Calling Philo Vance (Warner Bros.) (1940)

ON PUBLICITY CLUES! Rare Model Planes in ‘Calling Philo Vance’ At the Strand Friday Twenty-two airplanes, rented for an aggregate of $400 a week, composed one of the expensive “prop” items for the James Stephenson-Margot StevensonHenry O’Neill mystery thriller, “Calling Philo Vance” at Warner Bros. The planes, none of which was more than ten inches high, were leased from the Model Airplane Show at Oakland, Calif., held in connection with the San Francisco World’s Fair. Most of the planes were models of American army and navy aviation, and the value of each model ranged from $50 to $200. Rental for the models was on the basis of one-tenth of the plane’s sale value, plus insurance, and carrying charges, each week. Making an appearance as one of the most interesting “prop” exhibits shown in films, the planes supply a more active part in the story than mere background. When a famous American airplane engineer is found mysteriously slain in his _ study, with the models all about him, on his drawing board, in his trophy case, and on top of his desk, it is one of the model planes which supplies the clew that eventually leads to the foreign agent guilty of the crime. A model plane slightly larger than the others, was built for the picture in the Warner Bros. crafts shops, from scale prints of a new American military bomber from the Lockheed plant. The Lockheed model appears in the film under the title, “Coe Bomber,” and. makes its first screen appearance with official approval. Filming of Unusual Scene Is Described There was a scene in Warner Bros.’ “Calling Philo Vance,” coming to the Strand Friday, which made a couple of stunt men out of Richard Kipling, character actor, and Lou O’Connell, the head cameraman. In the scene, which depicts Kipling’s futile fight for his life against an assassin, the cameraman had to carry a portable (Eymo) film camera, which is capable of shooting 200 feet of standard .35 millimeter negative. While recording Kipling’s headlong rush at him, and the blows Kipling aims directly at him, O’Connell not only had to parry the other man’s desperate swings, but he had to maintain an unwavering stance with his camera. When the audience sees the picture, the camera lens, will seem to be the actual eyes of the assassin with all of Kipling’s blows aimed directly at the center of the camera. This was a piece of film technique undertaken to give a vividly subjective view of the fight, while preserving the hidden identity of the murderer until the proper time for the revelation. One of Kipling’s grim rushes toward his attacker had to be filmed with the actor’s blow barely grazing O’Connell’s face. Another blow seemed to strike home, in the way O’Connell manipulated his camera, for the einematographer wavered with it to one knee, and then to the floor, just as a man would, who had been knocked down. After O’Connell took this twisting fall, with his machine grinding at Kipling all the time, the cameraman slowly got to his feet again, and made a determined rush at Kipling. The technique used in filming this scene attracted many stars from other sets. Mat 2U1—5 A DRAMATIC MOMENT from the mystery thriller, "Calling Philo Vance," which opens at the Strand Friday. In the scene are James Stephenson, Margot Stevenson, Henry O'Neill and Edward Brophy. (Review) ‘Calling Philo Vance’ Thrills Strand Patrons The Strand audience last night recognized in “Calling Philo Vance” more than a whodunit film. Public thought of late has been filled with stories of international espionage, and it is this thrilling element that has been cleverly woven into the S. S. Van Dine plot. James Stephenson opens the film as Philo Vance, who has given up his private sleuthing pursuits to become the United States’ ace intelligence man. His current. case starts in Vienna, seething with intrigue, as three foreign countries are trying to coerce plans for a super bombing plane from an American airplane manufacturer, played by Richard Kipling. Stephenson steals papers proving Kipling involved in such a sale, which has been prohibited by the American government. However, the detective is nabbed trying to leave the country and the necessary evidence taken from him. Back in Washington Stephenson and two of the State Department’s investigators, played Henry O’Neill celebrated his birthday in reverse by giving presents to his family. To his daughter, Patricia, O’Neill presented a Persian kitten she had admired. To his wife, Mrs. Peggy O’Neill, Hank tendered an autumn coat that she had spotted. To Hugh Herbert, comedian, and Wandra Sybald, script girl, both of whose birthdays occur on the same day as actor O’Neill’s, the latter sent complimentary telegrams, together with little keepsakes. O’Neill was 48 years of age and the entire “Calling Philo Vance” company helped him celebrate. Toto, the button-eyed Cairn terrier whose curious nose turns up one clue after another in “Calling Philo Vance,” has had a curious and busy screen career. She made her screen debut as a wee puppy, more full of pep than knowledge, in Shirley Temple’s “Bright Eyes.” Her owner didn’t have much trouble keeping her busy thereafter. She played a Sealyham dog (disguised by a shoe-whitening) and then a black Scottie (after a bath in shoe-blacking). Despite her sex, she plays the masculine canine lead of Capt. MacTavish in her current film. by Henry O’Neill and Edward Brophy, are thrown onto the case when Kipling is discovered murdered in his locked bedroom. The magnate’s beautiful niece, portrayed by Margot Stevenson, is implicated, as are a half dozen foreign agents found among the servants and neighbors. British James Stephenson is a convincing Philo Vance, with the right combination of sophistication and cosmopolitanism for the role. Margot Stevenson, brought to Hollywood from the Broadway stage, is as pleasing to the eye as she is talented. A superb job is done, also, by such well-known featured players as Henry O’Neill, Edward Brophy, Ralph Forbes and the pulchritudinous, Sheila Bromley. Long rated foremost in mystery fiction writers, Van Dine has devised in “Calling Philo Vance” a plot worthy of the true artistry and understanding with which the film was handled. Tom Reed adapted the story for the screen and William Clemens directed the film for Warner Bros.