Dames (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Human Interest Stories e Casting Notes eProduction Items As suggested in The Film Daily’s poll of motion picture editors Berkeley Tells How He Picks Girls For Chorus 300 Beauties Selected For “‘Dames”’ Dances Vibrant With Youth And Life By BOB HUSSEY HE same excitement that comes with a proclamation of war or the news of a market crash takes place throughout the byways of Hollywood when the Busby Berkeley call for beauties is heard. The call is heard all over Hollywood as one blonde beauty passes it on to a brunette cutie and she in turn tells a redheeaded miss. It moves on endlessly. Miracles Of The Movies Merged In Master Musical Dance Direector’s Construction Crew Dwarfs Accomplishments Of Aladdin’s Lamp By HARRY LEE LADDIN commanded his wonderful Lamp to do what he wanted done—with no less assurance than ‘Buzz-saw’ Berkeley—miracle man of the movies—commands his wizards to do the impossible. Aladdin’s results were much less amazing. One Monday recently—for instanee—Berkeley remarked to his minions: “J must have a village by Thursday!” Their’s not to make reply, theirs but to do—or be fired. Before they had time to catch their breath—he added: “Yes sir, boys, a village by Thursday — an orchard back of it—miles of snowy country about it—and a _ seventy-mile blizzard blowing!” Bright and early Thursday morning the Big Boss arrived on the set and found everything as specified. Magic? Artists dashed off a sheaf of rough sketches. Others completed them. Buzz okayed them. Blue prints were rushed to the production department, to electricians, cameramen, printers, Lightning-speed builders began erecting houses. The huge backdrop was painted and raised. Wiremen tiptoed narrow catwalks installing upper lights. Snow and wind machines were set up, checked and doublechecked. The finished houses were painted and wired. Tons of artificial snow were hauled in—snow made of cornflakes, ground gypsum and salt. Imitation frost was smeared on the window panes, icicles were hung on the eaves, snowdrifts were piled at the most_ probable places. Houses were furnished to the last detail to make them appear occupied. Late Wednesday evening the huge sound-stage doors were swung shut and the lights extinguished. “Swell village!” said the Boss softly. Then he shouted, ‘“Let’s get to work, gang! Start the snow-falling!” and the shooting was on. “Bring On The Dames!” The Magie Village — intriguing as it is—is seen for but a few moments of the exciting extravaganza. Other mechanical miracles outshine it—but the genius of the director is evidenced even more by his choice of the beauties who traverse the gorgeous scenes. He has chosen then from among thousands. Page Twelve There are three hundred of them. They come from everywhere. Forty-six of the forty-eight States have contributed daughters to the group. California heads the list, with only one of the ten born in Hollywood. Missouri and Texas are second, IIlinois third. New York and Ohio tie for fourth place, and the State of Washington comes fifth. In the ‘big city’ groups, Chicago and Los Angeles divide first place honors and New York second. Kansas City and New Orleans are third. What there are girls from Canada, Mexico, England, France, Germany, Cuba, Holland and Alaska. One, De Don Blunier was born of French parents aboard an American boat on the high seas bound for England. The Mirage Number The astonishing genius of Busby Berkeley for combining mechanics, music and maidens, is demonstrated in the breathtaking “Mirage Number” of “Dames” which was described by an embryo word-artist as follows: “You take a young tornado and blow a Ferris-wheel and a merry-go-round up against an escalator inside a department store which is overrun with lovely ladies in fluttery ruffly things—set everything in motion—and—presto—you have a faint idea of the Mirage Number!” The gigantic “Mirage” project was on its way when Berkeley ordered the cutting of a big round hole in the sound stage floor. A deep excavation was made below it, in which was erected an all steel turntable, forty feet in diameter, which revolved on steel rails and was driven by a self-contained electrie motor capable of turning the huge ‘platter’ at ten different speeds in either direction. This upright steel wheel carries the dames in the completed picture, each platform so geared Berkeley “Looks ’em_ over” from a sound stage transformed into a theatre. There is a stage with a series of glaring lights flooding it. Rows upon rows of seats are arranged facing the stage and, except for the first “ Holding Forth At Strand two rows, all the seats in the house are occupied by girls. Berkeley and two assistants seat themselves at a table with long lists of names before them. Assemble Girls In Groups The two assistants assemble the first group of girls on the stage. The beauties, about fifty in number, are arranged in a semi-circle. Names and telephone numbers are recorded quickly and each girl is assigned a