The Great Divide (Warner Bros.) (1929)

Talking, Singing and Dancing Spectacles As Big As The Heart Of The West! Real West Offers Rich Film Field, Director Asserts Maker of “Great Divide” Paints Word Picture Of Possibilities (FEATURE) The wild, wild West of early films has been tamed by Hollywood and is emerging as a background for sophisticated, unmelodramatic motion pictures. There are still horses, but there are also cocktails, modern furniture, and man-hunting flappers. Reginald Barker, who has been directing films since the days of “two-reel features,” expressed these views while talking of “The Great Divide,’ the Dorothy Mackaill special, Coming tor buen. rs oe ee Theatre. .¢ti.ogee. a » which he di rected for First National Pictures. The story is of a modern, sophisticated girl, and it has its locale in Arizona and Mexico. “Producers have been neglecting the West for some time,” said Barker. “Of course, there have been the usual ‘horse operas’ and pictures that still depict the country as Buffalo Bill saw it, but the rich background has hardly been touched for a story of today. “In the near future I believe there will be many productions with Western backgrounds and with stories as modern as Broadway dramas. “They will have stories written by Hollywood’s best scenarists. Some of them may approach the spectacular, but many will be everyday dramas of life as lived in desert shacks or comfortable modern ranch homes. “Hollywood is apt to think of China, or Russia, or almost any other place but the Western United States in which to set highly dramatie stories. “The West can exert a spell over those who live there as potent as that of the tropics.” Scenic beauty, if presented with a suitable story, always has great drawing power, said the director. “The Sunday automobile exodus of millions to seek a bit of unusual country is proof of the appeal that the strange land of majestic beauty and breath-taking vistas can have in a picture. “Tn ‘The Great Divide,’ which has modern tempo and a wise-cracking up-to-date girl for a heroine, there is the awe-inspiring grandeur of the mountains and desert, filmed on location. No wonder audiences are thrilled! “Modern dwellers in the country of magnificent distances have rarely been depicted as they actually are. Audiences nowadays want stories that have reality. No more hokum, even about the West.” Dorothy Mackaill plays the heroine in “The Great Divide,” which is an adaptation of William Vaughn Moody’s famous American stage classic. Her role shows her as the same type of hard-shelled but softhearted girl she portrayed in “His Captive Woman” and “The Barker,” two of the popular actress’ recent successes. Ian Keith is the representative of the modern West, playing a mine owner. Myrna Loy appears as a half-breed Mexican girl, giving an exotic characterization similar to those in “The Squall” and “The Black Watch.” Others in the cast are Ben Hen dricks, Lucien Littlefield, Roy Stewart, Creighton Hale, Claude Gillingwater, George Faweett, Jean Laverty, James Ford and Jean Lorraine. FIFTY CHORINES Fifty chorus girls were trained by a former Ziegfield dance director for the colorful fiesta scenes in “The Great Divide,” First National-Vitaphone’s all-dialogue picture starring Dorothy Mackaill at the Theatre. OFFICIAL BILLING First National Pictures, Inc. Presents “THE GREAT DIVIDE” With DOROTHY MACKAILL Ian Keith and Myrna Loy Directed by Reginald Barker Based on play by William Vaughn Moody A FIRST NATIONAL PICTURE Supporting cast includes :— Lucien Littlefield, Ben Hendricks, Jr., George Fawcett, Creighton Hale and Jean Lorraine Produced by Screen Version by... Dialogue by... Photography by... Art: DirectOr_c. ca eae MD ue ee oe Robert North ale A ee tate Fred Myton -Fred Myton and Paul Perez RNC OV BE PRs Lee Garmes ee John J. Hughes Ame TLRS” Ray Curtis oa Edward M. Stevenson Song numbers by. Herman Ruby and Ray Perkins THE ee ee ere Ian Keith eee rue a sd Lucien Littlefield fech Rote... vo ee Ben Hendricks pevienuela fees aa ee Myrna Loy Wong gee. ae Frank Tang algerie Creighton Hale MacNee ue George Fawcett VernR ee ee ee Jean Laverty Amesbure 2 2 Claude Gillingwater Joe Morgan. _Ruth’s friend: Peuth. dordoms 25 CAST SYNOPSIS (Not for Publication) The Alcade Gold Mine in the wilds of Arizona has just been sold by Stephen Ghent, half