Melody for Two (Warner Bros.) (1937)

“MELODY FOR TWO’ BP UB 25) © 4° Fey. New Musical Film Hints 1937 Modes In Costumes Stars’ Frocks in ‘Melody For Two” Reveal Fashion Forecasts Milo Anderson, young style-designer, whose star has been in the ascendant ever since he created the most talked of period gowns of the year for ‘‘Anthony Adverse,’’ scores again with the modern clothes worn by Patricia Ellis and Wini Shaw in ‘‘Melody For Two,’’ the Warner Bros. musical com edy which comes to the The gayest of the frocks worn by Patricia Ellis is a rusty colored crepe dinner dress, perfectly fitted over hips and bust but with a skirt which widens into a flare as it hits the ground. The novel thing about the dress is the sweatshirt treatment of the neck and sleeves which are modeled along the lines of a gymnasium sweater but are elegantly done up in gold sequins. A very wide crepe scarf is draped in front and back so that it gracefully trails the floor. An eye-opening dress which Miss Ellis wears while she sings a ““Mammy’’ number in ‘‘ Melody For Two,’’ is made of black satinback crepe and _ fashioned like glorified overalls with narrow straps over the shoulder. A red chiffon kerchief embroidered in silver beads to simulate a bandana design covers the throat and is tied in front in a ‘‘Mammy’’ knot. A wisp of the same beaded chiffon forms an original headdress with a butterfly bow at the tip of her head. Another black satin dress Pat wears is suitable for the cocktail hour with its floor sweeping skirt. Very wide lapels of black cire meet at the waist and a white satin stock is tucked in at the neck. Short fitted sleeves end way above the elbows. Wini Shaw’s clothes are a bit more theatrical than Pat’s since she has a different type of role in ‘‘Melody For Two.’’ One of the loveliest she wears is a white crepe princess gown with deep-cut decolletage. Over it she wears a white cape with cutouts over the shoulders to leave them bare while the cape swings down to the hips. The cape is lined with silver spangles which shimmer and sparkle as Wini sings her torch songs in the picture. cae ee Theative on 25 es Melton Is True To His Native Dixie The Georgia-born radio and film star, James Melton, has a working agreement with Warner Bros. to whom he is under contract, that he be allowed to sing at least one Southern song in his pictures. In his current musical, ‘Melody for Two,”’ now playing at the Theatre, Melton sings ‘“‘Mah Linda Lou,” accompanying himself at the piano. Pat Ellis’ Lucky Husband Will Win Hope Chest, Too Girl Star Of ‘Melody For Two” Saving Gifts For Spouse-To-Be The man Patricia Ellis marries will not only win the vivacious blonde Warner Bros. actress, but also a hope chest full of things definitely masculine. For Pat is filling two chests, one with fine linen, lingerie and what-not for herself; and the other with etchings, pewter and copper beer mugs, shoe trees — everything, in fact, that will look well in a man’s den. Pat started collecting things for her chest four years ago—that was when she was 14 and entered pictures—but it wasn’t until early this year that she began saving things for her husband-to-be. ‘‘And why not?’’? asked Pat, who told about her hope chests while playing James Melton’s leading lady in ‘‘Melody for Two,’’ the musical comedy which comes to theres etn Theatre;one. .....5... “Men never save anything for their homes, so I am doing it. I think it’s a swell idea.’’ But she has the edge on other girls who would have hope chests for their husbands, for quite frequently she receives gifts from fans who know that she’s saving things for a future husband. So, already in the hope chest which will go to the husband of Patricia Ellis are a dozen copper beer mugs, a dozen pewter ones, a pair of shoe trees made of teakwood, the gift of a fan living in China; five framed etchings, which a struggling young artist living in Paris sent her; a set of andirons, a set of military hair brushes, mounted moose horns, received from a ranger stationed near Yellowstone Park, and a set of draftsman’s implements. Although she has received nu merous pipes and neckties, none of them are to be found in the masculine hope chest because, as Pat puts it, ‘‘Any woman who thinks she can pick out a pipe or a necktie for a man is silly. I know; I lost a boy friend that way onee.’