Back Pay (Warner Bros.) (1930)

its products. VUTAPHom is the registered trade mark of the Vitaphone Corporation designating 321 WEST 44th STREET NATIONAL PICTURES | NEW YORK, CITY, U.S. A. ORINNE GRIFITA This Is A First National and ( TAPione Picture Cash in on the Name! FANNIE HURST’S SENSATIONAL LOVE-ROMANCE ‘ze mogr ED _ ACK PAY With GRANT WITHERS “BACK PAY” IS BEST STORY FROM PEN OF GIFTED WRITER Corinne Griffith Makes Most of Fine Oppor tunity in Role of Country Girl in Fannie Hurst’s Brilliant Drama (PREPARED REVIEW) ‘‘Back Pay,” perhaps the most celebrated of all Fannie Hurst’s short stories, first published in a magazine, later in eluded in ‘“‘The Vertical City,’’ then dramatized by the author | as a starring vehicle for Margaret Lawrence, and some years ago produced as a silent picture for Seena Owen has finally found its way to the audible screen with Corinne Griffith in the stellar role. A crowded and highly enthusiastic audience s theted the premiere of this absorbing First National production > Yeht at the Theatre. ‘Miss Griffith’s Vitaphone version of “Back Pay” follows out the essentials of plot and characterization of the original story and Francis Edwards Faragoh, who made _ the screen adaptation, has _ cleverly caught the spirit of Miss Hurst’s The changes in the story are mainly such as add colorful backgrounds or a bit of comedy relief. The war episodes merely hinted at in the book and legitimate drama form one of the most thrilling sequences of the pic brilliant and natural dialogue. ture. The story of “Back Pay” is chiefly concerned with the struggle of the heroine, Hester Bevins, to escape the hopelessness of her narrow environ “ams “i in a sleepy Virginia town where jves with an aunt of frowsled ne .¢ soiled kimono and questionable reputation. Gerald, Hester’s childhood sweetheart, a fine, high principled youth, offers the escape of mar + * riage, but the girl can see no -pereentage in merely transferring her sordid under another roof. She loves the handsome Southbut he is poor and can only _offer her a humdrum existence without yesterdays or tomorrows. Hester’s pretty head is turned by the smooth flattery and roseate promises of a travelling salesman from New York. She runs away with him but the romance is short-lived and then surroundings erner, Cut No. 14 Cut20c Mat 5¢ Believe It Or Not Three property boys who worked on Corinne Griffith’s latest First National and Vitaphone production, “Back Pay,” which opens at the Theatre » recently reéeived the strangest assignment of all the various odd jobs which frequently fall to their lot. Dur. ing the making of this Fannie Hurst Story, they were ordered to tear up fifteen barrels of old newspapers and sheets of colored tissue from 9 o’clock in the morning until three in the after noon. The barrels full of small bits of paper were needed for one of the scenes in “Back Pay” which takes place on Armistice Day in New York City. begins a cycle of Manhattan love ad ventures, finally terminating in a luxurious Fifth Avenue apartment with a wealthy, middle-aged proWhile Hester and her lover are making whoopee in New York, Gerald enlists and is fighting in No Man’s Land in France where he is gassed and becomes totally blind. The balance of the story deals with the awakening of Hester’s better self and her reunion with Gerald just before the latter’s death. Miss Griffith can always be relied tector. upon for intelligent rendering of any role. Her portrait of Hester Bevins is extremely human _ and feminine. The gradual _ transition from a village belle “who wears cotton frocks but has a crepe-de-chine soul” to an ultra-sophisticated woman of the world is portrayed with subtle shading and conviction. She further proves her artistry by playing the role primarily for understanding rather than sympathy. Grant Withers and the other players under the direction of William A. Seiter are excellent. Cut No. 15 Cut 30¢ Mat roc Corinne Griffith and Grant Withers have received wide-spread recognition for their respective dramatic achievements in “Back Pay” the Fannie Hurst story on view currently at the Strand New Love Team In “Back