owner, who has spent fifteen years developing it. Manuella, a pretty Spanish half-breed, who is just growing Kidnapped! By the man she hated. . . Yes, and_ loved. enough to sacrifice her reputation to save his life! Directed by Reginald Barker. Based on play by Wm. Vaughn Moody. orothy } Mackaill loved \ Ian Keith — Myrna Loy REXY Begins To morrow ! Feel the real spell of the West as Vitaphone brings it to you in all its enchanting glory. Dwell in the painted desert stretches with men that ARE men, and lovers too. Come into the land of he-man ro mance with a girl who was the Pet of Park Avenue. You'll feel the real joy of living after you've seen it! A FIRST NATIONAL & VITAPHONE PICTURE “Vitaphone” is the registered trade mark of the Vitaphone Corp. designating its products. A GREAT CAST “The Great Divide,” current at the Theatre boasts a noted company in Dorothy Mackaill, the star, Ian Keith, George Faweett, Creighton Hale, Myrna Loy, James Ford, Ben Hendricks, Claude Gillingwater, Roy Stewart, Jean Lorraine, Jean Laverty and Gordon Elliott. It is a First Naticnal-Vitaphone picture. LEADING MAN Ian Keith, one of the most successful leading men on the American stage, left the footlights to play opMackaill in “The Great Divide,” First National-Vitaphone picture at the Theatre. posite Dorothy The Modern Maid As popular as were Dorothy Mackaill’s comedy characterizations, are the blonde actress’ more dramatic parts. She has created a new type of screen charmer in her portrayals of a thoroughly experienced modern girl, the kind of part she plays in “The Great Divide,” current at the Theatre. into womanhood, is in love with Ghent, but he continues to treat her as a child and makes fun of her passionate advances. Ghent’s employees love him and are sorry to see him leave. “Dutch” and “Texas”, mine employees, go with him to a fiesta at Rio Paz in old Mexico. Ruth, the child of Ghent’s dead partner, has grown up in the East and is coming with a party of her friends to the mine. Ruth travels with a fast set, and the train ride is punctuated with cocktail parties and other whoopee events. She thinks the mine will be a dull place and decides to go to Rio Paz first. At the fiesta, Ghent’s horse splashes mud on Ruth and she retaliates with wise-cracking insults. Ghent is dressed as a caballero and later in the cantina “Dutch” and “Texas” tell Ruth that Ghent is a notorious bandit. Eager for a thrill, Ruth manages an introduction to Ghent, and in a walk in the moonlight they both fall in love, although each is too proud to admit the fact. They come back, and Manuella is aroused to jealousy. She makes a play for Ghent by throwing her arms around him. Ruth, angered and hurt that her caballero loves another, goes away. Ghent follows her to her drawing room on the side-tracked train and kidnaps her after locking Edgar, her fiance, in a closet. Edgar escapes and gives the warning, and a posse follows them. Ghent has learned through a portrait in the drawing room that she is the daughter of his dead partner. He plans to save her from herself, hoping at the same time that she will fall in love with him. They ride through the wild country, keeping just a jump ahead of the posse. Ghent does not molest her, but makes her cook and endure hardships. Ruth is learning to care for him, but still maintains her angry, sarcastic attitude when talking to him. After several days Ghent, feeling he has failed, takes her back to his ranch house. Ruth, however, is ready to forgive and forget, but when she finds Manuella there she is angered that Ghent, who has held up before her the ideal of clean living, should have this half-breed mistress. She learns his identity through Ghent’s servant. The posse, informed by Manuella, come for Ghent. He calmly waits their arrival, and gives himself up. They are about to take him away and hang him when Ruth comes out and announces that she went willingly. The posse leave, Edgar is sent away, and inside the cabin Ruth and Ghent embrace. SONGS AND DANCES Fifty chorus girls and 100 singers take part in “The Great Divide,” the First National-Vitaphone picture at the Theatre, starring Dorothy Mackaill. Fawcett in “Great Divide” George Fawcett appears in a character. role in support of Dorothy Mackaill in “The Great Divide,” the First National-Vitaphone pic: ture at the Theatre.