Dr. Monica (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Personality. Sketches Fashion Notes e Beauty Advice e Human __Interest Story As suggested in The Film Daily’s poll of motion picture editors Miss Teasdale Got Start Toward Fame By Magnetic Smile A smile seems a small price to pay for a chance to make good, but that’s all it cost Verree Teasdale. This was several years ago before she scored such successes on the stage as ‘‘ Master of the Inn,’’ ‘‘Constant Wife’’ and ‘“‘The Greeks Had a Word For Ite?” Soon after leaving school, she managed to obtain minor parts and some work in stock but the main chance seemed to elude her. She was in New York when Phil Barry’s play ‘‘The Youngest’’ was announced. She went to the producer’s office. There were several ahead of her in the waiting room. Suddenly the door opened and the manager looked around the room. Most of the young women were frightened and looked it. His eyes fell upon Verree Teasdale and she smiled! That settled it. It was a magnetic smile, the kind that crinkles the corners of the mouth and lights the whole countenance. ‘‘You!’? said the manager, *‘the blonde with the smile.’’ And that was Verree’s big chance. The Teasdale smile has been in evidence in many plays since then and is now casting a good natured spell over ‘‘Doctor Monica,’’ the Warner Bros. picture which comes WO -GUO®.s..Sorted DHE tLe" OMe. <3 Miss Teasdale has the role of a wealthy society woman in this thrillingly dramatic story in which two women battle for love and happiness. Kay Francis has the title role while others in the cast include Warren William, Jean Muir, Phillip Reed and Emma Dunn. William Keighley directed from the screen play by Charles Kenyon. Verree Teasdale Appearing in the new Warner Bros drama, “Doctor Monica.” Mat No, 15—10c Performance Comes Before Dress, Says Kay Francis Star Of “Doctor Monica” Does Not Want To Be Known Simply As a ‘“‘Clothes Horse’’ LTHOUGH listed among the ten best dressed women in America, Kay Francis is opposed to over emphasis of clothes. She feels that it raises false standards of judg ment. It encourages the public to regard her costuming above her performance. It influences young actresses to consider their clothes first and their work of secondary importance. ‘‘The most damning comment in any film review is the statement that the star wears clothes beautifully,” said Kay. “It is exactly the same as an art critic saying that the painter’s selection of frames was excellent. Young actresses are very susceptible to the false idea that clothes are of prime importance. It makes them self conscious and detracts from their concentration on the thing that counts most— performance.” Scores Clothes Worship According to Miss Francis, feminine worship of clothes is a besetting sin, not a virtue. She believes that a woman should cultivate good taste in dress as she does in speech or in her attitude toward people. She does not believe that clothes should be a fetish. When Kay Francis is preparing for a new picture, the last thing of which she thinks is what she will wear. While she and her director are going over her story or holding conferences on the endless details of a new production, she may be seen about the lot in an old pair of slacks. When everything else is settled, she gives attention to wardrobe. In “Doctor Monica,” the Warner Bros. picture which comes to Che wnrnis cess Theatre on .......:--7: ; she plays the part of a socially prominent professional woman. The role requires a great number of costume changes and elaborate toilettes. When the script was finished, the wardrobe department realized that there was no time to be lost, but every effort to induce Miss Francis to look at designs and decide on materials failed. Finally the designers and modistes had to work nights in order not to delay the first scenes. Clothes Not a Career “IT have seen young actresses with great talent come to pictures with no idea except to develop these talents, to learn and to work hard,” said Miss Francis. “Then they would start an inordinate attention to _ their clothes. Their gowns became very important adjuncts of their scenes. They would begin to judge roles by oportunities to wear lovely frocks. Some of them did learn to dress smartly, but at the expense of their careers. “Naturally, I am flattered to be listed among well dressed stars, the same as I would be pleased to be listed among the kindly ones or the honest