Manhattan Parade (Warner Bros.) (1931)

—> ~ ‘\ % CURRENT NEWS STORIES! i ty) \ (Prepared Review) JOE SMITH AND CHARLES DALE LEAD LAUGH-MAKERS IN PANORAMA OF FUN AND FASHION, “MANHATTAN PARADE” The audience at the...... sae Theatre last evening, re acted with uproarious enthusiasm to ‘‘Manhattan Parade,’’ the Warner Bros. and Vitaphone picture in Technicolor, which features Broadway’s funniest team, Smith and Dale, of the Avon Comedy Four—as well as Winnie Lightner and Charles Butterworth. “‘Manhattan Parade,’’ though a comedy-drama with plenty New Technicolor Is Glorified In Giddy ‘Manhattan Parade’ On all hands praise is heard for the sensational improvements in the Technicolor process, which absolutely Colors are deletes all earlier faults. now shown with perfect clarity. “Manhattan Parade’ is a gorgeous vehicle for color treatment, since all the glitter-and rainbow splendour of theatrical costumes, the beauty of a host of girls, the tints and tones of furnishings, the hides of elephants and the feathers of ostriches—for all these things are included in the mad-hatter sequences of the play— are shown just as one would see them with the natural eye. Crowds have attended each per formance of “Manhattan Parade” which features as headliners Smith and Dale, the clever members of the “Avon Comedy Four,” who recently panicked Broadway in a stage comedy, “Mendel, Inc.” Seen with Smith and Dale are Winnie Lightner and Charles Butterworth, prime favorites here and everywhere. Tiny Dickie Moore, who was so successful in “The Star Witness” is in the cast—with many grown-up favorites including Walter Miller, Frank Conroy, Greta Granstedt and Luis Alberni. Lloyd Bacon directed. Last Two Days For ‘‘Manhattan Parade’’ if you don’t go tothe ..-...: -. =. Theatre today or tomorrow you will miss “Manhattan Parade,” biggest laff hit of the year. This unusual picture is based on a play by Samuel Shipman, Broadway’s mile-a-minute playwright. Its line-up of comedians is headed by Smith and Dale (you remember them in the “Avon Comedy Four’’)—and that inimitable combination Winnie Lightner and Charles Butterworth. Tiny Dickie Moore is at his most adorable and there are many of your favorite grown-ups. Take our word for it, you wouldn’t miss “Manhattan Parade”—if~ you knew what you were missing. of punch and realism, is at the same time, a rainbow panorama—gorgeous girls and gowns, goofs, fake geniuses, elephants, ostriches, costume designers, all the picturesque hodge-podge of the stage world—not forgetting two affectionately quarrelsome stage producers—who are played by the inimitable Smith and Dale. Winnie is manager of a theatrical costume company and Charlie Butterworth is her meekly funereal adviser. Winnie is burdened with a highflying husband, who, for reasons of his own insists that she stay at home to care for their small son, who, by the way, is played by the adorable Dickie Moore, of “Star Witness” fame. When Winnie assents to her hubbie’s demands he promptly sails for Europe with a synthetic blonde, formerly her secretary. She is forced back to the business grind to avert bankruptcy. Her biggest buyers are the Brothers Delman (Smith and Dale) but they are unable to find a suitable director for the big show they are promoting. At Winnie’s darkest moment arrives a wild-eyed freak who claims that he has directed some of the most colossal hits of the age. By a sudden flash of inspiration she conceives the idea of selling him to the Delmans as a genius. It works and the producers are satisfied that he is a superman, when he puts dancers in the pit, musicians in the balcony without instruments, spends thouands for animals as atmosphere and discards them for others. Winnie’s runaway hubbie returns, all set to grab back the business and claiming that he and his affinity are on the outs. How Winnie foils his plans, sells mountains of costumes for the. big Delman show, gets her pay