Flirtation Walk (Warner Bros.) (1934)

K Human Interest Stories e Production Briefs e Genuine Oddities As suggested by Film Daily’s poll of Editors Native Hawaiian Beauties Do kolk Dances For Film “Invitation To Love” One Of Spectacular Numbers For ‘‘Flirtation Walk”’ NATIONAL dance always expresses the spirit of a peoA ple! The joyous, care-free and passionate Hawaiian is reflected by the joyous abandon of the Hula-Kui. All Hawaiian danees are based on this Hula dance, although there are several variations. In ‘‘Fhlrtation Walk,’’ the First National production Ruby Keeler Unspoiled Despite Big Film Hits Star In “Flirtation Walk’’ Modestly Credits Her Success To Others HE’S awfully young and unspoiled to be such an important personage, this Ruby Keeler, who has a stellar role with Dick Powell in the First National production of ‘*Flirtation Walk,’’ which comes to the ......................5 Theatre IN ee sates vat usta titan a oaink spores aes e In spite of all the success and adulation that has come her way during the past couple of years, nothing seems to change her innate sweetness. Trish girl who began to work for her living at the age of 14. The movie star stuff is of only secondary importance. Her fame as a screen celebrity hasn’t turned her head one tiny bit. The adoration of a worldfamous husband, Al Jolson, has not spoiled her. The large salary that has come to her through her own efforts means little more than the meagre wages she made while dancing in Broadway musical comedies and night clubs. She remained unseathed by Broadway despite two years as a dancer in Texas Guinan’s night clubs. Ruby honestly doesn’t give a hoot about her screen fame. If her husband wanted her to, she would give up her career tomorrow, and happily settle down to being Mrs. Al Jolson, as she did for three years after her marriage. When the young star is working, she works hard, but away from the studio, she sheds the star trappings completely. She has her own husband, her own family, and her own social life that does not inelude the obligations of so many Hollywoodites. Ruby does admit that she and Al talk “shop” a good deal, however. But there are other things to discuss—Jolson’s golf score, Ruby’s large Irish family, and the new Packard that Jimmy, the driver, is so proudly piloting about. Ruby modestly says that her film career is largely a matter of accident. When she and Al first came to California, she was offered several film roles, which her husband advised her to refuse. Then the studios rather forgot about her, until she was asked to take a test for the lead opposite Jolson in “Hallelujah, Vm a Bum.” She took the test, and executives were enthusiastic about it, but Ruby felt that she wasn’t a good enough actress to play the only feminine role in a big picture. Then Warner Bros. heard about the test, asked to see it, and signed her for one of the leads in “42nd Street.” The rest is screen history. She knows everybody working on her pictures by their first names, and she is emphatically “Ruby” to them. Many of the chorus girls come to her with their troubles, and she staunchly believes that screen producers should investigate the talent already within their ranks rather than search for “new faces.” She is still Ruby Keeler, the little Borzage, says Ruby, could make anyone act! And certainly Ruby and Dick Powell, her costar, have never been better than under the direction of the maker of “Seventh Heaven” and “Little Man, What Now?” Ruby, however, will give the credit to Frank Borzage—or Al Jolson—or Dick Powell—or anyone else but Ruby Keeler. “Flirtation Walk” is First National’s latest and biggest musical spectacle with Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler in the stellar roles. It is packed with stirring musical numbers by Allie Wrubel and Mort Dixon, as well as mammoth dance specialties directed by Bobby Connolly. It is a Frank Borzage production, directed from the screen play by Delmer Daves, based on an original story by Daves and Lou Edelman. Others in the east include Pat O’Brien, Ross Alexander, Glen Boles, John Eldredge, Henry O’Neill and Guinn Williams. Saluta That means something in Italian, but it sounds like what Pat O’Brien is doing above. He appears with Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler in Warner’s “Flirtation Walk” at the .............. Theatre. Mat No. 19—10c which «COMES EO: the, s..s.cA..0e UN GALEO Ole. : ota cies. ead sensational combination of folk dances were screened for the first time, The Luau, Hula-Kui and Pi-ulu. For this spectacular number, it was nefessary to devise new methods in set building. Thirty thousand square feet of Hawaiian landscape were duplicated in the First National studio. Great towering hills sloping to a moonlit beach. Stately palms mirrored in the blue lagoon. Grassy stretches disappearing into the tangled undergrowth