Hearts Divided (Warner Bros.) (1936)

PUBLICITY : “HEARTS a 4 ee FEATURES AND STORIES ABOUT THE PRODUCTION Dick Powell Saves Seasons Are Turned Back Photographs of Fans By Magic Of The Movies Fruit On Trees In “Hearts Divided’? Gives Way To Blossoms Modern Slang Spoils Shot Of 1803 Horse Race Scene No “Oat Burners” In Period Of The Historical Film, ‘‘Hearts Divided’’ Reversing the common practice, Dick Powell collects autographed pictures of his admirers. His collection of “fan” pictures now numbers more than 1300. They have come from every state in the union and most civilized foreign nations. Powell, who plays opposite Marion Davies in the Cosmopolitan production “Hearts Divided,” which comes to the ee gtr Pheatre ons. ss.ae..s as a First National release, began to collect pictures of his fans about three years ago when a feminine correspondent Spectators at horse races are expected to become highly agitated while the ponies are in action, particularly when the nags break into the stretch on the way home, but they should watch their language, when the race is run in 1803. Out at the Uplifter’s ranch, now known as the Will Rogers memorial polo field, a motion picture company shot exterior scenes for Marion Davies’ new Cosmopolitan production “Hearts Divided,” which comes to WNC cee eas HORT 20n ace. ; as a First National release. This By FRANCIS HEACOCK Those super-magicians of the cinema industry, the set builders, simply can’t be stopped. Running a clock backwards, reversing the seasons, transforming an apple orchard from midsummer into early spring is a mere incident in the day’s work. One week, when we visited the set of Marion Davies’ new Cosmopolitan picture, ‘‘Hearts Divided,’’ which comes to the ES at *ENOAGRGOle. carcasses as a First National release, we found the blonde star on stage eleven in a setting reminiscent of August. The stage had been converted by the art department into an apple orchard. The fifty-odd trees were heavy with fruit. ‘Grown on the stage,’’ Art Director Robert M. Haas confided. The trees, bare at this time of the year, of course, were obtained near Downey, thirty-five miles from Los Angeles. The leaves, not apple leaves, but very similar, were purchased from an orchardist at Azusa, twenty-miles west of here. The apples were purchased in the commission district—two hundred boxes of them. The trees were put together on the stage. Next week we found the apple orchard transplanted to stage two. Gone were the leaves and:fruit. In their place were thousands of gorgeous white blossoms. The art department had turned time _ backward, overnight, we were informed. The trees were stripped of their leaves and fruit and moved on huge trucks from stage eleven to stage two. The blossoms, artificial ones, since real blossoms could not be obtained in early March, wired to the limbs. We found Miss Davies, Dick Powell, her leading man, and Director Frank Borzage in a group just off the picturesque set. ‘¢You came at an opportune moment,’’ Miss Davies remarked. ‘*We’re just about to make the final scene of the picture.’’ A long, white brick wall bisected the setting the long way of the stage and, after electricians and cameramen had properly lighted the huge, two-acre stage, Miss Davies and Powell started down opposite sides of the wall. ‘* Action! ’’ Borzage directed. Powell began to stroll along the wall. Miss Davies followed suit, on the opposite side of the wall and invisible to Dick. Suddenly the latter broke into a song. Miss Davies halted, startled. She stared unbelievingly toward the wall. Then a smile appeared on her lips. ‘“Jerome!’’ she cried. ome! ’? Powell’s song died out. ‘“Betsy!’’ he shouted. As one, both began to run toward a gate in the opposite end of the wall, the camera crane preceding them. ‘*You’re not married?’’ Miss Davies called as she ran. ““Not . yet,’’ Powell shouted back. ‘‘And I’m not in ‘Nappy’s’ navy anymore, either.’’ They reached the gate simultaneously, almost collided. They feil into each other’s arms. “*Cut!’’ said Borzage. Breathing heavily from the exertion of the run, Miss Davies and Powell left the set and joined us where we waited. Meanwhile the five-piece orchestra the star always has on her pictures broke into a lilting air. ‘¢Does this finish the picture?’’ we inquired of Miss Davies. ‘“Oh, no,’’ she replied. It’s the final scene, but we still have two other shots to make. Tonight they ’ll convert this setting into a group of slaves’ cabins. We have two scenes to make in that setting, one tomorrow and one the next day.’’ ‘¢Then they’ll be changing the trees again?’’ ‘‘Yes, indeed,’’ she informed us. ‘‘The first scene supposedly occurs in spring, about the same time as the one we’re making today. The shot we’ll make day after tomorrow will be in summer.’’ ‘‘That means changing the trees once more.’’ ‘¢Yesm’’? Miss Davies chuckled. ‘‘The blossoms disappear and the fruit and leaves come back overnight.’’ “« Jer Master Fun Makers Arthur Treacher, Charlie Ruggles and Edward Everett Horton (left to right) whose vain wooing of Marion Davies is responsible for much of the hilarious laughter that features the star’s new Cosmopolitan produc tion ‘‘ Hearts Divided’’ which opens At the -....c.cccccccscccecesseseeess Theatre on eater cts ee as a First National release, Mat No. 219 — 20¢ Page Thirty-siz wrote the singing star: “T suppose most of your fans ask you for sutographed pictures. I’m going to surprise you by asking you if you wouldn’t like to have one of mine.” Powell replied in the affirmative and has continued his ¢ollection ever since. Clara Blandick Born On Clipper Ship Clara B'landick, the veteran character, acrtess, who is playing the part of Marion Davies’ “Aunt Elen” in the latter’s new Cosmopolitan production, “Hearts Divided,” which comes to the .......... « Theatre =On =:.c:ncctes as a First National release, was born on her father’s clipper ship in the harbor of Hongkong, China. She spent her first five years sailing the seven seas with her father and mother. Then her parents settled in Boston. Later she went to New York, where she obtained a job in the chorus of a musical comedy. From the chorus she graduated to leading roles. Charlie Ruggles Charlie Ruggles is one of the noted screen stars who have prominent roles in support of Marion Davies in the new Cosmopolitan production ‘‘Hearts Divided,’’ which opens -at™ the. .5h cscs. cds ERCatre SONG a sd Mat No. 114—10ce Replica Of Old Colonial Mansion Built For Film Marion Davies Intensely Interested In Sets Of **Hearts Divided’’ The settings for her latest Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘Hearts Divided,’’ which comes to the .................... Theatre on ers eee ae , held more than the ordinary professional interest for Marion Davies. One, in particular, captured her fancy. It completely filled stage seven at the First National studios, where the picture was produced, and represented an old Southern Colonial man sion; a faithful reproduction of the Patterson residence which stood near Baltimore in the year depicted by the story, 1803. By a peculiar coincidence, ¢olonial is Miss Davies’ favorite type of architecture. ““To me,’’? she remarked when she first observed the setting, which included a spacious garden and velvety lawns, surrounding the mansion, ‘‘The most beautiful structures in America have always been Washington’s home _ at Mount Vernon and the White House in the Capital. I do not think that any other type of architecture can compare with the simple, stately grace of the colonigh? Her own residence, a_ huge, white, three-story mansion bordering the Pacific ocean at Santa Monica, is of colonial design. The Roosevelt highway runs_ behind the house, the front facing the ocean, and above it tower the Santa Monica Palisades. The Patterson mansion, unique among indoor motion picture sets in that it actually is a house and not merely an empty shell with the interiors built on some _ other stage, is the work of Art Director Robert M. Haas. Haas, however, says that many features of the interior of the mansion are attributable to the genius of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States and one of the most prominent architects of the nation’s infancy. Thomas Jefferson is played by George Irving. Many other historical characters, James Monroe, John Marshall, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, to name a few, are also seen in the picture. All are among the guests at a ball given in honor of Dick Powell playing the role of Jerome Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, who had come to America to negotiate the sale of the territory of Louisiana. The romantic interest of the story centers on Miss Davies and Dick Powell, while much of the element of humor is provided by Edward Everett Horton, Charlie Ruggles and Arthur’ Treacher, portraying Betsy’s trio of dull but comic suitors who are put to rout by Jerome’s arrival on the screen. Frank Borzage directed. is an historical romance laid in Baltimore during the nation’s infancy. la abe he polo field, merely by the elimination of score board and goal posts, had been converted into an accurate reproduction of the Whetstone Point race track, which stood a few miles from Baltimore during the period of the story. wo horses, both of them from the polo stables of Frank Borzage, the director of the picture, pawed nervously at the starting line. The ancient grandstands were filled to overflowing with spectators clad in the colorful costumes of the period, extra film players in reality. In a box near the center of the main grandstand sat the prineipals: Miss Davies, Dick Powell, Henry Stephenson, Edward Everett Horton, Arthur Treacher, Charlie Ruggles, Clara Blandick and others. Over the assemblage at various strategic points were suspended the microphones through which the talkie part of the picture was recorded. The cameras were focused upon the proceedings from positions at the rear of the main grandstand. After much preparation, everything was ready. “Action!” shouted Director Frank Borzage through a loudspeaker. The two horses — in those days only match races were run — were off. First one and then the other took the lead until finally, as they rounded the turn and came into the stretch the favorite trailed by about half a length. The roar of the crowd mounted. Then, from an extra down front in the main grandstand and directly under one of the microphones, came a shrill scream, followed by a high-pitched plea that rose above the surrounding commotion. “Step on it, you old, broken down oat burner!” “Cut!” shouted Borzage. With a laugh he turned to the crowded stands. “People,” he remarked, “while this is a horse race and I certainly want you all to get excited and yell your heads off, please remember that the time is 1803 and any ultra-modern slang such as is heard out at the Santa Anita track might sound the least bit out-of-place on the screen. Now let’s try it again — without the ‘step on its’ and ‘oat burners’.”” “Hearts Divided” is a rollicking romance combined with thrilling drama. The screen play is by Laird Doyle and Casey Robinson, based on the story by Rida Johnson Young. Musie and lyrics are by Warren and Dubin with spiritual numbers by the Hall Johnson Choir. Miss Davies has the stellar role.