Heart of the North (Warner Bros.) (1938)

EXCITING TALE OF NOTED “MOUNTIES” OPENS AT STRAND ‘*Heart of the North,’’ the Warner Bros. production in Technieolor which opens at the Strand Theatre today, is a thrill-packed and completely authentic tale of that famous law enforcement body of the Canadian northwest, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Produced on the lavish scale characteristic of all Warner Bros. Technicolor specials, the picture has all the elements required by a first-rate outdoor film — adventure, action, suspense, the beauty and interest of unfamiliar landscapes, and a large cast of popular players. Heading the list are such wellliked performers as Dick Foran, Gloria Dickson, Gale Page, Janet GLORIA DICKSON — plays the feminine lead in “Heart of the North” the Technicolor drama opening at the Strand today. Chapman, Allen Jenkins, Patric Knowles and James Stephenson, and the chief character roles are in the capable hands of actors like Russell Simpson, Joe Sawyer, Joseph King, Anthony Averill and Arthur Gardner. The first thrilling episode in the story is the holding up by a band of outlaws of a little river steamer that is carrying priceless furs and miners’ gold from the trading post to civilization. From then on the story details the clever identification by Foran, an officer of the ‘‘Mounties,’’ of the ‘‘master mind’’ behind the hold-up. Interwoven is a love theme whose interest is heightened by the fact that one of the girls, Gale Page, represents to Foran the lures of civilization and _ sophistication, while the other, Gloria Dickson, represents all of the appeal of the untamed wilderness. The screen play, based on a novel by William Byron Mowery, was written by Lee Katz and Vincent Sherman, and the production was directed by Lewis Seiler. Make Perfect Contrast Gale Page and Gloria Dickson are as different looking as two girls can possibly be, according to the Warner Bros. casting office, which tested dozens of girls for the two leading parts in ‘‘ Heart of the North,’’ which opens at the Strand Theatre today. The picture is in Technicolor and the studio wanted to see the effect of a striking brunette playing opposite a stunning blonde. Scarlet Rides Again! Patrice Knowles, who played Will Scarlet in the ‘‘ Adventures of Robin Hood,’’ had to take quite a ribbing on account of the brilliant red Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman’s coat he wore while working in ‘‘Heart of the North,’’ the Warner Bros. Technicolor production at the Strand. Every time Knowles appeared on the set he was greeted by a chorus of: ‘‘ Will Scarlet of Sherwood rides again! ’’ CURRENT PUBLICITY — ‘HEART of the NORTH” | <a ee (Review ) ‘Heart Of The North’ Filmed In Color Has Outdoor Action, Thrills, Romance HOLLYWOOD'S NEW STORY SYNOPSIS: (not for publication). The Arctic Queen has just set sail from Fort Endurance, far northern trading post, loaded with a cargo of gold and furs, when it is held up by bandits. The Royal Canadian Mounties go to work, but there’s conflict when Baker (Dick Foran) clashes with his superior (James Stephenson) who wants to arrest the father of the girl Baker is in love with. Baker is dismissed from the service, but is later reinstated with honors as he saves an innocent man from lynching and captures the real villain. Baker’s love troubles are settled, too, when his civilization-loving fiancee gives him up, so that he can marry the girl he really loves. Outdoor action, thrills and suspense are the keynotes of the Warner Bros. ‘Technicolor — special ‘‘Heart of the North,’’ which opened yesterday at the Strand Theatre. It is a full bodied picture, combining all the elements that make for superb entertainment. It has adventure, it has romance, it has thrills, it has humor, and it pictures with a loveliness the Technicolor camera has never surpassed the wild and little known country °in which its action is laid. Added to all these requirements of the ideal outdoors picture, ‘‘Heart of the North’’ acquires a special interest because of the evident authenticity with which the daily existence and the work of the famous red-coated policemen of the Canadian woods are depicted. Dick Foran was released from the confining influence of the interior sets that have hedged him about in most of his recent pictures and he was turned loose in the great outdoors that seems to do something for the appeal of this charming, big, red-headed fellow. It’s true enough that he doesn’t sit astride a horse — the so-called ‘‘Mounties’’ scarcely ever use horses any more — in a MOUNTIE MEETS MOUNTIE — Patric Knowles (left) and tiny Janet Chapman are greeted by Gale Page and Dick Foran in this scene from the thrilling Technicolor adventure picture “Heart of the North” which opened at the Strand Theatre yesterday. single scene of the picture, but otherwise he is given every opportunity to display that credibility as a genuine man of action which made him so popular as a hero of western pictures. Gloria