Hearts Divided (Warner Bros.) (1936)

nw} UELECITY ART eee IDED S iinet I LEAD OFF STORY — REVIEW OPENING DAY STORY--READERS (Lead Off Story) Marion Davies In ‘Hearts Divided’ Coming To Strand Laid in the colorful and romantic setting of the South in 1803, and presenting one of the most distinguished casts ever assembled for a motion picture, Marion Davies’ new Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘Hearts Divided,’’ has been booked for the .............. Theatre for a limited engagement beCINDIMN G2 e e.utae. as a First National release. The story, by Rida Johnson Young, has an historical background, set in the Napoleonic era and touching on the Louisiana Purchase. Leading American and French characters set the stage for a glamorous romance between Captain Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the French Emperor, and Betsy Patterson, the belle of Baltimore and Washington. Jerome, who is in America as emissary of Napoleon in the sale of Louisiana, meets the beautiful Betsy when traveling incognito, falls in love with her, and _ becomes her music and French teacher. She loses her heart to him despite the fact that she believes him to be only a tutor and then awakens to the surprise of her life when she discovers his identity. Napoleon had a diplomatic match in mind for his brother, but Jerome, romantic lover and adventurer that he was, could not be crushed, and the story ends in a most surprising and pleasing climax. Songs, written especially for the production by the famous team of Harry Warren and Al Dubin, are sung by Dick Powell, with Miss Davies joining him in one of the catchy airs. The famous Hall John| son Choir also make their film | debut in this picture, singing several spirituals and furnishing background music. Miss Davies has the role of Betsy Patterson, and Powell plays the part of Jerome, whose love for Betsy is far stronger than his desire for fame and fortune. The role of Napoleon is played by Claude Rains. Charles Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton and Arthur Treacher have comedy roles as the indefatigable and highly amusing lovers of Miss Betsy. Other comedy parts are taken by Walter Kingsford and Etienne Girardot as the aides of Jerome. Several historical personages are represented in the picture, including President Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton and John Marshall. Other important players in the east include Henry Stephenson, Betsy’s father, Clara Blandick, her aunt, John Larkin, Halliwell Hobbes, Hobart Cavanaugh, George Irving, Hattie McDaniels, Freddie Archibald and Beulah Bondi. Frank Borzage directed. Marion Davies Charming Marion Davies, who will be seen in the new Cosmopolitan picture ‘‘Hearts Divided’’ which OMENS Ab TNE ........500cccccecees Theatre ONanesa ckere ee as a First National release. Mat No. 103—100 Marion’s Coming To ‘Town With laughter on her lips and Dick Powell in her arms, Marion Davies WL <COME CO UNE —..vcscs..scdccesccesnss PRCOWC ON nee with half a dozen real stars at her side, in the Cosmopolitan picture ‘‘ Hearts Divided,’’ said to be the most colorful romance of her film career. Mat No. 202—20c (Review) Marion Davies Scores Real Triumph In ‘HeartsDivided’ New Cosmopolitan Production Proves A Gripping And Glamorous Romance Never has the beautiful star, Marion Davies, appeared in a more entertaining and gripping romance than in her latest Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘ Hearts Divided,’’ which was shown BE ENC ee Theatre yesterday for the first time locally as a First National release. This story of the wooing and winning of the brilliant and beautiful Betsy Patterson of Baltimore by Captain Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the French emperor, is a real heart throbbing drama. While the romance is predominant, the picture has an historical background, with Jerome Bonaparte in America as the agent of his brother to negotiate the sale of the Louisiana Territory. It brings in many noted characters of the period, including Napoleon himself, President Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Marshall, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. The picture is a lavish one, with mammoth sets and colorful backgrounds, while the women are costumed in the gorgeous Empire gowns of the period. Picturesque scenes take place in the Patterson mansion and estate and in the palace of the emperor of France. The picture is enlivened by catchy songs written by the famous team of Harry Warren and Al Dubin, and sung by Dick Powell, who has the leading masculine role opposite Miss Davis. Other delightful music is furnished by the Hall Johnson Choir who sing the spirituals of the Negro slaves quartered on the Patterson estate. There is plenty of thrilling action in addition to the somewhat tangled up romance in which Jer_ ome woos his lady love incognito and against the wishes of the emperor. But this madeap adventurer hurls his thundering defiance at his powerful brother and brings his wooing to a climax in whirlwind fashion. Never has Miss Davies been more pleasing, nor more charming than as the beautiful belle of Baltimore who loses her heart to Jerome whom she knows only as her tutor in French and music. She carries off the lighter portion of the romance with a delightful whimsy and rises to the more emotional scenes with the artistry of an experienced and polished performer. Powell, who also played opposite Miss Davies in ‘‘Page Miss Glory,’’ is highly amusing as well as romantic in his role of the carefree Jerome, who goes about making love in disguise. He not only does some capable acting, but his voice seems more pleasing than ever in the catchy songs that he sings in English and French. Claude Rains does some exceptionally fine acting in the role of Napoleon Bonaparte. Never does he overemphasize the traditional mannerisms of the Little Corporal, nor resort to the trite jestures with which the emperor was credited. Rains’ lack of posing makes the character seem natural and human. Charlie Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton and Arthur Treacher add some fine comedy touches in their roles of three indefatigable suitors of the beautiful Betsy, who mocks them and laughs at them and loves them as the kindly, blundering, elderly men that they are. Others who do fine work in a comedy vein are Walter Kingsford and Etienne Girardot, as the aides of Captain Bonaparte, and Hobart Cavanaugh as an innkeeper. Still others in the talented cast who deserve special mention are Henry Stevenson, Clara Blandick, John Larkin, Halliwell Hobbes, George Irving and Hattie McDaniels. Frank Borzage made an exceptionally fine production of ‘‘ Hearts Divided.’’ His fine directorial touch can be seen throughout the picture. The screen play is by Laird Doyle and Casey Robinson, based on the story by Rida Johnson Young. (Opening Day Story) Marion Davies In ‘Hearts Divided’ At Strand Today Marion Davies, in her latest Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘ Hearts Divided,’’ a First National release with a romantic historical background, opens at the .............. Theatre today. The picture is said to have been produced on a lavish seale with beautiful sets and colorful settings. The scenes are laid largely in the historical Patterson mansion of Baltimore and its spacious grounds, but there are also sequences in Washington, an outlying race track, and in the palace of Emperor Napoleon of France. Dick Powell, who has the leading masculine role, also sings songs specially written for the produetion by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, in one of which he is joined by Miss Davies. Other music is furnished in the form of spirituals sung by the famous Hall Johnson Choir, representing slaves in their quarters on the Patterson estate. Several historical characters are seen in the film, including Napoleon Bonaparte, Cambaceres, second consul of France, Bonaparte, brother of the emperor, President Thomas Jefferson, James, Madison, James Monroe, John Marshall, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. ; The story, by Rida Johnson Young, although historical, is entirely romantic, dealing with the courtship of the famous Baltimore heiress, Betsy Patterson, by Captain Jeorme Bonaparte, who had come to America as an emissary of his brother, Emperor Napoleon, to negotiate the sale of Louisiana. The courtship is a stormy one and is frowned upon by Napoleon, but comes to a pleasing consummation in a surprising climax. Other players in the cast include Charlie Ruggles, Claude Rains, Edward Everett Horton, Arthur Treacher, Henry Stevenson, Clara Blandick, John Larkin, Walter Kingsford and Etienne Girardot. Frank Borzage directed. Romance Marion Davies and Dick Powell portray the romance of Betsy Patterson, a Baltimore belle of 1803 and Prince Jerome Bonaparte in the new Cosmopolitan production ‘‘Hearts Divided’’ now showing Ob INO ates aes Theatre as a First National release. Mat No. 118—10c Jerome Movie Grass Is Made Green By Painting ‘Snow For years the master magicians of Hollywood, cameramen, set builders, art directors and others, have been trying to make grass look green on the screen instead of appearing to be just a void space. They were only partially successful. Through the combined efforts of George Folsey and Robert M. Haas, cameraman and art director, respectively, on Marion Davies’ new Cosmopolitan production, “Hearts Divided,’ which comes: 0. The 5 iss.0 cine Theatre ON 2A anna ae as a First National release, the problem was definitely surmounted. A considerable portion of the action, principally that involving Miss Davies and her leading man, Dick Powell, occurs on the lawn of the set depicting the mansion of the Pattersons of Baltimore. Folsey and Haas, viewing the broad expanse of velvety lawn, transplanted piece by piece to the interior of a sound stage, decided something must be done to overcome the darkness generally featuring backgrounds of grass. They went to the studio property department and obtained several oversized gunnysacks of artificial snow. Then they purchased several cans of assorted dyes and took their load back to the sound stage, where they began dyeing the snow various shades. They experimented with the motion picture camera until they found an extremely light shade of green that, spread lightly on the grass, gave it the same shade as that of a lawn. Then they took another sack of snow and dyed it a deep purple. This Folsey spread in small irregular patches over the green snow on the grass beneath the scattered trees. The result was shadows that really looked like shadows. “So you see,” Folsey remarked, “it takes green snow spread over green grass to make the grass look green. A little purple to give it the proper shading and you have a background worth talking about.” “Hearts Divided” combines a glorious romance with hilarious comedy and dynamic drama. It was written by Rida Johnson Young. Besides Miss Davies and Powell the cast includes Charlie Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton, Claude Rains, Arthur Treacher, Henry Stephenson, and Clara Blandick. Frank Borzage directed. ‘Hearts Divided’ Is Made On Lucky Sets The company filming “Hearts Divided” at the First National studios worked under unusually suspicious omens. Two of the principal settings for Marion Davies’ new Cosmopolitan production, which comes to the .......:.......5 Theatre. one... teat » were on stages bearing the lucky numbers seven and eleven. Neither of the stages had ever been used for a screen drama previously. Stage seven, one of the largest on the lot, housed a pic turesque southern colonia! mansion, the film home of Miss Davies and Henry Stephenson in the role of her father. Stage eleven contained an ap ple orchard. The two stages are the last of nine recently built on the First National lot at a cost of $2,000,000. Page Thirty-one