Frisco Jenny (Warner Bros.) (1932)

ADVANCE PUBLICITY your 1 st story ‘“Frisco Jenny’’ Stars Ruth Chatterton As Head of Vice Element Cast in the mould of the pictures which have been Ruth Chatterton’s most conspicuous successes, and: have made hers a name to conjure with wherever lovers of fine acting are assembled, ‘‘ Frisco Jenny,’’ her latest First National production, coming to ji Ye ie Bite tenon aires ane Theatre next Ete Ae ER Eh ae , ranks as her outstanding work to date. ‘“Prisco Jenny’’ is the story of a woman who ruled the vice element of a city. The sweep of the drama takes it across a quarter of a century of human life. Opening on the eve of the Great Fire that laid San Francisco waste in 1906—the days when the Barbary Coast flourished in all its lawlessness — the picture traces the colorful career of a daughter of the old underworld as it luridly weaves itself through the changing life of the new San Francisco to the moment of supreme sacrifice that crowns the story. Running through the kaleidoscopic pattern of emotions and events is as vivid and gripping a story of mother love as the modern screen has ever witnessed. It is the final inevitable elash between mother and son — the latter utterly unconscious of the real identity of the woman he sees as his prime adversary —that makes the overpowering denouement of the picture. All the production resources of Warner Brothers-First National have been marshalled to re-create the San ‘eatastrophic power. Francisco of those early days. The accuracy of the life and atmosphere of the period is amply vouched for by the fact that Wilson Mizner is one of —he authors of the drama. Few living writers know their old San Francisco as Mizner knows it and many of the touches with which he has embellished the opening scenes of ‘‘ Frisco Jenny’’ are almost autobiographical in their fidelity. The scenes of the earthquake and the subsequent fire which completed the destruction of the city by the Golden Gate have been pronounced by experts to be marvels of realism and Old Chinatown lives again in-all its sinister secrecy, with its miles of catacomb-like passages and dwellings. The _ reckless, tumultous night life of San Francisco, unique among cities of the western hemisphere, is enacted so vividly that many an old-timer who has witnessed the previews of the picture has breathed a sigh for the glamor of those days. Under the direction of William Wellman, an extraordinarily large and capable east assisted Miss Chatterton in the portrayal of the drama. Donald Cook, Louis Calhern, Pat O’Malley, Jimmie Murray, Robert Emmet O’Connor, Helen Jerome Eddy, Hallam Cooley, Noel Francis, Frank MeGlynn, Sr., J. Carroll Naish, Robert Warwick, Franklin Parker and Sam Godfrey are the important supporting artists. The screen play is the work of Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord. Sid Hickox supervised the photography. your Z nd story Chatterton Plays Scarlet Woman Role in “Frisco Jenny’ The long step from the drawingroom to the Barbary Coast of old San Francisco gives to the screen an entirely new Ruth Chatterton, in her latest First National picture “Frisco Jenny” which opens at the eeteen oped ae EWG aGTO ON: 3 abies Ghose Coming as an interesting departure from her long series of portrayals as the rich, charming and cultured woman of high society, the title role in “Frisco Jenny” awards the star a chance for a new characterization. No longer does she sip tea and bandy smart repartee RUTH CHATTERTON, who departs from her recent ““drawing room lady” screen characterizations to become “Frisco Jenny” in Warner Bros.’ drama of the girl who ruled the slums of San Francisco. It begins an engagement at the Strand on Friday. Cut No. 5 Cut 30c Mat 10ec with the intellectuals. No longer does she appear as the fashion plate of the screen. And no longer does she speak with the softened “R” and the broadened “A!” “Frisco Jenny” was a historical character in San Francisco during and after the earthquake period. She was the daughter of a saloonkeeper and a power in the underworld. Ruth Chatterton, glad of the opportunity to bring so picturesque a person to the screen, dons the plumed hats, ginger-breaded costumes and war-paint of the demimondaine, and plays her for all she is worth. Donald Cook, James Murray and Louis Calhern appear opposite Miss Chatterton in a triangle of promi ___nent roles, while others in the cast include Harold Huber, Helen verome Eddy, Noel Francis, Pat O’Malley, Hallam Cooley, Robert Warwick, J. Carroll Naish and Robert Emmet O’Connor. The screen play is vividly colorful drama by Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord. It was directed by William A. Wellman, and taken from the story by Gerald Beaumont, Lillie Hayward and John Francis Larkin. your 3 rd story Movie Earthquake Is More Realistic Than Nature’s, to Author A synthetic earthquake that today appears more realistic than the actual occurrence, which he _ witnessed in 1906, was supersived by Wilson Mizner, soldier of fortune, writer and raconteur, who was present at the San Francisco shock. This movie made earthquake will be shown in the First National picture, “Frisco Jenny,” Ruth Chatterton’s starring vehicle, which comes to the THEATTO OM os secceectecdr eerie The screen play, a stirring tale of the Barbary Coast of San Francisco, when it was running at the height of its wild orgies during the quake days, recounts some of Mizner’s own experiences. As co-writer with Robert Lord, he supervised the earthquake scenes for the production. The shaking was done by a skillfully devised network of wires, rollers and levers. When the scene was taken, and a building crashed about the heads of Ruth Chatterton and her father, Robert Emmet O’Connor, killing the latter, it was so realistic that spectators gathered to watch gasped in horror. The quake