ones, but I would a thousand times rather give a good performance. Being well dressed is simply a matter of good taste, and is cer Star of Stars Glamorous Kay Francis reaches new heights in her screen career with her work in “Doctor Monica,’”? the Warner Bros. dramatic tri umph now playing at the Strand Theatre. Supporting her are Jean Muir, Warren William and Verree Teasdale. Mat No. 8—20c tainly no basis for success as an actress. “Good taste in dress means wearing the right thing at the right time.” The picture is a throbbing drama of a woman’s love and a woman’s sacrifice based on the Polish play by Marja Morozowicz Szezepkowska and adapted into English by Laura Walker Mayer. Kay Francis heads the cast which includes Warren William, Jean Muir, Verree Teasdale, Phillip Reed, Emma Dunn, Hale Hamilton and Virginia Hammond. William Keighley directed from the screen play by Charles Kenyon. Jean Muir Leaps to Film Fame in Less Than Year Young Actress Now Has Important Role With Kay Francis In ‘Doctor Monica”’ EFORE Jean Muir, now appearing on the screen of the Rrra a Poe eee Theatre in ‘‘Doctor Monica, ?? had ever been seen on the screen, her studio sent photographs of the young actress to the editors of all ‘‘fan’’ magazines. ‘“We are not submitting these for publication, 29 was the gist of the message that accompanied them. ‘‘But we are so sure this young woman represents star material that we wish you to have them in your files. We wish you to become acquainted with her likeness before her screen debut.” All of the photographs were published. At once. That is the sort of thing that happens to Jean Muir. If there are lucky stars, surely she was born beneath the luckiest. A year ago, Jean was an obscure understudy on Broadway—that is, when she could find a job. Today she is rated as one of the important screen discoveries of recent years. It isn’t only luck that has brought this girl to eminence in a town where swift ascents are the rule instead of the exception. Recognized as a Star One day nobody had heard of her. The next, directors were inquiring who she was—and asking supervisors to cast her in their pictures. Mervyn LeRoy saw her one noontime in the studio restaurant. “There’s star material or I’m crazy,” he reported. And Mervyn doesn’t often miss. As it worked out, Jean had her first role in Mervyn’s picture, “The World Changes,” in which Paul Muni starred. That’s is, discounting her real screen debut —as a corpse, briefly glimpsed, in “Bureau of Missing Persons”; and only the literal-minded will insist on that in future histories of the Muir career. From “The World Changes,” in which Jean made a deep impression, though the part was small, she stepped into a different field. She was cast as Joe E. Brown’s leading woman in the fast and furious farce-comedy, “Son of a Sailor.” From then on assignments came in breath-taking succession— “Bedside,” opposite Warren William; the featured role of Jen, heroine of “As The Earth Turns”; the principal role opposite Dick Barthelmess in Louis Bromfield’s Jean Muir, Kay Francis and Verree Teasdale, in a scene from “Doc tor Monica,” the Warner Bros. drama now on view at the Strand. Mat No. 9—20c “A Modern Hero,” and her present role in “Doctor Monica.” Secret of Success The lucky star might help to explain all this. Without a doubt, she has had the “right breaks.” But that is only part of the story. JEAN MUIR appearing in “Doctor Monica,” the Warner Bros. drama at the Strand. Mat No. 3 10c The Hollywood Cinderellas of other days have never worn the glass slipper for long—without something more than Cinderella luck. Her potentialities have impressed everybody on the lot. Another girl might not be so lucky as to arouse this interest, this paternal solicitude for her career. But what Jean has is the capacity to appreciate it—to digest with her intelligence the sum of what is told her. Most of all, she seems to have the gift of separating from the total what she herself can really use. The rest—the merely “interesting” and not the vital—she discards. Jean Muir’s earnestness, her willingness to learn, would seem to be her richest secret. In “Doctor Monica,” a thrillingly dramatic story in which two women battle for love and happiness, Miss Muir has the role of the “other woman.” Kay Francis has the title role while others in the cast include Warren William, Verree Teasdale, Phillip Reed and Emma Dunn. The screen play is by Charles Kenyon. Page Five