Four Wives (Warner Bros.) (1939)

(Opening Day Story) ‘Four Wives’ Makes Local Bow Today At Strand Theatre The local debut of “Four Wives” will take place today at the Strand Theatre. A sequel to last year’s popular film hit, “Four Daughters,” it has the same cast, consisting of the three Lane Sisters, Priscilla, Rosemary and Lola, Gale Page, Claude Rains, Jeffrey Lynn, May Robson, Frank McHugh and Dick Foran. Added to the roster of stars is Eddie Albert, comedy star of “Brother Rat.” John Garfield, whose ‘‘Mickey Borden” met an untimely death in “Four Daughters,” will be seen in “Four Wives,” but only as a vision. While the story of “Four Wives” is complete in itself, it takes up the fortunes and romances of the ‘‘Four Daughters’’ where last year’s film left off. Gale Page and Lola Lane, who play the two oldest daughters, are already mar Mat 115 15¢ ried to Dick PRISCILLA LANE Foran and Frank Mec Hugh, respectively, when the story opens. Rosemary, playing the romance-loving middle sister, is still waiting for her dream man to come along, while Priscilla, the youngest, and a widow, is preparing to marry the young concert musician played by Jeffrey Lynn. AlIready there are propects of a new generation, too. The girls all go to keep an appointment which Gale Page has with the doctor. But Gale’s hopes are blasted when the doctor tells her she will never have children. The same visit reveals, however, that Priscilla is about to have a baby—the child of her dead husband. Meanwhile Rosemary has found a likely matrimonial prospect in Eddie Albert, who plays the role of a bashful young doctor, and is busily engaged in luring him altar-ward. Lola decides to adopt a little girl, but a few weeks after she has done it, she discovers she is to have her own baby. Priscilla and Jeffrey are married, but the memory of “Mickey Borden” is clouding their happiness, until Jeffrey takes the situation into his own hands and gives her a memory she can cherish. The same warm feeling has been injected into the film as in “Four Daughters” by Michael Curtiz, who directed both. “FOUR WIVES" (Prepared Review) —CURRENT PUBLICITY CSE OO OE OE ne os os Still FW469; Mat 303—45c REMEMBER THESE GIRLS? They're the Four Daughters — Priscilla Lane, the gay one, Rosemary Lane, the pretty one, Lola Lane, the smart one, and Gale Page, the sweet one, and they're gayer, prettier, smarter and sweeter than ever in their new hit, "Four Wives", which opened yesterday at the Strand. Four Daughters Get Married And a Grand Time Is Had By All=They're ‘Four Wives Now! New Film Sequel to Beloved Hit, With Same Delightful Cast Plus Eddie Albert, Gets Cordial Reception From Audiences at the Strand Many who went to the Strand last night must have done so, as this writer did, with the profound conviction that the “first, fine, careless rapture” of “Four Daughters” could not be recaptured, even by the incredible magic of the movies. We soon found out that we were wrong. We found out that the current film has all that its predecessor had, with an added fillip that may be due to a number of things. It may be the babies. It may be the extremely live-wire marital prospect pursued with such airy determination by Kay Lemp, the only one of the four daughters to remain footloose and fancy free as the picture opens. It may be the strangely haunting beauty of the memory of Mickey Borden as it lives in the heart of little Ann, his widow, who is to become the mother of his child. It may be the brave fight made by Felix Dietz, Mickey’s best friend, to be worthy of the love of Ann— or the dignity of Mickey’s little song which he said had “only a middle, no beginning and no end”—after Felix had given it the symphonic setting which was to make it immortal. There are many reasons for the fact, and it is a fact, that “Four Wives” is even more enthralling than its original. The characters are, of course, the same, with an important addition. The unforgettable “gateswinging” lovers who called each other “Lemp” and “Dietz” are again in the capable hands of Priscilla Lane and Jeffrey Lynn. Lola Lane is the ambitious Thea, who, after much quibbling decides to accept the proposal of self-made and agreeably braggart Ben Crowley, played by Frank McHugh. The gentle Emma is now the wife of the eager but stammering Ernest Talbot—played