Gold Diggers of 1935 (Warner Bros.) (1935)

i ‘ z ~=Gver apiece of change. ae eee eg, | ews, Reviews and Production Warns” REVIEW “Gold Diggers of 1935”’ Is Season’s Smash Hit Magnificent Spectacles, Unique Dances And Laughs Feature Premiere At Strand. THOROUGHLY pleased audience left the ..........0.000000.... Theatre yesterday, unanimously declaring ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1935’’ not only the last word in musical spec tacles, but so replete with novel innovations, so full of subtle humor and ridiculous situations that even without the gorgeous scenes, the hundreds of dancing girls and the catchy music, this newest First National musical could have been screened as a farce comedy and furnished 4n evening of fine entertainment. Several things were demonstrated at the local premiere yesterday. First, that Busby Berkeley is as great a production director as he is a creator of dance numbers; second, that Dick Powell is improving with each performance and is now a finished actor as well as singer; third, that the spectacles are really spectacular and finally that the three feature songs are destined to be instantaneous hits. While ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1935’? is funny, there is a serious romance running through the plot, with Powell and Gloria Stuart portraying the lovers. Frank McHugh and Dorothy Dare also have a serio-comic love affair. Incidentally, Glenda Farrell, the only ‘‘lady gold digger’’ in the story, takes Hugh Herbert over the hurdles Powell, a medical student who works as a clerk in a fashionable summer hotel, is engaged by Alice Brady, parsimonious wealthy widow, to escort her daughter, Gloria Stuart, on a round of festivities during the summer, as a reward for Gloria’s promise .to marry Hugh Herbert, an eccentric millionaire who writes articles about snuff, in the Fall. Alice’s son, Frank McHugh, has been clipped by four divorced wives for $400,000, and when he PRODUCTION STORY + Gloria Stuart is Powell’s First Blonde Sweetie For the first time in his screen life Dick Powell. makes love to a blonde. He likes it. The blonde in question is Gloria Stuart, who plays the leading feminine role opposite Dick in the First National Production, “Gold Diggers of 1935,” which comes to the ............. Pua: Theatre (eh eer aa Sree She shares several love scenes with him.’ In previous pictures, Dick’s romantic team mates have been either” brunettes or red heads. Ruby Keeler, toward whom most of the young actor’s cinema love has been directed, is dark. She has made five pictures with Dick, the latest being “Flirtation Walk.” In “Twenty Million Sweethearts” Ginger Rogers, a red headed girl, was the object of Dick’s devotion, and in “Happiness Ahead’ he had Josephine Hutchinson, also red haired, as his partner in love. “Gold Diggers of 1935” is a gigantic musical spectacle with 300 beautiful girls in the numbers staged by Busby Berkeley. There is an all star cast which includes besides Powell and Miss Stuart, Adolphe Menjou, Alice Brady, Glenda Farrell, Frank MeHugh, Hugh Herbert and Joseph Cawthorn. falls for Dorothy Dare, the hotel hostess, Alice is a bit annoyed. She is more annoyed, however, when she discovers that Adolphe Menjou and Joseph Cawthorn, respectively a theatrical producer and a scenery builder, have let her in for a $40,000 deficit on a Milk Fund show she sponsored. Of course, when she discovers that Herbert has been caught in a trap by Glenda Farrell, she feels worse, and is reconciled to the wedding of Dick and Gloria only because she thinks that, with all the shocks, it will be cheaper to have a doctor in the family. Grant Mitchell is the chiselling hotel manager, and a score of other film favorites hold out their palms during the progress of the play. Winifred Shaw former musical comedy star, sings the new featured song ‘‘Lullaby of Broadway,’’ and captured the house with her remarkable rendition of this unusual number. PRODUCTION STORY rs Shooting Scenes Of “Gold Diggers” Took Four Months The longest shooting schedule ever allowed a single picture on the First National lot, was arranged for “Gold Diggers of 1935,” now showing at the ............ Theatre. The newest of First National musical spectacles started working before the cameras late in September and was not completed until almost February, a production schedule of four full months. “Gold Diggers of 1935” differs OPENING-DAY STORY + “Gold Diggers of 1935” Coming To ..