Blessed Event (Warner Bros.) (1932)

YOUR CURRENT PUBLICITY Opening Day Story “Blessed Event’? Opens Voaav at 2 Theatre Columnists of the eye-to-the-keyhole variety will come in for a taste of their own medicine when ‘‘ Blessed Event,’’? the Warner Bros.’ picture which reverses the spotlight and shows all and tells all about these snooping gentry, opens today at the ................ As sensational as the revelations which these columnists make daily, this picture is even more sensational in revealing just how these snoopers dig up their juicy items. The fast moving story of ‘‘Blessed Event’’ takes the public behind the scenes and follows the career of one Alvin Roberts who apparently has nothing in common with the three little monkeys who represent the old Chinese proverb: ‘‘Hear no evil; see no evil; speak no evil.’’ Patterned on the character of the world’s most famous columnist whose name is a household byword, the film also paints a vivid picture of the world and life in which he moves and from which he is able to glean many a choice tidbit of gossip. It is a picture of New York in all of its gaudy and brilliant splendor, its comedy, pathos and romance. From one pithy incident to another moves the figure of Alvin Roberts, with his slangy, crackling dialogue and explosive wisecracks which bid fair to set new standards of fast moving mirth in Hollywood picture making, The screen play is the work of Howard Green, based on the play by Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson which rocked Broadway with laughter and proved a sell-out smash hit for many months. The vital, meaty story is acted by a earefully chosen cast headed by Lee Tracy, who plays the role of the columnis+ <A typical Broadway char — hrings to the White Way and tue gusto which made him famous as the original Hildy Johnson in the stage production of ‘‘The Front Page.’?’? He was also seen recently on the screen in ‘‘The Strange Love Of Molly Louvain,’’ ‘‘Love Is A Racket,’? and ‘‘ Doctor x.?? From leads to bits, the picture is hailed as the best acted screen production since talkies came in. The strong supporting cast includes Mary Brian, Ned Sparks, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Dick Powell, Emma Dunn, Frank McHugh, Walter Miller, Harry Seymour and Harold Waldridge. Dick Powell, for three years master of ceremonies at the Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh, makes his debut on the sereen as a crooner in ‘*Blessed Event,’? as a result of which he is already being hailed as one of the big ‘‘finds’’ of the year. The rapid, machine-gun tempo of the film is credited to Director Roy Del Ruth who was responsible for such successes as ‘‘ Winner Take All,’’ ‘¢Taxi,’? and ‘‘Blonde Crazy.’’ I. day of run **Blessed Event’ Gives ‘Lowdown’ on Columnists That sadly over-exercised arm of eoincidence has been replaced in the picture, ‘‘ Blessed Hvent,’’ now at the SEA ee ea ee CT Na Theatre, at least, by the long nose of curiosity. The Warner Bros.’ screen version of this popular stage play, featuring Lee Tracy and Mary Brian, makes frank use of all the known methods gossiping columnists have of gathering news and rumors and lets the public in on all their secrets. There is enough excitement in the life of the average chatter writer to supply the foundations for a dozen comedies and dramas, but it has been all crowded into one fast moving, thrill packed hour in the screen version of ‘‘Blessed Event.’’ The ‘‘hows’’ and the ‘‘whys’’ behind the gathering of a column of ‘‘tattle,’? the risks that are run, the hearts and heads that are broken, the skeletons which are uncloseted, all of these figure in this amusing expose of the wise-cracking, big-time columnist in ‘‘Blessed Event.’? Supporting Tracy and Miss Brian Page Four ‘Blessed Event’? Immense— One of Year’s Best Films (Review) For sheer fun and honest entertainment value, ‘‘ Blessed Event,’’ the Warner Bros’. comedy drama feature which opened yesterday at the ae. Theatre, must be given front rank. If not the best picture of the year, it comes so close . to being such that it easily takes a place among story, cast, direction, dialogue and speed. Especially speed, for it is doubtful if any picMARY BRIAN _ ture ever moved Out No. 5 with the bulletOut15e Mate like tempo of this racy, rebellious and altogether satisfying piece of screen drama. Obviously inspired by the new school of columnists, the story deals with wiles and adventures of one Alvin Roberts, who accidentally registers a big hit with the reading public with his original and breezy style of ‘dishing the dirt;’’ and not the least important phase of his gossip is his forecast of blessed