with the same zest by Gale Page and Dick Foran. Rosemary Lane is the singing daughter, the airy, indolent, leisure-loving Kay, who sets her pretty cap with such deter mination for the handsome young doctor, Clint Forrest, played by Eddie Albert of “Brother Rat’ fame, who is the important addition. And John Garfield, who won stardom by his portrayal of the tragic role of the misanthropic Mickey Borden in “Four Daughters,” appears again as he lives in the imaginings of his widow, Ann, who fears that marriage to Felix may be an injustice to Mickey’s memory. Although it was sympathy rather than love that brought Ann to Mickey, her real love for Felix is dampened by the thought of Mickey’s failure. It is with the thought of making Ann lose her almost mystic fears that Felix completes the “only a middle” melody. As Ann hears the ovation given the symphony over the radio, she realizes that Mickey is no longer a failure in need of her strength. Claude Rains sees to it that Adam Lemp, irascible, tender, music-loving father of the four daughters, is as likable as ever. And May Robson rules. the household as Aunt Emma, the gruffly gracious. Vera Lewis, as the gossipy Mrs. Ridgefield, who was seen in the last moments of “Four Daughters” swinging on the gate, has an opportunity for many laughs and makes much of her chance. Michael Curtiz directed both pictures. It is not the intention of this reviewer to spoil your pleasure by telling more of the plot of “Four Wives.” A visit to the Strand—preferably with all the family—will prove to you that the Lemps, inlaws, offspring and all—are still quite as you want them to be and that is completely human, natural and delightful. Claude Rains Gets Needed Experience As Papa in Film Claude Rains claims he’s storing up information from screen roles that will enable him to be a wise father when little 2-year-old Jennifer Rains grows to young womanhood in Beverly Hills. Playing the father of four grown girls in “Four Daughters” was illuminating, says Rains. Even more so is carrying on his cinematic parenthood in “Four Wives,” the sequel which opens at the Strand Friday. He becomes a grandfather—of a lot of other children, all girls, to his amusing screen regret. Rains points out that he studies fatherhood and its problems for “Four Wives,’? which is more, he opines, than most prospective fathers of marriageable girls do. In addition he learns from the fine character he plays, the realistic but whimsical etching of a music professor who tries hard to be a good father to his motherless girls. And even the advice of others, showered on a man playing such a role in the way of suggestions from director, cast and so on, advance his education! Rains is glad to accept all suggestions. “Jennifer is going to be indebted to Priscilla, Rosemary and Lola Lane and Gale Page, my screen children,” Rains confessed. “They’ve taught me a lot, in the way actors help each other to understand a character.” Rains isn’t ordinarily a per son who talks about the newest cute tricks of his first-born. In fact, he struggles heroically to avoid doing so, but this is usually too difficult a task. . Behind a sardonic and challenging eye and a crusty manner, however, the actor is as naively proud of little Jennifer as any father, as eager to talk about her. On the set of “Four Wives” he had Frank McHugh and Dick Foran and other proud fathers to swap lies with. The other day he watched Priscilla, Lola and Rosemary Lane and Gale Page doing a scene while he sat on the sidelines. May Robson and Jeffrey Lynn sat beside him. They report he mumbled to himself, “Tt’ll be great to have Jennifer grow up to their age and boss me around like these girls do to poor old Adam Lemp. Mat 112—15c CLAUDE RAINS FOUR DAUGHTERS ARE ‘FOUR WIVES’: NOW-MEET THEIR HUSBANDS KAY AND CLINT ANN AND FELIX EMMA AND ERNEST THEA AND BEN "FOUR WIVES" is a return visit to Warner people you alreadyAnn and Felix, by Priscilla Lane and Jeffrey Lynn; Emma and love—the four daughters and their home folks! Kay and ClintErnest, Gale Page and Dick Foran; Thea and Ben, Lola Lane and (above) are played by Rosemary Lane and Eddie Albert;Frank McHugh. Here are folks to renew your faith in humanity! (Mat 503-B — 75c. Order from. Campaign Plan Editor. May be cut apart and cropped separately as one-cols.) [7]