had been so carefully arranged that no one was hurt. “But,” said Mizner, “it seemed more like the real thing than the actual quake at Frisco. As a matter of fact most people did not know what had happened at first, and your 4 th story Old Barbary Coast With Its Vice Dens in ‘‘Frisco Jenny’’ een The picturesque and glamorous Barbary Coast of San Francisco during its palmy days, about the time of the earthquake, was reconstructed at the First National studios for the production of Ruth Chatterton’s starring vehicle, “Frisco Jenny,” which: GOMES= FO thO. Ss. eects ss ona Theatre On es ee SA This was the stamping ground of the play boys of the city, of visitors bent. on wild orgies, of sailors on shore leave and the riff raff of the docks. Dress suit stood elbow to elbow with coarse flannel shirt and corduroys at the bar or dance hall. The district contained every kind of a dive and gambling den from tumbled down shacks to _ gilded palaces. It stretched along the water front from the Embarcadero back on Pacific Street to Montgomery. An entire section of Pacific street was constructed, only to be shaken down for picture purposes by the earthquake and burned by the following fire. It is in one of these dives that Miss Chatterton begins her career as “Frisco Jenny,” lording it over the patrons of Jim Sandoval’s saloon. Portions of the famous Frisco Chinese quarters, honeycombed with underground passages, and which bordered on the Barbary Coast, also will be seen in the picture. It is in one of these’ subterranean passages that Miss Chatterton hides after the fire to give birth to her baby. The story is a thrilling tale of the priestess of the temple of pleasure, who rules her world with an iron hand, but who in the end gives up her life to shield her son from the knowledge of his parentage. Prominent in the cast with Miss Chatterton are Donald Cook, James Murray, Louis Calhern, Hallam Cooley and Pat O’Malley. The sereen play is by Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord and directed by William A. Wellman. there was little excitement. Of course the scenes of horror that followed with the fire were terrifying, but the first trembling of the earth did not seem so cataclysmic as the one in the picture.” Miss Chatterton is supported by a strong cast which includes Donald Cook, James Murray, Louis Calhern, Hallam Cooley, Pat O’Malley, Robert Warwick, Harold Huber and Helen Jerome Eddy. The picture was directed by William A. Wellman. The picture is based on the story by Gerald Beaumont, Lillie Hayward and John Francis Larkin. your an story Movie Studio Burns Entire City Street For Realism’s Sake Jim Sandoval’s saloon burned to the ground. So did Tony’s dance hall and Kelley’s cafe. In fact a whole street went up in flames. The fumes of stale beer and smok ing sawdust filled the air. Girls in extreme decolette ran in terror from family entrances. Houses shook and tumbled, while clouds of smoke rolled up to the sky. Firemen stood idly about, grinning, for they were only there as a precautionary measure to keep the blaze from spreading in the taking of a scene at the First National Studios for Ruth Chatterton’s starring picture, “Frisco Jenny,” which comes tO: thee in 6s ies Theatre 0) Fes Ree ipeae r op The scene represents the burning of a street on the Barbary Coast in San Francisco, during the earthquake. The blaze was real enough, but the earthquake was synthetic, although realistically executed. Director William <A. Wellman watched the blaze with anxiety, for it had taken weeks to construct a section of the Barbary Coast and it is impossible to burn buildings twice. Four extra cameras were used and the players rehearsed until letter perfect. He uttered a sigh of relief when cameramen indicated the “shot” was okay. “Frisco Jenny” is a dramatic story of what was once the most glamorous and picturesque underworld district of its day. The screen play is by Wilson Minzer and Robert Lord. A strong supporting cast to Miss Chatterton includes Donald Cook, James Murray, Louis Calhern, Hallam Cooley, Pat O’Malley, Robert Warwick, Harold Huber and Helen epee nd orem ead dy, your 6th story Chatterton Enjoys Totally Novel Role in ““Frisco Jenny’’ A remarkable transition in character, both physical and spiritual, is developed by Ruth Chatterton as “Frisco Jenny” in the First National picture of the same title which Opens at: the oF cae se Theatre rit A ay ee ARRAS or oy This transition covers twenty-five years of Frisco Jenny’s life, from the time she is an innocent girl of seventeen until she becomes a woman of maturity. There is no rapid change from innocence to crime, but the character of Frisco Jenny is shown to grow gradually harder as she fights her way to the leadership of the vice ring of the old Barbary Coast of San Francisco. Concurrent with her development of spiritual callousness comes the slow aging process of a woman growing to maturity. To depict this day by day change requires the utmost in skilled artistry and is a tribute to Miss Chatterton’s rare talent. It also called for the greatest skill on the part of the make-up department to show the gradual change in facial expression and figure. The role is quite different from any that Miss Chatterton has recently depicted but is not dissimilar to some of her former screen portrayals, such as “Madame X,” in which she made one of her most striking successes. “Frisco Jenny” is a highly dramatic story of a woman, keeper of a notorious resort, who does not hesitate to commit murder, yet whose mother love is so great she sacrifices her own life to save her son from the knowledge of her shame. In the supporting cast are Donald Cook, James Murray, Louis Calhern, Hallam Cooley and Pat O’Malley. The screen play is by Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord. It was directed by William A. Wellman. Page Three