Back in Circulation (Warner Bros.) (1937)

PUBLICITY — BACK IN CIRCULATION — PAGE 8 (CURRENT) SCREEN HELPS STARS CURE THEIR FAULTS “Did you want to correct anything about yourself after viewing your first screen performance ?” That is a very personal question to ask a movie actress, because no one under the sun likes to talk about her faults; but several girls at Warner Bros. studios answered the question like stalwart soldiers. Beverly Roberts was amazed to see the way her screen self frowned occasionally without cause. She had always admired pleasant faces and says she rather fancied hers was a pleasant one. However after viewing herself on the screen, she completely broke herself of the habit. Joan Blondell, currently to be seen in “Back In Circulation,” with Pat O’Brien at the Strand Theatre, has always believed beauty is based on perfect carriage. From the time she entered kindergarten she trained herself to walk as erectly as a soldier on parade. However, when she got a glimpse of herself for the first time on the screen she left the theatre in sick despair. She looked more like a general than a graceful young girl in her own eyes. She started relaxing more, and now her earriage is held up as a fine example for all girls embarking on a movie career. June Travis discovered that she smiled out of one side of her mouth. She had never guessed it until her screen self smiled out at an audience and June got the impression that the smile had a cynical air to it. She set to work deliberately to straighten out that smile and now is saving it only for some cynical part—if she should ever play one. Margaret Lindsay, also playing now in “Back In Circulation,” at the Strand Theatre, got all upset about her hands the first time she saw her shadow on celluloid. When in repose they fell with her index fingers pointing. It looked like an affectation to her, although she had been completely unconscious of doing it. When she tried to correct it she got still more upset, feeling like the centipede which was happy until asked which leg came after which. Then she decided to forget all about her hands and from that point on they became graceful and expressive. (CURRENT) WOMAN VS. WOMAN IN GREAT DRAMA Two women, facing each other in an underlying play of life and death, is one of the dramatic highlights in Warner Bros. newspaper-murder-mystery drama, “Back In Circulation” starring Pat O’Brien and Joan Blondell. In her role of a reporter, Miss Blondell has been in the conviction of Margaret Lindsay on a charge of murder. Convinced that the condemned woman is innocent, she contrives to break down the silence Miss Lindsay has maintained throughout the trial. The climactic the two actresses is replete with emotional intensity and one that will be long those who saw the previews. The picture is now ‘showing at the Strand theatre. It was directed by Ray Enright. instrumental scene between remembered. According to EDITOR WEDS STAR REPORTER! All ends well for Pat O’Brien the editor; and Joan Blondell, the star reporter in “Back In Circulation” which is coming to the Strand Theatre next Friday. Mat No. 201—20¢ JOAN GETS AN ODD PERMANENT WAVE A permanent wave to my lady fair is one thing, when she goes to a beauty parlor, but to get one while playing in a train wreck scene for the Warner Bros. newspaper drama, “Back In Cirthe experience of Joan Blondell. Working amidst live steam escaping from the wreck, Joan’s culation,” was unexpected naturally curly hair took on a permanent wave effect. Nothing could be done about it, although to be in character for the scene, her had been combed straight, but it finished up, steamed into a mass of curls. This may be observed in “Back In Circulation,” which opens next week at the Strand Theatre. hair ATMOSPHERE OF THE PRESS IS FELT The newspaper office influence made itself strongly felt recently on the “Back In Circulation” editorial room set at Warner Bros. studio. The set was used in a combination murder-mysterynewspaper drama co-starring Pat O’Brien and Joan Blondell. The expression, ‘Put it to bed,’ used by many city editors when a new edition is okay and ready for the final press run, was adopted by director Ray Enright to signify that a scene was okay for developing and for printing. Many are the “sign-off”? expressions used by different directors in okaying scenes. “That’s history”—“That’s it!”