Two Seconds (Warner Bros.) (1932)

STORTE S 3 \ \ ADVANCE — CURRENT — FEATURES — SHORTS — REVIEWS your lL. story SS Edward G. Robinson Coming To Ss eee First Film Love Story CWT Soar Srey Meee ell Ceri gee amen me Additional evidence of the versatality of Edward G. Robinson, as a master delineator of human types is provided in his latest starring vehicle for First National Pictures, “Two Seconds,” which comes to the Theatre next In previous film roles Robinson has appeared as gunman, gambler, editor and oriental. He hag always been a stone-hearted man, dominating men and events with an inflexible will and daring which carried all before it. In “Two Seconds,” however, he portrays John Allen, a hard-working iron worker who is a victim of circumstances. As Allen, Edward G. Robinson makes a radical departure from the wobaracters he has been giving Amer “Little Caesar” on pe “Wive Star Final” and “The Hatchet Man.” The actor himself regards the character as the most difficult he has been called upon to portray since his entrance into pictures. Metropolitan critics have hailed “Robinson’s performance in this picture as one of the brilliant achievements of the dramatic season. The aggregation of players assembled for the production offers an excellent example of the care with which First National pictures are cast. Even the smallest parts have been entrusted to experienced and able actors. Preston Foster, who has the role of John Allen’s buddy, plays the same part that he created in the New York His first few days work production. in the picture made such a deep impression upon the production heads of the studio that he was immediately signed for an important role in an other picture and given a term con tract. Vivienne Osborne, who plays Shirley Allen, has a brilliant record on both stage and screen. She appeared in David Belasco’s production of '“The Harem” and has been leading woman with Frederic March, William and Picture audiences will instantly remember her in “The Beloved Bachelor,” “Husband’s Holiday,” “The Faversham, Sidney Blackmer Dennis King. “Two Kinds of Women” and Ferguson Case.” The part of Tony, the dancehall keeper, is ably taken by J. Carroll Naish, who was a member of Rob inson’s cast in “The Hatchet Man’ “The and has an effective role in Page Two senseless thes _thug ins _moment your 2. story SEES OSD aes aks PERM Ae Director of ““Two Seconds” Hits New Angle To Film Fight Scene. With the hundreds of fights that have been staged in front of the camera since motion pictures were invented, it would seem impossible to discover a new angle for a fight scene. That is precisely what Mervyn LeRoy did, however, during the one-blow Gracas in “Two Seconds,” COMING WORN kas oe to the Theatre, when Edward G. Robinson as John Allen, the steel worker, saves. the taxi dancer (Vivienne Osborne) he afterward marries, from the unwelcome attentions of a ten-cent customer. A single blow from Robinson’s fist stretches the girl’s annoyer for the count on the dance-hall floor. After shooting the scene in the orthodox fashion, Director LeRoy had an inspiration. Setting the camera in the spot that had been before, asa ainieked ere to aim his blow straight at the lens, as though the camera were his adversary and the lens, the man’s jaw. The effect was at once unique and startling. Everyone who saw the scene later in the ‘rushes’ involuntarily ducked as though Robinson’s fist were about to crash against his chin. Proving that even in these days there can be something new under the sun. Other well-known players in “Two Seconds” are Guy Kibbee, J. Carroll Naish, Adrienne Dore, Walter Walker, Burton Churchill and William Janney. Mouthpiece,” liam. Guy Kibbee, who will be recalled in “Union Depot? as the older of the two hoboes, has a vivid part as a bookmaker. Otto Hoffman, Helena Phillips, