Party Husband (Warner Bros.) (1931)

Be Sure To Get Diversification On “ Your Bill With Vitaphone Shorts. HOLLYWOOD COSTUME DESIGNER CALLS DASHING DOROTHY MACKAILL PERFECT MANNEQUIN AND GIVES HIS REASONS Explains How Miss Mackaill, Starred in “Party Husband,” First National Film Now At The Strand Theatre, Attains Swankiness (Interesting Women’s Page Feature) Speaking of Dorothy Mackaill, the sophisticated English blonde, who is featured in ‘‘ Party Husband,’’ the First National comedy-drama of experimental marriage, now at the Theatre, Edward Stevenson, costume designer, said: “The tailored costume seems to have been invented especially for Dorothy Mackaill, because of her natural gift for wearing clothes and because of the streamline figure which has all the good points of a professional model and none of the bad ones. Her height and general measurements are those listed for the perfect mannequin. “Though Miss Mackaill’s ability to adapt herself to various types of clothes is unlimited, I always bear in mind that I am dressing a personality as well as a star whose grace and ease of carriage lends itself to my ideas without a hitch. Though sport clothes gives to some a rakish quality, they are becoming to Miss Mackaill because she never overdoes. “She does not depend on novelty accessories to bring her appearance up to the smart standard. One of her few idiosyncrasies is hatred for fans, yet if a part necessitated her carrying one, she would do it as if to the manner born. She reacts in the same way to filmy handkerchiefs, jeweled bags, gloves and other encumbrances often used by actresses to aid screen emotions. She wears ear-rings only when an elaborate evening costume requires them for finesse. Naturally in street and afternoon _ costumes she carries the gloves, bag and other requisites in matching colors. These she does not recognize as novelties but as necessities. She is definitely feminine and the use of tailored clothes, oddly enough only serves to augment this quality. That she can effect costumes in extremely severe lines and yet keep this atmosphere is true, and even in subdued tones she is still the striking, ultra-modern Miss Mackaill. When the making of evening gowns is in order, it is she who really makes the style. I always cast aside the frills and furbelows and stress the lines which her figure is capable of bringing forth. I rely on an unobtrusive softening effect as in a cowl neck, for example, to| add a more pronounced feminine note | % to the costume. Or in a peplum flounce at the hipline to accentuate the clean sweep. A well-placed bow]. at the shoulder, or a tiny group of feathers at an advantageous point are enhancements to which she does not detract from the simplicity. Since Miss Mackaill is a natural blonde, color plays an important part in her dressing manoeuvers. Colors, unless they are strong in tone, are in bad taste for her and she stays religiously away from the pastel or washed-out shades, except in evening wear when her fancy takes free range. She wears all shades of red well, which is an exception to most blondes. Black is always acceptable to her type of beauty. One of her most stunning gowns is of dull black taffeta with accordeon pleated flounces and two turquoise blue velvet bows as the only trimming effect. But her figure welcomes the popular clinging materials such as chiffon, satin and transparent velvet. Touching on the extremely informal tops of her dress, the pyjama must not be overlooked. This spring marks the strongest pyjama era in the histery of this increasingly popular mode. There is scarcely a moment in the twenty-four hours of the day when the pyjama will not be timely. And the vogue is most adaptable to Dorothy Mackaill’s personality. In the most feminine of women there is often a hoyden quality which makes them want to give a touch of masculinity to their costumes, and what better expression can they seek than the pyjama with its trouserine effect, toned down to harmonize with their sex, or exaggerated to enhance the boyishness of their natures. Miss Mackaill’s wardrobe boasts a wide variety of styles of pyjama. Among them is a pyjama I de DOROTHY MACKAILL as The Party Wife Cut No.9 Cut r1sc Mat 5c She laughs at old fashioned marriage conventions — in “‘Party Husband’’ the First National Picture now at the SR ars oe eRe ie Theatre. signed for her in Chanel red crepe marocain that is at once boyish and feminine. This I contrived in setting rows and rows of dyed maribou on the trousers, till they look like a skirt with a deep border when she stands. The softening note I mentioned above, I conceived in the neckline which is a deep cowl falling in loose folds from her shoulders. A similar note is in the fullness of the trousers which have deep box pleats all the way round—towrig euffs in the