Confession (Warner Bros.) (1937)

Publicity—“Confession”—Page 5 asil Rathbone Viennese Villain Confession” Shows Master of Roue Roles As New Kind of Rogue. Jane Bryan Victim of His Suave Villainy Austrian villains do not pursue their prey with diamonds and orchids. They take a more practical view of the whole matter. We found this out, while watching Joe May, the Continental director, run his players through a Viennese scene in ‘‘Confession,”’ the Warner Bros. drama starring Kay Francis, which opens next week at the Strand. Basil Rathbone, that Prince of Smoothies, was the leering villain. He was more polished than even our own Jack Dalton, and he got quicker results. The innocent girl in the case was lovely little Jane Bryan, the Warners’ latest dis covery. When Rathbone, in the role of a Vienna roue, planned the downfall of the innocent Jane, he did not take her to dine in luxury or tempt her with truffles. He might have done that on Park Avenue, but not on Hasenstrasse. Instead he escorted her to a Steffanskeller. This is a basement, arched and vaulted, lighted by old fashioned lamps. He held her chair gallantly, helped her with her cheap cloak and fascinated her with his courtly manner. Then he was ready with his dastardly designs. So he ordered a double portion of Goulash and Wienerschnitzel. This was a little disconcerting to Rathbone. He has always played suave and _ nonchalant Americans or Englishmen. He didn’t mind being a roue but he had never before descended below Crepes Suzette in a campaign. He was able to save his face to some extent. Even a Steffanskeller can supply champagne. Two bottles of this, and his confidence returned. “Would you believe me,” he asked in a practiced tremolo, “if IT told you that though the world looks upon me as a great success —to myself I’m a complete failure?” Jane believed him at once. You could see it in her eyes. “You made me realize,” he went on, “suddenly in the twilight of my life. Until you came into it, I was an empty shell, technically perfect, but without a soul.” Even deprived of orchids, diamonds and truffles, Basil Rathbone, the screen’s most polished bad man was himself again! “After all,’ he said afterward, “with all my experience as a polished villain, I believe I could put it over on corn beef and cabbage.” And as for Jane—well! Never before had a villain held her in his arms and kissed her as only a villain can. It was very disconecerting to a young girl. It was her first screen kiss. Even her limited off-stage kissing was hardly a _ preparation for Rathbone. “A boy in high school kissed me once,” she admitted, “but I realize now, he knew as little about it as I did.” “Having studied my _ script,” said the girl, “I knew he was supposed to take me in his arms and kiss me. But I was not ready for the suddenness of it. I honestly was so taken aback that my lines, ‘Oh, you mustn’t? just popped out. “Joe May, the director, thought I was acting and said my fright seemed very natural. Ill say it did.” Off-stage, Jane Bryan is a stu dious, She a Continental Rathbone de serious-minded girl. had never known smoothie such as picts. “It was not only the. kiss, itself,” she commented ingenuously, “it was the way he holds you, as if you had been magically altered to fit his arms perfectly.” As to she liked the scene, she was a bit noncommittal. whether “A girl has to learn some time,” she said, “and Mr. Rathbone is a very charming fellow.” Rathbone’s villainy didn’t get him very much, after all, for Kay Francis, as Jane’s mother, shoots and kills him. Jan Hunter plays the little girl’s father, and other notables in the cast include Donald Crisp, Robert Barrat, Ben Welden and Laura Hope Crews. Short Titles Vogue For New Pictures Movie titles, even more than types of movie stories, come in Just Warner Bros. studio say the ten cycles. now, observers at deney throughout the industry is to pare down the length of picture labels. Few and far between are the one-word titles, but Kay Francis’ latest started “Mazurka,” was re-named briefly “One Hour of Romance,” and then picture out as went back to a one-worder again, this time “Confession.” It comes to the Strand Theatre next Friday, with Basil Rathbone, Ian Hunter, Jane Bryan, Mary Maguire, Dorothy Peterson, Robert Barrat, and many others in the supporting cast. Mat No. 102—10¢ Matinee idol of London and Broadway stage is Basil Rath bone, who is Kay Francis’ leading man in “Confession.” Joe May Uses Own Modes of Movie Making Joe May, European director brought to Hollywood to direct Kay Francis in “Confession,” which opens at the Strand Theatre next week, reverses the Amermethod of scenes. This particular Warner Bros. ican shooting his production is based on the trial of a woman (Kay Francis) for murder and the unusual circumstances preceding the crime. The court room scenes are the dramatie nucleus of the entire story. The usual method of shooting large