One Foot in Heaven (Warner Bros.) (1941)

ADVANCE PUBLICITY —’“ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN” Teaming of these two top dramatic stars is news worthy and so is this feature on their screen love life. Fredric March and Martha Scott Ideal Screen Romantic Team In a dingy, cob-webbed room reminiscent of the garret where Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell played their idyllic love scenes for “Seventh Heaven,” Martha Scott sat alone. She was surrounded by dusty trunks, discarded bits of broken furniture. HODe wma. muffled voice was heard from below floor level on the Warner Bros. sound stage. Fredric March’s head, emerging from a trap door, followed the voice. They put March down in the basement to start this attic scene for “One Foot in Heaven,” the picture opening Friday at the Strand. March strode over to Miss Scott. He wore a frock coat, proper costume, in 1904, for the minister he portrays. Miss Scott was his wife. They had just moved into their first parsonage, a sorry enough looking building in a small Iowa town. The good ladies of the congregation had taken over the job of cleaning the parsonage, and she had taken refuge in the attic. Mat 102 — 15c MARTHA SCOTT and FREDRIC MARCH “What on earth are you doing up here?” March asked. “They wouldn’t let me touch a thing,” Miss Scott answerd between suppressed _ sniffles. March dropped down beside her on the dusty floor. “Lesson one,” he said understandingly, “the parsonage belongs to the ladies of the congregation . . . But they’re good folk, Hope—look at the gifts they brought—a table full of pies and cakes kindly, and friendly— and sometimes as thoughtless as children. ‘Of such is the kingdom of heaven’.” Miss Scott smiled through her tears, snuggled her head to the refuge of his shoulder. Seated there on the dusty floor, leaning against a battered trunk, the two stars played their first love scene for the picture. It was tender, rather than passionate. March was the comforter more than the lover, until, after he had cheered away the last vestige of Miss Scott’s tears, he drew her close into his arms and kissed her. ‘Then he was all lover and the resulting love scene one of the tenderest in screen history. Mat 206 — 30c EVENING PRAYERS with one of the members of his flock is a daily occurence with the country minister Fredric March portrays in "One Foot In Heaven.” Harry Davenport (left) is his disciple. Learns From Father In dedicating his performance in “One Foot in Heaven” to his father, Fredric March makes frequent use of one of the latter’s favorite expressions. An elder of the first Presbyterian church of Racine, Wisconsin, the star’s father never used profanity. When he was annoyed, or enthusiastic he’d say “Golly!” That's how March happens to say: “Golly, if I were only young again,” or “Golly, I’m sorry that occurred,” in the Warner Bros. picture. He was borrowing from his father. “One Foot In Heaven” has its first local showing at the Strand Theatre on Friday. 8 What A Difference! In a scene for Warner Bros.’ “One Foot in Heaven” in which Fredric March says he is going into the army as a chaplain, Martha Scott was supposed to answer “Oh dear, I guess now I'll have to raise my children in a pup tent.” After the first take of the scene, Miss Scott couldn’t understand why everybody on the set howled with laughter. She didn’t realize she’d gotten her words crossed, had said: “Oh dear, I guess now I'll have to raise my pups in an army tent.” March plays William Spence, a country parson, in the picture, and Miss Scott is his wife. . Mrs. Spence Lauds March’s Portrayal Of Her Husband “TI believe he is as handsome as my husband was, after all.” Mrs. William H. Spence made that remark after meeting Fredric March for the first time on the Warner Bros. film set where he portrayed her late husband in the film version of her son’s book, “One Foot In Heaven.” The widow of the central character of “One Foot In Heaven” and mother of Hartzell Spence, author of the book, was in Hollywood visiting Iowa friends. Until she called at Warner Bros. to witness scenes from her own life being filmed, she’d never seen the inside of a movie studio or met a screen star. In addition to March, Mrs. Spence met Martha Scott, her own impersonator in the film. She said Miss Scott flattered her in appearance, but despite the fact that March was her own choice for the role, she’d give him no better than an even break on looks with her husband, the late William Spence. Exact Parallel? Fredric March, as the country minister hero of Warner Bros.’ “One Foot in Heaven,” was enjoying a triumph. An influential member of his church who had deft his “flock” in a huff to join another was seeking re-instatement. “T’m a sinful old woman,” Beaulah Bondi, the penitent, said. March is supposed to reply. “I think Brother Carmichael’s flock will get to Heaven as fast as we will—and he is a good preacher.” “Speak that last line just as though you yourself were talking about another actor,” suggested Director Irving Rapper. “You know— Barrymore is good too.” Mat 205 — 30c ENTER THE BRIDE! Fredric March carries his film bride, Martha Scott, over the threshold of their first home — and is it ever humble! — in this scene from "One Foot In Heaven,’ coming to the Strand on Friday. Dr. Norman Peale Chosen By Clergy Group To Aid On Film Temporarily forsaking the pulpit for motion. picture sound stages, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, prominent New York clergyman, spent the past few months in Hollywood acting as technical advisor for a film based on the life of the late Rev. William H. Spence, a country minister. The pastor of the Marble Collegiate Church of New York City, Dr. Peale was selected for his unique mission by a group of leading Protestant clergymen from all parts of the country and many denominations. Frankly admitting that he was pioneering in a new field and had never before seen the inside of a motion picture studio, Dr. Peale said he was “proud and honored” to have been chosen for what he considers a most important task. He added that his sentiments were gS fully shared by his church, the old-est in point of continuous services. “In these times of crisis,’ the minister said, “one of the crying needs of the country is a resurgence of good old American idealism. You will note there have been books written and pictures made about the country doctor, the country editor and various other public servants of this type. Now we are to have a picture made about a country minister, a man true to type whose experiences will bring familiar memories to countless Americans.” The picture, “One Foot in Heaven,” produced at the Warner Bros. studio, with Fredric March and Martha Scott co-starring, was adapted from the book of the same name, a best seller written by Hartzell Spence, son of Rev. Spence. Mat 202 — 30c LOOK OUT, LADIES! Fredric March proves that although he has "One Foot In Heaven" he has the other very solidly on the ground when he gives some of his feminine church members a lecture against gossipping.