Pay”’ “BACK PAY” IS STRONG DRAMA OF SOCIETY’S HEIGHTS AND DEPTHS Corinne Griffith, Grant Withers and Others Score in Appealing Characterizations — Picture Splendidly Produced (CURRENT READER) “Back Pay,” Corinne Griffith’s latest starring picture for First National, now heading the bill at the Theatre, famous of all of Fannie Hurst’s short stories. The period of “Back Pay” is during the late World War and one of the important sequences is laid in No Man’s Land in France, but Director William A. Seiter, has chosen is founded on the most intimate sidelights on the war rather than any big spectacular battle scenes. There are no shots of thousands of soldiers on the march or huge enemy Instead, the main action is concentrated armies fighting in the trenches. on a small group of eight American doughboys in a dugout detailed to lay barbed wire entanglements. These scenes were shot at night exactly as they actually occurred in the war. Grant Withers, who plays opposite Miss Griffith in this dramatic First National production, is one of the wiring squad who loses his way -and is gassed and blinded in the story. In addition to Grant Withers who plays opposite Miss Griffith, the star’s supporting cast includes Montagu Love, Vivian Oakland, Hallam Cooley, Mitchell, Virginia Sale and Louise Beavers. Geneva William Bailey, Three admirers are important to the psychological development of Corinne Griffith’s character in the role of Hester Bevins in “Back Pay,” the famous Fannie Hurst story and Broadway play, which brings the First National star to the ......... Theatre in an all Vitaphone production next Grant Withers plays an unsophisticated Virginia youth who -hasnothing to offer but an all-compelling love; Hallam Cooley has the role of a smart-aleck wisecracking traveling salesman who persuades Hester to run away with him to New York and Montagu Love will be seen as a middle-aged wealthy manabout-town who showers her with jewels and furs. The struggle between love and luxury is at the basis worthy of Miss Griffith’s emotional talents. According to William A. Seiter who directed this story, all the witticisms and deep currents of humor, drama and characterization which have brought fame to the author of “Lummox,” “Humoresque” and “Back Pay,” have been retained in Francis Edwards Faragoh’s screen adaptation of Miss Hurst’s story. a i CORINNE GRIFFITH SINGS FOR FIRST TIME ON SCREEN No Voice Doubling in “Back Pay’’ Picture Based on Fannie Hurst Story The story of “Back Pay,” Corinne Griffith’s First National and Vita. phone production directed by Willi:. A. Seiter Witten Drigs to Tie scrkh tl.» most famous of all the short — stories in the voluminous collection by Fannie Hurst, opens with Miss Griffith singing to ‘her lover as. they sprawl under the trees at an employees’ picnic in the little town of There will be no voiee doubling for Corinne’s songs, Demopolis, Virginia. as she is an accomplished musician who has been playing a piano and singing for her own amusement for many years before she ever dreamed of sound pictures. The song chosen by the heroine of “Back Pay,” a modern drama laid in the period of the late World War, is “They Didn’t Believe Me,” with words by Herbert Reynolds and musie by Jerome Kern. This number was an outstanding hit when it was first introduced in the musical comedy, “The Girl from Utah,” and was selected in preference to a new theme song because it exactly fits the action of the story. “Back Pay” is scheduled to open ee at the Theatre. It was*directed by William A, Seiter and adapted for the screen by Francis Edwards Faragoh. Prominent in the strong supporting cast are Grant Withers, Montagu Love, Hallam Cooley, Virginia Sale, Geneva Mitchell, Vivian Oakland, Bill Bailey and Dee Loretta. Margaret Lawrence Role For Corinne Griffith “Back Pay”? the First National production starring Corinne Griffith, with Grant Withers and Montagu Love in~ the principal supporting roles, is scheduled for early release at the Theatre. This is a. Vitaphone version of Fannie Hurst’s renowned stage play in which Margaret Lawrence once appeared on Broadway. Cut No.9 Cut 20c Mat sc _ Page One