of tropical forest. The barrel-drums sounded their eerie notes and from the hills came the dancers—-men and women. Into the rhythm of the drum beats came the singing of ukeleles. The music became faster. The “piulu started: “The dancers were seated. Suddenly their arms began to keep time to the pulsing drums. Up, down, sideways — hands beat arms and knees and shoulders and still the tempo increased. In perfect unison two hundred pairs of arms and hands performed the intricate ritual. From the crowd on the hill side —two brown bodies suddenly hurled themselves to the clearing. Hula dancers. The girl a slim young Sylph with ivory skin — the man a brown Apollo. The music took on fervor as the “Flirtation” dance or Invitation to Love began. The crowd started to sing. With undulation and song the story of love was told until there came a newer and softer measure — a waltz refrain — the words simple and meaning: “My thoughts are of you — see I await your heart.” For this part of the number, Bobby Connolly, famous New York dance director, imported over sixty Hawaiian solo dancers and forty trained Hawaiian specialty dancers from New York. The complicated figures of this Luau provide a series of pictures that are incredibly effective. Never before has an attempt been made to stage an Hawaiian number for the screen on such a seale. The significance of Hawaiian dances is entirely one of Love — joyously expressed. From their Polynesian ancestors, the Hawaiians inherited the dances, but changed their meaning. In “Flirtation Walk,’ Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler and Pat O’Brien are the stars. Ruby and Dick fall in love in Hawaii — and follow their destiny to West Point. This is a picture of variety — of novelty — of the primitive and the highly civilized. The Hawaiian Flirtation Dance alone, is enough to raise “Flirtation Walk” high above the plane of ordinary picture productions. Special music was written for the gigantic spectacle by Allie Wrubel and Mort Dixon. Others in the cast include Ross Alexander, Glen Boles, John Eldredge, Henry O’Neill and Guinn Williams. Frank Borzage directed the production from the sereen play by Delmer Daves based on the original story by Daves and Lou Edelman. a. e Johnny Get Your Gun And with the call to “Shoulder Arms,” Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell grab their muskets and stand at attention for a scene in “Flirtation Walk” Warner Bros.’ military musical, coming to the ...................... TNeatre Ones oe oe Pat O’Brien heads the cast of supporting stars, which includes Ross Alexander, Glen Boles and Guinn Williams. Mat No. 15 20¢ Scores of Lovely Girls Seenin ‘Flirtation Walk’ Famous Stage Director, Bobby Connolly, Has Novel Method Of Selecting Chorus HERE is one musical and dance director who has an entirely new slant on the business of producing screen ex travaganzas ! He is Bobby Connolly, the famous New York producer and director, whose first big screen effort is ‘‘Flirtation Walk,’’ the First National musical which comes to the .............0...00.0002. Theatre one 253s eck , with Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler and Pat O’Brien in the stellar roles. It is Connolly who directed the lavish Hawaiian sequence of “Flirtation Walk,” as well as the entire “Hundredth Night” West Point Play that takes up the latter portion of the picture. At least half of the gorgeous young beauties who appear in the musical sequences of the picture are girls with no previous stage or screen experience! Connolly believes that inexperienced girls are far easier to direct, more spontaneous and more charming than girls who have appeared in other musical comedies or films. Before Connolly started casting for the picture, he let it be known that experience wasn’t necessary for a girl to get a spot in “Flirtation Walk.” At least half a dozen of the girls finally selected were Los Angeles college students. There was a waitress, whom Connolly had spotted in a Santa Barbara restaurant. Another was the six teen year old daughter of a studio electrician, whose father had heard of Connolly’s call for inexperienced girls. One. girl was a visitor from Texas, who had succeeded in getting a pass to “see the studio,” and who had no definite idea of going into the movies. They were too new to the movie industry to have had much chance to figure out camera “tricks,” or to become self-conscious and arch. And they were all happy and proud to become “Bobby Connolly girls.” The director was more than satisfied. “Flirtation Walk” is a thrilling romance of glorious youth with a mammoth musical setting, the action taken in Hawaii and West Point. There is an all star cast which includes, besides Powell, Miss Keeler, and O’Brien, such talented players as Ross Alexander, Glenn Boles, Henry O’Neill, John Arledge, Guinn Williams and John Darrow. Page Seven