Noahs Ark(Warner Bros.) (1928)

a DOLORES COSTELLO in “NOAH'S ARK” with GEORGE O’BRIEN—The Spectacle of the Ages «] ? MARY TRAVIS AND AL ESCAPING TO PAR IS FIND IT DELIRIOUS WITH WAR ADVANCE STORIES Robert Burns Line Text for ‘‘Noah’s Ark”’ Supreme Love Story Robert Burns’ immortal “Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn,” was Darryl Francis Zanuck’s inspiration of the tense tale he unfolds in the Warner Bros.’ enormous spectacle, “Noah’s Ark,” now at the... Theatre. Mr. Zanuck, in the development of his story, has added, ‘fas it was once found necessary to purge the world by the dark deluge, just so it was found necessary to purify it again by the red flood of war.” The author has availed himself, therefore, of two of history’s most fruitful sources of romance and spectacular pageantry, Biblical history and the World War.” “The Bible in the past has yielded from its profound pages,” says Mr. Zanuck, “themes for the most spectacular screen entertainment. The World War, too, as the great latter day field of dramatic action, has lent its thrilling action and poignant sorrow to a number of film successes. My idea of ‘Noah’s Ark’ was, however, neither a Biblical nor a war picture—but an epie of loving, erring humanity, unchanged through the ages.” All of the leading characters in “Noah’s Ark” figure throughout the big spectacle in both sequences, in most novel and en thralling fashion. Dolores Costello and George O’Brien are the lovers, while surrounding roles, of stellar calibre, are in the hands of Noah Beery, Louise Fazenda, Paul McAllister, Guinn Williams, Nigel de Brulier, Anders Randolf, Armand Kaliz, Myrna Loy, William V. Mong, Malcolm Waite, Noble Johnson, Otto Hoffman and Joe Bonomo. line, | NOVEL DOUBLE IN TALKING “NOAH’S ARK” By William Bartlett Reynolds An unusual and unique method of unfolding his story has been chosen by Darryl Francis Zanuck, author of the Warner Bros.’ vast Vitaphone spectacle, “Noah’s Ark,” now at the... . Theatre. In reality, Mr. Zanuck tells two stories, in enormously different environments and eras, but each character in one tale finds himself duplicated in temperament, motives and actions exactly in the other. There are two distinct sequences, one modern and with the Great War as the background against which a tense love story is told, the other harking back centuries to Noah’s era, with exactly similar characters encountering like adventures. The effect is engrossing and a bit startling. In the modern sequence the action finds its tremendous climax in the War.. In the Biblical sequel the sweeping action sets the characters in the pagan era of Noah, immediately before | and during the Deluge. In these two environments, so potent in gigantic possibilities, the unlimited scope of Vitaphone’s wonders may readily be imagined. The Warners, as may be guessed, were confronted with something of a task in selecting a cast each member of which must needs be capable of portraying a character in two widely varying environments, in each of which the fitting Scene Fram'Yoahs Ark" starring Dolores Costello with George O Grier a Warner Bros. Production Production No. 8—Cut or Mat SEQUENCES method of interpretation would be totally dissimilar. The first players placed promptly under contract were Dolores Costello, George O’Brien, Noah Beery and Louise Fazenda. Then were obtained Paul McAllister, Guinn Williams, Nigel de Brulier, Anders Randolf, Armand Kaliz, Myrna Loy, William V. Mong, Malcolm Waite, Otto Hoffman and Joe Bonomo. In the modern episodes Miss Costello appears as an Alsatian dancer and is first glimpsed traveling with her company, in memorable 1914, on the train between Paris and Constantinople. iThereon she encounters a young American, Travis, played by George. O’Brien. The budding acquaintance | of the two is interrupted by a thrilling train wreck. Helping | Travis’ friend, Al, acted by Guinn | Williams, from the wreckage, the three make their way to a little inn | nearby, where they are soon joined by a group of fellow passengers and cared for by the excited inn| keeper and his loutish general Shortly after comes the detlara-. tion of war, and the two lovers, | for such they have become, are separated. Travis, of course, has | answered the call of his colors, and the girl, Mary, becomes an entertainer in the canteens and war theatres. The horrors of the great conflict ensue and then Mr. Zanuck, almost imperceptibly, but in draamatic fashion, moves his action back centuries and there is an amazing transition of all the personages in the midst of Noah’s time. Mary, in this sequence, is Miriam, a wait who has cast her lot with Noah’s following. Travis is Japheth and Al his brother Ham, both sons of Noah. As before, Miriam and Japheth are lovers. Their romance progresses only against the countless obstacles of their pagan environment. In the hordes of idol adoring, Jehovah hating pagans are recognized the prototypes of several characters appearing in the modern sequence of the story. The revolutionary Nickoloff, for instance, becomes the voluptuous King Nephilim, both parts portrayed by Noah Beery. As in the modern sequences the soft-spoken clergyman of the train and canteen saw in the Great War the Almighty’s purging of the earth for its worldliness and sin, so does Noah in the pagan episodes prophesy the coming of the Deluge as the sign of God’s wrath with the idolatrous and riotous living of the pagans. In the end the tale returns to its modern surroundings and with the Armistice jubilation the lovers are united. Such a method of sequence affords Vitaphone enormous scope for vast picturization and recording and the Warners have availed themselves of the colossal possibilities. | | maid, played by Louise Fazenda. | = Scene from Noahs Gk’ s tarring Dolores Costello with Ge Q Warner Bros. Production” oo SRS Production No. 9—Cut or Mat “NOAH’S ARK” WAS WINDFALL FOR THE WIGMAKERS There are artists in wigmaking | even today. Of course, a wig is a' wig, even when dignified by the. name of “toupee” or ‘“transformation.” A certain wigmaker has a cus| tomer who has wigmaking down | to such a fine art that he has a series of wigs, each one a little longer than the other. He puts on a different one each week, to give the impression that his hair is growing. He gets a haircut, not by taking up the time of a barber, but by going back to the first wig of the series. Such was not the ease in Noah’s day, however, for when Darryl Francis Zanuck, author of “Noah’s Ark,” came to look into the matter, he found a variety of wigs were worn even in that period. There were wigs of gold, beards of gold, braids of gold. There were silk wigs, cotton wigs and even hempen wigs. modest means, was, of course, far Noah, being of ! removed from the golden variety. The wigs provide, however, a glittering background in the pagan city of his era. In Noah’s time, research revealed, headdress and beard were never of the natural hair, among the elite. False materials from coarse rope to golden strands were in favor. Noah Beery, who plays the pagan king in “Noah’s Ark,” for instance, presents himself in a chin-piece of engraved gold embellished with gems. Wigs of silver and gold are worn in “Noah's Ark” by the court favorites, and several attendants upon the king are gilded from head to foot. The dancing girls wear wigs of silk in different colors. The colors were used to designate the rank of the dancer, for dancers had rank in those days, being an important part of the court entourage. Dolores Costello is the star of “Noah’s Ark” with George O’Brien. Warner Bros.’ colossal spectacle comes to the sereen of the .... Theatre....