Hard to Handle (Warner Bros.) (1933)

ADVANCE PUBLICITY your 1 st story *‘Hard to Handle’’ Based Upon Publicity Efforts OW publicity and advertising pulls the strings that govern modern America is told with humor, gusto, and brilliant acting in James Cagney’s latest Warner Brothers-First National picture, ‘‘Hard To Handle,’’ which comes to the............ | se a Theatre..... The picture, incidentally, is Cagney’s first work since his recent return to the screen, after several months absence. It is his best work, since ‘‘ Public Enemy,’’ although an entirely different sort of story. The former was tragedy. ‘‘Hard to Handle’’ is the most waggish lampooning of Ameriean falsefronts that has ever been attempted upon the screen. This great comedy is motivated around the publicity methods and advertising which practically run the country today. The dance marathon, giant treasure hunts, changing a cold cream which ‘‘won’t rub in’’ into a reducing compound which rolls off fat, then getting a well-known society leader to endorse it; taking a doctor’s degree at a university for building up its financial structure, rolling up millions out of a citrus fruit which no one would buy, much less eat, before it was ‘‘discovered’’ that it took off weight—these are only a few of the legitimate rackets of young men with promoting ideas which James Cagney promotes as a high pressure ‘‘public relations’’ counsel. The scene with the society leader alone is said to be the funniest thing to come out of Hollywood in a decade—and, it is added, no one can mistake its significance. The scenes depicting the dance marathon, modelled exactly after such a marathon which took place earlier in the year at Santa Monica, Calif. and which all picture people had an opportunity to view at first hand, the treasure hunt, in which five thousand extras pull down a pleasure pier, “—hhave more production value than any similar scenes shot by a motion picture company in five years. Cagney’s own work is said to be excellent; but it is almost equalled by that of Ruth Donnelly, a newcomer to the screen from the George M. Cohan Theatre in New York. And Mary Brian has the best role of her career. Miss Donnelly plays Mary’s mother and Jimmy’s best friend and severest eritic—a role bristling’ with wisecracks and full of side-shaking action. Mary plays Jimmy’s girl — with him when he is poor, holding him off when he is ‘‘in the dough’? — forgiving him magnanimously, in the end, for the one thing prospective bridegrooms are not generally forgiven. The story is by Houston Branch, brought with great skill into screen play form by Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord. The direction is by Mervyn LeRoy, who directed ‘‘ Five Star Final’’ and ‘‘I’m a Fugitive From a Chain Gang’’—and compares favorably with both former jobs. Others in the cast include Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd, Gavin Gordon, Emma Dunn, Robert McWade, John Sheehan and Matt McHugh. your Lea story James Cagney Back in ““Hard to Handle’’ James—Jimmie to you—Cagney is back on the screen again. Back after an absence of several months, his last appearance having been in ‘‘ Winner Take All.’’ And what a comeback! He will be BOGIE A Ine se en ee Theatre Next ee . in what is said to be one of the most hilariously funny comedies of the season, a Warner Bros. production entitled, ‘‘Hard To Handle.’’ Although grapefruit plays a prominent part in the picture, Jimmy has given over his habit of squirting it in Milady’s eye, or even of socking some fair dame in the ‘‘kisser.?’ Rather he is on the receiving end to get many a smack from an unsympathetic world before he finally conquers it and makes it his oyster. Jimmy has the role of a high Page Four JAMES CAGNEY Cut No.3 Outi5e Mat 5c powered publicity promoter in a rip roaring take off on the press agent, in a story by Houston Branch. That the path of the press agent is not a smooth one Jimmy finds out in a series of hard luck incidents that finally land him behind the bars. An unusual romance threads its way behind the comedy situations and enlivens them with its love tangles in which Cupid nearly goes on the rocks. Mary Brian has the role of Jimmy’s sweetheart, with Claire Dodd as the vamp who tries to steal him away, and Ruth Donnelly as the designing mother who seeks to marry her daughter to the richest man. Others in the cast include Allen Jenkins, Gavin Gordon, Emma Dunn, Robert MecWade, John Sheehan and Matt McHugh. The screen play was written by Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord with Mervyn LeRoy directing. your 3 rd story Mary Brian Teamed With James Cagney in ““Hardto Handle’ James Cagney makes his first appearance in months on the screen teamed up with Mary Brian as his leading lady in the Warner: Bros. whimsical comedy, ‘‘Hard To Handle,’’ which: opens atthe: 2.2.2.2... PHOS tO ON. oe Seldom has there been better team work than that displayed by these two in a screen play of tangled fortunes in both business and love. According to the Warner Bros. casting director, Miss Brian’s charm of manner, her beauty and innate Sweetness are perfect foils to Jimmy’s rough and ready exterior and his blustering, boisterous and overconfident spirit in his role as a high pressure publicity promoter. The story, which is taken from Houston Branch’s delightful and uproariously funny comedy drama, takes the spectator from the West Coast to New York and Florida in multifarious publicity schemes which include dance marathons, treasure hunts, reducing cream and grapefruit campaigns and the promotion of monohippie colleges. Brilliant and sparkling dialogue has been injected by Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord as the authors of the your Arn story James Cagney Plays Live Press Agent in “‘Hard to Handle”’ A story that combines quaint humor, rare satire, uproariously funny situations, snappy dialogue and delightful romance, was chosen by Warner Bros. as, the starring vehicle in which James Cagney makes his return bow on the screen, after an absence of several months. It. is a take off on the flamboyant, pompous and over-confident publicity promoter, entitled ‘‘Hard To Handle,’’ which is scheduled to be shown os-thoescreen “at the...) eae aes hea tVe next. <.esssersclen heck cke The story was written by Houston Branch, one of the pioneer press agents of the movies, who should know what he is talking about. Mr. Branch is also a former newspaper man, and the first motion picture editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Wilson. Mizner and Robert Lord, both former newspaper men, who have dabbled in publicity, enhanced the humor of the story with snappy dialogue and unique situations which should stir everyone’s risibilities. Cagney, as the press agent, puts over every sort of promotion scheme from dance marathons, treasure hunts, cold cream and grapefruit campaigns to building up a one horse college into a tremendous institution. Mary Brian has the leading feminine role as Jimmy’s sweetheart, who jilts him when he is a success and marries him when he gets into trouble. Others in the east include Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Claire Dodd, Gavin Gordon, Emma Dunn, Robert McWade, John Sheehan and Matt McHugh. The picture was directed by Mervyn LeRoy. your 5B th story Mary Brian Changes Tresses for Cagney One of the last strongholds of the brunettes went down in Hollywood when Mary Brian went blonde for her part in James Cagney’s new picture of Warner Bros., ‘‘Hard to Handle,’’? which comes to the ........ Se ie: i hogtieson ss en Mary has kept her dark tresses up to the very last, but finally admitted that it has been a losing fight. ‘*Anita Loos started it,’’ she said. ““After that it was just like a ball rolling down hill. I’ve been asked at least a dozen times in the past year to blonde my hair, but I’ve al ways refused because it seemed to me it was just a passing phase.’’ But she changed her mind. ‘‘Passing phase?’’ she says. ‘‘It*s a blonde conflagration. The whole world’s doing it. On my _ recent vaudeville tour, I saw about three brunettes—all in different parts of the country. It’s a bandwagon, and the dark girls had better get aboard.’’ As a blonde, and one of no small amount of pulchritude, she appears in the leading feminine role as Cagney’s sweetheart in a highly humorous comedy take-off on the press agent, in which Jimmy makes his bow on the screen after an absence of several months. The story by Houston Branch contains snappy, sparkling dialogue and hilarious situations and a delightful romance. It was adapted to the screen by Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord, and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. nr asses screen play. There is an underlying romance that runs its gamut of humor, pathos, tragedy and _ love thrills. An exceptionally strong supporting cast includes such popular players as Ruth Donnelly, who made an outstanding hit in ‘‘Blessed Event,’ Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd, Gavin Gordon, Emma Dunn, Robert MeWade, John Sheehan and Matt MeHugh. The picture was directed by Mervyn LeRoy. your 6th story James Cagney Heads Strong Cast in His “Hard to Handle’’ An exceptionally strong cast was engaged to support James Cagney for his return bow to the screen, after an absence of several months, in the Warner Bros. picture, “Hard To Handle,’’ opening at the Gee een -‘Thea Mary Brian, the famous SOW-endsy-? “of eSbvet er Pan who has recently been seen in “Blessed Event” and “It’s Tough & To Be Famous,” has the leading feminine role as Jimmy’s sweetheart who throws him over when he gets tangled up with a vamp, later to become reconciled when she thinks her Jimmy is headed for jail. She appears as a blonde for the first time in her career. Cut No. 9 Cut 15e Mat 5c Ruth Donnelly has an extremely comic role as the dictatorial mother who is scheming to marry her daughter to the wealthiest suitor she can snare. She was chosen for the important part after having made a decided hit in ‘‘Blessed Event,’’ ‘‘Vadies They Talk About’? and ““ Jewel Robbery.’’ Others in the east, all well known players with experience on both stage and sereen, include Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd, Gavin Gordon, Emma Dunn, Robert MeWade, John Sheehan, Matt McHugh. _ The picture, a rare type of comedy, is a hilarious take off on _ high powered press agents, written by Houston Branch, who formerly was one himself. The laughable situations have been enhanced by the quaint humor and sparkling dialogue of Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord, the adaptors. Mervyn LeRoy directed it. e LEADING LADY MARY BRIAN, plays Jimmy Cag ney’s platinum blonde light o’ love in “Hard To Handle” coming to the Strand on Friday. Cut No.8 Outi5e Mat 5c James Cagney Back Again On the Screen as High Pressured Press Agent James Cagney, the aggressive red headed movie star whose, pugnacious screen roles have made him the idol of the screen fans, is back on the screen again in his first picture since he went on a one man strike last Summer. He is just as aggressive as ever when dealing with men in his latest Warner Bros. picture “Hard To Handle,’ which is now showite-at the Theatre, but he goes the way of all flesh when dealing with the spirited Mar; Brian, who is his sweetheart in the picture.