read: “Another fisherman just brought in trout you said got away from you stop Trout says you’re a liar he never went near your hook.” Signed, American Fish Association. acted in them, is planning a trip to the Orient. Kibbee plans to visit the interior of China and discussed his trip at length with T. S. Yang, President and Managing Director of Young Brothers Banking Corporation of Chungking, who toured the Warner Bros. studio while Guy was working in “Babbitt,’ which comes to HOSS) peer Theatre on .....:........ ‘ Others in the cast of the film include Aline MacMahon, Maxine Doyle, Claire Dodd and Glen Boles. The picture was adapted from the best-seller of the same name by Sinclair Lewis. Kissed Only Twice in 40 Plays, 18 Films Minna Gombell, who has the role of a nagging wife in the First National production of “Babbitt,” whichscomes to he@w.:: esses ‘heatrer On: Asis ae ec ; has been 17 years on the stage and screen with 40 plays and 18 pictures to her credit, but has only been kissed twice, both times by Walter Huston. The first time was in 1924 in a play called “Mr. Pitt.” The next time was in 1930 in “Keep ?em Young.” Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee have the stellar roles in “Babbitt,” taken from Sinclair Lewis’ novel. Star Began Her Stage Career Shooting Dice Aline MacMahon, famous screen comic of “Babbitt,” the First National production which comes. tothe saan... Theatre 1 STR Re aU i eee ueer iy , and other important comedies, got her first chance on the stage in a scene in Selwyn’s production of “The Mirage.” In this scene, Aline sat on the floor with three other girls and shot dice. She didn’t know anything about the game, but she must have done it well, because her next role was a big one in Shaw’s “Candida,” followed by the “Grand Street Follies” and then a big Broadway hit. Guy Kibbee is co-starred with Miss MacMahon in “Babbitt,” a hilarious comedy drama based on Sinclair Lewis’ popular novel.