ensemble coat won her appreciation as leaving her hands free. As for the elaborate negligee, she can and does wear it well, when occasion calls for the definite expression of femininity, but her tastes run to the pyjama mode and justly so, because it most becomes her. I don’t believe the hat has yet been designed which would not be becoming to Dorothy Mackaill. Her closely cropped hair permits any type of headgear to fit snugly. Her most suitable style of hat is the sport pull-on with a tiny brim, with a feather or ribbon to add a dash of Star Interviewed In Moving Dressing Room Dorothy Mackaill, who is starred in “‘Party Husband,” the First National picture now at the ---_------_-. Theatre, was recenily interviewed between shots in the portable dressing room in which she had been wheeled on the set. The interior measured seven by nine feet. There was a door at the back like a 1907 Ford— the furnishings consisted of a dressing table, a chair and an army cot and there were two windows six by twelve inches in size. While the vivacious English star made up, she answered the questions about likes and dislikes, hobbies, pastimes—the bewildering array which only a reporter can fire. Miss Mackaill plays the part of an experimental bride in the ultra-modern comedy drama, “Party Husband.” sophistication. She feels most comfortable in this kind of hat although she appears modish and charming in almost. any other except the floppy picture hat, that has come and gone and returned in advanced spring models for beach and afternoon wear. Miss Mackaill uses little or no screen makeup, except for a light lip rouge and a dab of powder. Eye-j brow pencil, mascara and rouge are not included in her beauty secrets. She restricts her evening makeup to powder in a natural shade, with her lips and cheeks accented to a mild degree. Her height, which makes her so adaptable for fashionable dress, is five feet five inches and her weight varies little from one hunarea ana fourteen pounds. Her bust and hip measurements are thirty-four and thirty-five and one-half inches respectively. Despite her sketchy eating hours her studio work necessitates, her waist measure of twentyseven inches, remains unchanged. “Party Husband,” in which Miss Mackaill is featured, now at the Theatre, is an adaptation of the novel by Geoffrey Barnes. The cast includes James Rennie, Dorothy Peterson, Joe Donahue, Helen Ware, Don Cook, Paul Poreasi, Mary Doran and Barbara Weeks. Clarence Badger directed. Star Says Her Hair Spoiled Her First Chances On Screen (Current Story) Mackaill, now at the Theatre as the star of “Party Husband,” the First National comedy-drama of young married life —says that it was her hair that spoiled the effect of all the rest of her in the first picture she made which was a flop, according to the opinion of the dazzling bobbed blonde. “IT made three more and when I saw previews I was so bad—that I sent in my resignation. It was aecepted and I took the fastest train I could get back to New York, where further picture efforts seemed as futile. I then heard that First National was producing “Chickie” and wherever the inspiration came from, I don’t know, but I bobbed the long tresses that I had vowed to keep to the day of my demise—and applied for the part and got it. “T need not say that the picture was a hit, so much so indeed, that I have never gone back to the stage. I know it was the removal of my long locks that made me look the chic modern girl I was portraying. Others in the cast of “Party Husband” are James Rennie, Dorothy Peterson, Joe Donahue, Helen Ware, Don Cook, Paul Porcasi, Mary Doran and Barbara Weeks. Clarence Badger directed. DOROTHY REFUSES TO KEEP A DIARY (Current Story) Dorothy Mackaill, who is now starring in “Party Husband,” the First National comedy-drama of young married life, now at the ... eee Theatre, says that she never keeps a diary and always wonder what is wrong with the people that do. She says the present is her interest and she wants to forget everything past except what is pleasant or helpful and she does not need to write that down. Featured in “Party Husband” are James Rennie, Dorothy Peterson and _ others. Clarence Badger directed. instead of gold! and weeks! fice Wife!”’ A FIRST NATIONAL AND VITAPHONE HIT! JUST ANOTHER NOBLE EXPERIMENT Here’s a picture that begins where all the others leave off! Here’s the story of a couple who made their wedding band elastic The kind of a story you live and re-live remember for It’s Dorothy Mackaill’s best since “Of DOROTHY ACKAILL PARTY , USBAND , " * Now Cut $1.00 Mat 25c TODAY IREXY Main and 14th JAME “Sure Pll go out Thai’s the arrangement I made before 1 married my Party Husband!” with you. with * DONALD COOK S RENNIE JOE DONAHUE . DOROTHY PETERSON Directed by CLARENCE BADGER csr irae ee ae Page Eleven