Flowing Gold (Warner Bros.) (1940)

OPENING DAY PUBLICITY — ‘FLOWING GOLD’ (Opening day) Rex Beach Novel Flowing Gold’ on Screen at Strand “Plowing Gold” thrilling saga of life and love in the Texas oil fields opens at the Strand Theatre today. The highly lauded Warner Bros. film transcription of Rex Beach’s immortal novel stars John Garfield, Frances Farmer, and Pat O’Brien. The new motion picture largely concerns itself with Johnny Blake, John Garfield’s role, an iconoclastic young drifter doomed to the life of a fugitive after killing a man in self-defense. In his wanderings about the ¢ country he meets up with Hap O’Connor, played by Pat O’Brien. Hap’s rough exterior hides a heart of gold, and he is extremely grateful to Johnny after the latter saves his life in a freefor-all brawl. Complications arise when both men fall in love with the beautiful and vibrant Linda Chalmers, played by Frances’ Farmer, daughter of their eccentric employer. The pair save her oil wells from the machinations of a conniving rival and manage to capture flowing gold — the rich black Texas oil. West Coast critics are unanimous in their praise of “Flowing Gold,’ referring to it as one of the most exciting actiondramas of the year. They were particularly impressed with the performances of John Garfield and Pat O’Brien as the honest, rugged oilmen. Much space was also devoted to mention of beautiful Frances Farmer’s flawless portrayal after a too-long absence on the New York stage. In addition to its three dynamic stars, “Flowing Gold” features such well-known supporting players as Raymond Walburn, Cliff Edwards, Tom Kennedy, the late Granville Bates, Jody Gilbert, William Marshall Sol Gorss, Virginia Gale, and John Alexander. Alfred Green directed from a screen play by Kenneth Gamet based on the Rex Beach novel. Even Lightning Behaves Itself For Film Makers Lightning struck precisely where Hollywood wanted it to strike and the 90-foot derrick of Linda No. 9, where Pat O’Brien had just brought in a gusher, responded in the night like an overcharged sparkplug, spurted into flames 150 feet high as the gas cut loose, and toppled in flaming wreckage. Ten cameras got it. This was the climactic flash to the film currently showing at the Strand —‘“‘Flowing Gold”, with O’Brien, John Garfield, and Frances Farmer, not to mention fifty stunt men who, for extra fees, defied the explosions. One hundred sticks of dynamite were needed to simulate lightning. Twenty sticks blew off the top of the derrick when electrician Mark Thomas pressed a switch. Other caches of exploSives burst from top to bottom as the flames scorched up. The scene was one of the most spectacular and one of the most dangerous ever filmed. Shock of the detonations was felt for thirty-five miles. More than 400 studio workers, hiding like jackrabbits in the Calabasas Hills on the Warner Bros. ranch were deafened and splattered with dirt as the successive shocks went off. Two ambulances and two fire trucks stood by, but there were no casualties to be taken care of and no fires to be put out. Ss Still FF6; Mat 212—30c FRANCES FARMER returns to Hollywood after numerous Broadway triumphs to star with John Garfield and Pat O’Brien in the exciting action film, “Flowing Gold,” which opens today at the Strand Theatre. (Review) ‘Flowing Gold’ at Strand Is Fast, Exciting Action John Gartield, Frances Farmer, Pat'.©O Brien, Head Film. Cast “Flowing Gold,” a lusty saga of love and adventure in the western oil fields, made its local debut at the Strand Theatre last night to an audience that responded eagerly to the many daring, action-jammed situations. Heading the cast of the Warner Bros. film are Pat O’Brien, John Garfield, and lovely Frances Farmer. This talented triumverate play their roles to the hilt, gearing their performances to the exciting tempo of plot and direction. O’Brien is seen as Hap O’Connor, a capable oil foreman, while Garfield is cast as Johnny Blake, young iconoclast, friendless and alone in the world. He has accidentally killed a man, and the ensuing hardships endured have caused him to wear a perennial chip on his shoulder. He and O’Brien meet in a western boom town, and despite occasional flashes of temperament, become attracted to each other. When Hap meets with a serious drilling accident, Johnny takes over as foreman. Additional trouble begins when the young drifter and the gruff oil