The Petrified Forest (Warner Bros.) (1936)

Leslie Howard And Bette Davis Coming To Strand When Leslie Howard makes a picture, it is something the motion picture public throughout the world looks forward to seeing. But when Bette Davis, whose great work opposite Howard in ‘‘Of Human Bondage’’ brought her instant recognition as one of the finest actresses of the stage or screen, appears with this great actor, that is something about which to get excited. Consequently the fact that Mr. Howard and Miss Davis are comIN Set O ether oe, cease Theatre OU he eee es ate in the Warner — Bros. picture ‘‘The Petrified Forest’’ is real news. And the supporting cast includes such brilliant players as Genevieve Tobin, Dick Foran, Humphrey Bogart, Joseph Sawyer and Charley Grapewin. ‘‘The Petrified Forest’’ will probably always be remembered as the greatest Howard-Davis vehicle. Adapted from the successful stage play by Robert Emmet Sherwood which ran all last season to packed houses on Broadway, the picture is a gripping tale of love and heroism laid in the colorful Arizona desert. The episodes do not actually take place in the Petrified Forest. Sherwood’s title, in fact, is merely symbolical of a dead civilization and the dead souls of the world’s misfits, whom he _ has brought together under the most unusual circumstances in a strange but picturesque desert setting. Howard, who starred in_ the stage production, has the role of a would-be author who suddenly awakens to the fact that his life is a complete failure and that he has been a parasite on his wife who is in love with another man. He comes to the realization, in fact, that he really never has lived, so wanders through the desert solitudes hoping to find a justification for life itself. In the wayside eating house he is thrown together with other misfits, a girl longing for love and life but thwarted in her desires, her father who has been unable to adjust himself to life after the war, her grandfather, a cackling, selfish creature who hoards the money that would satisfy the longings of his grandchild, a bored society woman and her smug _ husband, a college youth who is unable to find a place in life. They are all held together under the guns of other misfits, a band of robbers and killers, who are fleeing from pursuing posses. In this unusual surroundings, Howard, the author, finally discovers that he can be. of some use in life by dying to give the girl, with whom he has fallen in love and who loves him, a fling at the things she longs to do. Unknown to her he signs over his life insurance to her and makes an agreement with the head of band of killers to shoot him before leaving the place. This actually takes place and he dies happily in the girl’s arms. Miss: Davis has the stellar feminine lead opposite Howard, playing the part of the erotic girl of thwarted desires, while Miss Tobin is the society woman disillusioned with life. Porter Hall is the girl’s father and Charley Grapewin the grandfather. Dick Foran is the lovelorn college youth. Humphrey Bogart, who played the role of the ruthless killer on the stage, has the same part in the screen version while his mur ‘derous aids are Joseph Sawyer, Adrian Morris and Slim Thompson. Others in the cast include Paul Harvey, Eddie Acuff, Nina Campana and John Alexander. Archie L. Mayo directed the picture from the screen play by Charles Kenyon and Delmer Daves. : “THE PETRIFIED FOREST” Their Love Flames Again Leslie Howard thought his broken heart knew everything a woman could teach, until Bette Davis the ‘‘Dangerous’’ girl, enmeshed him in the strangest Bondage every known in ‘‘The Petrified Forest,’’ the Warner Bros. drama coming to the SAR ae eee eDVE GUE Cin O Tere nein et een een Mat No. 208—20c Howard-Davis In ‘Petrified Forest’ At Strand Today Robert Emmet Sherwood’s stage hit, ‘‘ The Petrified Forest,’’ which ran all last season on Broadway to crowded houses, comes to the ies tee ean veneatsees Theatre today, in the screen version produced by Warner Bros. Leslie Howard and Bette Davis, who gave such sterling performances in ‘‘Of Human Bondage,’’ are again playing the stellar roles in this picture. They are supported by a brilliant cast which ineludes Genevieve Tobin, Dick Foran, Humphrey Bogart, Joseph Sawyer and others. The story is set in the picturesque and colorful background of the Arizona desert, the scenes taking place in and about a wayside gas station and eating house a few miles from the real Petrified Forest. In this strange locale are gathered a group of the world’s misfits, held there by a band of killers who are hiding from a _ posse searching for them, awaiting their chance to escape over the border into Mexico. At this strange gathering, Howard, in the role of an unsuccessful author, disillusioned with life, awakens to the fact that he can become of some use in the world by dying to give the girl he has suddenly fallen in love with, a chanee to realize her thwarted desires. Howard had this same role in the stage production. Miss Davis is the erotic, discontented girl who longs for a fling at life, which her misfit father and her. crabbed, miserly grandfather deny her. DickForan will be seen as a college boy who has been unable to adjust himself to life, but who has an overwhelming passion for the girl. Bogart, the killer, also had the same role in the Broadway production. His. murderous band consists of Joseph Sawyer, Adrian Morris and Slim Thompson.