Hearts Divided (Warner Bros.) (1936)

PUBLICITY <s ART a 2 SPECIAL FEATURE STORIES CONCERNING MARION DAVIES Marion Davies Prefers Romantic Historical Film Pictures Like “Hearts Divided” Not Only Colorful But Important, She Says The trend of motion pictures is changing constantly but, in the opinion of Marion Davies, costume pictures will never lose their hold upon theatre audiences. Miss Davies speaks with the weight of authority, for no other actress, whether of stage or screen, has ever been more successful in dramas laid in days gone by than she. In a day of ultra modernity, when most feminine stars frown severly upon the thought of having to appear in anything but the sleek sophistication of the times, Miss Davies has established an imposing record of successful pictures in which she has portrayed characters from forgotten generations. To name but a few, there have been ‘‘Floradora Girl,’’ ‘‘When Knighthood was in Flower,’’ ““Quality Street,’’ ‘‘Janice Meredith,’’ ‘Little Old New York,’’ ““Yolanda,’’ ‘‘Beverly of Graustark,’’ and ‘‘Operator 13,’’ the highly successful story of civil war days in which she co-starred with Gary Cooper. Historical Characters She is playing another of these characters from the past in her latest Cosmopolitan production, ““Wearts Divided,’’ which comes | (0 oS eer eee ee Theatre on LESS HOR Ga Ee Rocsiee: eed Geshe National release. This is an _historical romance lifted from the pages of early American history. The story is woven around the purchase of the territory of Louisiana from France. Dick Powell, Miss Davies’ leading man, plays the role of Jerome Bonaparte, who comes to America to negotiate the sale as the agent of his brother, the Emperor Napoleon. The romance between Betsy Patterson, played by Miss Davies, and Jerome is not an imaginative one but is based on historical facts. Educational Value Miss Davies has excellent reasons for preferring this type of story for her motion picture productions. “In the first place,’’ she explained, ‘‘I have always felt that screen dramas of this nature mean so much more than a production built from someone’s imagination. A picture based on historical facts contains a definite educational value in addition to entertainment. ‘¢ ‘Hearts Divided,’ for example, involves the purchase of the territory of Louisiana, the first move of the United States toward expansion of its boundaries,’’ she continued. ‘‘How important this transaction, involving an area of more than 1,000,000 square miles, meant to the future of our country, is illustrated by the fact that the purchase price was only $27,267,622, or a few cents per acre. This region now contains many individual square miles that could not be bought for the whole of the original purchase price. “*T much prefer pictures with historical backgrounds because they bear the weight of importance. *¢ Aside from the historical value of such a screen drama, however, I am firmly convinced that such piectures contain infinitely more romance for the great majority of theatre goers. Pleasure in the Past ‘“We like to forget ourselves, our worries, our troubles, our cares, even our joys, occasionally. That’s one reason we go to motion pictures. We like to imagine ourselves as we are not. Any child at play is proof of that. She is never happier than when she is permitted In Her Biggest Hit Marion Davies Uses Simple Make-up Kit Marion Davies, who is now starring in the Cosmopolitan producetion “Hearts Divided,” which comes to the «.......)...0.00. Theatre OTs gireae alse eis , as a First National, release, had none of the fancy make-up kits containing drawers and compartments for various creams, powders, brushes and mirrors. When she was on the set her only make-up kit consisted of a little white wooden box, eight by ten inches, and containing equipment and accessories just as simple as the box itself. All one’s golden love dreams come to life on the screen Of tNE .....cccccccc0000. Theatre, where Marion Davies and five famous film favorites portray the most glamorous romance in American history in the Cosmopolitan picture ‘‘ Hearts Divided,’’ the story of the American beauty who made an Emperor’s brother trade his kingdom for her kisses. Mat No. 205—20c pean aes Pane NR ase Da A | Se a ee re ee. See hee to ransack the attic for clohing her mother wore in by-gone years and to don what she describes as ‘dress-ups’. ‘“She is happy with her mother’s modern clothing but much happier with something that dates back far beyond her memory. ‘“And so it is with adults. They like to do the same thing occasionally, else I’m sure there would be no explanation for the extremely popular costume party. “‘T have always felt that it’s much easier to forget oneself in the past than in the present. The flowing, romantic costumes, picturesque speech and customs of a hundred years ago pique our curiosity to a greater extent. Convey Pictorial Beauty ‘“Another reason I prefer period pictures is because I think they possess the means of conveying infinitely greater pictorial beauty to theatre audiences. The paintings we admire the most are those of the old masters; their subjects people of the times in which they painted. ““Still another reason I like them is that most of the characters have a definite historical value. We know them because of things they have done, because of the contributions they have made to history, achievements that have kept them alive through the ages. “< “Wearts Divided’ has many such characters: Napoleon and Jerome Bonaparte and their mother, Madame Letizia, played by Claude Rains, Dick Powell and Beulah Bondi, respectively; President Thomas Jefferson, played by George Irving; James Madison, John Marshall, James Monroe, Aaron Burr, and many others. ‘‘Then, too, I think the costumes, men’s as well as women’s, possess vastly more life and beauty than the cold, inanimate dress we moderns affect. Modes of 1803 “Can you think of anything more beautiful, more picturesque than a reception in 1803, the women in their gorgeous flowing evening gowns, the men in colorful formal dress? The finest artist would have difficulty painting such a picture with men and women in modern dress as his subjects. The sameness of the women’s garb, the utter monotony of the men’s black and white would defeat him. ‘“As for comfort, the costumes I have worn in ‘Hearts Divided’ and other period pictures have convinced me that the women of 1803 enjoyed just as much or more freedom, sartorially speaking, than the woman of 1936. “For the men,’’ Miss Davies concluded with a chuckle, ‘‘I can’t speak. But those tight-fitting breeches and high, frilled and starched collars don’t speak much for comfort, I’m afraid.’’ ‘“Hearts Divided’’ is a rollicking romance combined with thrilling drama. Frank Borzage directed the production from the screen play by Laird Doyle and Casey Robinson, based on the story by Rida Johnson Young. Music and lyrics are by Warren and Dubin with spiritual numbers by the Hall Johnson Choir. kate Turns Marion Davies Krom Teaching To Stage Star of ‘Hearts Divided” Now Prefers Playing In Motion Pictures Fate, or whatever it is that occasionally juggles the individual careers of mortals, played an important role in the drama of shaping the early career of a little girl born Marion Douras in Brooklyn, N. Y. Although she remembers that her earliest ambition was to be a school teacher, so that she could boss the other kids of Public School No. 93 in New York, Dame Fortune willed otherwise and guided her unerringly toward the stage. After leaving public school, where she captained the basketball team, among other things, she attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart at Hastings, N. H. She played Portia in ‘‘The Merchant of Venice,’’ Viola in ‘Twelfth Night,’’ Mary in ‘‘Mary of Scotland,’’ and other roles in religious pageants. Eventually she went to the Empire School of Acting, where she studied for two years. Upon leaving school, she suddenly found herself in demand as a model for magazine covers, posing for the ‘‘American Beauties’’ of the late Harrison Fisher and for Howard Chandler Christy. She was the model for Christy’s famous painting, ‘‘ Mourning.’’ Her first professional stage appearance was in the chorus of Ziegfeld’s follies when she was only twelve years old, adopting the name of ‘‘Davies’’ in emulation of her sister, Reine, then getting her start on the stage, and borrowing one of her older sister’s dresses, which she pinned down to her size and contour, she applied for the job. When Ziegfeld’s stage manager asked her age, she replied: ““How old do you have to be to get a job in the chorus?’’ “*Oh, about sixteen or seventeen,’’ the man replied. *¢Well,’? Miss Davies ‘‘T’m sixteen.’’ She got the job. Subsequently she was in the chorus of the big spectacle, ‘‘Chu Chin Chow.’’ Next, she was a featured dancer in ‘‘Oh, Boy,’’ and then Ziegfeld featured her in his Follies. Would Like to Write Her first screen appearance came when her brother-in-law, George Lederer, a director, gave her a role in ‘‘Getting Mary Married.’’ She was immediately discovered to be an excellent comedienne, with not only beauty, but a roguish sense of humor. Among the outstanding pictures she has starred in are ‘‘ Page Miss Glory,’’ ‘‘When Knighthood Was In Flower,’’ ‘‘Janice Meredith, ’’ ““Little Old New York,’’ ‘‘ Beverly of Graustark,’’ ‘‘Marianne,’’ ‘“Bachelor Father,’’ ‘‘The Cardboard Lover,’’ ‘‘Floradora Girl,’’ ‘“Blondie of the Follies,’’ ‘‘Going Hollywood,’’ and ‘‘Operator 13.’ Her current film is the Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘ Hearts Divided,’’ a First National release now showing at the-=.0-— <0. theatre. Miss Davies has no desire to return to the stage, but if she ever left the screen she would like to write. She is a clever artist and there is genuine humor in _ her sketching pencil. She is also a good designer and creates some of the smart fashions she wears in pictures. Her activities away from the screen are many and varied. She is an enthusiastic horticulturalist and has several hot houses with thousands of choice bulbs. She wholesales the bulbs and blooms to retail florists. She is an exceptionally shrewd business woman and gives her personal attention to all matters of investment. fibbed, Glorious Lovely Marion Davies is more beautiful than ever in the role of Betsy Patterson, the American girl for whom an Emperor’s brother gladly tossed aside a crown, in the Cosmopolitan picture ‘‘ Hearts Divided’’ which comes to the ............ Leatre: ONS tian. cE as a First National release. Mat No. 109—10e Miss Davies travels extensively and she has visited almost every country on the globe. To keep fit, she plays tennis and swims. She contends that dancing is better than a ‘‘daily dozen.’’ She likes to go to fast tennis matches, football games and horse races, but she doesn’t care much for prize fights or wrestling matches. Collects Rare Books When it comes to hobbies, she goes in for book collecting, rare paintings and antique furniture. She prefers beautifully printed and illustrated books to first editions. Miss Davies is a leader in various charitable organizations in Hollywood. She is president of the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and she is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Actors’ Equity, and the Sereen Guild. Her generosity to charitable organizations is well known. Near the Soldiers’ Home in Sawtelle, Calif., she personally operates a childrens’ clinic, along with other charitable efforts. In ‘‘ Hearts Divided’’ Miss Davies has the role of the famous Baltimore Belle who was wooed and wed by Jerome Bonaparte. The picture is a gay and glamorous romance by Rida Johnson Young. Besides Miss Davies in the stellar role, the cast includes Dick Powell, Charlie Ruggles, Claude Rains, Edward Everett Horton, Arthur Treacher, Henry Stephenson, Clara Blandick and_ scores of others. Frank Borzage directed the picture. Page Thirty-three