-e Lheatre Today “Gold Diggers of 1935,” First National’s latest mammoth musical spectacle, opens at the cheese ee Theatre today. The picture is said to carry more unique and unusual numbers, greater song hits and more hilarious fun than any other musiscal produced by this company. Busby Berkeley, musical comedy genius, not only created and staged the numbers, but directed the entire picture. The story by Robert Lord and Peter Milne is a rollicking comedy with three separate love tangles. There is a play within the play, a wealthy widow producing a milk fund show at a swanky summer hotel. Dick Powell and Gloria Stuart have the romantic leads, with Frank MeHugh and Dorothy Dare in a semi-comic love affair and Glenda Farrell taking an eccentric millionaire over the jumps. Alice Brady has the role of the rich widow who is bilked of a considerable fortune by a theatrical producer, a part played by Adolphe Menjou, Joseph Cawthorn in the role of a scenic and costume artist and the hotel manager, Grant Mitchell. Winifred Shaw, the former musical comedy stage star, sings in the show. Dick Powell also sings catchy airs which were written by the famous song team of Warren and Dubin. In addition to the regular cast, Ramon and Rosita, dancers, and 300 beautiful girls appear in the dance numbers. The screen play © is by Manuel Seff and Peter Milne. SSE from all the preceding First National musicals in that Busby Berkeley, who only created and staged the numbers for the others, directed both story and spectacle sequences. There are three big numbers and several “musical moments” between Dick Powell and Gloria Stuart, who share the leading roles. Others in the cast include Adolphe Menjou, Alice Brady, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert, Joseph Cawthorn, Ramon and Rosita, the dancers, and a chorus of 300 beautiful girls. A Battle Royal Three people who don’t love each other very much; they’re Frank McHugh, Gloria Stuart and Hugh Herbert, some of the leading lights in Warner Bros.’ “Gold Diggers of 1935,” coming to the .................... ; Dick Powell stars in the film. Mat No. 13—20e¢ FREAK FACS... . AS0U7 FM FAVORITES Mat No. 9—20ce¢ These items can be used for local movie columns or as short program squibs. Many exhibitors blow ’em up and plant ’em in cooperating dealer store windows. PRODUCTION STORY r' New “Gold Digger’ Beauties Have ‘Airflow’ Figures The “airflow” figure predominates in the new choruses Busby Berkeley trained at the First National studios for “Gold Diggers of 1935,” which comes to the Tei oe Theatre on .............4 Hollywood has become “aerodynamic” conscious concerning feminine beauty. “The full, rounded figure has always been the most beautiful feminine form,’ Berkeley declares, “but the new interest in design has called new attention to the fact.” In several of the spectacular numbers which Berkeley staged for the new “Gold Diggers,” the “airflow” figures of the girls are emphasized by the use of long, diaphanous, flowing gowns of filmy white materials, so arranged that they “follow” the moving figures of the girls, creating effects much like the “lines” of the new motor cars and airplanes. Beauty in design and beauty in women are closely related, in the opinion of Berkeley, and he believes his “airflow” chorus for “Gold Diggers of 1935” is the most modern and the most beautiful of his entire career. The picture is a gigantic musical spectacle with a most imposing cast, including Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart, Alice Brady, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert, Joseph Cawthorn and Dorothy Dare. Three hundred beautiful girls take part in the Berkeley dances. Ramon and Rosita, the dancers, are featured. The screen play is by Manuel Seff and Peter Milne, dramatized from the story by Robert Lord and Milne. The music and lyrics are by the famous song team of Harry Warren and Al Dubin. ON THE CAST rs Many Southern Beauties Appear In ‘Gold Diggers’ When Busby Berkeley, First National impressario of feminine pulchritude, is casting for a picture and a pretty girl from the south is trying for a part, she has no reason for saying: “Pahdon mah s’uthe’n accent.” As a matter of fact, judging by the number of beauties in the new “Gold Diggers of 1935” who hail from below the MasonDixon line, it would seem that Dixie ladies are more than welcome to the galaxy of Berkeley beauties. New Orleans, La., is the leading city as represented by dancing and singing girls who have parts in “Gold Diggers of 1935,” which comes to the .........0..00. ; Theatre OM... The girls are Georgia Spence, Lois Lindsay, Rosemary Grimes, Belle Richard and Aileen Covington. Texas tops the states with these beauties: Marie Marks, Ann Seale and Bee Stephens, all of San Antonio; Rosalie Roy, Virginia Lee Bouldin and Patsy Bellamy, all of Dallas; Ruth Ellis and Lucyle Keeling of Waco; Muriel Gordon of St. Joseph, and Muriel Gordon of Austin. Other Southern girls among “Gold Diggers,” which includes Dick Powell, himself a boy from way down in Arkansas, are: Virginia Dabney, Atlanta, Ga.; Diane Hunter, Camden, Ala.; Marion Carroll, Oklahoma City; Anez Cecil, Enid, Okla.; Margaret Carthew, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Ada Mason of Grafton, W. Va. In the all star cast of “Gold Diggers” are Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart, Alice Brady, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert, Joseph Cawthorn, and the dance team of Ramon and Rosita. Page Seventeen