Dickson and Gale Page vie so evenly for feminine honors that it is likely the individual spectator will be influenced in deciding which is the better actress only by his preference between blondes and brunettes. Janet Chapman, six-year old starlet, who displayed so much talent in her first two pictures gives the older actresses a run for their money. And she, in turn, gets tough competition from a beautiful and marvelously trained police dog called ‘‘Rex’’ in the story but actually that same ‘‘Lightning’? who was the star of ‘“White Fang’’ and other films. Laid in country that is one of Some of the steps in the training of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, whose adventures are told in Warner Bros. Technicolor production ‘Heart of the North,” now showing at the Strand Theatre. (Top right) Expert markmanship is developed in daily target practice. (Above) Mounties go to school, learn forestry. (Below) Mounties participate in gymkhana. "(Mat 30 Rasen a 1-B—45c. [in] Order from Campaign Plan Editor) the world’s last frontiers — the thinly populated Mackenzie River region just below the Arctie Circle — the story revolves about the successful efforts of Foran, as an officer of the ‘‘Mounties,’’ to track down and capture the leaders of a band of outlaws which has held up a little river steamer carrying expensive furs and many pounds of newly-mined gold to the outside trading post. It is fact-moving, thrilling stuff, which doesn’t lose its pace for a moment even though an engrossing love story is interwoven into the web of exciting incidents. Much eredit can be shared for presenting a plot of swiftly mounting climaxes between the director, Lewis Seiler, and the scenarists, Lee Katz and Vincent Sherman, who based their screen play on a novel by William Byron Mowery. (Above) Wrestling matches help to develop sturdy muscles, (Left) Dick Foran, receives his commission as a ‘“‘mountie,” in “Heart of the North.” Mat 203—380c world from a frontier — JANET CHAPMAN CINDERELLA GIRL If there were tear-meters in the nation’s theatres, the prize for making people ery would undoubtedly go to little Janet Chapman, on the six-yeard-old’s record in her first picture. She recently completed her third and it’s playing now at the Strand Theatre — the Warner Bros. Technicolor production, ‘‘Heart of the North.’’ But letters keep piling in from many sources marveling: at the ‘‘tear-jerking’’ prowess of the tiny actress as she was seen in ‘Little Miss Thoroughbred’’ and ‘“Broadway Musketeers.’’ The magic wand has touched this diminutive Cinderella. She’s now having more fun, and her family is enjoying a greater prosperity and security than ever before in her brief lifetime. Born when the banks were closing in dark 1932, she grew old enough to sense tragic things when in the recession year blows fell at once: her father was without work and a serious illness placed her mother in a hospital. An aunt with whom Janet was living entered her in a singing contest sponsored by a newspaper. She won it, and accidentally attracted the attention of a noted drama coach, Robert W. Major, who had coached Jane Withers, and many adult stars. He undertook her training, gratis—sensing in the child, he declares, ‘‘an intelligence and intent histrionic talent unique in my experience.?’ He succeeded in having her tested for a ‘‘bit’’ role in ‘‘ Little Miss Thoroughbred’’, but her natural, wistful charm registered so strongly on the screen that she was given a leading role instead. Subbed For Film Star Blonde Mrs. Dick Foran, visiting her husband on the Warner Bros. location for the Technicolor special, ‘‘Heart of the North,’’ now showing at the Strand Theatre, was caught by autograph seekers, along with Foran and brunette Gale Page. It was only some time later that the others learned Mrs. Foran had signed ‘*Gloria Dickson.’? Gloria, leading lady of the picture, wasn’t present and, as Mrs. Foran remarked, it was her signature they were after. Grateful For His “Aid” Allen Jenkins has received an honorary badge from the American Legion boys of the Chicago Police force in honor of his trip back to Chicago with ‘‘the boys’? after their visit to Hollywood. The note with the badge reads: ‘‘— in recognition for seeing us safely home.’’ Allen’s latest Warner Bros. picture, ‘‘Heart of the North,’’ is at the Strand. Her Charms Are Coins Gale Page has a new idea in charm bracelets. Hers is a coin collection—silver coins of about the quarter-dollar size from every country that makes a distinctive coin of this nature. Gale’s latest Warner Bros. picture, ‘‘Heart of the North,’’ is at the Strand. Girls Of A Feather Girls of a feather are Gloria Dickson and Gale Page. While on location for ‘‘Heart of the North,’’ the Warner Bros. Technicolor production playing at the Strand Theatre, they met an Indian woman who does magnificent handiwork with the plumage of birds. Gloria ordered a collar and cuff set of coq feathers dyed peacock blue while Gale purchased a turkey red feather belt.