events (births to you) impending in the homes of the socially prominent. Alvin incurs numerous enemies in the course of his expositive and gay career and there are several big moments when his life is in jeopardy. A Great Scene His description of the electric chair for the benefit of a gorilla who has come to wipe him out, because he has offended a big shot racketeer, is a classic that will be long remembered. It is gorgeously played by Lee Tracy, as Alvin, and Allen Jenkins as the gunman whose imaginative tempera uituv overcomes hig euthusiasm for «Blessed E killing folks. Next to the rapid-fire dialogue, which induces almost unceasing laughter throughout the length of the picture, the acting is the most compensating feature of ‘‘Blessed Event’’. Tracy was an ideal selection for the role of Alvin and his work, every moment he is on the screen, is so fascinating as to rate the designation of superb. But Jenkins, as Frankie Wells the gangster, runs him such a the great picture of all time. ‘*Blessed Event,’’ made into ‘a screen play by Howard Green from the Broadway production of Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson, is the season’s most refreshing gift from all angles— close second the star has to step on it to keep in front. Mary Brian is delightful as the heroine and Ruth Donnelly, as Alvin’s secretary, gives one of the finest performances any actress has brought to the films since talkies came in. She gives the character fine and delicate shading where the average movie secretary type would indulge in ‘‘mugging’’ and over-acting. This girl should be given more opportunities in the films. Ned Sparks, as Moxley, the columnist whom Alvin roots out of his chair, is another of the standouts in a cast of fine acting talent, and swell bits are contributed by George Chandler, Walter Walker, Milton Wallace, Emma Dunn, Harold Waldridge, Frank McHugh, Betty Gillette and Isabel Jewel. A brand new and captivating personality is introduced to the screen in ‘‘Blessed Event’? in Dick Powell. He portrays a sort of Rudy Vallee bandsman-crooner and turns in the finest acting job of the kind that ever has been shown. It was his first picture and he did so splendidly that Warner Bros. signed him to a longterm contract. He gives promises of skyrocketing to the stars inside of six months or a year, if he is provided with the proper roles and material. vent’? is swell on all counts, a fine quality of show for which producers, authors, cast and director are to be given a great, great big hand. Roy Del Ruth, in turning out this one, has added to the laurels he won with ‘‘ Taxi,’? ‘*Winner Take All’? and others. Everybody should see ‘‘ Blessed Event’? at the ................ Theatre to avoid short-changing themselves out of one of the finest pictures that expert showmen ever welded together. 2 nd day of run Photographs of 150 World Notables Form Props in Tracys Newspaper Den More than 150 of the world’s noted public men play silent roles in support of Lee Tracy, the Alvin Roberts of ‘‘Blessed Event,’’ the Warner Bros. sensational screen story of a modern newspaper columnist, at the SED SRE east ety y Theatre. Tracy, as the dynamic newspaper columnist, occupies an office whose walls are littered with the likenesses of the greats. And in the ensemble there are only three women—Helen Wills, Mrs. Sinclair Lewis and Megan Lloyd George, daughter of the Bri tish war-time premier. Assembling of these photographs was the work of several weeks for the research department of the studio and, after they had been collected, every picture had to be autographed to Alvin Roberts. Because Alvin is a ‘‘big shot’? who meets all the important folks. The work of namesigning by the originals being obviously impractical, it was done in the research department. From opposite walls two dictators— Mussolini and Stalin—glare at each other, but there are no stenographers around to whom they may dictate. Ruth Donnelly plays a stenographer in the picture, but she has her hands full keeping up with Tracy’s machinegun style of news writing. in the cast are Ned Sparks, Frank McHugh, Dick Powell, Emma Dunn, Allen Jenkins and Ruth Donnelly. Roy © Del Ruth directed. On one broad panel, politics, art and industry come together; for there are Ramsay MacDonald, Paderewski and Henry Ford. Just around the corner, Red Grange, in his vacation role of iceman, is pictured. Other sports notables in Alvin’s gallery are Marchmont Schwartz, Notre Dame star; Jack Sharkey, World’s heavyweight champion and ‘‘Big Bill’’ Tilden, the Old Master of tennis. Besides MacDonald and Lloyd George, politics has on view Herriot of France, Al Smith, Jimmy Walker and