-First National. Toto, smart little Cairn terrier which plays a featured role in “Calling Philo Vance” with James Stephenson, entertains the entire Warner Bros. company with his playful antics and his ability to wag his tail, or hold it still, entirely by order. SUPER SLEUTH Mat 104—15c JAMES STEPHENSON portrays the debonair, man-about-town detective in "Calling Philo Vance,'' which opens at the Strand on Friday. American Audiences Praise Van Dine Mystery Technique The Strand Theatre, which is to play “Calling Philo Vance” starting Friday, tells of the interesting audience re-action to mystery-author 8. S Van Dine. It appears that more favorable comment is handed the management both verbally and in letters, concerning Van Dine stories than those of any other mysteryauthor, whenever his films are played at the theatre. The Van Dine technique is synonymous with the modern detective mystery story. A torchbearer in this type of fiction, Van Dine brought it into its true place in the entertainment field. His Philo Vance is as psychologically interesting as he is entertaining, and his escapades are as mentally stimulating as they are vigorous. A Van Dine enthusiast, learning the writer’s style, can often spot the guilty character early in the story. The characters usually taunt the reader or the audience, as the case might be, with many give-away clues that need merely be knit together for the denouement. Some of the greatest contemporary minds consider Van Dine a relaxation and Philo Vance a worth-while as well as thoroughly enjoyable character. The ace sleuth has been on the screen many times, portrayed in turn by William Powell, Warren William, Basil Rathbone and Edmund Lowe. The current film, however, has as the wordly detective the dapper British star, James Stephenson, whom Warner Bros. claim is a “natural” for the role. The supporting roles in ‘“Calling Philo Vance” are portrayed by such seasoned featured players as Henry O’Neill, Edward Brophy, Sheila Bromley and Ralph Forbes. The screen play, written by Tom Reed, was directed by William Clemens. American ‘Oriental’ Bo Ling, who plays. the Oriental maid, a secret agent in “Calling Philo Vance,” is the daughter of a Chinese-English interpreter in the Los Angeles superior courts. The actress’ father Anglicized his name so American litigants can understand it, and is known as Ed Parks, although in the home circle his name is Leong. CTION SHORTS Something new in the way of dynamic action is represented by Warner Bros.’ “Calling Philo Vance,” which opens at the Strand today. In an hour and a half of entertainment, it compresses three hours of intense activity which start with the discovery of a murder, and end with its solution by the society sleuth. Motion picture history has few cases in which the action of a story was compressed into such a short time as one day, much less one-eighth of a day. James Stephenson, Margot Stevenson, Henry O’Neill and Martin Kosleck are featured, with William Clemens as the director. James Stephenson, who plays the title role in Warner Bros.’ “Calling Philo Vance,” had never attempted acting until he was 30 years of age. At that time Stephenson, then a partner in a Manchester, England, firm of cotton goods manufacturers and exporters, suddenly decided he wanted to make his livelihood at “something more interesting and romantic than textiles.’”’ He turned actor, utterly without any previous experience, and since has never been without a stage or screen engagement. Director Puts Okay On Lovely Film Star It took a blend of naivete and self assurance to play Margot Stevenson’s leading role in Warners’ “Calling Philo Vance,” the fim now at the Strand. The comely brunette alternately has to help and hinder the famous fictional detective to divert his attention toward eight different murder suspects. At 24 a veteran of several seasons on the Broadway boards, Margot Stevenson acted for the first time when she was fourteen. At that time she played Juliet in a school production and she graduated to occasional professional appearances shortly afterward. She was in the Gilbert Miller production of “The Fire Bird” at seventeen. She became an understudy for Margaret Sullavan and took the latter’s place in “You Can’t Take It With You,” playing the role for two years, when Miss Sullavan fell ill in 1936. A 5 foot 4 inch figure, with a spirit that alternates between restlessness and languor, Miss Stevension hi a_s caused a deal of speculation on the sets of the two films: “Smashing the Money Ring” and “The Return of Philo Vance.” Whether Margot talked too fast, or talked in a monotone, or talked too much “like a lady,” was only one of the questions that came up. Her director, William Clemens, thought this a very good sign. Clemens explained that the black haired, grey eyed actress was the exceptional type which seems to be one thing to one person, and another thing to a second person. “She is a typical Irish character, with a certain amount of ‘fay’ that can not be explained,” said the director, who is Irish-American himself. “The fact that she is a changeable, seems cocky one minute and indifferent another, is part of the idea that we want her to express in the picture.” Mat 103—15c Margot Stevenson Beauty Care For Dogs Jack Weatherwax, dog trainer for the animals which help bring the murderer to justice in “Calling Philo Vance,” had to manicure one of his dogs’ nails and brush the teeth of another on the set. The little dog, Toto, which though a female Cairn terrier takes on the screen identity of Capt. MacTavish, a male Scottie, in the film, had to have her nails pared so they wouldn’t rattle and cause her to skid when she padded swiftly and noiselessly about the stylish mansion in which an unidentified slayer had already disposed of two victims. The bigger dog, Kazan, a police dog which finally knocked the slayer to the ground and tore at his neck, had to have his teeth brushed after each “take” because the actor who played the slayer wore heavily padded arms and shoulders on his coat, and the latter yielded short lengths of horse hair that got between Kazan’s teeth. Between scenes the dog’s antics amused the whole crew. Page Seven