Code of the Secret Service (Warner Bros.) (1939)

COLORFUL MEXICO POPULAR SETTING FOR FILM LOCALE Mexico, like most other foreign nations, objects to its citizens being pictured in an unfavorable light in American movies. It does not, however, object to its territory being used as the locale for the screen villainy of Americans. That is quite a break for the film producers, who find in the southern Republic a picturesque background for productions dealing with smuggling, counterfeiting and kindred brands of outlawry. The latest film to take advantage of this phase of Mexican hospitality is Warner Bros.’ “Code of the Secret Service,” second of the secret service series starring Ronald Reagan, now at the Strand Theatre. All of the action, except that of the opening scenes, takes place below the Mexican border. On orders from Washington, Reagan enters Mexico in search of a counterfeiting gang. Hundreds of Mexicans were used in the production, some of them in featured roles, most in atmosphere bits. There was not a “heavy,” or villain, among them, however. The counterfeiters were all Americans, and the Mexican soldiers and police who figured in the story worked with Reagan. RONALD REAGAN LOVER OF PEACE FINDS LITTLE OF IT Ronald Reagan wanted to get away from it all. Back in 1936 he was a radio commentator and newspaper man in Des Moines, Towa, and he’d had his fill of district attorneys, autopsies, and murders. And so he went to Hollywood. Today he’ll tell you that you can’t escape your destiny. For he’s right back among murders, autopsies, and fingerprints, as the leading man in the Warner Bros. secret service series. And judging from his success in the first, ‘‘Secret Service of the Air,’’ he’s slated for a long string of them. The second, ‘‘Code of the Secret Service,’’? now playing at the Strand Theatre. Of course, Ronnie admits there are differences. As a reporter back Mat 108—15c Ronald Reagan on the ‘‘Register,’’ he never rode to his murders in a beautiful green roadster, or between assignments had nice cold drinks handed to him, his coat brushed, and a comfortable chair shoved under him. And, he also admits, he never had pretty girls ogling him and pushing to get close to him. CURRENT PUBLICITY Mat 209—30e IN A TIGHT SPOT — Rosella Towne and Ronald Reagan, starring in Warner Bros.’ ‘Code of the Secret Service’, second of the secret service series. Now at the Strand Theatre. (Opening Day) ‘Code of the Secret Service’ Opens Today At Strand “Code of the Secret Service,” pals, and twice escapes death by the second in the Warner Bros. a hair’s breadth when he falls series of pictures depicting the into the hands of the gang. He exploits of the U. 8S. Secret Servfinally succeeds in luring the ice, opens today at the Strand band’s leader to the United Theatre, with Ronald Reagan States side of the border, arrestagain in the starring role, as in ing him and the first film of the series, “Seplates. eret Service of the Air.” Other members who were in the Reagan has been assigned the cast of the first epsiode now apdangerous jo: pearing in “Code of the Secret of breaking Service” are Eddie Foy, Jr. and up a band of Rosella Towne. Heading the band counterfeitof counterfeiters is Moroni Olsen, ers) operating and other actors of the cast include Edgar Edwards, Jack Mower, John Gallaudet and Joseph King. The screen play, written by Lee Katz and Dean Franklin was based upon material compiled from files of William H. Moran, ex-chief of the U. S. Seeret Service. The production was directed by Noel Smith. confiscating his across . the Mexican border. In the course of this assignment he narrowly escapes execution by Mexican authorities for the sup posed murder of one of his own Mat 106—15c Rosella Towne Ronald Reagan Nothing New Listens To Warning For Former Croupier Fists were swinging, tables were crashing and glasses were shattered as Ronald Reagan made a shambles of a saloon setting for a scene of the Warner Bros. secret service picture, “Code of the Secret Service,” which comes to the Strand Theatre Friday. Through the turmoil, a stolid faced croupier stayed by his roulette table, calmly spinning the wheel. Suddenly, one of Reagan’s wild punches caught the croupier on the cheek. The man’s wooden expression didn’t change. “Holy smokes,” Director Noel Smith said to him when the brawl was over, “why didn’t you react when you were hit?” “Nothing phases me,” he said. Looking before he leaped proved a wise precaution for Ronald Reagan on the set of “Code of the Secret Service,” the Warner Bros. secret service series pieture now playing at the Strand. Reagan was to jump through a window, for a scene, of the specially prepared “breakaway,” with filmsy