Jewel Robbery (Warner Bros.) (1932)

ADVANCE FEATURE 3 William Powell Finds Fans Like Him In Naughty Roles . ‘ (Advance Saturday or Sunday Feature) Oh for the good old days,”’ sighed William Powell, ‘‘when the more an actor ranted the better he was rated.’’ It didn’t sound very much like the ‘“‘suave and polished’’ William Powell of every flapper’s dreams ; but that was exactly who was speakine— and for that very reason. It isn’t just being suave and to muttering ‘‘ Alas, poor Yorick’ polished that has him down. He is given over the memory of the villainous types he used to portray, and wishing that those good old days may return. It spelled success for him then, and he knows the reason why. Just as luck would have it, when he did achieve success his fans didn’t want him as a heavy. They wanted him to be good. And if he couldn’t be good, he had to stick to the well known admonition of being careful. He was a cad, to use the King’s English, in ‘‘The Road to Singapore.’’ But he had to be a likeable cad. In fact, he had to be played in order to win more sympathy than the doctor whose wife he stole. In his very latest picture for War ner Bros., ‘‘Jewel Robbery,’’ which . “Opens NeXt .....2.. Be ANG. a Theatre, he is a European master theif and wife stealer. But does he draw boos and hisses for it? He most emphatically does not. He is even more charming than in his straight roles where he was on the right side of the social fence. ‘‘Heavy roles and character parts with a lot of fireworks to them, have done more to make stars than ten times the amount of straight romantic leads,’’? Powell explained. ‘‘The reason for this is that long *ter most of the characters and nn the plot of the pictures are atten, the boys with the wicked emain in the memory. actor who has done that kind 4 over a fond pene Bae sale, vaivelk an ordinary, everyday character to play, an actor has to think and work himself to a frazzle in order to put everything into it to make it stand out in the public eye. A movie audience is too used to seeing everyday people, and when they see one on the screen they forget him as quickly as they forget the man who walks by them on the street. But let that actor have a wicked leer in his eye, an eccentric walk and a penchant for doing wrong by Nell and consigning heroes to the buzz-saw, then he is eagerly looked for in the production—and future productions—even if he has to saw up every straight actor and actress in the business.’’ Redeeming features in a villian, Powell thinks, may be all right as far as moral and ethical codes are eoncerned. But it doesn’t do the actor as much good as if he had started and finished bad. An outstanding example of what thoroughness in a heavy role can do, he points WILLIAM POWELL who plays the role of the fascinating bandit in Warner Bros.’ “Jewel Robbery,” in which he is co-starred with KAY FRANCIS. Cut No.4 Outi15e Matic Page Nine to the fact that Edward G. Robinson achieved fame through ‘‘Little Caesar,’’ and James Cagney through ‘‘The Public Enemy,’’ in which both of these actors steered clear of any sentimentality. They had roles in which they could use all of their histrionic equipment without the necessity of having to tone them down. ‘‘A fine bit of restrained or realistic acting will be forgotten where a piece of good old ham raving will be long remembered.’’ It was in ‘‘The Bright Shawl,’’ with Richard Barthelmess, that Powell first burst on the movie publie consciousness. He gave a performance in that picture of outstanding villainy which made him a Warner Bros. Rented Half Million Dollars’ Worth of Gems for “Jewel Robbery” Short Feature Adaptable for Paper Or Program Have you ever seen a half million dollars’ worth of jewels? The great majority of us never have and, I dare say, never will. You can come close enough to seeing a half million dollars in gems, however, when you see ‘‘Jewel Robbery,’’ Warner Bros.’ production co-starring William Powell and Kay Francis at the ...... Theatre next ..-.+.cssceees to make the experience an event in your life. And you can have the additional thrill of seeing William Powell, as the robber, carry this fortune out of Vienna’s most fashionable jeweler’s in broad daylight—and with it the heart of Kay Francis (pardon, Baroness Teri) as part of the loot. While you are watching Bill Powell’s faultlessly groomed confederates deftly relieving Hollander’s jewel safe of its priceless contents, | kindly bear this fact in mind—every diamond, every pearl, every emerald, every ruby that you see passing into The Robber’s possession, is absolutely genuine. For twenty-four hours—while the actual scenes of the robbery were More alluring than ever, KAY FRANCIS plays a new type role in Warner Bros.’ “Jewel Robbery,” in which she is co-starred with WILLIAM POWELL. Prominent in the cast are Hardie Albright, Helen Vinson and Spencer Charters. Cut No.2 Cut 80c sought-after member of the movie colony—when a villain was needed. In his first talking picture, ‘‘Interference,’’ he still bore an aura of villainy, but his voice had done something to producers to make them look at him through different eyes. After all, they said, he is really a fine, cultured man. In fact, he was ‘“suave and polished.’’ That did it. They were looking for a debonaire actor who could put things into S. S. Van Dine’s famous Philo Vance character. He had to have the earmarks of culture and restraint in his speech and actions. They took another look at ‘‘Interference’’ and decided that William Powell would fill the bill to perfection—and he did. ‘Tt was a great relief to get into the Philo Vance role,’’ Powell admitted. But after the third murder Mat 10c mystery was released I found my: self even more typed than if I had stuck to being a heavy. | Then, thank Heaven, along came ‘*High Pressure,’? and I was allowed to let go and give everything in a rip-snorting comedy manner. “‘T had never thought of comedy before as a medium for me, but ‘*High Pressure’’ sold me the idea. ‘‘When I read the script on ‘Jewel Robbery,’ I immediately realized that here was a story just made to order for me. I would be a combination of everything I had done before on the screen. A highly polished, suave jewel robber with a great sense of humor and a love pirate. ‘Philo Vance,’ ‘Road to Singapore’ and ‘High Pressure’ roles all rolled into one. And with the beautiful Kay. Francis again playing opposite me, I knew I had the finest role of my career.’’ = being taken—five hundred thousand dollars’ worth of real priceless stones were at the disposal of William Dieterle, director of the picture, and his production staff. It was a day of suspense and tension for everyone concerned. Of course, every stone was fully protected by insurance. But though the monetary value of the gems was thus safe-guarded, the unique, flawless perfection of some of them could never have been replaced. They are nature’s masterpieces, not to be duplieatd at will. Not a thing went amiss, however. The day’s work went off with almost monotonous smoothness. Late in the afternoon, the jewels were safely returned to their resting place in the safes of three of Hollywood’s leading jewelry firms, and every member of the production staff breathed a sigh of relief. One of the finest diamonds in the entire collection—a perfect, bluewhite twenty-eight carat specimen— had the distinction of playing an in ~ dividual ‘bit’ in ‘‘ Jewel Robbery,’’ and comes in for several brilliant close-ups. This is the celebrated gem known in the play as ‘The Excelsior Diamond,’ and the reason for the Baroness Teri (Kay Francis), her husband and her friends being at tha jeweler’s at the hour The Robber (William Powell) decides to pull off his daring coup. SHORTS Noted Cameraman Used to Film “Jewel Robbery” ‘‘Jewel Robbery,’’ co-starring William Powell and Kay Francis for Warner Brothers, was p ~vraphed by Robert Kurrle, not z services are in un Saf —pavuvUppunes LO 1 usu nineteenth year in motion p ‘¢ Jewel Robbery’’ also is Kurrle’s fifth Warner Bros.-First National picture in close succession. During the current season he has served as head cameraman for ‘‘The Expert,’’ ‘<The Famous Ferguson Case,’’ ‘‘ The Strange Love of Molly Louvain,’’ ané ‘¢Winner Take All,’’ without a day’s vacation between productions. ‘Jewel Robbery’ Comedian Began Career As a Heavy Spencer Charters, who has the role of Lenz, the private police agent in ‘‘Jewel Robbery,’’ the Warner Bros. picture co-starring William Powell and Kay Francis, which comes soon to the .........++.--Theatre, started his stage career by playing heavies. Before the first season was over, the producer-manager of the company told Charters that he was missing his calling by not changing over to comedy. Spencer followed his advice and became one of the most successful comedians on the American stage. ‘Jewel Robbery” Daring, Racy Film at ........ Theatre ‘¢Jewel Robbery,’? which has amused two continents as a stage play with its daring, racy situations, and which co-stars William Powell and Kay Francis is now playing at tho ss soe ees Theatre. It was directed by William Dieterle, who is also responsible for Miss Francis’ previous starring vehicle, ‘‘Man Wanted.’’ The exceptional cast includes Hardie Albright, Spencer Charters, Helen Vinson, Lee Kohlmar, Henry Kolker, Andre Luguet, Robert Greig, Charles Coleman, Ruth Donnelly and Clarence Wilson. Kay Francis Is Lucky —_ Friday the thirteenth holds no superstitious terrors for Kay Francis, who considers herself one of the luckiest ladies in all filmdom. She was born on that fateful day and date and regards it as an indication of good luck: rather than bad. :