Bureau of Missing Persons (Warner Bros.) (1933)

CURRENT CAMPAI (Review ) “Missing Persons Bureau”’ Refreshingly Different Love, Laughs, Thrills Abound in Timely New Picture Based Upon Authentic Police Work palatable doses are cleverly stirred together in the new First R enisesie comedy, melodrama and pathos in heaping and National production, ‘““Bureau of Missing Persons,” to make it one of the most entertaining and fastest moving pictures that has been shown at the . ... Theatre for some time. Opening last night, with a cast headed by Bette Davis, Lewis Stone and Pat O’Brien, the latter in one of the best characterizations he has ever given, the picture won its audience because exciting finish. It is a wonder that some Hollywood producer hasn’t sensed the dramatic possibilities of so fertile and virgin a field as that offered by the Missing Persons Bureau of any big city police department long before this. It’s another feather in the already heavily feathered cap of Warner Bros.-First National that they grasped the values latent in this phase of police work, and turned loose all their resources to create an absorbing piece of entertainment from this little known side of metropolitan police activities. Timely because of the great interest aroused by the numerous kidnappings, the picture shows exactly what happens when a person disappears. The story abounds in acting opportunities for such seasoned creators of character as Lewis Stone, who plays the Captain of the Bureau; Pat O’Brien in the role of a fresh, selfsatisfied “flatfoot,” just transferred from the Robbery Squad; Hugh Herbert and Allen Jenkins as hardboiled detectives in the bureau, who don’t turn a hair at any of the tragedies that are a daily part of the bureau’s routine. The real drama of the picture, however, centers around the mysterious and fascinating figure of Norma Phillips—played with feeling and conviction by Bette Davis—and who Opening Day Story Strand’s New Movie Turns the Spotlight on Many Disappearances The story of what goes on behind the thousands of persons who daily vanish mysteriously, seemingly from the face of the earth, will be revealed for the first time on the screen today in the First National picture, “Bureau of Missing Persons,” which opens at the... . Theatre. The picture gives a kaleidoscopic view of the actual workings of that branch of the police departments of every large city, whose duty it is to locate missing persons. The “Bureau of Missing Persons” is based on a book by Captain John H. Ayres and Carol Bird. It relates the cases that have come under the captain’s observations in his fifteen years as chief of the New York City Bureau. The many cases of strange disappearances and kidnappings depicted in the picture are based on those in real life as recorded by the police. The various cases presented, touch every form of human emotion. Many are tragic, some extremely pathetic and others decidedly humorous. The recent increase in kidnapping prompted First National to turn the screen’s spotlight on the various phases connected with most disappearances. There is an underlying plot in the picture that carries one of the strangest romances pictured on the screen, the love of a detective for a girl who is missing from another city and wanted on a charge of murder. It is set in an unusual picturesque background, which includes, besides the police bureau, the docks along the water front of the East River, New York’s aristocratic section, and the tenement districts. The cast, an exceptionally capable one, includes, besides Bette Davis in the stellar role, Lewis S. Stone, Pat O’Brien, Glenda Farrell, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert and Alan Dinehart. Roy Del Ruth directed the picture from the screen play by Robert Presnell. of the novelty of theme and its nearly turns the Missing Persons Bureau upside down and inside out in her efforts to locate the only man in the world who can clear her of a charge of murder. Glenda Farrell, who has yet to give a bad performance, again carries off high honors with her snappy role as a bigamous wife. Pat O’Brien, as Butch Saunders, is detailed to work on her case and falls in love with her almost from their first meeting. But no true love’s course ever ran rougher than does the experience of these two, before Norma and Butch finally get their man—with the shrewd assistance of Lewis Stone as Captain Webb. Director Roy Del Ruth has handled the numerous facets of his picture with skill, never losing pace or tempo for a single scene. Good performances—besides the actors already mentioned—are given by Alan Dinehart, Ruth Donnelly, Marjorie Gateson, Noel Francis, Charles Sellon, Helena Phillips, Wallace Clark and Tad Alexander. You can’t afford to miss “Bureau of Missing Persons” if you want something stirring and different in the way of first-rate motion picture entertainment. 2nd Day of Run Dog Saves Mistress from Screen Atiack But Ruins Sequence Bette Davis has a pet Scotty she calls Tibby. Tibby, being a quiet and well mannered dog, the star took her along to the First National studios in North Hollywood one day while she was working on “Bureau of Missing Persons,” a picture which reveals for the first time on the screen the mysterious workings of that branch of a city police force, which follows up kidnappings and mysterious disappearances of people. The dog was left in her portable dressing room on the set where she could both hear and see all that went on. Everything went well until Director Roy Del Ruth called for a scene in which Pat O’Brien, as Detective Butch Saunders, decides to use some third degree methods on Bette, his prisoner. Just as Pat’s voice became menacingly aggressive and he grasped Bette savagely by the arm, there was a patter of feet, a rush of black fur and an angry growl, as the Scotty burst into the scene and planted herself squarely between Pat and her mistress. Bette was overwhelmed with embarrassment at the ruination of the scene and the laughter of the other players. She swept Tibby into her arms