The Working Man (Warner Bros.) (1933)

ADVANCE FEATURES “The Working Man,” a Story Worthy of a George Arliss Sereen’s Most Perfect Actor Has His Most Down-ToEarth Role In His Latest Film ... ARLISS is conceded to be the most accomplished actor of the screen, but his millions of followers have a surprise in store — for in ‘‘The Working Man,”’ his latest Warner Bros. picture, which comes to the Theatre Cee ee next, they will see an Arliss of the New Deal — a superb, fighting, chuckling, hotheaded, modern, go-a-fishin’, make-a-million American — a characterization unlike any of his previous screen roles. His seven earlier talking pictures were so vivid as to fix them indelibly in the minds of theatre-goers Who has forgotten his suave, commanding, ingratiating “Disraeli,” voted by a national poll of critics as one of the best ten photoplays of the year? By what a wide range of characterization was the fiendish Rajah of Rukh in “The Green Goddess,” separated from the portrayal of England’s most amazing Prime Minister. “Old English” presented the star as a very ancient and dishonorable ship-builder, a crabbed, beef-eating, whiskey-guzzling old rake, a grand old sinner whose youthful escapades made racy memories for his age. Next came the endearing ‘“Millionaire,” such a man as everybody would give a lot to know — selfmade, self-made-over, with happygo-lucky thought for youth’ and youth’s hopes. We next met George Arliss as the red-headed, hot-tempered maker of the new Republic, keen in financial manipulations, strong in combat, weak in affairs of the heart — “Alexander Hamil20,” a are “The Man Who Played God” etched the sensitive soul of a musician, who, his hearing gone, reaches the verge of suicide, only to find his way back to life, by means of the unfortunate persons he learns to help. “The Successful Calamity” and “The King’s Vacation” evidenced his unequaled gift for light comedy. And now arrives the most perfect expression of his art — “The Working Man.” Hand-Picked Cast “The Working Man” is based on a story by Edgar Franklin and the clever adaptation is by Charles everywhere. Kenyon , and Maude T. Howell. John Adolfi who is responsible for other Arliss masterpieces directed and the effective photography is by the veteran Sid Hickox. Mr. Arliss showed his keen perception of theatrical values in the cast he chose to support him. The brilliant young star, Bette Davis, has the ingenue role. Juvenile leads are handled by Hardie Albright, as the ‘working man’s’ nephew, who loves to refer to himself as the Napoleon of the shoe industry, and Theodore Newton, as the speedy, modern, rich man’s son — whom the working man adopts; Gordon Westcott is the youthful villain; J. Farrell MacDonald is the wise, tight-wad Maine fishin’ pal of the hero, in off-hours. Many other favorites fit into the cast. But after all it is George Arliss, First Gentleman of the Screen, whom the fans can look forward to seeing in what is said to be his most down-toearth, greatest mass appeal picture. As Reeves, a modern shoe manufacturer, Mr. Arliss appears in the most vital of all his characterizations. Reeves has a competitor, Hartland. wham Reeves is willing to fighu-vuv the last ditch. It is only a telephone call from the fishing haunts of Maine, that can for a moment reveal the tender side of |, the rich man’s nature. Hartland dies and Reeves, in the guise of a humble working man on vacation in the wilds of Maine — is unexpectedly thrown in contact with Hartland’s jazzy son and daughter — what follows must be seen to be appreciated. “The Working Man”, Hollywood critics advise, has punch, laughter, youth, romance and a strong timely story with George Arliss at his very best. No Pants for Women in George Arliss Pictures So Bette Davis Had To Wear Cute Nightie In “The Working Man’? Bedroom Sequences EORGE ARLISS and the other male members in the east will wear the pants in the Arliss pictures. Women will be kept in dresses; morning, afternoon, evening and night-dresses, as long as Mr. Arliss has the authority to approve and disapprove of the costumes designed for his pictures. He made this plain during Working Man,” his latest starring vehicle for Warner Bros., which comes to the Theatre on names such as shorts or pajamas, are inin the Arliss category of things which will not be seen on women in his screen productions. When Orry-Kelly, the studio designer took the sketehes for the clothes Bette Davis was to wear in “The Working Man,” to Mr. Arliss for approval, the actor looked at them through his monocle and laid an arresting finger on one of them, “What is this for?” he demanded. The designer and Miss Davis, who had gone along with him to seek approval of the gown and costumes which had so. particularly pleased her, answered almost in unison. “Pajamas for the bedroom quence.” “Umph,” said Mr. Arliss, “I don’t Pants by other slacks, cluded se Page Six the filming of the picture ‘‘The like them. A woman should be fem inine. Make Miss Davis a night gown. A laey, feminine night gown.” Now Bette had imagined that Mr. Arliss would like the pajama idea for the bedroom sequence because Mr. Arliss seeks to avoid bedroom Sequences generally in his pictures anyway, and Bette believed that pajamas would actually be more modest than a nightie. She ventured some such suggestion. Mr. Arliss intimated that he didn’t understand exactly what was meant by a “nightie.” He wanted her to wear a night gown, which, he suggested, was the only suitable garment for a woman to sleep in. Special Nightie Designed So Bette, who adopts Mr. Arliss as her father in the story, adopted his ideas about sleeping garments too and Orry-Kelly designed her a new outfit for the bedroom sequence. He designed a “night gown,” revealing enough to be interesting in effect but modest enough to satisfy everybody in fact. He designed it with a high collar and little ribbon bow at the throat. It is very clever and Bette looked very cute in it. After it was finished, they took the nightgown, with Bette in it, to the set to show Mr. Arliss. “What is this?’ demanded Mr. Arliss. “Tt’s my nightie,” said