—“Forget it!” —are a few. “Back In Circulation,” said to be the most exciting newspaper movie since “The Front Page,” comes to the Strand Friday. (ADVANCE) When Regis Toomey stepped on the stage to do the role of Hildy Johnson in the Memphis chapter of the Newspaper Guild’s production. of “The “Front °Page,? it wasn’t surprising that he “laid the audience in the aisles.” For Toomey had been coached and prompted by the two men who soared to fame in the part on the stage and screen. Lee Tracy, who originated Hildy Johnson on the stage when Jed Harris first produced this harum-searum MacArthur-Hecht comedy drama of newspaper life, made copious notes on his seript when the play was in rehearsal. As the part developed and he worked out new bits of business, he duly made note of it on the margin of his manuscript. From time to time he referred to his notes and added to them during the long run of the production on Broadway and finally had quite a sizeable volume by the time he was ready to retire from the cast. Later, when his good friend Pat O’Brien was brought out from New York to do Hildy in the movie version of “The Front Page,” Tracy turned over his dogeared manuscript with all its notations to him. In addition, he went over the script with Pat and coached him on pieces of business he had developed and found to be sure-fire for laughs. When the picture was released, a new star had been made and Pat O’Brien has steadily gained in popularity ever since. Always, however, he has acknowledged his REAL NEWSHAWKS IN MOVIE SCENE Several noted news reporters now scenarists or publicity men, adopted desk space in the editorial room setting during the filming of “Back In Circulation,” Warner Bros.’ latest murder-mystery newspaper drama. So realistic was the newspaper office set, the news men made themselves right at home and moved in on managing editor, Pat O’Brien and his star reporter Joan Blondell, creating authentic atmosphere for Director Enright. Mat No. 301—30¢ HURRAY! IT’S MURDER!— (left to right) Regis Toomey, Joan Blondell, Pat O’Brien and Eddie Acuff in a scene from the thrilling newspaper-mystery picture ‘‘Back In Circulation’’ coming to the Strand Friday. ‘Front Page Role Handed Down debt of gratitude to Tracy which Lee dismissed with a shrug and the suggestion: “Maybe you can give someone else a hand some day, and that will be ample repayment.” Pat had his chance to wipe the debt off the slate recently, when Toomey told him he had agreed to play the Hildy Johnson role for the Memphis newspaper boys. Toomey and O’Brien at this time were working together in the Warner Bros. picture, “Back In Circulation,’ which opens next Friday at the Strand Theatre. “You told the right fellow,” Pat asserted, and sent home for the dog-eared original “Front Page” seript and turned it over to Toomey. After Regis had thoroughly digested the notes and learned the bits of business, Pat put him through his paces between scenes for “Back In Circulation.” O’Brien is playing a managing editor in this picture and Miss Blondell and Toomey are two of his reporters. “Back In Cireulation,” incidentally, is a story by Adela Rogers St. Johns which recently attracted considerable attention when it was published in a national magazine. “It certainly was a break for me,” Toomey says, “happening to be working in the same picture with Pat when this ‘Front Page’ thing came along. Otherwise, I’d never have known about Lee Tracy’s original script and wouldn’t have had the advantage of the experience of such two great actors as Pat and Lee to guide my performance.” (CURRENT) ODD JARGONS HEARD ON SET “Tm dizzy,” said the commissary cashier, “and it isn’t because I’m a blonde, either.” She clasped her head in her hands and made a long face. “It’s the language.” It was the slack hour in the huge studio-operated restaurant on Warner Bros. lot. The luncheon rush was over. The horde of stars, directors, extras, writers, technicians, etc., had poured through like a swelling tide. It was ebbtide now, and the cashier could get her breath. “Yes, language,” she said. “That’s what makes me dizzy. “Brian Aherne and Olivia de Havilland and all that crowd making ‘The Great Garrick’ swarm in here and give me the stilted English of the Eighteenth Century. I can kind of understand that. “Then along comes Errol Flynn and Robin Hood’s merry men from the Forest of Sherwood in their long hair and leather jerkins, and they give me the ‘How art thou, wench?’ stuff of Merrie Olde England. I ean still understand, though it gets to be a pain in the neck. “But the dizziest of all are Pat O’Brien and Joan Blondell and that gang making “Back In Circulation.” Ill say they’re the dizziest. “It’s a newspaper thriller, you know. And how the whole east has fallen for newspaper slang! Their talk just bristles with words like ‘deadline’ and ‘thirty’ and ‘let ’er roll.’ And every time Pat O’Brien hands me his check he says: “Put it to bed, sister. Put it to bed.’ ” “Back In Circulation” is the current attraction at the Strand theatre this week.