and important sequences is first to make long establishing shots, showing the entire arena of action, then close-up shots of principals, their speeches, their reactions. Joe May believes that by making close shots first, he allows principals quieter rehearsals and a chance to develop their charwithout acterizations carefully, the distractions of a court room full of people. Important also is the economy of making close-ups of principals without the expense of several hundred extras sitting idle. Love scenes Are Hard to Portray Movie Players, Distracted By Visitors On the Set, Find It Difficult To Make Their Screen Clinches Look Like Real Thing It is doubtful if any man could make love to his girl convineingly in a show window. Certainly the girl might be a bit restrained in her responses to him. A love scene, make-believe or real, demands a certain concentration. Or at least an indifference to what’s going on in the rest of the world. One can hardly blame movie players for not wanting to make love scenes in the presence. of visitors. GAT Ra plained Ian Hunter, “to lay my most distracting,” ex soul bare to Kay Francis, when out of the corner of my eye I see a naive little lady from Kankakee nudge her husband and grin.” Hunter and Miss Francis, together with Basil Rathbone, have the leading parts in Warner Bros” “Confession,” now at the Strand Theatre. Miss Francis, too, recalls a love scene being spoiled by a cornerof-the-eye glimpse. “T remember once,” she said, “George Brent had me in his arms and was saying, ‘Look at me and you will see the love in my eyes.’ “T looked. Over his shoulder I saw, not the love in his eyes, but a prop man biting off a big chew Hunter's Debut Is In A 1-Night Run Tan Hunter’s introduction to American audiences was in a onenight run on Broadway! The featured player, now with Kay Francis and Basil Rathbone in Warner Bros.’ “Confession,” at the Strand Theatre, first came to this country with an English stage production of “School for Seandal.” When it was learned that an American company was appearing in the same piece in New York, the English company—afraid of the competition—put on one Sunday night performance and then went on a tour of the barn-storming country. Hunter later played in many more successful Broad way productions. THAT FINAL TOUCH — Before Facing The Camera Three photos on one Mat No, 301—30¢ of tobacco. I didn’t feel romantic again for a half hour.” After all, is a strictly personal enterprise, no matter how you look at it. No actor can be entirely free of self consciousness when he unburdens his heart to a strange woman, held close in his arms. For worse. Bette Davis, who has played many heroines on stage and~ screen, said recently, “I have never seen myself on the sereen in a love scene. I always close my eyes on that part of my pictures. It’s foolish, but I am a little ashamed. “When I am making such scenes, I deliberately look around at the camera, the sets and the crew to remind myself that it’s just part of the job. “The reason I object to visitors on the set during love scenes is not that they are distracting, but that it is embarrassing.” Dick Powell hardly knew Doris Weston, when they started to make “The Singing Marine.” Yet their love scenes were frequent and ardent. a love scene the actress, it is even Dick is quoted as saying that a love scene is as casual as a hand shake and as much a part of the day’s routine. It is suspected that he made this remark to put Miss Weston at ease. If so, he was not entirely successful. Their first kiss had to be retaken several times because Miss Weston’s blushes came through the make-up which had to be changed to allow for them. “Everybody knew I was flustered,” she said, “and smiled encouragement from the _ sidelines. I imagined they were smiling at what I was saying and doing. “It sounds terrible to say it, but I really was used to Dick’s lovemaking after several days of it. I mean, of course, as far as embarrassment was concerned.” Humphrey Bogart’s reaction to making a love scene before an audience is purely the actor’s. “It is very disconcerting,” he said, “to be making love in a scene and have your eye light on somebody in the audience engrossed in something else. “That often happens in the theatre. “Once, I was saying a tearful farewell to my heroine and doing it darn well. Even my voice was tearful. I was wrapped up in that scene. Holding my beloved close, I glimpsed a movement in the audience. It was a stout man in the second row, rythmically sweeping a pocket comb across his sparse locks. “The heroine said ‘Ouch,’ and I realized that in my anger I nearly broke the lady’s rib.” -In spite of the rigid rules ‘against visitors at most studios, aceredited writers are still allowed on most sets. But even they are barred when the moment comes for the stalwart hero to clasp the elinging heroine and kiss her ruby lips. Even Hollywood has certain reserves.