~ Porter Hall is the girl’s father and Charley Grapewin her quaint grandfather. The picture was directed by Archie L. Mayo from the screen play by Charles Keny)n and Delmer Daves. The Race More Important Than Goal, Says Star Ambitions are like tires, according to Bette Davis. She always carries a few spares. The star, playing in the Warner Bros. picture, ‘‘The Petrified Forest,’? now showing at the ............ en coe Theatre, believes the race in life is always more important than the goal. That’s -why she ‘“earries the spares.’’ ‘<Fulfilled ambitions bring smugness, stagnation and failure — in success,’’? she said. ‘‘Only by continually seeking new accomplish ments can one keep mentally fit. “‘That’s why everyone should have more than one aim in life. Then it is impossible to pat one’s self on the back as being a complete success.’’ The picture is the thrilling drama of a man who has drained the bitter cup of disillusionment but who finds himself through love. Leslie Howard and Miss Davis have the stellar roles while others ~ in the cast include Genevieve Tobin, Humphrey Bogart, Charley Grapewin, Dick Foran, Porter Hall and Joseph Sawyer. Archie L. Mayo directed. Desert Belle Bette Davis has her finest role as the desert girl who holds Leslie Howard in ‘‘Bondage’’ again in “*The Petrified Forest’’ which OPCNSAGT. UNEc. tcc meee Theatre ONE ree ee Mat No. 109—10e Paehii (Review) Howard, Davis T. rl Strand Audience Acclaims Broadwa As Year’s Greatest Film Motion picture audiences all over the natio: had seen almost the ultimate in screen characte for the first time Leslie Howard and Bette Daw in ‘‘Of Human Bondage.’’ Both Mr. Howard and Miss Davis were rema roles in that outstanding production. Both of tl other fine work in more recent films. It is certain, however, that film fans and eritics will, for once agree, that in the Warner Bros. picture ‘‘The Petrified Forest’’ which had its local premiere at the seer ae Theatre yesterday, Howard and Miss Davis dwarf all their previous screen accomplishments into insignificance. “<The Petrified Forest’’ was the Broadway stage success of last year, and Leslie Howard the star, achieved a personal popularity unrivalled in the dramatie capital of the world. It is on this play, written by Robert E. Sherwood, that the film version, which is declared to be far better than the stage production, is based. The vast Arizona desert, which could only be suggested, on the stage, is shown on the screen in all its desolate grandeur. It is at a little service station in this desert that Sherwood assembles a collection of world misfits and outmoded personalities, and makes them look at themselves in the mirror of life and death. ‘‘The Petrified Forest’’ is named for that famous forest of rocks which once were trees near which the action takes place, but the title is a symbol, for the forest itself does not appear in the play. Howard paints the character of an author who is a failure in life and completely disillusioned with the world, now seeking a solution for the reason of living in the solitude of the desert, with delicate strokes. He makes one realize that futility and defeat are more awful than the greatest physical calamity, even than death. And he makes one feel that the character he represents really is happier in dying heroically so that the girl he loves can enjoy life. This great player has a wraithlike, out-of-the-nowhere quality which is the essence of fine acting. His entire performance is masterly. Bette Davis’ character is a girl, a pretty, though somewhat discontented one, who reads Francois Villon and longs for the beauty of Paris and dancing in the street. Cast in the mold of a daughter of a desert gas station keeper, she seems to be a paradox. But she is more than just a girl of the desert. She is the sum total of all those children born between 1918 and 1929 when the world was mad. Miss Davis makes this girl really live on the screen. Genevieve Tobin makes a great character out of a lesser part, that of a society woman bored with life and its futility, who is finally awakened to its realities. Dick Foran gives a fine performance of the young college boy, maladjusted to his surroundings, and with a terrific passion for the gas station girl whom he cannot understand. These people, with others, are all held in duress in the desert eating room by a band of bandits and killers who are awaiting a chance to flee from the posse hunting them. It is in this atmosphere that the terrific drama of the piece takes place, an atmosphere surcharged with death and destruction. The role of the killer is excel Leslie He Even greater in the film version than on the stage where he was Broadway’s sensation all last sea son, Leslie Howard comes to the Pf tae areal EREGtre: OMe onsen. in ‘‘The Petrified Forest.’’ Mat No. 102—10e lently portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, who had the same part on the stage. His bandit gang, including Joseph Sawyer, Adrian Morris and Slim Thompson,. also give strong performances, as ‘do Porter Hall, as the futile father of the girl and Charley Grapewin as the miserly and crabbed grandfather. Others in the cast include Paul Harvey, Eddie Acuff, Nina Campana and John Alexander. Archie L. Mayo has given the piece masterly direction, keeping up the dramatic tension from beginning to end. He has grasped the situations with a perfect understanding and treated the characterizations with sympathy and reality. The screen play is by Charles Kenyon and Delmer Daves, who are to be commended for their fine adaptation of Sherwood’s play. Page Seventeen