Andrew Mellon, who quit President Hoover’s cabinet to become Ambassador to Great Britain. Finance also is represented by George F. Baker, famous New York capitalist. Literature is represented by Sinclair Lewis and Eugene O’Neil, the theatre’s delegate is George M. Cohan. Dr. Einstein stands for science and the late Thomas A. Edison is the symbol of invention. Lee Tracy and Mary Brian share honors in ‘‘Blessed Event,’’? with a large cast of excellent supporting players, several of them brought to Hollywood from the New York cast of the play for the express purpose of playing these parts. They include Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Ned Sparks, Dick Powell and Milton Wallace. Roy Del Ruth directed. 53 rd day of run ‘Blessed Event’ Exposes Columnists Who Expose Tattling has been raised to a fine art in modern journalism and the tattlers who used to be spanked, now find their names in the paper. ‘¢Blessed Event,’’ Warner Bros’. screen version of the sensationally successful stage play of the same name, featuring Lee Tracy and Mary Brian in the leading roles now at the............ Sein eae Theatre, is the inside story of the adventures of a keyhole columnist, one of the tattling fraternity which has introduced a new brand of newspaper reporting in the metropolitan press. ‘¢The man who tells and runs away will eventually have a signed column in the newspapers,’’ suggests Lee Tracy, whose long association with reporter roles on the New York stage has equipped him to speak with authority. ‘*Newspapers started out to be mediums for expressing an editor’s opinions,’’ Tracy says. ‘‘Then they became simple news carriers. Now | they have found, what women (and men too) have always known; that gossip, backed by a little authentic information, is the most readable copy in the world.’’ Profiting by this discovery the newspapers of the world have recently developed ‘‘ Tattle’? columns. Using these columns for a background, Playwrights Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson have devised a dramatic comedy called ‘*Blessed Event,’’ which tells the columnist’s story from the ‘‘inside’’ out. Supporting Tracy and Miss Brian in the cast are Ned Sparks, Frank McHugh, Dick Powell, Emma Dunn, Allen Jenkins and Ruth Donnelly. Roy Del Ruth directed. A th day of run Lee Tracy’s Lament Is 7 o’clock Studio Calls The brilliant cast which appears in Warner Bros. sensational production, ‘‘Blessed Event,’? now at the............ (ere mre Theatre, calls vividly to mind the fact that talking pictures have succeeded in changing the habits ot the whole theatrical 1 The ‘‘great migration’? of stage talent from New York to Hollywood a few years ago, after Al Jolson and Warner Bros. had provided the public with the first taste of sound pictures, turned daytime into work time for the first time for most of the night owls who go to make up that profession. It took months to teach stage people, used to working late nights and sleeping later mornings, that pictures were made during the daylight hours and that a nine o’clock call meant ‘a seven o’clock alarm. Most of them eventually learned it—or went back to New York. A few are still struggling against the inevitable. One of these is Lee Tracy. Tracy, who plays the columnist role in ‘‘Blessed Event,’’ still finds it difficult to get over the habit of sleeping late. His periodic turn to pictures and return to the stage and vice versa, has his sleeping habits in a serious muddle. As a consequence a second assistant director was assigned the duty of getting Tracy to the sets on time during the production of ‘‘ Blessed Event.’’? He soon found that merely waking the actor was not enough. Tracy could go back to sleep in half the time it took to prod him to consciousness. He had to waken him and then stand by to see Tracy bathed, shaved, dressed and _ breakfasted. One sequence in ‘‘Blessed Event,’’ caught Tracy’s eye and gave him a short lived contentment with his lot. It was a scene in which he was photographed asleep in bed at 4:30 in the afternoon. ‘“That’s swell,’’ said Tracy. But the afternoon scene in the picture was photographed one morning at nine o’clock with the grumbling and heavy-lidded Tracy pleading fruitlessly for ‘‘realism in just this one scene.’’ Tracy is supported in the picture by a marvelous ec:st of veteran actors, headed by Mary 3rian, as the leading lady; Allen Jenkias, Dick Powell, Ned Sparks, Ruth Dcnnelly, Milton Wallace, Frank McHigh, Walter Walker, Edwin Maxwell ard others. The story is an adaptatior. of the play by Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson; the sereen play written by Howard Green. Roy Del Ruth directed.