Bette, forgetting herself for the moment, “the one I wear in the bedroom sequence.” “Ts that a night gown?” demanded the actor. “Yes sir,” enough. said Bette meekly SPECIAL PUBLICITY ART Cut No. 11 Cut 30c Mat toc = ~ SLLISA axel GEORGE ARLISS who brings a delightful surprise to his millions of followers, as ‘‘The Working Man.” George Arliss’ Valet Uses Size to Stop Master’s Work At His Master’s Quitting Time He Simply Moves His Huge Bulk Before The Cameras F George Arliss were bigger physically or if George Jenner, his valet and dresser, were not so big the combination would be neither so funny nor so effective. Jenner’s bulk, which is considerable, is a great aid in the business of protecting his master’s interests and in halting the cameras at four-thirty each afternoon so that Mr. Arliss can go home. It is a simple system that Jenner employs. two hundred odd pounds and his broad British back into place in front of the camera, holds his watch in his hand and announces the time. One almost expects him to say: “At the sound of the chimes it exactly four-thirty.” But he doesn’t. He speaks to Mr. Arliss in a low voice. Mr. Arliss speaks to Director John Adolfi in a low voice. Director John Adolfi looks stunned, then looks at his own watch, as though time had played a mean is trick on him, shakes his head and}. agrees, reluctantly, that it is fourthirty. But Jenner holds his place before the camera until Mr. Arliss has moved definitely out of the scene and off the set. He knows that while he stands there no camera will turn and no time will be filehed from his master. Would Remove Wig When Mr. Arliss played character roles with wigs and costumes, Jenner had another system of calling a halt to production each afternoon. He would remove the wig, or the He moves his — outer part of the costume and walk away with it. Mr. Arliss obviously sanctioned this method although he never seemed to be a party to it. He sometimes looked as surprised as did the indignant director. But it always worked. Now that Mr. Arliss has gone in for modern light comedy dramas such as “The Millionaire” and “The Working Man,” his latest Warner production, which opens at the a eek eee Theatre on .... Sais ree ee , he wears no wigs and few costumes. Jenner changed his method with the times and hit upon the happy idea of standing in front of the camera when he wished to call attention to the hour. After more than a quarter of a century of service with Mr. Arliss, Jenner knows his master’s wants and wishes almost before Mr. Arliss does. Jenner has always been a big man but he has not always been so broad. As a youth in England he planned for a time to be a fighter but became instead, the valet to a majahrajah. Later he came to Mr. the monocle drop. He appeared to be a little weary j of the whole matter. “You mean you could sleep in it?” he asked. Mr. Arliss is a stickler for practieability in sereen clothes. BETTE DAVIS ) featured in He doesn’t want “The Working Man” any costumes which stars Ceorge Arliss Cut No. 13 Cut rs5c Mat sc worn in his pictures that couldn’t with propriety be won = in real life in similar surroundings. His attitude seemed to be that no one ought to sleep in a night gown that boasted a high collar and ribbon tied around the throat. “You see, Mr. Arliss,” Bette began, a little lamely, “a real nightie — that is an ordinary night gown of silk and lace is apt to be a little — a little — it wouldn’t be exactly modest, you know. Not as this is.” Mr. Arliss seemed to ponder over —— the peculiarities of the younger generation. One could imagine he was thinking of pants and slacks and an pajamas and wondering what the feminine world was coming way. sd 4 Pe ee oe will do.” So Bette Davis appears in “The Working Man,” in the most modest of modern “nighties” and Mr. Arliss and the other male members of the cast wear the pants. This is the second picture in which Miss Davis plays with Mr. Arliss, first in the ingenue role in “The Man Who Played God” and now as his leading lady. Others in the cast include Hardie Albright, Gordon Westeott, Theodore Newton and J. La Arliss adop a former business rival in oruer . serve their father’s business and prevent them from becoming waste The screen play by Charles Keny and Maude T. Howell is based 01 story by Edgar Franklin and rected by John Adolfi. America in the service of an Ame. ican family and it was in this coun try that he started on his long careei as dresser and valet for Mr. Arliss Jenner’s nose was slightly out o joint during the production of “The Working Man.” In this picture Mr. Arliss appears in all but a few sequences in old wrinkled clothes. Jenner who has for almost thirty years seen to it that, the actor’ clothes and costumes were kept press and his boot shined and 1] hats brushed, cringed every time looked at the Arliss wardrobe. 1 was not himself again until afte the last scene had been taken. His Most Human Role “The Working Man” according to advance information from Hollywood is said to have not only a most timely topical story, but it affords George Arliss what is easily his most human role. Instead of the suave, perfectly poised man that has always marked his past characterizations, Arliss, in “The Working Man” runs the gamut of human emotions. First, he is a harsh, irascible, wealthy head of a large manufacturing plant, then he’s a kindly soul who loves his friends and his fishing, then a sentimentalist, a master of satire — one moment he’s a stern, haughty executive, the next he’s almost servile — with a totally unexpected brand of comedy that only serves to enhance Arliss’ well-known dramatic ability. Along with George Arliss appear Bette Davis and Hardie Albright. Bette as his adopted daughter and Albright as his conceited nephew who thinks that without him his uncle could not possibly run the enormous business the old fellow had built up. Others in the cast include Gordon Westcott, Theodore Newton and J. Farrell MaeDonald. Screen play by Charles Kenyon and Maude TT. Howell, as based on a story by Edgar Franklin and directed by John Adolfi. Ag. ae “Very well,” he said crisply. St a