Happiness Ahead (Warner Bros.) (1934)

10 DAYS OF NEWS BREAKS-FREE If you've seen the show you know it makes a swell story. Two chapters on this page will prove it to your editor. Multigraphed copies are yours for the asking, including five stills to illustrate it. Write: Merchandising Plan Editor — 321 West 44th Street —New York City. CHAPTER I T least, the servants in Joan Bradford’s home were contented that New Year’s Eve. In their own quarters they were, in their ultra-dignified way, enjoying themselves far more than the guests gathered in the magnificent music room of their master. Anna, who was Joan’s maid, and Charles, the chauffeur, had the evening off—the rest, served by under-servants with all the formality of a ball room, were playing contract bridge and approving of the viands later to be served the guésts. Joan, sitting in her own bed room, liked the evening less and less as the time for her appearance down stairs drew near. She hated the pompous stodginess of the guests. Above all, she disliked the guest of honor, young Jelliffe Travis, scion of wealth and Blue Book society, who was willing enough to accede to his mother’s wishes and marry the heiress to the Bradford millions. There was nothing particularly wrong about Travis, Joan thought, except his existence on earth. He might be all right on ordinary evenings, the girl admitted, but tonight something had roused her to mutiny against her mother’s social scheming. Her engagement was to be announced that night—and_ she couldn’t go through with it—she simply couldn’t. It was with this thought in her mind that she admitted her father, who had been sent upstairs by his wife to see why Joan was not ready to welcome her guests. “Why aren’t you dressed?” Henry Bradford inquired. “Because I’m not going to dress,” the girl replied, firmly. Bradford chuckled. “Not dress—I’m afraid our guests are not as advanced as all that.” Joan looked at her father, and started to smile. “Did mother send you up here to get me?” 3radford gave her a look of quick, appraising scrutiny, “I believe there is an important announcement to be made,” he said, “Something about you and Mr. Travis.” Joan threw herself back on a settee and remarked coolly, “Make it, if you like. I wont be there. I’m tired of having him thrown at me just because I’m a Bradford and he’s a Travis—I don’t love him and I’m not going to marry him.” Bradford looked amazed. “But Joan—your—mother—” “Yes, mother!—Mother is the engineer— and she can’t even understand my objections. IT won’t be made a fool of. Mother’s run my life long enough. I’m why don’t you and I have us a time tonight—just the two of us ——like the way we did that time when mother was in Palm Beach? Remember? Let’s sneak out— now?” The man’s face lighted up as, “Let’s get lost in the crowd—let’s walk up Broadway—this is New Year’s eve. Dad, for once, let’s have some real fun.” (Josephine Hutchinson and John Halliday in a scene from “Happiness Ahead,” a First National picture which marks the film debut of the famous stage star, Miss Hutchinson, as co-star with Dick Powell.) twenty-one, white, and I’ve a right to be free.” “I see,” her father smiled. “Well, what do you intend to do about it? Sit here and mope?” “Y’d like to go where people are not proper—where they make a little noise.” She looked wistfully into space for a moment and than placed an eager hand on her father’s arm. “Look, Dad, for a moment, he toyed with the idea. “What about our guests?” “Leave them flat. You don’t like these Bradford parties any better than I do, and you know 5 Bradford cleared his throat fought back a smile, and then assumed an air both dignified and disapproving. “Joan, I’m shocked to hear you say that. I shall expect you to be downstairs in fifteen minutes.” Disengaging his arm from Joan’s and crossing to the door, he glanced back over his shoulder. “And I expressly forbid you to leave the house by the servants’ entrance. Your mother wouldn’t like it.” Nearly an hour had passed when Mrs. Bradford again summoned him. A string orchestra was playing “Auld Lang Syne.” The guests were standing, dignified and erect, trying to sing the words. Travis, the personification of boredom, was yawning. “What’s keeping Joan?” Mrs. Bradford muttered. “Did you tell her to hurry?” “Yes,” the man nodded. Mrs. Bradford looked worried. “Where is she?” she asked. Bradford looked away, surveyed the crowd and his glance lingered upon the young man who Mrs. Bradford had determined should marry Joan. “I don’t know,” he replied. “She’ll be all right.” He didn’t know that at just that moment his only daughter was standing with a thousand others in a crowded Chop Suey restaurant on Broadway singing as lustily as any other, her eyes shining with excitement, her cheeks flushed with happiness. Nor did Henry Bradford know that within the next two minutes that same girl would stand in total darkness, while fellow merrymakers shouted and