? ““Melody For Two’? is a musical comedy based upon a new angle— the stiff competition among nightelub and radio bands especially for places on the big and _ profitable aerial networks. The picture features James Melton and Patricia Ellis at the head of the east which includes Dick Pureell, Fred Keating, Gordon Elliott, Marie Wilson and Winifred Shaw. It was directed by Louis King from a sereen play by George Bricker, Luci Ward and Joseph K. Watson. The songs are by the Warner teams of Jerome and Scholl and Warren and Dubin. Robert Vreeland directed the dance numbers. He’s Got What Is Called A “Real” Job Between scenes of ‘‘ Melody For Two,’’ James Melton croons a few times for this glorious array of blondes, all of whom appear in the film as members of his girl swing band. ‘‘ Melody For Two,’’ the season’s most lyrical, laughable lulu, comes tO tHE .......cccccccccceceeees Theatre, on Mat No. 301—30c Marriage In Pantomime Puzzles New Film Star James Melton, From Radio World, Can’t Understand No License, No Ring Where James Melton, the radio star, comes from, he says, it ’s against the law to marry without a license. Also, it’s considered good taste for the bridegroom to invest in a ring for his bride. Hollywood, the scene of his current Warner Bros. mu sical, ‘‘Melody for Two,’’ which comes to the DWeatre= On =< eee has no respects for the conventions of Melton’s home town in Georgia. In the film they marry him off to the tune of sound effects and invisible props. Strange wedding, this. So unusual and original was it that Hollywood is asking, ‘‘Who’s going to top it, and how?’’ Melton already has a wife, a real live one. But Director Louis King elected to get him another to inject more interest — ‘‘ heart pull’’—into the picture. In fact, Warners lined up two girls, and made a ‘‘reel’’ bigamist of the Southern boy who arrived in Hollywood after climbing to the heights in radio by pouring his golden tenor voice into a black microphone. To the bewildered James Melton, the strange musical wedding made him wonder what the world’s coming to; but to the prop man, Jack MeConaghy, it was a headache, because he didn’t have any props to work with. ‘‘Imagine Nero without a fiddle,’’ he moaned. They blamed Robert Vreeland, who created and staged the musical number in ‘‘Melody for Two.’’ ‘“We want something different,’’ he told Melton, Patricia Ellis, Winifred Shaw and other members of the east. ‘‘Mr. Melton’s to marry Pat in the story part of the picture, so I’ll have him marry a chorus gal in my number. And, what’s more, we’ll do it all in pantomime, without props.’? ‘But it’s not legal,’’ protested Melton. ‘‘Now where I come from—’?’ ‘“That’s all right,’’ interrupted Vreeland. ‘‘This is going to be different.’’ So, in the ‘‘Melody for Two’? number, Melton reaches for a telephone that isn’t, plays he dials a number while a sound man stands out of camera range and dials a real phone to make the sound. Then Melton calls on his girl after knocking on a door that isn’t but sounds as though it is, thanks to an off stage door knocker. The lovers, holding a make-believe umbrella (the sound man rested) dash for a taxicab which the sound man (now back to work) identifies by playing a recording of an engine running and brakes screeching. Before an altar, an invisible one, Melton slips an invisible gold band on Miss Lindsay’s finger while unseen bells ring. Then chorus girls, 18 of the prettiest in Hollywood, throw empty handfuls of rice. And the wedding party drives off in a sound effects limousine to the din of dragging, but invisible, tin cans and old shoes. Pat Has Best Lips For Screen Kissing Patricia Ellis might be interested in knowing that she has the most kissable lips on the screen. Pere Westmore, the famous make-up expert who frequently remakes the personalities of the stars with grease paint, eye brow pencil and lipstick, says so. But in saying so he is careful to point out that he doesn’t mean they’ve been kissed the most—far from that. What he means is that they have all the qualities of being ideally kissable. ““T’m no expert on kisses, but I think I know what characteristic lips must have to make them kiss desirably insofar as the screen is conecerned,’’ states Westmore in his discussion of the qualities of Miss Ellis who is playing opposite James Melton in ‘‘Melody for Two,’’ the Warner Bros. musical fhat—opensa= thes. ste oD BaUreON nesters ‘“First of all, they must be pursed—they must protrude in a graceful curve. Then they should be well rounded, preferably in an ovalesque cupid-bow. And last, they should be firm and well defined. ‘“‘Now take Pat’s lips: They have these fine features which, I might say, add considerable to her physical beauty. They give her that youthful, feminine beauty which is so necessary for success in dramaties.’’ ‘‘T have studied the features of thousands of young women in my capacity as a make-up man,’’ continues the Warner Bros. expert, ‘Cand, although I’m putting myself on the spot by saying this, I look upon Miss Ellis as having the most kiss desirable lips on the sereen.’?’ Patricia Ellis Patricia Ellis brings the newest in torchy tempos to ‘‘Melody For Two,’’ the Warner Bros. musical in which she is featured with James Melton. It comes to the area ENCGU.C SON Se re Mat No. 103—10c ““Melody For Two’? is a musical comedy based upon a new angle— the stiff competition among jazz bands and their leaders, especially for places on the big and profitable aerial networks. James Melton and Patricia Ellis head the cast which includes Dick Purcell, Fred Keating, Marie Wilson and Winifred Shaw. Page Nine