well foreman fall in love with Linda Chalmers, played by Frances Farmer. Linda is a strong-willed, vibrant girl with the quick discernment born of a childhood among men. Nevertheless she is a woman at heart, and her love affair with Johnny is one of the romantic high spots of the exacting film. In addition to the fast-moving story, the camera captures some of the most astounding shots of the year, — a huge overpowering avalanche that almost comes between the two lovers, the unique thrill of tapping a new oil drum and seeing the dark fluid shooting geyser-like into the air, the uninhibited rowdyism of a free-for-all among men who love to fight — proof that the world of greasy derricks and thumping machinery is an exciting and breathtaking one. Pat O’Brien and John Garfield deliver forthright, steady performances as the hardworking oil men in love with the highspirited prospector’s daughter. In the latter role Frances Farmer, back in Hollywood after two years of successful Broadway appearances, proves to be an engaging blonde foil for the male stars. An excellent supporting cast including Raymond Walburn, Cliff Edwards, the late Granville Bates, Tom Kennedy, Jody Gilbert, and William Marshall give immeasurable aid to the exciting proceedings, while Alfred Green’s direction keeps pace with the lightning action of the story. “Ukelele Ike” Cliff Edwards, the man who banged out a million dollars playing the ukelele— and was euchered out of it playing the bangtails, still strums his handful of catgut with the scatterlogical abandon that made him a Ziegfeld star, but he seldom gets a chance to perform in motion pictures. He was happy when Warners re-wrote the seript of “Flowing Gold” to include some eight bars of ukulele plunking. “Flowing Gold” is the current Strand picture, which stars John Garfield, Frances Farmer and Pat O’Brien. He liked the scene not at all, however, when he discovered what was to happen. Cliff is entertaining the boys in the oil well bunk house when Pat O’Brien enters, frowning. “Say, why don’t you smash that blame thing?” “OK boss, whatever you say.” Comes Back! And Cliff, following the script, breaks the instrument across his knee. All told, he broke eight ukeleles beyond possible repair before director Al Green was satisfied with the scene. This made Cliff Edward sad, but he had the tag line. He says: “'Sall right. With all the sugar we got coming in from this oil well, I can get me a zillion ukeleles—and when you got a zillion ukeleles, boy, that’s all there is!”’. Cliff’s eyes pop when he dreams of a zillion ukuleles. “Flowing Gold” is a lusty epic of the men who roam the Texas oil country in search of the black gold, hunting for thrills and danger, rather than dollars. Based on the famous novel by Rex Beach, which was adapted for the screen by Kenneth Gamet, Alfred Green directed. Cir] , ant, Tough Guy Garfield Can Toss a Mean Rhumba! John Garfield as a dancer may sound odd at first thought, but it isn’t. Garfield, now playing in Warner Eros.’ “Flowing Gold” which opens today at_ the Strand Theatre, performs an adept rhumba in a bar room scene, and, what’s more importis thoroughly acquainted with Russian ballet. He was a pupil of the great teacher Mordkin of the Moscow Art Theatre School in New York when he was seventeen years old. He was to become a dancer, but preferred to act. Garfield, who recently signed a new deal with Warners which will permit him to do four New York stage plays during the next six years, announced that he will play the title role in Clifford Odet’s “Nijinsky” for Oscar Serlin as his first. Nijinsky himself, who has recently been released from a Swiss sanitarium, was at first considered for the part, but it has just been learned that United States immigration statutes make it impossible for him to enter this country. The “Nijinsky” role is one that Garfield has coveted for years, he said, because it portrays not only the life and decay of a great artist but because it also brilliantly presents the era Film Thrills Mount As Oil Well Burns Hugh Kent, mining engineer who has followed the flowing gold wherever oil wells are drilled, brought in a gusher, and the next day saw his well struck by lightning and the derrick destroyed by fire—all without ever bringing up a drop of real oil. It happened on the “Flowing Gold” location on the Warner Bros. Ranch. Oil under pressure shot up ninety feet for the gusher scene. One hundred sticks of dynamite detonated the next evening for the fire spectacle. Hugh Kent was sad. “T was down a hundred and fifty feet,’ he mourned. “I actually got that far. And the chances of striking oil are just as good in these hills as anywhere else in California. If this picture had lasted a few more days-— who knows? We might have struck.” “Flowing Gold” stars John Garfield, Frances Farmer and Pat O’Brien, and currently showing at the Strand Theatre. Pat Says Au Revoir When Pat O’Brien ended his current picture—Warner Bros.’ “Flowing Gold”, which opens at the Strand Theatre next Friday —and his contract on the same day, he declined to say formal good-byes to anybody. A little sentiment, a little superstition, he explained. So his farewells to Frances Farmer, John Garfield and others on the set consisted of “Good Lucks” and “I’ll-be Pe seeing-you’s”’. Not Such a Farmer Frances Farmer, currently in Warner Bros.’ “Flowing Gold”, now at the Strand, traveled 12,000 miles to make the 1,200 mile journey from her home in Seattle, Washington, to Hollywood. After winning a popularity contest, she was awarded a trip through Europe, and while abroad met a producer who arranged for a test when she subsequently arrived in New York. Famed Novel on Screen “Flowing Gold,” the new picture at the Strand Theatre starring John Garfield, Frances Farmer and Pat O’Brien is adapted from one of the most widely read of Rex Beach’s novels. of the 1890’s as no other medium could present it. When asked if Garfield’s recent stab at Broadway in “Heavenly Express”—a play acclaimed by critics the least likely to win the Pulitzer Prize— wasn’t enough to discourage him, the actor said, “I wanted to do that play. It was the kind of play that had to be done. Somebody had to do it. “Clifford Odets thought so too. When we were about to close in New York, he came back stage one night and told me to keep it going. He put up his own dough and kept it going, too. “It was interesting, and I learned a great deal. I’m glad I did it, and I’d do it again.” In “Flowing Gold,” Garfield shares starring honors. with Frances Farmer, another Broadway recruit, and Pat O’Brien. The picture is based on the wellknown novel by Rex Beach. Alfred Green One Of Film Industry's Veteran Directors Pat O’Brien, rehearsing a fight scene with John Garfield for “Flowing Gold” at Warner Bros., remarked that it reminded him of his favorite screen memory, the free-for-all in “The Spoilers.” Alfred E. Green, the director picked up his ears and said, “I shot a lot of that stuff.’ O’Brien retorted, “I’m talking about the first time they made the picture, 25 years ago.” “That’s what I mean, too,” Green said and hauled forth his wallet to show a torn, faded snapshot showing him with William Farnum on the improvised set used in the old picture. Green was an assistant director then at $25 per week, and was entrusted with megaphoning much of the fight footage. Green is one of the veterans in the film industry. Born in Perris, California, he got his first job in 1912 with the Selig Polyscope Company. Directed Colleen Moore, Thomas Meighan and Mary Pickford in many of their silent films. When talking pictures came in, he became one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood. Directed several George Arliss films, including the famed “Disraeli.” A free-lance worker, he has made pictures at nearly every one of the major studios. Warner studio officials were so pleased with his directorial job on “Flowing Gold,” the picture opening at the Strand today, that they immediately signed him to direct “East of the River” which goes into production shortly. Not Even Six Lessons Unbothered by a wisecracking audience, John Garfield learned to rhumba in ten minutes on Stage 18 at Warner Bros. just in time to dance for the first time before any camera in “Flowing Gold”, the film coming to the Strand next Friday. Garfield caught on so quickly that they accused him of having rhumba’ed before. Garfield swore that he had never before attempted the dance. Who's Imitating Who? Cliff “Ukelele Ike’ Edwards was improvising a number on the “Flowing Gold” set at Warner Bros. “What’s the name of that?” Pat O’Brien asked. “It’s catchy.” Edwards strummed a_ few chords, shook his head, and admitted he didn’t know. “Must be something I picked up from those Hawaiians who’re always imitating me.”