The Match King (Warner Bros.) (1932)

YOUR CURRENT | PUBLICITY REVIEW ‘The Match King”’ Carries Terrific Dramatic Wallop Warten William and Lili Damita Give Superb Performances in Another First National Hit ‘Dramatically timed for release at a moment when the whole civilized world is still echoing its astonishment over the collapse of what.was supposedly one of the world’s greatest fortunes, ‘‘The Match ,King,’’ First National’s newest screen sensation, opened .................... HAA oS Theatre with Warren William and Lili Damita in the leading roles before an enrapt audience. High finance and high handed methods of romance share almost equally in this thinly disguised paraphrase of the life and career of the most amazing swindler of the century. True it is that the names are changed and that the locations and associates of Mr. William in this fascinating story of pyramiding credit and complicated love, are all fietitious. Truth and fiction meet in ‘£The-Mateh ?? “and reGLENDA sult in‘ an as° FARRELL tno plimay seen in. a prominent tounding climax supporting role in “The 3 jet Match King,” the new oe conflicting First National hit star passions and_ ring Warren William. JXing, spurious finanCut No. 2 5 5 Cuti5e Mat de cial miracles. ‘No picture in months has carried the dramatic wallop that culminates “this séreen drama. The work of War ren William, whose own screen career has been almost as spectacular in its way as was that of the ‘‘Match King’’ in his, has the best chance of his life and he gives it everything that could be expected and adds more than a touch of sheer genius. Lili Damita, as the aloof and mysterious actress who figured romantically in the life of the ablest swindler of modern times, is lovely beyond com. parison and adds a fascinating touch to the high quality of the picture. ‘*The Match King’’ is a daring picture with an epic quality born of its proximity to truth. Adroitly and ably handled by a large cast of expert players, the story of Paul Kroll begins when he is a street sweeper in Chicago, carries him to dizzy heights of power and wealth and ends when the inevitable reckoning against a superman who built his success upon the backs of his weaker if more honest contemporaries, finally comes. Of Boundless Appeal It is the story of a man who built a financial: monster: which made him, for atime, almost the ruler of the world, a man who forged the securities of nations, who pulled the strings that made the puppet heads of nations dance, but. who failed in keeping the one thing that finally mattered to him, the love of a remarkable woman, and so lost everything in one world-startling catastrophe. The picture has a tremendous scope and is boundless in its appeal. It is not often in the life of an actor that so rich a part comes his way. Warren William as Paul Kroll is subtly convincing, ironically true to type. He does-his. best work here and Miss Damita excels all past performances in her role. Glenda Farrell, Juliette Compton, Harold Huber, Hardie Albright and others are excellently. cast and acquit themselves with high honors. ‘‘The Match King’? was directed by Howard Bretherton with dialogue direction eredited to William Keighley. The screen play was adapted by Houston Branch and Sidney Sutherland from a novel, ‘‘The Match King,’’ by Einar Thorvaldson. The beautiful camera work is credited to Robert Kurrle. Altogether, ‘‘The Match King’’ is an evening of superb entertainment that movie patrons have come to look for in all Warner Bros.-First National pictures. Page Ten Opening Day Story “The Match King’’ Opens Today at.... A picture with a background of strange romances and colossal financial and political intrigues, ‘‘The Match King,’’ featuring Warren William and the exotic Lili Damita, will open-todayat the. <= ee Theatre. Its plot rivals in imagination the wildest fiction and would scarcely be believed were it not that it-has a counterpart in real life, the story having been suggested by screaming newspaper headlines that recently shocked both continents when a financial octopus committed suicide. The headlines revealed the world’s most gigantie swindle. Not only does the story, taken from the novel by Einar Thorvaldson, reveal the tremendous schemes for world domination by a financial genius, but it bares his personal romances with women from every walk of life, from the lowest to those in the highest society. The dominant trait of this character, as portrayed by Warren William, is ambition and ruthlessness. After making love to many women, he ever: , uses them as puppets to further his overwhelming desire for power, regardless of what happened to the victims of his magnetic personality. The picture has been painted in vivid and glowing colors for the screen through the adaptation of Houston Branch and Sidney Sutherland. There is an able supporting cast which includes Glenda Farrell, Harold Huber, Spencer Charters, John Wray, Murray Kinnell, Hardie Albright, Juliette Compton and Claire Dodd. It was directed by Howard Bretherton and William Keighley. Is: day of run A Movie Star Plays the Part of Famous Swedish Film Star Although Lili Damita was not unwilling to play the vaguely disguised famous Swedish screen actress role in “The Match King,” opposite Warren William, the picture show showing at thes eee Theatre, she played it with certain reservations. Damita threw out many of the costumes designed originally to suggest the great Swedish star. Others, which give the same general effect without being such close imitations, _ Were designed. ‘‘T am not tall nor what you eall ‘lank,’ ’?? Damita told Orry-Kelly, the Warner Bros.-First National designer. ‘‘T am not flat chested, so,?? demonstrating, ‘‘and my feet are small, even in walking shoes, and not like the seript of your story suggests.’’ Yet, in her own way, Damita gives a serious and thoughtful interpretation of the famous actress in ‘‘The Match King,’’ a unique picture role, unlike anything ever attempted on the screen before. The name is changed, the clothes are slightly different—-but the mysterious actress, as interpreted by Lili Damita, is unmistakably there. Others in the cast include Glenda Farrell, Harold Huber, Spencer Char. ters, John Wray an? “Murray Kinnell, The picture. was adapted by Houston Branch and Sidney Suthor land from the novel by Einar Thorvaldson and direeted by Howard Bretherton. LILI DAMITA, appearing at the Fe wees Theatre in what is probably her best screen role, that of the exotic actress love of Warren William in the First National hit. “The Match King.” Cut No.6 Cuti15e Mat 5e ood day of run Warren William Has Wealthy Background While it has been generally suspected that Warren William was a stage and screen name, it was not generally known until he played the sensational role in the First National picture, “The Match King,” now showie@-at: the ...s.ccei cog Theatre, that he is a nephew of one of the richest men in the United States, whose rating runs into eight figures. The name Warren William is a combination of his two Christian names, his last name being Krech. Up to the present William has kept the secret of his family connections to himself. His new role in “The Match King,” as a world juggling financier and arch crook, inadvertently brought to light the fact that he himself is indirectly connected with powerful financial interests, too well and honestly founded, however, to suffer the collapse that affairs of “The Match King” did. Lili Damita plays the leading feminine role opposite William— others in the cast include Glenda Farrell, Harold Huber, Spencer Charters, John Wray and Murray Kinnell, s The picture was adopted by Houston Branch and Sidney Sutherland from the novel by Einar’ Thorvaldson and was directed by Howard Bretherton. 3rd day of run Lili Damita Takes Old Fashioned Tub Bath Before Camera Lili Damita takes a bath. She takes it in probably the smallest tub any lovely actress ever stepped into. And she does it right before your eyes in the First National picture, “The Match King,” which is now showing at the ........0...065 Theatre. The tub had been kicking around on the Warner Brothers’ studios for several days, a sad little zine tub, about as big as a baby’s basinet, painted yellow. It had held at one time or another, the property man’s lunch; the script clerk’s notes; some bottles of synthetic champagne and Lili Da mita’s Schnozzer dog, “Schnapps.” The scene is that in which Damita, as the mysterious actress who figures romantically in the life of “The Match King,” is hiding out from the, financial genius in a simple little European hotel. The scene leads up gradually to a bath for Miss Damita. The property man retrieved the lunch and the notes and the Schnozzer dog and gave the tub a dusting just before the lovely Lili stepped “ uintily within for an old fashioned “tub” bath. Damita plays opposite Warren William in the screen play adapted Ath day of run Warren William Has 22 Costume Changes in ““The Match King’ Elaborate wardrobes generally fall to the lot of the feminine stars in a motion picture, but in the First National picture, “The Match King,” now showing at. the ...........c.ccccccc Theatre, Warren William equals the record held by any star for the number of costume changes: he is called upon to make in the course | of the picture. Twenty-two changes of costume are required and they range from the ‘white wings’ outfit of a Chicago street sweeper to the costliest fabries and finest tailoring of Europe’s finest craftsmen. As the Napoleon of world finance he sets out to be, Warren William as Paul Kroll, becomes no less a dominating figure in the sartorial world, where the final verdict is awarded by lovely women rather than the monarchs of the mcney marts. The bevy of beautiful women who form a dazzling background to the whirlwind career of Kroll are represented by Lili Damita, Glenda Farrell, Claire Dodd and Juliette Compton. Among other important members of the cast are Harold Huber, John Wray, Spencer Charters and Murray Kinnell. Howard Bretherton, director of the picture, which is an adaptation by Houston Branch and Sidney Sutherland of the novel by Einar Thorvaldson. 5th day OF TUF esas — Lili Damita Shows Lots of Hot Temper in ‘The Match King’ Lili Damita, who plays the feminine lead opposite Warren William in the First National production, “The Match King,” has a fiery tempermanent as will be readily seen by those visiting thé-2 ee Theatre, where the picture is now showing. There were many thrilling half hours at the Warner Bros.-First National studios in North Hollywood during the taking of the LILI DAMITA picture when who plays leading lady her temperament to Warren William in “The Match King.” got beyond control. In a particularly trying scene in a hotel Sequence’ she threw a _ tray of food at Basil Rosing, playing the part of a cook. It took Miss Rosing by surprise and caught her unprepared and short tempered. “Don’t you ever throw it at m2 again,” she said, slowly, pointedly, “because I’ll throw it right back at you, harder than it comes.’’ Damita sniffed and walked away, to return a moment later sincerely contrite and apologetic. “The Match King” was adapted from the novel of Einar Thorvyald Cut No. 3 Cut15e Mat de son by Houston Branch and Sidney Sutherland. It is a story of the life and career of a late arch swindler, who victimized bankers of two continents. Others in the cast include Glenda Farrell, Harold Huber, Spencer Charters, John Wray and Murray Kinnell. It was directed by Howard Bretherton. by Houston Branch and Sidney Sutherland from the novel by Einar Thorvaldson. Others in the cast include Glenda Farrell, Harold Huber, Spencer Charters, John Wray and Murray Kinnell. Howard Bretherton directed.