and turned her over to her maid to hold while a retake was made. The picture is being shown at the . . Theatre. It is enacted by a strong cast, which includes, besides Miss Davis and Mr. O’Brien, Lewis S. Stone, Glenda Farrell, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert and Alan Dinehart. The screen play by Robert Presnell is based on the novel by Capt. John H. Ayres and Carol Bird, and pictures the most unusual experiences of the Captain during his fifteen years as head of the New York Police Department’s Bureau of Missing Persons. SOME THRILLS FROM A NEW HIT! We see above the artist’s impression of some of the action from First National’s latest triumph, “Bureau of Missing Persons.” This sensational new picture tells of the workings of that branch of the police whose task it is to ferret out missing persons. Among the noted players featured in this thrill-packed film are Bette Davis, Pat O’Brien, Lewis S. Stone, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly and Alan Dinehart. Cut No. 20 Cut 45c Mat 15ce Ord day of run Noted Cast of Stage and Screen Stars in Unique Police Film An exceptionally large and talented cast of players appear in the principal roles of the First National picture, “Bureau of Missing Persons,” a humorous as well as thrilling revelation of the secrets in the lives of those who strangely drop out of sight, which is now being shown on the screen at the .... Theatre. It is a timely picture, suggested by the numerous sensational kidnappings that have roused the country. There are seventeen players in the leading speaking roles, all of whom have had brilliant careers on both the stage and screen. The list is headed by Bette Davis, the blonde star of “Eix-Lady,” who also played the leading feminine roles in “The Cabin in the Cotton,” “The Dark Horse,” “The Working Man” and many others. Miss Davis has a background of Broadway experience previous to entering picture work. Lewis S. Stone, the veteran screen and stage player, whose work was so notable in “Grand Hotel,” “Red Headed Woman” and “The White Sister,” has the role of the chief of the missing persons bureau. His. is the counterpart of the position held in the N. Y. Police Department by Capt. John H. Ayres, the man who collaborated with Carol Bird on the book from which the screen play was written by Robert Presnell. Pat O’Brien, well known stage player before he entered picture work two years ago, has the romantic lead opposite Miss Davis. O’Brien will be remembered for his work in such pictures as “Destination Unknown,” “The Public Be Damned,” “Flowing Gold” and “American Madness.” Glenda Farrell, Allen Jenkins and Ruth Donnelly, all well known Warner Bros.-First National contract players, are responsible for most of the fun with which the picture is packed. Hugh Herbert is a recent acquisition from the footlights while Alan Dinehart is equally known as a stage and picture favorite and also as a director. Ath day of run Jean Muir, New York Stage Beauty, Makes Film Bow as Corpse It was the first scene of her career as a motion picture actress—and they made her a corpse! That’s the ironical experience of Jean Muir, Warner Bros. player and potential star, who has just started a film career after three successful years on the New York stage. To give the pretty blonde actress a taste of working before the camera, prior to featuring her, studio executives gave her a bit in First National’s “Bureau of Missing Persons,” a stirring drama revealing the secrets of men and women who strangely vanish from the face of the earth. The picture is now showing at the . Theatre. Her part was to portray a young girl who, listed missing, reads of her mother’s death in a newspaper, and commits suicide by jumping in the river. Later, the missing persons bureau identifies her in the morgue. “Laid out on a tin-slab and rolled in and out of an ice box in a morgue,” is the way Jean herself describes her first day before the camera. Bette Davis, Lewis Stone and Pat O’Brien have the leading roles in Robert Presnell’s screen play, which is based on the experiences of Capt. John H. Ayres, head of the New York Bureau of Missing Persons for fifteen years. Roy Del Ruth directed. 5th day of run Star and Bride Spend Honolulu Honeymoon Right in Hollywood Alan Dinehart and his bride, Mozelle Britton, spent a Honolulu and New York honeymoon in Hollywood recently. This paradox came about through a disruption of their plans. Just at the time they were to be married and sail for the two above-mentioned places, Dinehart was given an important role in the First National picture, “Bureau of Missing Persons,’ which is now showing at the... . Theatre. The wedding went on, but the trip was called off for the time being. — Mrs. Dinehart being a brand new bride, just couldn’t keep away from the studio where her husband was working. The locale of the picture is Manhattan and when she stepped on the set, Mrs. Dinehart found herself on Broadway. “Look,” she said, “we are honeymooning in New York after all.” And that wasn’t all of it. Adjoining New York Street on the Warner lot was a Honolulu set. This was a replica of the picturesque Pacific Island with its swaying palm trees and thatched-roof huts. Between scenes the couple strolled up Broadway or along the wavewashed beaches. And they had plenty of company, for other members of the cast, including Bette Davis, Lewis S. Stone, Pat O’Brien, Glenda Farrell, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly and Hugh Herbert, joined in the makebelieve sport. The screen play by Robert Presnell is based on a novel by Capt. John H. Ayres and Carol Bird, and presents the strange experiences of the captain in his hunt for missing persons during his fifteen years as chief of the New York Police Bureau. Roy Del Ruth directed. LOOK AT THAT! net Detective Pat O’Brien of the “Bureau of Missing Persons” is on the trail. He is featured with Bette Davis, Lewis Stone and Glenda Farrell in the sensational picture now playing at the... . Theatre. Cut No. 17 Cut 1i5¢ Mat 5c Page Twenty-one