Steel against the Sky (Warner Bros.) (1941)

(Opening Day Story) ‘Steel Against The Sky’ Action Film Opens Today The Strand Theatre’s new picture, “Steel Against The Sky”, which starts today, is a two-fisted drama of adventure and romance with Alexis Smith, Lloyd Nolan and Craig Stevens in the leading roles, supportede-by eaaicast which features Gene Lockhart, Edward Ellis, Edward Brophy, Julie Bishop and many wellknown players. tS t.6-€.1 Against The Sky” is the story of the men who build the bridges that span our rivers. Their work is hard, gruelling and dangerous, and when they play they play just as intensely as they work. Lloyd Nolan, as foreman of the steel construction gang, is in love with his boss’ daughter. This is the role played by beautiful Alexis Smith, who recently made such a sensational hit in “Dive Bomber”. He invites her to his home for dinner, and his younger brother (Craig Stevens) takes her home when Nolan gets into some temporarily inextricable difficulty. Romance blossoms between the two, especially after the girl admits to Stevens that she likes but doesn’t love, his brother. To prove himself deserving of her, Stevens, who has Tough Climb Up For Lloyd Nolan Lloyd Nolan frankly admits that acting in motion pictures is an easy job and that he wouldn’t change places with a man in any other profession. “However,” adds Lloyd, “no apprentice works harder than a man trying to establish himself in the entertainment world.” Nolan, who is now starring in Warner Bros.’ “Steel Against The Sky,” which opens Friday at the Strand, should know. It took him more than ten years of hard work to attain his present rating. After two years at Stanford University, a trip around the world and a short term as secretary in his family’s shoe manufacturing concern, Lloyd decided to settle down and concentrate on becoming an actor. In the years that followed, he played in vaudeville and stock in California. “One Sunday Afternoon” gave Lloyd his greatest opportunity, when he won the part of Biff Grimes. Two more leading stage roles resulted in a motion picture studio signing him to a long term contract. Mat 102—15c LLOYD NOLAN ap been something of a dilettante, gets a job with the construction gang and proves an able worker. Nolan is furious when he finds out that his brother has “cut him out” with his girl. The two brothers fight so bitterly, that Alexis, to please their father, decides to tell Stevens that she was only flirting with him. While she is telling him, Nolan surprises them together, and draws his own conclusions. In the fight that follows, Stevens is knocked out. That same night there is a bad storm, and one of the cables on the bridge is torn loose. With one of his men, Nolan goes up to fix it, but the other man slips and falls, and Nolan has to go on alone. Stevens sees what has happened and climbs up the rigging to help his brother, arriving just in time to save Nolan from a fatal fall. When the two are safe on the ground again, they are good friends once more and a few days later, Nolan is best man at his brother’s wedding. The film was directed by A. Edward Sutherland, from the screen play by Paul Gerard Smith, based on a story by Maurice Hanline, and Jesse Lasky, Jr. Cupid Has Major Role In New Film Kisses, unlike punches, are never pulled in front of a motion picture camera. To prove their potency, one has only to look at what has happened to some players. Alexis Smith and Craig Stevens, two Warner Bros. newcomers, were only speaking acquaintances before their current roles in “Steel Against The Sky.” The picture is finished and currently showing at the Strand, but they’re keeping steady company now. When a young man arrived in Hollywood from Iowa and was given an important role in “Brother Rat,” he never dreamed that he’d soon be slipping a wedding ring on the finger of the girl to whom he gave his first screen kiss. The boy, Ronald Reagan, and the girl, Jane Wyman, today are one of the happiest married couples in Hollywood. Ann Sheridan and George Brent denied they were in love more times then they admitted it until their famous kiss in “Honeymoon For Three.” Now they frankly admit their interest in one another. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard first met when they furnished romance in “Man of Her Own.” Her legal name became Gable a short time later. With the aid of love scenes, romance strikes faster on Hollywood’s sound stages than any other place in the world. Mat 201—30c IT'S EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, when they fall in love with the same woman! That's the power-packed situation in Warner Bros.’ "Steel Against The Sky", starring Alexis Smith, Lloyd Nolan and Craig Stevens. The picture is now playing at the Strand Theatre. Mat 203—30c BLONDE BOMBSHELL of "Dive Bomber", Alexis Smith, adds another starring role to her roster with her grand performance in Warner Bros.’ newest film, "Steel Against The Sky", which is now playing at the Strand Theatre. (Review) ‘Steel Against The Sky’ Heart-Pounding Drama Fast-moving entertainment that grips it audiences’ attention from start to finish is the new Strand picture, “Steel Against The Sky” which opened last night. Here is action, dangerous and exciting, in the lives of the men who build the steel bridges that span our waterways, and here is romance, in the loves of these men who play as Mat 103—15c CRAIG STEVENS hard as they work. Warner Bros. have assembled an unusually fine cast for the film. There is lovely Alexis Smith, the “blonde bombshell” of the current “Dive Bomber”, and proving, in her first top role that she is one of the year’s brightest new stars, with plenty of dramatic talent to back up her arresting beauty. The two male leads are played by Lloyd Nolan, who gives one of the ablest performances of his fine career, and Craig Stevens, a good-looking young screen newcomer, who is excellent in a two-fisted romantic part. Edward Ellis, Edward Brophy, Gene Lockhart and Julie Alexis Smith Gets Kit Used By Ann Sheridan Ann Sheridan has never forgotten what it meant to her three years ago when Kay Francis gave her the makeup kit she had used during her early years as a star. The kit was given to Ann when she was just starting to break the ice of stardom. Ann has passed on the same kit to Alexis Smith, who is in the same position today that Ann was three years ago. Ann is definitely establishing herself as a dramatic star. She is currently playing important roles in “The Man Who Came to Dinner” and “Kings Row.” Alexis is starting to move ahead after portraying romantic leads in “The Smiling Ghost” and “Dive Bomber,” and is now playing opposite Lloyd Nolan and Craig Stevens in “Steel Against The Sky,” now at the Strand. Bishop all contribute splendid performances in varied roles. “Steel Against The Sky” tells the story of two brothers in love with the same girl. The older brother, foreman of a steel construction gang engaged in building a suspension bridge, sees her first, but when his younger brother meets her, the two fall in love. The younger boy, something of a dilettante, takes a job in the construction gang in order to prove to the girl that he is really serious. The complications that occur when the older brother finds out what is going on, together with the danger that the two men face in their jobs, keeps the picture moving at a swift pace, as it builds up to its smashing climax. The photography of “Steel Against The Sky” is excellent, recording the thrilling action of the bridge construction scenes with breath-taking realism. A. Edward Sutherland has directed with skill and discernment, from a bright script by Paul Gerard Smith, based on a story by Maurice Hanline and Jesse Lasky, Jr. Alexis Smith Is Thrilled By Her Climb To Stardom Alexis Smith, who has a starring role in Warner Bros.’ “Steel Against The Sky” at the Strand Theatre, reclined on the couch in her portable dressing room and said: “Six months ago, if some one had told me that I’d soon have a portable dressing room of my own, I would have replied, ‘Thanks, I hope so, but I think you’re crazy.’ ” To be exact it was six months ago that Alexis was given the romantic lead in “Dive Bomber.” Up until that time, she was one of the many charming young featured players under contract to Warner Bros. Her time before the cameras on a picture had been limited to seconds. She spoke a line or two. Sometimes she was classified as just plain atmosphere. Every day she faithfully reported to Sophie Rosenstein, studio dramatic coach. She’s thankful for that apprenticeship now. She gained knowledge by watching the stars at work. Occasionally, she was given the opportunity to do a short scene with them. As a result, the conscientious young lady’s debut in a real part Mat 104—15c ALEXIS SMITH was a success. She then played an important role in “The Smiling Ghost.” As the romantic lead in “Steel Against The Sky” she is doing the most important role in her short career. Sharing top honors with her in the film are Lloyd Nolan and Craig Stevens, with Gene Lockhart and Edward Ellis in the excellent supporting cast. THE CAST Helen Powers Rocky Evans Chuck Evans John Powers Edward Brophy Julie Bishop PRODUCTION Directed by A. EDWARD SUTHERLAND Screen Play by Paul Gerard Smith; From a Story by Maurice Hanline and Jesse Lasky, Jr.; Director of Photography, James Van Trees, A.S.C.; Art Director, Charles Novi; Special Effects by Willard Van Enger, A.S.C.; Film Editor, Doug Gould: Sound by Francis J. Scheid; Dialogue Director, Robert Foulk; Technical Advisor, M. L. Lipsett; Gowns by Howard Shoup; Makeup Artist, Perc Westmore. SYNOPSIS Rocky (Lloyd Nolan), Brophy) are three brothers who work as fitters on a bridge construction job. When Rocky introduces Chuck to his girl friend, Helen (Alexis Smith), they fall in love at first sight. Rocky becomes angry, despite all attempts to make him understand, and plans to get out of town. During his last day's work, he becomes isolated on one of the bridge's towers, and Chuck rescues him, realizes he has been acting foolishl (not for publication) 4 Chuck (Craig Stevens) and Pete (Edward at great risk to his own life. Rocky y and becomes reconciled with Helen and Chuck and acts as best man at their wedding.