Calling Philo Vance (Warner Bros.) (1940)

‘CALLING PHILO VANCE’ (Opening Day) New Philo Vance Thriller On Strand Screen Today One of Hollywood’s most popforeign governments, the mag Mat 202—30c TROUBLE'S AFLOAT when the debonair super-sleuth, James Stephenson, and Edward Brophy smell a clue in "Calling Philo Vance," at the Strand Friday. (Lead) ‘Calling Philo Vance’ At The Strand Friday Surprise mystery thrillers have long been movie favorites. And when it’s an §. 8S. Van Dine yarn, that means tops in this type of story. The artistry of Van Dine has been recognized since he first conjured the whimsical, complex, super detective Philo Vance. And his special technique of building clue on clue through to the denouement is as entertaining as the fictional Vance, himself. To date there have been a number of Philo Vances in pictures. First was William Powell, then Warren William, Basil Rathbone and Edmund Lowe. Now comes a new Philo from Hollywood in the person of James Stephenson. The film, “Calling Philo Vance,” which opens at the Strand Friday, stars the British actor with Margot Stevenson, promising young actress Warners’ imported from Broadway. Also cast are such talented featured players as Henry O’Neill, Edward Brophy, Shelia Bromley and _ Ralph Forbes. The clever plot, though fic tional, is one that might have been taken from current newspaper headlines. It involves the intrigue and adventure in inter national espionage, revolving around an airplane manufacturer whose super-bomber is coveted by three nations. Assigned to the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philo Vance learns of the manufacturer’s plans to sell his designs to another nation. This has been forbidden by the United States. Meanwhile, the magnate is murdered. Philo didn’t know what he was walking into, but now he finds a case on his hands. The fast-moving action soon brings to light six suspects. The beautiful niece hated her selfish uncle. The Oriental maid is an enemy agent. The butler is a spy for another country. In the adjoining apartment house are the manufacturer’s sweetheart and two more foreign agents. The well-timed screen play was written by Tom Reed and directed by William Clemens for Warner Bros.-First National. Calling Philo Vance’ Has Intricate Prop One item of several hundred dollars expense vanished from the budget of the new mystery thriller, ‘Calling Philo Vance” at Warner Bros., because Detective Vance (James Stephenson) proves so fast in solving the murder problem. Only four hours elapse between the moment the officers break into the room of an airplane designer and find him lifeless, to the hour when Philo Vance reconstructs the crime and informs the officers what guilty minion of a foreign power has done the deed that deprives the United States of one of its best military brains. In that four hours, according to the film company’s earliest intentions,. the police were to have prepared an eight story scale model of an apartment building which was the scene of the crime. The scale model was to be completed down to furniture, elevator shafts, stairways, fire escapes, and all corridors. When Ted Smith, the art director, informed Director Bill Clemens that it would take a couple of days work by the artists who fabricate the studio’s small scale replicas of houses and furnishings, and:a couple of hundred dollars worth of time and materials, Clemens said, ‘Never mind. If Warner Bros.’ art department can’t build it in three hours, I guess the police department couldn’t do it in that little time, either.” -Page Six Busy Terrier Pup In New Strand Film The 17-ounce Cairn terrier, Toto, whose curious nose turns up one clew after another in the Warner Bros. mystery thriller “Calling Philo Vance,” the film now at the Strand, has a curious but very busy record in films. Toto has played everything from a Sealyham (disguised by a bath in whitening fluid) to a black Scottie, which she impersonates in her current role. In fact, Toto despite her sex, plays a very masculine little Scottie, named Capt. MacTavish, with James Stephenson as her master, the great detective, in the Philo Vance film. Toto began her film career as a wee puppy, more full of pep than knowledge, but willing to learn, in Shirley Temple’s “Bright Eyes,” three years ago. She recently completed another triumph as Judy Garland’s dog, Terry, in “Wizard of Oz.” The canine is a kennel mate of Buck, the $500 a week St. Bernard, and of Prince, the fighting fool of a great Dane which has chewed up packs of timber wolves in a succession of far north films. Among this rugged company, little button eyed Toto reigns as queen of the kennels owned by Carl Spitz, whose specialty is renting canines to the screen. All Toto need do is look roguishly at Buck, and snarl commandingly at Prince, and she gets peace and quiet among the forty variegated pooches in the Carl Spitz dog quarters. James Stephenson Plays Philo Vance In New Strand Film James Stephenson, British born film star who is now playing the title role in Warners’ “Calling Philo Vance” at the Strand, was a cotton exporter in Manchester, England, until six or seven years ago. At the age of thirty, he decided to “chuck” business for something that promised to be more fun— acting. In business, Stephenson had an unfailing memory for current quotations, production costs, excises and shuffling exchange rates. Yet his amazing memory did fail when he entered the British stage and then Hollywood. He had to develop a new system. He began by reading his entire scenario thoroughly a couple of times. That done, he started intensive study of his speeches. This, five or six times. The words of his speeches would then be clinched, ballet. tries wasn’t the end of Stephenson’s new system. With his own words” digested, to every nicety of pro . ° 2 UES C nunciation, ie Beale cet de timing and James Stevenson most important, characteriza tion the actor next made it a point to learn the full speeches of all other characters in each of his scenes. With this mastered, Stephenson felt he could not be surprised at any cue. In Stephenson’s own words, “T took the role of the detective in ‘Calling Philo Vance,’ and ail the old carefree assurance seemed to return. I look at a page of dialogue, and it all seems to sort itself right out in my mind. I have not had to do any laborious memorizing, because I work just the way that Philo works in solving his crime. He picks up a page of a letter, scans it briefly, and has the contents engraved on his mind.” Briton Speaks Chinese James Stephenson, the British actor who plays Philo Vance in Warner Bros.’ “Calling Philo Vance,” never saw Scotland Yard, or a plain clothes man, until he came to United States two years ago, and saw them in the American films. ular film series has come from S. S. Van Dine’s ingenious detective Philo Vance, and his latest adventure will be shown on the Strand screen today in “Calling Philo Vance.” In the past, William Powell, Warren William, Basil Rathbone and Edmund Lowe have played the sleuth. Added to the rank now is the dapper English star James Stephenson, who plays with Margot Stevenson, comely brunette recently discovered on Broadway, and _ such _ talented featured players as Henry O’Neill, Edward Brophy, Sheila Bromley and Ralph Forbes. The story is Van Dine at his best. In the intriguing mesh of circumstances, moving at a rapid pace, there are many clues to the murderer. Yet few can deduce his identity until Philo Vance recreates the crime from information already presented. The sensational case of an American airplane manufacturer, who is willing to sell his designs to the highest bidder, against the United States’ official order, is turned over to Philo. He acquires the necessary evidence in Vienna, but then loses control of pertinent papers. Now Philo, back in Washington, must crack the case to save his professional reputation. Ready to pounce at the magnate, the latter is discovered murdered. The mysterious circumstances involve the beautiful niece and the ardent secretary who wants to marry her, the Oriental maid, and butler, each working for nate’s sweetheart and two foreign intelligence men discovered in an adjoining apartment building. Featured in the picture is one of Hollywood’s cleverest canines, Mat 101—1)5c JAMES STEPHENSON AND MARGOT STEVENSON Toto, who made his screen debut with Shirley Temple in “Bright Eyes” and has been kept busy filling screen assignments ever since. In the film he has a nose for news, Toto has, and Philo is the first to give him all due credit for the clues he unearths, which eventually lead to the murderer. The sereen play was written by Tom Reed and directed by William Clemens. Veteran Actor Thumbs Nose At The Fates Henry O’Neill, playing Markham, head of the F. B. I. in Warner Bros.’ ‘Calling Philo Vance,” said, “For the first two years I was in Hollywood, audiences must have thought I had no legs. I was always sitting behind a desk—a police captain, a bank president, a General, a relentless father of the heroine or whatnot. I was almost at the point to demand that my wife serve my breakfast bacon and eggs on a desk instead of a table. So what I like about ‘Calling Philo Vance’ is that it lets me walk. So what happens? A big police dog in the picture took a hunk out of my right leg in one of the early sequences and I have to limp!” CAST OF CHARACTERS Philo Vance Hilda _. Markham yates eo. Tom McDonald ___. Philip Wrede____ Gamble Doris bi Pe Dr. Doremus Grassi ... Du Bois. Hennessey oS Archer Coe... Brisbane Coe Ling Toy... PRODUCTION Directed by WILLIAM CLEMENS Associate Producer, Bryan Foy; Screen Play by Tom Reed: From “The Kennel Murder Case,” by S. S. Van Dine; Dialogue Director, Jo Graham; Director of Photography, L. Wm. O’Connell, A. S. C.; Art Director, Ted Smith; Film Editor, Benjamin Liss; Sound by Charles Lang; Gowns by Howard Shoup; Asst. Director, Arthur Leuker. .. JAMES STEPHENSON MARGOT STEVENSON Henry O’Neill (James Dog Star Too Smart For His Own Good When Kazan, police dog which helps corner the criminal in Warner Bros.’ “Calling Philo Vance,” took a nip at Henry O’Neill’s heels, instead of Don Douglas, the heavy, the dog’s trainer, Jack Weatherwax explained that the dog had watched when O’Neill, as the head of the secret service, filched the missing aviation plans from Douglas’ pocket prior to the chase sequence, and that the dog had therefore figured O’Neill the thief. The actor said sourly that a dog smart enough to figure that out should have been smart enough to make a living without having to work in motion pictures. O’Neill and Kazan have made up and are great pals. SYNOPSIS (Not for publication) Federal Agent Philo Vance Stephenson) returns Edward Brophy from Europe failing to bring eviRalph Forbes dence necessary to prove an air _......... Donald Douglas plane manufacture involved in Hyer Martin Kosleck @ traitorous sale of important . plans. When the magnate is murae De ee one dered in Washington, Philo de termines to clear the case to Edward Raquello vindicate himself. As his assis Creighton Hale tant, Ryan manages to compliHarry Strang eate things adeptly. Vance _ is Richard Kipling certain that the manufacturer’s beautiful niece is not guilty and _.... Wedgewood Nowell ey cuit, i: RAE, ae en Bo Ling conflicts with Chief Investigator Markham on this issue. The bewildering array of suspects includes foreign agents discovered among the servants and others hiding out in an adjoining building. The murdered man’s sweetheart has due share of suspicions. When the most logical of the suspects is found murdered, things happen quickly. Finally, it is when all the characters involved are rounded up that the faithful dog gives the clue to the assassin in the thrilling climax.