Golden Dawn (Warner Bros.) (1930)

“GOLDEN DAWN’”—Warner Bros. and Vitaph one 100% Natural Color, Singing, Talking Musical Romance (Current Story) TOM-TOMS THUD WEIRDLY THROUGH SINGING SCENES OF JUNGLE COLOR-FILM Tom-toms have a definite place in modern atmospheric music as used with Vitaphone pictures, according to the conductor of the Vitaphone symphony orchestra at Warner Broth ers studios in Hollywood. WHEN JUNGLE TOM-TOMS THUD Jungle dark— Muted thud Of tomtoms Beaten eerily — Voodoo chants. Savage screams. Tomtoms beaten Wearily— Flames in fury Driven wide. Mulungha seeks a Golden bride. Soldier lover Groping near. Golden lady Mad with fear. Jungle dark. Jungle mud— Tomtoms Threaten— Tomtoms thud— (Current Story) Lurid Fury of Flame -Filmed In Jungle - Scenes of “‘Dawn’’ Fire has been photographed in all its lurid terror and for the first time in “Golden Dawn,” the Technicolor musical romance, now at the Theatre. Fire and water play important parts in this dramatic story of interior Africa where native superstition and ignorance clash with the opposing forces of _ eivilization. “There is enough of the savage left in most civilized man,” he says, “to. make the sound of the tom-toms faintly reminiscent of that dim past.” “The strange rhythmic beat. finds an answering echo in every person’s make-up,” continued the conductor. “It is after all the basic music of the world, the earliest attempt to find melody and rhythm and all the other things that go to make up modern music. Tom-toms are universally effective as dramatic staging, eternally thrilling to an audience as | well as to the actors.” Tom-toms are heard in “Golden Dawn,” a Warner Brothers musical] romance: photographed in natural colors, based on the stage operetta of the same name, showing now at the Theatre, as a sinister accompaniment to the story of a strange white girl sacrificed to the native African god, Mulunghu. Strange rituals and barbaric customs make “Golden Dawn” a fascinating study of unknown Africa as well as a thrilling story of love and adventure in the jungle depths and a musical treat of unusual worth. Walter Woolf, Vivienne Segal and Alice Gentle, all famous singers from New York stages, head the cast with Noah Beery, Lupino Lane, Marion Byron, Lee Moran and others in support. Ray Enright directed. (Current Story) COULDN’T KEEP MRS. WOOLF FROM DOOR Husband and wife play together in “Golden Dawn,” the Warner Brothers Vitaphone natural color operetta, now showing at the Wes aS Theatre, but the hus band is the lead and the wife is an extra. Walter Woolf, the New York stage star, sings the leading role as Tom Allen in the production while his wife. who is a non-professional, visited the sets nearly every day. Finally a day came when a large number of extras were to be employed. Mrs. Woolf applied at the casting “Golden Dawn” is photographed jn| Office and was given a costume and full natural color throughout, catching all the natural beauty of the jungle and the tropics and _ the make up for the part of an atmospheric extra in an African cabaret. She thinks she had more fun out of process shows for the first time the| the picture than her famous husband. true glory of fire and its myriad colors and shades. Warner Brothers, who offer “Golden Dawn” as an outstanding feature picture, have spared no time and money in making it an elaborate p»-duction. Walter Woolf, Vivienne Noah Beery, Alice Gentle and , Lane head an all-star cast. n., Enright directed. FOUR NEW SONG HITS IN “GOLDEN DAWN” Four new songs were added to the original “Golden Dawn” score for use in the Warner Brothers Vitaphone al] natural color version of this famous operetta. These were needed to supply music for the added scenes which the wide scope of the motion picture version of a story make __ possible. The music for “Golden Dawn” was acclaimed by critics everywhere, when first offered in the stage version of 1927. “Golden Dawn” is the current attraction at the Theatre, *‘Dawn-—is she really a native?’ Scene 7rom “Golden Dawn"~A Warner Bros. Production JULANNE JOHNSTON — ALICE GENTLE — DE BRULIER Production No. 13—Cut or Mat (Current Story) Emotional Abandon, Passion For Rhythm and Beauty of Voice, Make Superb Actor of Negro “Golden Dawn,” Warner Bros. Natural Color Musical Romance Now Playing at the The natural theatrical ability of Theatre and it is probable that no group of the colored people made them highly} players ever found more pleasure in successful in “Golden Dawn” saved Director anticipated worry and delay. Several hundred negro extras appear as native African savages in “Golden Dawn,” which is a Warner Brothers Vitaphone version of the famous stage operetta of the same name photographed in natural colors. These people appeared to take great pride in their work and were eagerly attentive whenever directions were being given. They seemed to take naturally to the chanting, barbarie music of their choruses and to the action that was required in the sequences in which they appeared. Not once did they muff a scene ‘‘Now’s when you get yours, my boy!’’ Se Warner Bros. Production WHIPMAN MEETS RETRIBUTION FOR CRIMES Production No. 12—Cut or Mat and|a production than did these natural Enright from much} actors in the making of “Golden Dawn.” The story of “Golden Dawn” concerns the fate of a strange white girl found with a barbaric tribe of blacks in Africa and offered by them to their native god Mulungha as a bride. She is loved by an English soldier who battles almost single handed against the inertia of the tropics, political indifference, native fanaticism, the exigencies of war and the jealousy of a native slave driver to prove her white and to win the right to marry her. Walter Woolf, brought to Hollywood from the New York stage where he was starred in numerous musical shows, sings the leading role with Vivienne Segal in the title and principal feminine role. She too, comes from the New York stage but has appeared in previous Warner Brothers pictures, notably in “Song of the West.” Noah Beery and Alice Gentle have other important roles with Lupino Lane, Marion Byron, Lee Moran and a host of well known players. “Golden Dawn” is photographed in full natural colors, catching much of the beauty and brilliance of the tropics that can not be more than suggested with black and white pictures, and making it one of the season’s outstanding spectacles as well as the greatest musical treat yet brought.to the screen. The success of the negro in the arts is becoming more and more notable. A few of the names are Roland Hays, Charles Gilpin, Paul Robeson. (Current Story) Sojin Shocked When Clippers Attacked His Cherished Top Knot Warner Bros. barely escaped losing Sojin from “Golden Dawn,” the natural color musical romance now at the Theatre. The famous Japanese character had just arrived from New York when Warner Brothers offered him a part in the screen version of the celebrated operetta with its locale in Afriean jungles. He was to play the part of a barbarie piper in various voodoo ceremonies incident to the story. Sojin agreed and appeared to be made up on the ranch location early on the first morning of production. That evil countenance, which he has made famous in many sinister parts, was to be blacked, as was his body which was to be partially naked and weirdly tattooed. Sojin who had leaned back contentedly while the makeup man applied the stain, suddenly sat upright in horror. <A pair of clippers. were attacking his hair. He shouted, “TI don’t want the part in the play. I want my hair. I go back to New York!” It was too late, however. Sojin was bald as an apple. He plays the piper in “Golden Dawn” as a shavenheaded fanatic. Walter Woolf and Vivienne Segal sing leads in the romantic melody drama. Others are Alice Gentle, Noah Beery, Lupino Lane, Marion Byron, Lee Moran, Ed Martindel and Julanne Johnston. Walter Anthony did the adaptation, directed. (Current Story) Darkest Africa Arena of Conflict In “Golden Dawn’”’ Although the story of “Golden Dawn,” the Warner Brothers Vitaphone and Technicolor version of the famous stage operetta of that name now playing at the Theatre, is a story laid in Africa when the World War was in progress, it is not a war story nor is the battle between Germany and the other nations of the world the biggest fight that enters the picture. The war forms a kind of background for the story with first the Germans and then the English in control. Captain Eric, the German commander and Tom _ Allen’ the English prisoner are friends when the story opens. Allen and Eric are still friends when the picture ends though the first is captain and the latter a prisoner. “Golden Dawn” is the story of an even more significant war. It pietures the eternal battle between man and the elements, between civilization and savagery, between ignorance and intelligence, and Africa is the great battle ground for this never-ending contest. Out of the dark mystery of interior Africa comes a beautiful white girl, honored as a goddess by the native blacks and torn between her love for the black woman who claims to be her mother and the white man who seeks to prove her his equal. Natural forces beat down the efforts of the two lovers till fate intervenes. Ray Tnrigit —