Grand Slam (Warner Bros.) (1933)

ADVANCE PUBLICITY [continued ¢ A GRAND SLAM OF LAUGHS IN “GRAND SLAM” OPENING AT STRAND TONIGHT Scenes from “Grand Slam,” the hilarious comedy about bridge and its subsequent quarrels between husbands and wives, that will be featured at the Strand tonight. Paul Lukas as the stuffed-shirt bridge expert and Loretta Young as his partner in bridge and marriage, add another triumph to their already large collection of laurels. Frank McHugh, Glenda Farrell and Helen Vinson make up the remainder of an all-star kibitzing cast. Cut No. 40 Cut 60c Mat 20c STRAND’S FUN-MAKER Gienda Farrell, wise-cracker par excellence, outdoes herself in “Grand Slam,” the feature picture at the Strand this week, with Frank McHugh as her comical side-kick. Loretta Young and Paul Lukas have the leading roles in this clever comedy. Cut No.4 Cut15c Mat 5c your 7th story “Grand Slam” Bridge Expert Glaims Cure For Family Quarrel Believe it or not, there is not a family quarrel in a card deck in the newly-discovered bridge system which is the main theme in the First National picture, “Grand Slam,” featuring Loretta Young and Paul Lukas, which opens at the.... pre Saorar Renee se TheatTe= ON se oe Lukas and Miss Young, known as the “Honeymoon Bridge Couple” and “America’s Bridge Sweet hearts,” tour the country giving exhibition games in which never a cross word is passed, nor -eyen a dirty look. How this system was evolved and eventually works out is one of the surprises in a picture filled with wise wit and uproariously funny situations. The picture is based on the novel by B. Russell Herts, which is a fast moving comedy-drama of the American bridge craze, with its championship battles and bickerings. In converting the novel for screen play, Erwin Gelsey and David Boehm have made a fine job of bringing out the absorbing romance and brilliant satire which the original story so well contained. And aided by the superb and highly cap ahle nerformances riven hv _the ___ participants in the picture, “Grand Slam” ean easily -be recommended as unusual and amusing entertainment for everyone. There is an excellent cast play-__ ing in support of Lukas and Miss Young which includes Frank MceHugh, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Walter Byron, Roscoe Karns, DeWitt Jennings, Mary Doran, Lee Moran and Lucian Prival. The picture was directed by William Dieterle. Novelty Story Lukas Traces Germ of Bridge Game to Turk Bridge was invented in Turkey and was there considered just a game, according to Paul Lukas, who plays the leading role with Loretta Young in the First National comedy, “Grand Slam,” which opens at the Theatre on Mr. Lukas is also held to be one of Hollywood’s best informed men on the subject of contract. “The Turks called the game Biritch,” he said, “and it was the popular indoor sport about the time of Abdul Hamid. The Sublime Porte taught it to the British envoys who carried it back to London where it became a fad. But it remained for Americans to develop the innocent pastime into a national fad.” In the picture, which is a riotous comedy of domestic tribulations developing through the game, Mr. Lukas invents a system in which there is not a quarrel in a eard deck. He and Miss Young are hailed the country over as the “Honeymoon Bridge Couple.” ADVANCE SHORTS Real Life Dub Becomes ‘Grand Slam’ Champion Picture roles not infrequently re— verse actual conditions in real life, Oe ge ee AU. TS nd AT 4S 2 HT as tiey ao lm” cue L£irstb iINaviUuudS comedy drama of the American bridge craze, “Grand Slam,” which Opens 2s thes. i ee TPT Gather Ne spar wise seas Bee ei the picture Loretta Young _is—-sup posed to be an expert bridge player, while her-husband, a role played by Paul Lukas, is a dub who has phenomenal luck. In real life Lukas is considered one of the best informed persons in Hollywood on the subject of contract, while Miss Young is quite indifferent to the game. However, the picture does not require her to be an expert in actuality, as it does not expound the technique of the game, but is a riotous take-off on the domestic tribulations that arise over the quarrels at the bridge table. Glenda Farrell Refuses To Deny Her Birthdays Glenda Farrell, who has a featured role in the First National comedy romance, “Grand Slam,” which opensi-Abthen ees PH GGtTO ON ease oe 5 18 one of the few actresses in Hollywood who does not deny her years. The national elections took place during the production of this picture and she went openly and unashamedly to the polls to cast her ballot. She plays in support of Paul Lukas and Loretta Young. in the picture, which is a humorous take-off on the bridge craze. “Grand Slam” Comedy NOT For Bridgers Only! “Grand Slam,” the First National romantic comedy which opens at the Be pike Sa Theatre: on. 2-5 es Se eg ee ae » accomplishes a double purpose as screen entertainment. To ardent bridge fans, it offers an unusual and comical insight on the game which means so much to them. And to those who are not susceptible to the great national disease, it offers split-second action, fast moving comedy and ingratiating romance. Loretta Young and Paul Lukas have the leading roles and are supported by Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh and others, Loretta Young’s Life Is | One Film After Another Loretta Young, who has the fea ‘tured lead with Paul Lukas in the First National comedy romance on bridge, “Grand Slam,” which opens Beto see Res Se Theatre Oa Oe ee ee , declares that working in pictures is just as tough as in repertoire. Before she had completed the production she was assigned to play the leading feminine role with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in “The Life of Jimmy Dolan.” Consequently she had to burn the midnight oil to study one script while working all day in another picture. The next morning after finishing “Grand Slam” she was working on location in “The Life of Jimmy Dolan.” “Grand Slam” Star Born On Fast Express Train Paul Lukas, who has the leading role with Loretta Young in First National’s comedy dealing with the ~ great American pastime of bridge, “Grand Slam,” which opens at the SS Se yas So SG eee EN Theatre on Sr en ee ee , has the reputation of being a cosmopolite, having wandered over more parts of the earth’s surface than any other Hollywood actor. He claims that his penchant for traveling came as a result of being born on a fast express train just as it was pulling into Budapest. “It must have been a sort of inherited tendency,” he said. “At any rate I have been on the go ever since.” McHugh Kept Busy In Three Films At Once How Frank McHugh kept his lines straight while playing in First National’s humorous take-off on the American pastime of bridge, “Grand Slam,” which opens at the ........ ee Theatre-cOn 665 owas was a mystery to Director William Dieterle. McHugh was playing in three pictures at the same time, the other two being “Parachute Jumper” and “The Mystery of the Wax Museum.” Frank claims that his brain, like Gaul, is divided into three parts. Page Five