The Finger Points (Warner Bros.) (1931)

Ly ees Ye Barthelmess -“ The Finger Points” John Francis Dillon. What A Gold-Getting Combination: / ‘The Finger's on aes : “You \dare %& not print “ya the truth *% about \the unde rworld!” RICHARD BARIH tT! he FINGER POINTS with Y WRAY, REGIS TOOMEY RO. :RT ELLIOTT, OSCAR APFEL, NOEL\MADISON. ‘Directed by John Francis Dillon. A FIRST NATIONAL & VITAPHONE HIT! Cut No. 10 Cut 20c Mat 5c How do you like this press sheet? Let us have your comments, sugges tions, criticisms. Press Sheet Editor, 321 W. 44th St., N.Y. police reporter of the Big Town, was |; “nose for news” but suspicions and “THE FINGER POINTS,” BARTHELMESS STARRING VEHICLE, THRILLINGLY PORTRAYS MENACE OF GANG RULE Ruthless Code of Gangdom Stops at Nothing to Ho Power Obtained by Underworld Methods (Short Feature) ‘‘They can’t kill a newspaper man!’’ Behind that slogan, crusading newspapers sent police reporters into danger, confident in the immunity the fourth estate gave them. Before it organized, crime grovelled and grimaced with itchy trigger fingers" but cowardly hearts. And then the body of ‘a veteran found in a gutter, riddled with bullets—prey to the mob which had never before dared kill a newspaper man. A nation, trained in the belief that | newspapers were beyond ithe deadline of gangland’s vengeance, waited breathlessly. Organized crime had defied its most powerful enemy. It had finally hung itself with a rope of its own weaving. But before the flowers on the reporter’s grave were faded, gangland had turned the laugh on the avenging press. The “martyred” man was one of their own kind, faithful to outlawry and faithless to the high calling of his profession. He had died as he had lived — a gangster. No single story in the colorful but shameful history of American racketeering created the international sensation that followed the death and expose. For once a newspaper man was front page copy in every city in the civilized world. Most of that story was never told. What was printed gave evidence that underneath was a sinister but withal terrible justice or gangland’s rough idea of justice. Most of the story was based on suspicion, surmise and that sixth sense called the surmises are not nwspaper copy so the story was eventually shunted to the inside pages and finally dropped with only occasional flashes back to prominence. The whole truth will never be printed—may never all be known. The new Richard Barthelmess picture, made with great secrecy at the Warner’ Brothers-First National studio and soon to play at the Wiel’ seeps slens wiser Theatre, “The Finger Points” is equally dramatic and powerful and is based on the facts uncovered when the sensation was investigated. It is laid in an entirely fictitious city, about a police reporter on an imaginary paper, but its similarity to the notorious case will not be missed by anyone who reads the papers or knows the news. It has merely adopted the most dramatic real-life story of the generation as a basis for a fiction plot which John Monk Saunders and W. R. Burnett developed for the talking screen. There the similarity ceases. Barthelmess plays a young police reporter who finds the power and influence his position gives him too great a temptation to withstand. And he pays for his folly with a “eertain rough justice” that provides the punch to the outstanding newspaper picture of a generation. If you still believe that “they ean’t kill a newspaper reporter,” the Barthelmess picture holds a thrill for you. Barthelmess Selects New Leading Lady (Current Reader) Richard Barthelmess, First National star, adds a new leading lady to his long list with Fay Wray in “The Finger Points,” the current feature at the Theatre. The famous star has had such’ famous feminine leads as Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Dorothy MacKaill, May MaceAvoy, Bessie Love, Betty Compson, Lila Lee, Mary Astor, Marion Nixon and many others. John Francis Dillon directed “The Finger Points” from the story by John Moak Saunders and W. R. Burnett. and underworld! first time. ay YES 67 Se 4 " Final chapter of a story that startled the world— Why they put the finger on a certain reporter. Why the unwritten law of crime “You can’t kill a reporter”? was broken for the Haller Photographs “The Finger Points” (Current Reader) Ernie Haller is fast becoming ] a known as the Richard Barthelmess photographer. His newest photographic achievement with this star is “The Finger Points,” the First National production, now playing at the .... Ee eg Theatre. Haller is one of the foremost cinematographers in the motion picture industry and his lighting effects are an outstanding feature of Barthelmess pictures. He has photographed the last seven | Barthelmess films. “You can’t Story by John *‘Little Caesar.”’ Dillon. kill a reporter! power of the press would rip your rackets wide open! goods on you and you know it! You dare not killa newspaper man! RICHARD BARTHELMESS THE FINGER POINTS Toomey Of “Alibi” Fame Supports Barthelmess (Advance Reader) Regis Toomey, popular Pittsburgh actor, has the best role of his career in “The Finger Points,” the First National production starring Richard Barthelmess, which comes to the ... Pray RR tee Theatre on next. Toomey, who created a sensation in “Alibi,” plays the role of a slightly inebriated and highly goodnatured newspaper reporter. He is ‘the star’s best friend but the crime story he breaks on the front page, marking his rise as a star reporter, spells tragedy for Barthelmess. Biggest Show Ever Shown At Pop. Prices! The I've got the with Fay Wray, Regis Toomey Robt. Elliott Monk Saunders, author of *‘Dawn Patrol’’ and W. R. Burnett who wrote Directed by John Francis A First National & Vitaphone Hit! —| Pl Cut No. 22 Cut 60c Mat r5c Page Seven