Five Star Final (Warner Bros.) (1931)

“POWERFUL! IT IS REALLY “finis” Power of the press in the hands of a merciless scandal monger. Masterpiece of masterpieces He writes to Life and Love with a devastating smear of crimson ink. A woman’s soul crucified and sold for two cents. Here is the last word in heartpounding drama. Sensation of all sensations! Begins Today HOLLYWOOD A FIRST NATIONAL & VITAPHONE PICTURE Cut No. 25 Cut 4goc Mat roc Large Cast Of “Five Star Final” Alli Stage Stars (Advance Reader) Edward G. Robinson, star of “Five Star Final,” the First National melodrama of newspaper life which comes to the Theatre next, won fame on the legitimate stage—and all of the featured players—except one—had stage training before coming into pictures. The superb cast includes Marian Marsh, H. B. Warner, Anthony Bushell, George E. Stone, Frances Starr, Ona Munson, Boris Karloff Robert Elliott, Aline MacMahon, Purnell Pratt, David Torrence, Oscar Apfel, Gladys Lloyd, Evelyn Hall and Harold Waldridge. Mervyn Le Roy directed. Page Eight see ew we ee ee ee AUOALIG 2.2 ee eee Star Tours Newspapers For Local Color (Advance Reader) Edward G. Robinson, who stars in “Five Star Final,” the First National melodrama of newspaper life which eomes to the’> 2.252 =... Theatre next—was not ‘content with his previous dramatic successes—he has appeared in plays in half a dozen languages—nor with his ability to give just the right force to his words and gestures. Before enacting the role of the manag ‘ing editor of the newspaper — he went with his cast and director to the various Los Angeles papers— spending hours in catching the man ‘nerisms and lingo of the craft. The result is his finest characterization to date. Mervyn Le Roy directed. LUDICROUS ACCIDENTS WHICH GAVE | stage. Director So Young He Has To Wear False Beard ACTORS EMBARRASSING MOMENTS ON THE STAGE, IMPOSSIBLE ON SCREEN Star And Cast Of “Five Star Final” First National Picture Coming Next To _ Strand, Recall Amusing Mistakes Mervyn Le Roy, ace among directors, responsible for “Little Caesar” and for “Five Star Final,” also starring Edward G. Robinson, the First National melo (Interesting Feature for Sunday Paper—Plant week prior to coming of picture) Edward G. Robinson, star of ‘‘Five Star Final,’’ the First National melodrama of newspaper life which comes to the Se a ene Theatre ........... next, was a stage star of note before taking up pictures. The majority of his supporting players have stage training. During the filming of the picture, the players recalled some of the ludicrous accidents, which happen in the lives of the best of stage actors. drama of newspaper life now at Theatre—is but five feet two inches in height and just past the twenties. Mr. Le Roy claims that he was once taken for the property boy on the set, and commandeered by an irate film mother, as guide to her chee-ild who was supposedly working in his picture. He says he finds it necessary to keep a false red beard in a pocket at the side of his directorial chair, for the purpose of disguising himself as a ‘potent, grave and reverend senior’ whenever strangers come to inquire for the director. moment of the wild snow flurry, fell asleep, toppling the entire contents of the cradle on the head of the hapless lady, which created, according to a review which appeared the next day, “one of the most terrific Mr. Robinson remarked that while odd things do happen in filming, they are witnessesd by but a few workmen, and are all deleted before the scene comes before the public eye. He told of his supreme moment of misery when in the delivery of a highly emotional stage speech, his false beard fell off. “Nor was I so lucky as Punius Brutus Booth, who had keyed his audience to such a pitch, that when the same thing happened to him, no one appeared to notice it.” blizzards ever attempted on the speaking stage.” Others featured in support of Mr. Robinson in “Five Star Final” are Marian Marsh, H. B. Warner, Anthony Bushell, George E. Stone, Ona Munson, Boris” Karloff, Robert Elliott, Purnell Pratt, David Torrence, Oscar Apfel, Gladys Lloyd, Evelyn Hall and Harold Waldridge. The picture is an adaptation of the sensational Broadway stage play by Louis Weitzenkorn. Mervyn Le Roy directed. “Five Star Final’ is the greatest of Mr. Le Roy’s achievements as a director—and Mr. Robinson’s greatest achievement as an actor. -At‘the =. eee af Theatre now. Frances Starr, famous Belasco leading lady, who makes her screen debut in “Five Star Final” remembers some of the classic embarrassing moments of the stage. “I recall the night,” Miss Starr said, “when Montagu Love got up from a chair and delivered a tragic speech while one trouser leg, caught on a vicious garter,. was baring his skin to the knee. The s: v witnesse? the a Simpson (the vei iow in charge of the iool at Warner Bros.-”.:st Nuavional). Mr. Simpson, in crossing the stage, stumbled upon a light socket, and sprawled flat across the rug.” Miss Starr told a story on herself. The scene required that she plead with the villain to unlock the bedroom door and let her go home. The villain was on the other side of the door, Miss Starr was alone on the “Let me out”? she screamed “Let me out,”? meanwhile tugging at the knob. Presto! The door opened, leaving her in the embarrassing position of being able to walk out of the bedroom, while the plot demanded that she remain locked in it for another fifteen minutes. Aline MacMahon, who also appears in “Five Star Final” ig the not too proud possessor of one of the most famous of stage “boners.” Miss MacMahon’s role included the ability to play the piano, which she cannot do. But this is a minor set-back to stage directors, for all that is necessary is to have either a double play back stage or a mechanical rendition of it. In this instance the producer decided that it would be safer to have the piano play the piece mechanically. Opening night arrived and with its critics and tailcoats; the plot edged along to the point where Miss MacMahon bids her lover adieu and slowly walks across the platform to the piano. The moment came. “Goodbye, lover,” said Miss MacMahon, in her most heartbreaking tones. She began her walk across the stage. Three feet from the piano stool Miss MacMahon heard to her horror the strains of the instrument issuing forth in unholy profusion, playing before she got there! In all Frances Starr’s stage experience the most horrible moment she remembers was one to which the critics referred next day as “one of Belasco’s magnificent stage effects.’ She was opening in Philadelphia—in a play ‘called “A Little Lady in Blue.” A scene, laid in a A Crucified Soul Screams in A Wilderness of Headlines! unscrupulous editor of a yellow scandal sheet! and he& did it for @ circulation! “es e Greatest sensation that ever hit the screen! FIVE STAR * FINAL ~« ROBINSON H. M. WARNER MARIAN MARSH Anthony Bushell—George E. Stone ; c Francis Starr Ona Munson x kK & KS French village, called for a mild A FIRST snowstorm—just a few flakes drift-| NATIONAL & & T R A N ID ing to the stage from the snow2 cradle in the flies. The snowcradle eran E was manipulated by a drowsy stage hand, who unfortunately at the Cut No. 4 Cut 40c Mat roe