number. The strong lights were turned on and Berkeley mounted the stage. “Face me!” he exclaims as he walks along the line of appliceants.. Berkeley looks squarely in the face of each girl, and although each smiles her prettiest at his approach, no sign of recognition is evident in his glance. At the end of the line he wheels and walks to the center of the circle. Is it sleight of hand or just another parlor trick? We can’t answer ourselves, but if you betake yourselves down to the Strand this week, you'll see how Hugh Herbert and ZaSu Pitts explain it all. The film is “Dames” and Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and the Busby Berkeley beauty chorus are featured. Mat No. 21—20e that is remains level. Fastened to the turntable itself and running like an _ inverted V through the Ferris wheel at an angle was set a double flight of stairs. At either side, but off the turntable were other similar sets of stairs, one end of each mounted on a swinging pivot, the other on a moving tram, riding on steel cables, and still a different set of motors all under the floor of the set. It does not need a camera expert to imagine the enormous number of amazing camera angles possible. To catch these, holes were dug under the set for the cameras, and a traveling camera elevator was built over it. Stairs, turntable and wheel were filled to overflowing with daintily costumed girls—turned this way and that, backward and forward. In contrast to the specular sets is a very plain though distinetly novel one— It consists of an old fashioned laundry with rows of tubs and boards at which are girls dressed in the costumes of 1905. Joan Blondell, one of the all star cast sings “The Girl at the Ironing Board.” Songs For Every Mood Music makes the musical—but the music must be just right— it must not drown the story. For ‘Dames’ six of the finest song writers of the country— men who have done thirty-six song-hits in the last eighteen months—provide five smashing numbers—“Dames,” “Girl at the Ironing Board,” “Try to See It My Way,” “I Only Have Eyes for You” and “When You Were a Smile on Your Mother’s Lips.” The composers are Al Dubin and Harry Warren, Mort Dixon and Allie Wrubel and Irving Kahal and Sammy Fain. The Master Musical “Dames latest and greatest of all the musicals, packs laughter, melody, romance and action into a well knit unity—laid in scenes of great beauty. The cast is headed by Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler—with ZaSu Pitts, Guy Kibbee, Hugh Herbert, Arthur Vinton, Phil Regan, Sammy Fain, Johnny Arthur, Leila Bennett and Berton Churchill. It was directed by Ray Enright—and the dance numbers were created by Busby Berkeley. He once again walks along the line, pausing now and then more closely to scrutinize the profiles. This finished, he stands with his assistants and has the line of girls walk before him slowly, each girl calling her number as she passes. “Out of this group I want numbers 9, 11, 13, 22, 27, 28, 29, 36, 39, 40, 44, 46 and 50. Don’t tell anyone who we want. Send them all home and _ telephone those we’ve decided to use,” Berkeley orders. Proper Carriage Esssential In this quick, methodical fashion Berkeley quickly singled out 125 of Hollywood’s most alluring girls for his Ruby Keeler mirage ensemble number in the Warner Bros. gigantic —xxsi¢ai spectacle, “Dames,” which comes RO CHG CA xeca Sarat Theatre PRs aes tian ie There were, in all, about seventeen semi-circle groups assembled on the stage and the whole process took about four hours to complete. There are no set rules about Berkeley’s method of picking girls. One beautiful girl was eliminated because a front tooth was of gold. It would have reflected, in the camera. Another was barred from selection because she didn’t walk nicely. Proper walking and _ proper carriage are two main requisites in Berkeley’s mind, apparently. “What does a. girl need?” Berkeley was asked. “It’s rather difficult to define,” he answered. “A girl needs a face that registers well. She has to have a real smile. She must be able to walk with ease and assurance. She must look healthy. She must have no signs of worry or dissipation. She must be vibrant, alive, sparkling” “What about measurements?” “Don’t need ’em,” quickly came the response. “If a girl has those things I’ve mentioned, no one takes time to wonder about her measurements. We _ don’t bother about height or size.” And thus Berkeley “looked ’em over” for “Dames,” picking three hundred girls altogether for the various numbers for Warner Bros.’ newest and most spectacular musical. There is a heart throbbing romance around which the spectacle evolves, portrayed by an all star cast headed by Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, ZaSu Pitts, Guy Kibbee, Hugh Herbert and Phil Regan. Catchy music and lyrics were written by three famous song teams, Warren and Dubin, Fain and Kahal, and Dixon and Wrubel. Ray Enright directed from the sereen play by Delmer Daves based on a story by Robert Lord and Daves.