Five Star Final (Warner Bros.) (1931)

LENGTH (VITAPHONE) 8142 Feet RUNNING TIME 89 Minutes FERST NATIO AND CU TAPHoN TALKING Kites National balestha-y 321 WEST 44th STREET NAL PICTURES Permission is granted licensed exhibitors to reproduce with proper notice of copyright all matter contained herein. NEW YORK CITY, U.S. A. FIVE STAR FINAL with EDWARD G. ROBINSON SYNOPSIS Copyright 1931 First National Pictures, Inc. All rights reserved. (Not for Publication) Hinchecliffe owner of the dirtiest, muck-raking, scandal-shouting paper in the world, is in conference with Brannegan and French, circulation managers. They feel that Randall, the managing editor, is making the ‘taper too conservative. To counter«t this, Hinchecliffe has uncovered a 20-year-old story, the case of Nancy Voorhees, who killed her be ~hea married anewaawwsLrecelllsvLucts aanadll to run a serial on the Voorhees case, and though it is distasteful to him, Randall goes about it in true tabloid fashion. Isopod, once thrown out of divinity school, is ordered to dress up in ministerial garb and call on the Townsends. Kitty Carmody, a sob sister, is also sent out to scout news on the family. Jenny Townsend, Nancy’s daughter, is engaged to marry Phillip Weeks. Neither one is aware that Nancy is a murderess. Because of the imminent marriage, the Townsends mistake Isopod for the clergyman who is to officiate at the ceremony. The Townsends, having read the initial announcement in the Gazette that they are reviving the Voorhees case, frantically appeal to Isopod for advice and aid. Isopod, of course, extracts the entire story and even takes photographs. On the morning of the wedding, the first installment of the serial appears in the Gazette. The Townsends vainly hope that the couple will be married before they see the paper. But unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Weeks arrive to state that it would be impossible to have the relationship continue. Nancy, unable to bear up under this strain, takes poison. Townsend is about to do likewise when the young couple dash in from the license bureau. Townsend hurries them to church and himself commits suicide. Mrs. Weeks is adamant is refusing permission for the couple to marry, and Jenny hysterical, goes to the newspaper to kill the publisher in retaliation for what amounts to the murder of her parents. She gets to Hinchecliffe, but Phillip, acting on a hunch, arrives in time to wrest the gun from her hand. Phillip warns Hinchecliffe that he will kill him if another mention of them appear in the Gazette. Evidently, just like Nancy’s father, he is going to marry &@ woman dragged through scandal by newspapers. Randall, convinced that he is the murderer of two innocent persons, tells Hinchecliffe everything he thinks of him and resigns. PRINTED IN U.S. A. Tae ae Sona Master Of Dramatic Art Cut No. 35 Cut 30¢ Mat roc Edward G. Robinson, whose performance in “Five Star Final” establishes him as one of the screen’s greatest masters of dramatic art. As we go to press (September 4, 1931) “Five Star Final” i recognized as the greatest dramatic achievement since the invention of Vitaphone (August , 1926). THE CAST RANDALL Ee Managing editor of muck-raking scandal sheet, “The Gazette’. EDWARD G. ROBINSON MICHAEL TOWNSEND — Suicide through tab stories implicating his Wife = H. B. WARNER JENNY TOWNSEND—M ichael’s daughter, whose life is shadowed by her parents’ past_.__. MARIAN MARSH WEEKS — Well-to-do » Tiare esd youth, engaged to ANTTUORTY RIGUETT PHILP NANCY (VOORHEES) TOWNSEND — Mother of Jenny, her justifiable killing of a former betrayer, revealed by tab, causes her suicide FRANCES STARR KITTY CARMODY—Typical yellow journal sob sister. ONA MUNSON ISOPED—Tab snooper who masquerades as a sympathetic preacher BORIS KARLOFF BRANNEGAN—Heartless circulation manager ROBERT ELLIOTT MISS TAYLOR—4A secretary ALINE MAC MAHON FRENCH—4 circulation manager who wants more sexy PURNELL PRATT MR. WEEKS—Father of Jenny's fiance _._ DAVID TORRENCE HINCHECLIFFE—Owner of “Gazette,” hunting with morality talk cloaks scandalOSCAR APFEL MISS EDWARDS—/ secretary _GLADYS LLOYD MRS. WEEKS—WMother of Phillip EVELYN HALL ARTHUR GOLDBERG—The copy boy HAROLD WALDRIDGE OFFICIAL BILLING First National Pictures, Inc... 25% presents “FIVE STAR FINAL”. 100% with EDWARD G. ROBINSON H. B. Warner — Marian Marsh Anthony Bushell—George E. Stone—Frances Starr Ona Munson—Robert Elliott... 3% Directed by Mervyn LeRoy __.....__ 20% A FIRST NATIONAL & VITAPHONE PICTURE__40%