before it is discovered that the ‘genius’ is a madman—and numberless other breath-taking complications make “Manhattan Parade” the most hilarious comedy of the year. The picture is based on a play by that Broadway wizard, Samuel Shipman. The large cast includes Bobby Watson of musical comedy fame— Walter Miller, Frank Conroy, Greta Granstedt, Ruth Hall, Mae Madison, Luis Alberni, Charles Middleton, Claire MeDowell, Ethel Griffies, Polly Walters, Douglas Gerrard, Nat Pendleton, Bill Irving, Harold Waldridge, William Humphries and Edward Van Sloan. The exceedingly clever direction is by Lloyd Bacon. (2 Days After Run) “Manhattan Parade” Comics Are So In Spite Of Parents Joe Smith—Charles Dale—Winnie Lightner—and Charles Butterworth —leaders in the riot of merriment now drawing crowds to the Theatre to see “Manhattan Parade” —all say that their profession was decided on only after overcoming strenuous parental objections. The parents of Smith, and of Dale, wanted their sons to follow in the commercial lines which had made them business successes. It was the amateur attempts the boys. made which caused friends to urge them to seek a wider audience, which landed them in vaudeville and, later, on the Broadway legitimate stage. Winnie Lightner, an orphan, met with violent cbjections from the uncle and aunt who were her earetakers—winning a grudging permission to appear on the stage of Shea’s in Buffalo, as a singer of sentimental songs—whose doleful strains moved the audience to such mirth that she decided there and then to be a comedienne. Butterworth’s father insisted that he be a lawyer —but he had a mind of his own, like the rest. Treat yourself to a grand and glorious evening. See “Manhattan Parade.” (4 Days After Run) “Manhattan Parade” Crowds Still Try Theatre Capacity “Manhattan Parade,” the Warner Bros. and Vitaphone production in Technicolor, which has been showing at the Theatre this week— is still drawing capacity crowds, although it leaves next to give place to Smith and Dale, known to vaudeville audiences everywhere as the most uproarious half of the “Avon Comedy Four’—and to Broadway legitimate audiences for their sidesplitting quarrels, as the brothers in “Mendel, Inc.”—have made for themselves a solid place in the hearts of the fans by their even more ludicrous characterizations as the pugnacious Delman Brothers, theatrical producers in “Manhattan Parade.” Another team is the Lightner-Butterworth combination—the treat-’emrough and smooth-’em-over duo who are such big didos in the current play—not to mention the host of pretty girls, the ‘genius,’ the elephants, ostriches—and all the picturesque hodge-podge of the theatre. Technicolor, now perfected, displays all the glowing and undistorted sharpness — which makes it really the sensation everyone expected it to be in its earlier stages. Go to see “Manhattan Parade” before it leaves town. You’ll rave over it. THEATRE with SMITH and DALE (of The Avon Comedy #) Winnie Lightner Chas. Butterworth Bobby Watson . Dickie Moore Page Eight Fastest, Funniest Hit Since “Gold Diggers of Broadway” spontaneous Cut No. 27 Cut 60¢ Mat 15¢ A Warner Bros. & Vitaphone Hit in Perfect Technicolor. Never has any entertainment packed such laughs, lavish scenes, exciting delights as you'll see in fascinating beauties, THEATRE The Grand March of HILARITY: BEAU TY ROMANCE! DRAMA! With a cast of four great comedians lead ing the parade! pA than “Gold Diggers of Broadway.” With SMITH «* DALE (of the Avon Comedy 4) Winnie Lightner, Chas. Butterworth Dickie Moore, Bobby Watson Cut No. 26 Cut 4oc Mat toc Border Designs Use them around your ads. Use the circle for “spot? copy. Both designs on one mat. Order by Cut No. 16, Cut 40c, Mat 10c. Cut No. 16 Cut goc Mat toc Don't Letter Your Ads IM Paste these designs in your layouts and save your time! AAD RY PARADE MANHATTAN PARADE Cuts or Mats are NOT available on the above title illustrations.