Ex Lady (Warner Bros.) (1933)

Note to Exhibitor:—Special effort should be made to plant this fine story with your local newspaper. the terrific build-up Bette Davis has had through the “42nd Street” special. It helps along, The Rise of Bette Davis Latest Movie Cinderella Added Thousands of Admirers as She Sped Across the Continent on the Gold and Silver “42nd Street” Special. Was the Most Interviewed Star on Trip—She Herself Was Amazed at Popularity Charming Personality, High Order of Intelligence and Splendid Histrionic Ability Have Made Petite Star the Newest Idol of Movie Fans lar fan magazine under Boe DAVIS was lauded, less than a year ago, in a poputhe caption of the ‘‘Best Bette in Pictures.’’ The prophecy was correct. The pun, however, was a bit wobbly, for the simple reason that the charming Bett-e pronounces the final ‘‘e’’ as if it were a “‘y’’. It’s not a stage name either, but merely a contraction of the prim ‘‘Ruth Elizabeth Davis’’ which may be seen on bapIt was while ‘‘finishing”’ at tismal records in Lowell, Mass. Cushing Academy that her pals dubbed her “Spuds,” because of her liking for the staple food of her remote ancestors, and because she is just the hail-fellow-well-met, happygo-lucky sort, who would be given such a nickname. But with her unfailing good nature, Miss Davis possesses the dogged will to win what she wants to win. One of the sidelines of her ambition was to become expert at swimming. She is said to be the only woman who has qualified as a life guard at fashionable Ogunquot Bay—not so bad for a young lady of five feet three inches and a secant one hundred and six pounds. She wanted to dance well, to talk well, to be a good listener and to overcome all the obstacles on her way to stardom — not the least of which was Picked by Arliss It is significant that the astute George Arliss first sensed her possibilities and chose her to play opposite to him in “The Man Who Played God.” Her exquisite portrayal of the sensitive girl who is captivated by the genius of the deaf musician proved the soundness of the Arliss judgment. That was but one facet of the genius of Bette Davis, In “The Rich Are Always With Us” with Ruth Chatterton and George Brent, she evidenced a keen comedy sense. New heights were scaled in the Richard Barthelmess picture “The Cabin in the Cotton” in which she played the love-starved daughter of a plantation family, evidencing her ability to catch cadences and inflections of the voice, in a Southern drawl which was above eriticism. “20,000 Years in Sing Sing” widened her range when she played the persecuted gangster’s moll, opposite Spencer Tracy. And now Bette Davis is a Star! Her first vehicle is “Ex-Lady” which comes to the Theatre It is a daring romance of a modern girl artist who wants love without marriage and nearly loses both. Gene Raymond plays lead and others in the cast are Frank McHugh, Monroe Owsley, Claire Dodd, Kay Strozzi, Ferdinand Gottschalk lphonse Ethier, and Bodil Rosing. Bette Davis’s thrilling overland trip on the “42nd Street” Special, is the most modern version of the Cinderella story. The reluctant wand of the fairy godmother had at last changed mice-and-pumpkin into the gorgeous coach-and-four. The ugly stepmother, Poverty, and the wicked step-sisters, Fear and Inexperience, had faded from the picture. The “42nd Street” Special, speeding three thousand miles from ocean to ocean, was Bette’s honeymoon express, for among those aboard was none other than her own especial Prinee Charming! The Prince Charming’s real name is Harmon O. Nelson, Jr. — though Bette calls him ‘Ham’, and the romance began in their schooldays. TLgorgeous Bette Davis whose mance ~ “"Ta-naay ~ wimning her the -thusiastic plaudits of Strand moviegoers. Cut No.4 Cut rsc Mat 5c gauntness, good-looking, bettertempered — he might have been seen any day in the modernistic drawingroom of the Special, fitting together jigsaw puzzles. Rare Personality Bette’s rare gift for making friends was evidenced at the innumerable stops made by the “42nd Street Special’. Besieged by reporters, she chatted as genially as if they were old friends. Speaking from the rear platform of the observation car, riding with city officials through cheering crowds, at banquets, in Washington during the Inaugural — she never lost her self-possession, her sense of humor — never failed to create the impression that she was having the grandest time of her life — which indeed she was! The smallest and frailest of the ‘ten stars and 12 gorgeous “42nd Street” girls who made the trip on the seven car gold and silver spe-: cial, Bette stood the trip with less outward signs of weariness than any of the others. This despite the fact that in each city, at each railway stop, the