sang, while a jazz band boomed in the New Year, and that she would be in the arms of, and be kissed by, and return the kisses of a young man she had never before seen—whose name she didn’t even know. (To be continued) ar 9 ee eA CHAPTER II WHAT HAS-GONE BEFORE Joan Bradford, bored with life and determined not to marry Jelliffe Travis, who is her mother’s choice for her, runs away from her own New Year’s Eve party, at which the engagement was to be announced, and joins a crowd of merrymakers in a Broadway Chop Suey restau rant. When the lights went out, and the crowd began to sing “Auld Lang Syne” she felt herself being drawn into a man’s arms and was heartily kissed as a voice murmured “Happy New Year.” ITH the flashing on of the lights Joan drew back, a little startled, and faced a very flustered youth. ‘“‘Oh—I beg your pardon,” he said. ‘‘I—I thought it was Josie—Tom’s girl—why—eh—.’’ Joan was immediately at ease when she realized the young man’s embarrassment. ‘“‘That’s all right—I accept your apology,’’ she said. ‘‘You see, I thought I was wishing a Happy New Year to her,” he said, pointing to a girl who formed a group at a near-by table, “and I must have been shoved around and kissed you instead. I don’t want you to think I’m fresh.” “But it’s all right.” Joan was amused and laughing. “I forgive you. And I wish yow a happy New Year.” She sat down at her own table, while the man rejoined his own party. In a few minutes he again approached her. “My name is Bob Lane,” he said. “If you don’t think your bey friend is going to show up, the girls said you can move over to our table. It’s okay with them —in fact, it’s okay with all of ” us, + * * Joan found herself at home Page Twenty-eight with Bob’s party. The girls accepted her as one of their own, sympathized with her “joblessness,” and began to make plans to find employment for her. -They were all young, all working, all poor. The dollar each had paid for admission to the Chop Suey restaurant representThey welcomed Joan the more heartily ed real money to them. because each one of them, except Bob, had brought his own girl. Joan had evened up the party, and each passing moment brought her more enjoyment. Her big surprise, however, came when the band started playing a new song “Pop Goes Your Heart.” Bob began to sing, humming at first, he was soon carried away by the music, and his clear, sweet tenor rose until the dancing ceased and the couples crowded round their table. Bob sat with eyes closed as if in a dream, while Joan, fascinated, watched him. As the song ended, a great burst of applause brought Bob out of his dream. Loud cries of “encore” sounded. He stood up and repeated the chorus. It was nearly four o’clock in the morning when the party left the restaurant. Several couples crowded into Bob’s coupe. Joan, from the rear, waved farewell to each new friend until finally, she and Bob were alone. “Where do you live?” he asked. “Right up this street,” she replied, and scanned the houses carefully. As they passed an apartment house she spoke quickly. “T live right here.” Bob stopped the car. “Too bad your boy friend stood you up,” he said. Joan smiled, realizing that it had been taken for granted that she had expected to meet someone in the restaurant. “I’m glad he did,” she replied. “Tf he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have had the best time I’ve had in my life.” “On the level?” “On the level—thanks to you.” A look of eagerness flashed into Bob’s eyes. “Say—that’s great. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to step into some other fellow’s territory, but if it’s all off with your friend that stood you up— I’d like to see you sometime.” Joan nodded. “Sounds all right to me,” she said. “Swell—then it’s a date for tomorrow night?” Joan shook her head regretfully. “Sorry, ’m afraid I can’t tomorrow. How about Friday?” “Fine,” replied Bob, still holding the hand that had been given him to shake “good-by.” Then he paused. “What’s the name?” “Joan,” she replied. “Joan Smith.” When Bob turned to get back into the ear, she pushed open the door of the apartment house, and stood for a minute in the hall. When she heard him drive away, she peeked out, looked up and down the street, and then hailed a passing taxi. She knew then that before another day had passed she would rent a small apartment in that building and be ready to receive him when Bob came for his first call. It seemed such a long time until Friday. She was still thrilled with the events of the night when she slipped into her own bed, to dream of a friendly welcome, an engaging grin and a joyous voice singing “Pop Goes Your Heart.” (To be continued) “Happy New Year! Meet the gang! Great to know you... Park Avenue and Broadway meet and discover that love knows no Social Register—(Dick Powell and Josephine Hutchinson costar in First National’s “Happiness Ahead,” which will open at ee eee OR RO ae Se PROGINS. i aa ae )