framework, and candy substituting for glass. Even so, Director Noel Smith suggested it might be wise to have a double do the scene. Reagan laughed off the double idea but checked the window. It had real glass and a solid framework. Somehow there had been a slip in construction orders. Another scene was filmed while preparing the window. [ 10] (Review ) ‘Code of the Secret Service’ Reveals Risks of G-Men “Code of the Secret Service” brought Ronald Reagan back to the screen of the Strand Theatre yesterday as the hero of the seeond in the Warner Bros. film series based on exploits of the U. S. Secret Service. Alternately taut with suspense and bristling with excitement, the plot, drawn from material supplied by William H. Moran, exchief of the U.S. Seeret Service, besides being a tale of hazardous adventure, also presents a rare opportunity to get behind the scenes of the most important activities of the service in its unceasing war against counterfeiters. The band of counterfeiters, which the young operative played by Reagan is assigned to break up, operates from across the Mexican border, so most of the action takes place against the colorful background of Old Mexico. Betore Reagan sue¢ceeds in luring the leader of the gang across the international line, arresting him and confiscating his plates, the young agent not only has several hair-breadth escapes from death at the hands of the counterfeiters, but he is in danger of being executed by the Mexican authorities for a murder he did not commit. Several times in the course of his perilous mission Reagan leaps from the frying pan into the fire, as when he escapes from a Mexican jail only to be captured by the counterfeiters. He is doomed to die, but overpowers his guard and escapes, just before the building in which he was held is blown up by the gang leader, Moroni Olsen, to thwart government troops about to capture the plant. The first production in this series established Ronald Reagan as an ideal choice for the shrewd and courageous secret service operative, and in his second appearance he amply confirms that first impression. Playing opposite lim in the role of an American rancher’s daughter is Rosella Towne. Eddie Foy, Jr. contributes some amusing comedy, and Moroni Olsen makes a smooth and suave thougn spine-chilling villain. Others in the cast include Edgar Edwards, Jack Mower, John Gallaudet and Joseph King. The screen play was written by Lee Katz and Dean Franklin. Noel Smith directed the production with notable success. MINT ‘VISITORS’ CAUSE REVISION Two San Francisco boys who recently accomplished what the government has dared the smartest criminals in the world to attempt can now consider themselves collaborators on a motion picture script. Upon reading in the papers that Paul Francis and William Gallagher of San Francisco had “visited” the government mint in that city by way of an open window, Warner Bros. production executives immediately ordered revision of the script of “Code of the Secret Service,’ now playing at the Strand Theatre but in production at the time of the boys’ exploit. Originally the picture, the second of a secret service series which the Burbank studio is making, offered a scene in which a criminal syndicate stole actual money engraving plates from the government mint. This was discarded as being too implausible. The public wouldn’t believe that the mint, symbol of impregnability, could be illegally entered. The San Francisco exploit, however, made the original scene seem more reasonable. SECRET SERVICE AGENT WINS GIRL RONALD REAGAN NOT BULLETPROOF Proof or no proof, Ronald Reagan took no chance on truth being as strange as fiction in one case. In a scene for the Warner Bros. secret service picture, ‘‘Code of the Secret Service,’’ now playing at the Strand Theatre, Reagan’s life is supposed to be saved by a little book he carries in his breast pocket. A counterfeiter fires a pistol at him point blank and the force of the bullet is spent in drilling the book. ‘ Reagan argued audiences wouldn’t believe the incident, and Director Noel Smith ordered a test.. A book identical with the one Reagan was carrying was placed next to a cigarette case. Then a .32 calibre pistol was fired at it. The bullet pierced the book but didn’t even dent the cigarette case. Came time for shooting the scene and Reagan personally inspected his would-be assassin’s revolver to see that it was loaded with blank cartridges. SeLeme wo te cigarette case.’’ > he explained, ‘4a Mat 206—3vUe Rosella Towne and Ronald Reagan, starring in Warner Bros.’ ‘Code of the Secret Service’, now playing at the Strand Theatre. This is the second in the Secret Service series based on an ex-agent’s file cases.