Fashions of 1934 (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Page ewspaper Kictionization Adapted from First National’s laugh extravaganza with songs and music, featuring William Powell, Bette Davis, and hundreds of others. CHAPTER V ND what a show it turned out to be! The gowns in the show were a _ positive While the chorus, performing a beautiful wonderful ! sensation ! The Duehess was and intricate ensemble with great ostrich fans, took one’s breath away in their representation of a gorgeous dream fantasy. It put the Folies Bergeres to shame. And the haunting melody Jimmy had written was something to carry away forever. Baroque, of course, was pleased and excited with the acclaim the Duchess was receiving. reception his costumes had received. But his enthusiasm received a sudden shock when Nash stepped out on the stage to make an announcement. ‘«’..your enthusiasm has given me an idea. In a few weeks I plan to open the most exclusive fashion shop in Paris, which in honor of this show, will be called ‘«Hlegance,’’? and where you will all be able to buy the ravishing creations which have delighted you from this stage. These have all been designed under my supervision by Monsieur Baroque, who will join the ranks of our other brilliant designers. ’’ Baroque fumed! He rushed up to Nash later and snapped at him, ‘Liar! Crook! You are going to open a dress house? How dare you? What do you mean? What does this mean?’’ ““Well,’’ said Nash ealmly ‘‘as far as I ean figure out, it means you have financed your most dangerous rival.’’ Meanwhile, for the opening of Maison Elegance, Nash staged a fashion show such as the capital of fashion had never seen. It was Not to mention the great novel! It was original! It was stunning! Nor was the daring conception of presentation all; the gown themselves were such as made the style wise women of Paris gasp and eagerly desire to own. Had Nash known what was going on in Baroque’s private office he might have whistled a different tune. For there, all the great designers of Paris had met with Baroque and under his leadership were taking steps to stop him. Baroque was speaking, ‘‘My friends—I have here, cables from my spies in New York—reports from my detectives here! I have proof that this Nash is selling in New York sketches signed with our names! Forgeries! No wonder our American business is fall ing off.’’ And more to the same effect. What hurt mostly, though, was that Nash had a corner on all of Finkel’s ostrich feathers, and ostrich plumes were now the rage. So Baroque produced a warrant he had sworn out against Nash and which he intended to have served on him soon. Nor was Nash’s love affair pro The audience gasped at the sheer beauty of “The Symphony of Living Harps.” (One of the gorgeous spectacles in “Fashions of 1934,” which features the 200 Busby Berkeley fan dancers and the screen’s first great fashion parade. It is a First National picture and is coming to the Strand next Wednesday.) gressing well. At this very moment Jimmy was urging Lynn to go to Berlin with hin. ‘‘Going to do that show you spoke about??? Lynn asked. “Yes, Lynn—won’t you with me? Marry me?’? Lynn would not say yes. “‘Oh Lynn, don’t be a little fool. You know Nash will never marry you. He’s just using you. You do all the work here, while he fools around with the Duchess ——and other women.’’ come EN Lynn tried to stop him but he went on, ““How can you go on believing in him? He promised to quit this racket after the show. Did he? He’ll drag you from one racket to another. Lynn, come with me.’’ Just then Nash entered, ‘‘Am I interrupting a sale?’’ he asked with a sarcastic glance at Jimmy. And they had it out then and there. Jimmy wanted to fight Nash, but Lynn held him back. Nash was his old smooth, noncha lant self. Finally Jimmy walked out with a last word to Lynn. ‘““My train leaves at six, I’ll be expecting you.’’ But Lynn was more boiled up than Nash had thought, for when he attempted to embrace her she pushed him away angrily and said, “‘You’re a conceited, egotistical, ungrateful, impossible person.’’ Nash promised to mend his ways, but Lynn would not listen to him. His affair with the Duchess. was the crux of the matter, and he knew it. So he finally said: ““My darling—you’re not jealous of her? She doesn’t mean a thing. She’s just a useful pawn in my game. Why lynn — she gives me a pain.’’ Lynn looked at him a little unbelievingly ; they were so much absorbed in each other they did not hear the outer door open and the step of the Duchess in the anteroom. Nor did they notice the inner door open. ‘‘Tuynn, dear—one little finger of yours means more to me than all the phoney Grand Duchesses in the whole of Europe.’’ The Duchess stood there scowling at them. ‘<T was only kidding her along. All that love making was an act.’’ Suddenly he saw the Duchess. “<Well,’’ she said, ‘‘I was coming to tell you about a plot to ruin you. But now it’s not important. I don’t think I have anything to tell. Goodbye.’’ She turned and went out regally. Lynn glanced uneasily at the door, ‘‘Take my tip, Sherry, dear, Quit now, while the quitting is good. I know something terrible is going to happen.’’ But Nash only pulled a eigayx out of his pocket and lit it. What was going on in his head? (Concluded Tomorrow) Adapted from First National’s laugh extravaganza with songs and music, featuring William Powell, Bette Davis, and hundreds of others. CHAPTER VI ASH was reading, in the afternoon paper, the announcement of the wedding of the Grand Duchess to Baroque, when the blow fell. A gendarme and a detective en tered his office, Lynn scurrying after them, and presented him with the warrant for his arrest. Sinee his affability could not wave away their official duties, he threw himself on their mercy. ‘Will you let me speak in private with the lady?’’ But pleadings were of no avail with Lynn now. ‘‘T have promised to marry Jimmy, and I was through! am going to Berlin with him on the six o’clock train.’’ Not even Snap’s subsequent appeals to her loyalty helped. So Nash gave himself up to the police. Just outside the door he said, ‘‘Gentlemen, will you take me to Monsieur Baroque, who signed this warrant, I am sure he will realize it is a mistake and withdraw the charges.’’ ‘“Yes,’’ they said, ‘‘ we will give you a chance to clear yourself.’’ And they were just about to set off to the wedding reception when Moe Finkle dashed up in great excitement. Nash tried to wave him away. ‘¢Mr. Nash, it’s about the feathers, they’re diseased! ’’ ‘They ’re what?’’ ‘¢Diseased! It’s terrible. The French quarantine authorities have just ordered them all burned.’’ Nash’s mouth set itself in hard lines, ‘‘Come on, gentlemen, let’s be getting to Monsieur Baroque’s. Leave this to me, Finkel.’’ The Duchess and Baroque were very much surprised to see him— Ten She having supposed him in jail. “*HWello, Olga,’’ he gaily called out to the Duchess. Her face blanched. Was Nash about to reveal het secret when things seemed just at their best? She induced Baroque to speak to him in private. “*Wow dare you come here?’’ demanded Baroque when the three were at last alone. ““Why I’m leaving in a moment —Jjust as soon as you tell those gendarmes there’s a mistake.’’ Baroque fumed and fretted. No, he would show no merey. So Nash blurted out the truth about the Duchess. “*She’s no more a Grand Duchess than I am. Her name’s Olga Sinova. I knew her six years ago in Hollywood,—she was an extra girl. Now—do you want me to go and tell the reporters? Do you want all Paris to laugh at you?’’ **Ts this true?’’ Baroque screamed at Olga. “‘But darling, it’s me you love —not my title,’’ she cooed. Baroque nearly went mad for a moment. Finally he calmed down. ‘*T will withdraw the charges.’’ ‘*But that isn’t all,’’ Nash quietly went on, ‘‘now is your chance! Purchase Maison Ele gance—the most flourishing business in Paris! I will leave France altogether. You will never be troubled with me again.’” ““Does that inelude,’’ Baroque asked taking out his check book, ‘the shipment of ostrich feathers??? ‘“TIndeed it does,’’ Nash assured him happily. ‘‘ All the feathers.’’ He: pocketed the huge proceeds of the sale and left. Later that afternoon, back at the apartment, Lynn was entering a taxi to take her to the Berlin train. She was astonished to find Nash sitting there beside her. ““No,’’ he said to the driver, ‘“not the railroad station, drive into Le Havre to catch the boat.’’ Ts. Lb. thought you “were in jail by this time,’’ Lynn almost breathlessly whispered. ““But you hoped I wasn’t, didn’t you?’’ answered Nash. Lynn tried to make the driver go to the station, but Nash’s arms were around her, and his lips smothered her words in hers, and she did love him, and she did want to go back to America with him. But in the last second before she gave in she did make him promise to give up rackets. And so we find the three again, Nash, Lynn, and the ever present Snap, at the rail of a fast liner sailing for America. Just then a funny little man with a high collar sidled up to Nash. «Monsieur Nash,’’ he urged, ““T have the most marvelous pro position for you. For years I have experimented—and at last I am successful. I have succeeded in crossing silk worms with glow worms to make luminous evening dresses. Think, we can make millions! Look, here I have them in this box. Think of the possibilities, luminous coats, luminous hats, luminous gowns, luminous dresses, luminous shifts, luminous underwear, luminous ; . .”’ ““Nerts!’’ eried Lynn, snatching the box of worms out of Nash’s eager hands gnd hurling it into the sea. ; The fran Frenchman dived after them, while Nash, smiling in realization of Lynn’s determination to keep him out of promotion schemes, put his arms around her. ‘Where did Snap go?’’ he said suddenly. Snap was seen kissing a pretty girl behind a half opened door. barked out Nash. ‘¢You’re right, Boss,’’ back the erestfallen Snap. Snap”? eame And then arm in arm, the three sauntered gaily down the deck, happy, carefree, without a worry in the world. —THE END— They looked out on the swirling waters—happy, carefree, without a worry in the world. (The glorious ending of First National’s great laugh hit, “‘“Fashions of 1934,” starring Bette Davis, William Powell, Verree Teasdale, Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert and the 200 Busby Berkeley fan dancers, coming to the Strand, Wednesday.)