Stolen Holiday (Warner Bros.) (1937)

POR tL a OPPDy LEAD-OFF STOR\ OPENING DAY STORY REVIEW — READERS (Lead-Off Story) 66 St ol en H oli d ay” (Opening Day Story) “Stolen Holiday” Coming To Strand Is Drama Of Paris In the role of a French mannequin who rises to the heights of fashion dictator for the world, Kay Francis, beautiful brunette dramatic actress, who wears clothes so magnificently, is starred in ‘Stolen Holiday,’’ First National production which will be the feature attraction at thee In ‘*Stolen Holiday,’’ Migs Francis’ rise from the ranks of the mannequins begins when she meets Claude Rains. He comes to the modiste shop where she is working, and tells the manager that he has been delegated to select a model and some costumes to exhibit in Paris society. Kay is his selection, but when they are alone he reveals to her that what he really wants is a dinner companion with whom he can impress a rich banker, If he succeeds in borrowing money from the banker he promises to back her in a modiste shop of her own. Thus begins a partnership that endures until eight years pass, and Kay has risen to the top of her chosen profession, unaware that her backer is involved in nefarious financial deals. To her, Rains is a cherished and an honorable friend. When, inevitably, the swindles in which he is involved begin to come to light, she does all she can to help him prove his innocence. She even consents to marry him, although she has already fallen in love with a young English diplomat portrayed by Ian Hunter, It is to Hunter that she turns when death removes Rains from the situation. Kay’s ultra-modern salon is the Scene of a fashion show that is said to surpass anything of its kind ever seen on the screen. The 1937 gowns, designed by OrryKelly and worn by sixty odd lovely mannequins are expected to bring gasps of delight from the feminine portion of the audience. Riots on the streets of Paris, closely paralleling those that really took place not so long ago and political and financial plots based rather closely on fact give the picture a topical Significance, Alison Skipworth, in a highly satisfactory comedy role, Betty Lawford, Walter Kingsford, Alexander D’Arey, a young French nobleman newly come to the screen, Frank Reicher, Frank Conroy, and Robert Strange complete the wellselected cast. Michael Curtiz, whose most recent work was ‘‘ The Charge of the Light Brigade,’’ directed ‘‘Stolen Holiday. ’? Ding-A-Ling Noises Annoy Actor Hunter Ian Hunter, famed British actor who has the leading masculine role with Kay Francis in “Stolen Holiday,” dislikes the noise of bells so much that he has none in his Malibu Beach home. Flashing lights of red or green indicate telephone calls or visitors at the front door. The sound that pleases Hunter most is the swish of the surf, which rolls almost up to his porch. “Stolen Holiday” is the current feature at the .......... Theatre. Page Siz Glorious Is Word For Kay | coe we 2A fe At oe More beautiful than ever and gorgeously gowned, Kay Francis will come ESA (UE rea ere eae Theatre on ..... Parisian fashion dictatress in F ich » Mm her latest role of a ust National’s film drama based on France’s great financial swindle ‘‘ Stolen Holiday.’’ Mat No. 201—20¢ lan Hunter Plays Opposite Francis For Third Time It isn’t just chance that Ian Hunter, brought to America from England to play Duke of Athens in ‘‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’’ should now be playing opposite Kay Francis for the third time. Hunter, under his Warner Bros. contract, has made five American pictures, three being with Miss Francis: ‘‘I Found Stella Parrish,’? ‘‘The White Angel’’ and the star’s latest, current film for First National, ‘‘Stolen Holiday,’? which will come to the .................. Thestre on 2.6 ‘ Studio casting authorities consider him the ideal lead to play opposite Miss Franeis. The star’s tall, slender, striking brunette beauty and Hunter ’g ruggedly handsome, athletic six-foottwo are cinematically the correct romantic combination, according to movie theory. Moreover, Kay is tense, and given to fleeting changes of mood; Hunter easygoing, humerous, good-natured, and giving an impression of stability. In a screen combination like this, the personalities of both players stand out more vividly. Claude Rains is Hunter’s rival in ‘‘Stolen Holiday,’’ in which he plays a powerful role. Further masculine charm is lent the picture by Alexander D’Arey, Franco-Egyptian star of British pictures. *‘Stolen Holiday’? is a thrilling, romantic story of the rise of a lovely but humble mannequin to the position of queen of fashion in Paris, dictating to the whole world what women shall wear. Others in the cast besides those named include Alison Skipworth, Betty Lawford, Walter Kingsford and Frank Reicher. Presents Scenes Paralleling News While Europe today seethes with political and economic turmoil, ‘Stolen Holiday,’’? a First National picture starring Kay Fran38 .-at; thei iicicpecn. ex Theatre, takes on startling topical significance. Events depicted in the film, and based on real-life occurences, were among those which lit the spark that smouldered and finally burst into flame. For beneath a frothily beautiful ‘‘front?’ of Parisian fashions in the making, style salons presided over by Miss Francis, and beautiful, stunninglygowned mannequins — in short, the French fashion racket! — is the sinister current of the nation 28 greatest financial scandal. Claude Rains is the adventurer who, in ‘‘Stolen Holiday,’’ enters the plot penniless and meets final disaster at the end of the story as perpetrator of one of the most daring, ruthless swindles in history. It is . swindle that has international effect, and plunges Paris into revolt expressed in street riots. Opposite Miss Francis is Tan Hunter, playing a British diplomat. The star is first seen as a mannequin who becomes the innocent tool in the hands of the adventurer whose gigantic swindle subsequently rocks Europe. In the principal sequences of the Dieture, Miss Francis is the owner of an internationally-famous fashion mart which sets feminine styles for the rest of the world. Kay Francis T riumphs In “Stolen Holiday” Film Photoplay Combines Lovely Fashion Shows With Moments Of Gripping Excitement Moments of sheer beauty contrast vividly with moments of the tensest sort of dramatic suspense in ‘‘Stolen Holiday,’’ the new First National romantic drama which opened to highly-pleased audiences yenterduy at {ie 2.3 Theatre. The picture stars Kay Francis, whose ‘“‘Give Me Your Heart’’ and ‘‘The White Angel’’ are still fresh in the mem ories of her multitude of admirers. Tall Girls Come Into Their Own In Fashion Film For the first time in several years the tall movie beauty is getting her break. More than 50 girls over 5 feet, 6 inches in height are appearing as mannequins in the Kay Francis picture, ‘‘Stolen Holiday,’’? a First National production, now at the .... Sees Theatre. Proving that it takes demand to keep up supply in the Hollywood beauty market, the Warner Bros. casting department found on summoning well-known tall beauties of the show girl type, available three years ago, that over 70 per cent of them were no longer on call. Those who had been used for such purposes in the past had gone back to their old jobs as Broadway show girls. In their place, however, were a more-than-sufficient number of former Parisian mannequins, in Hollywood as a result of the slump in their profession caused by the European political upheaval. Until their ealls for modelling in ‘“Stolen Holiday,’’ the models had not had much luck in pictures. This lovely dark favorite seems to be advancing with each production. This time Miss Francis appears first as an obscure little mannequin in a tiny Parisian modiste shop, with ambitions to become the greatest coutouriere in the world. We see her progress from better to better things, until finally she has reached her goal. She dictates modes for all the world. She wears, of course, the most gorgeous of creations, which had the women in yesterday’s audiences gasping in admiration. What Kay herself doesn’t wear is worn by sixty-odd mannequins, all tall and slender and professional, who furnished a treat for masculine as well as feminine eyes. But the Parisian girl’s progress has not been easy. It has been aided largely through a rascally financier, Claude Rains, whose schemes finally tumble about his shoulders and cause political scandals in France and even street riots in Paris, such as we have read about recently. These battles between gendarmes and citizenry are thrilling in the extreme. Hundreds take part in them. Whole streets are filled with scuffling mobs. The romantic interest in *“Stolen Holiday’’ is provided by Ian Hunter, the handsome young British actor who played in ‘‘The White Angel’? with Miss Francis. He portrays a young English dip Kay Francis In “Stolen Holiday” At Strand Today Kay Francis, perpetual favorite in this city, comes to the screen of NOs ene Theatre today in ““Stolen Holiday,’’ a First National film which depicts the rise of an obscure little French mannequin in a tiny modiste shop, to the position of queen of fashions for the whole world. The name of Kay Francis instantly conjures up visions of magnificent gowns and no list of ten best-dressed women in the country fails to include her name, but, *“Stolen Holiday”’ igs said to be not merely a fashion show. It is a tense drama, with rioting mobs on the streets of Paris, international, political and financial complications, and no end of suspense, While advance reports indicate that there are plenty of ‘¢19377? gowns to be seen as Miss Francis advances her career as a designer, the beautiful costumes are merely incidental to the story. Claude Rains, who triumphed in “* Anthony Adverse, ’’ appears as an unscrupulous financier who backs Kay in her ventures, until at last his complicated schemes crash about his head. Ian Hunter, who has appeared with her recently in several Pictures, provides the love interest for Miss Francis in this one. Alison Skipworth, Alexander D’Arey, Betty Lawford, Walter Kingsford, Frank Reicher, Frank Conroy and other well-known players make up the balance of the nicely-rounded cast. Michael Curtiz, who directed the Sensational ‘‘Charge of the Light Brigade,’’ guided the making of ‘Stolen Holiday’’ from @& screen Play by Casey Robinson, based upon an original story by Warren Duff and Virginial Kellog. Real Parisian Models In “Stolen Holiday” Of the sixty mannequins used to display the gorgeous gowns in “Stolen Holiday,” Kay Francis’ latest picture, twenty-one really had experience in Paris salons such as those shown in the screen play. Unsettled conditions in France last year sent a flock of the pretty models scurrying to America for work on stage and screen and in the better gown shops. Many remained in New York, the others went to Hollywood. “Stolen Holiday,” First National production, is now showing at the ..................... Theatre. —— lomat with whom the glamorous Kay falls in love. Alison Skipworth, veteran character comedienne, is an old dresser who stays with the rising Kay throughout her career. Splendid performances are given by Miss Francis, Rains, Hunter, Miss Skipworth and the lesser players, in whose ranks are, among others, Alexander D’Arey, young French nobleman not long in film work; Betty Lawford, Walter Kingsford, Frank Reicher, Frank Conroy and Robert Strange. *‘Stolen Holiday’’ was written especially for Miss Francis by Warren Duff and Virginia Kellog, with eyes on her gown-wearing ability as well as her dramatic talents. It was adapted for the screen by Casey Robinson, and directed by the talented Michael Curtiz, whose most recent big picture was ‘‘The Charge of the Light Brigade.’?