reporters, straight news men and critics all wanted interviews especially with Miss Davis. Throughout the trip those on the train were amazed at her ability to bear up under the numerous requests from newspaper reporters, photographers, autograph hunters and just plain adoring fans. It is safe to say that she had less time for rest than any one else in the troupe. Kept Her Poise Throughout it all, she kept her poise, and won thousands of new admirers with her charm and vivacity. To her the trip was a revelation. As she expressed it to a group of reporters, “The thing about this trip that amazes and delights me, is to learn that we really mean something outside of Hollywood. This trip has opened my eyes to the fact that the American public is indeed deeply rts te ee aE the screen at interest buoys us up with the thought that after all our work has not been in vain and inspires us to pledge ourselves to even greater effort in the future when appearing before the motion picture cameras, I know I'll be ever thinking of these thousands I have seen and met, the next time the director orders shooting to begin.” There is no doubt that Bette Davis had today ascended to that high pinnacle of popularity. She is the rage of present day motion picture fans. Bette Davis, the star — is still just the sort of person anyone can feel at home with — unspoiled by praise — wholesome — witty — kindly — and altogether the “Best Bette in Pictures.” Current CURRENT FEATURES Feature Bette’s Honeymoon Spent On “Ex-Lady” Cuban Set TTE DAVIS, who divided her own honeymoon between work at the Warner Bros. Studio and a Hollywood hospital, took a synthetic wedding trip to Havana a few weeks later with Gene Raymond in the picture ‘‘Ex-Lady,’’ now showing at the Theatre. Bette had dreamed of a real honeymoon in Cuba or South ern France or the Hawaiian Islands. interfered with any such plans she may have made. The cinematic substitute with a totally strange leading man had to serve instead. Bette and her young husband made the best of things. Warner Bros. furnished a working likeness of the Cuban capital with gay night clubs, soft music and imitation moonlight. “Ham” as Bette’s husband, Harmon O. Nelson, is known to the star and her friends, visited the set frequently and was generally somewhere in the background while Bette and Gene Raymond enacted the scenes of their movie honeymoon. Between scenes Bette sat close by her husband on the edges of the set and tried to imagine that the setting was real. It was not difficult to do A erack Cuban orchestra and Ynez, a Rhumba of considerable beauty and ability, helped establish the Havana atmosphere on the stage. Bette, who studied dancing before she tried the stage or screen, took lessons on the side and the musicians willingly supplied music between scenes to encourage her. Strictly speaking | Bette Davis became both a star and an expert Rhumba dancer in the same picture. Good Time In Imagination Altogether the new star had a surprisingly good time on her imaginary wedding trip. Her own happiness is reflected effectively in the Havana sequences of the picture and the Nelsons have about fixed on Cuba as the spot for their real but still delayed honeymoon, when, as and if it is celebrated. Gene Raymond is probably not so sold since he was, inadvertently, the person who made a threesome a crowd. “Tt was all really thrilling,” explains Bette, still breathless from the double excitement of being both a bride and a sereen star. ‘The dancer Warner Bros. Work and appendicitis champagne was soda pop, the moonlight was synthetic and the bridegroom wasn’t in the picture at all. But the idea was grand! “The music was lovely, the Rhumba was just as naughty as I suspected it would be in Havana. Gene Raymond as he appears “EK x-Lady.” = Cabivor5 Cutrse Mar seu A good time was had by everybody. Which makes it almost a perfect honeymoon — a la Hollywood.” “Eix-Lady” is a picturesque story of New York’s Bohemia in which the young artists play fast and loose with the old time conventions of love and marriage. It is lively, if somewhat startling drama, based on a story by Edith Fitzgerald and Robert Riskin. There is a notable cast playing in support of Miss Davis and Raymond, which includes Frank MeHugh, Monroe Owsley, Claire Dodd, Kay Strozzi, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Alphonse Ethier and Bodil Rosing. The screen play is by David Boehm. Robert Florey directed “Ex-Lady.” BETTE DAVIS SUPERB IN DELIGHTFUL “EX-LADY” Bette Davis rises to stellar heights in Warner Bros.’ “EX-LADY,” now playing at the Strand. The picture is chock full of excitement and is proving a great favorite with local moviegoers. Tall, dark, with the New England|. Cut No.11 Cut6oc Mat 20c Page Five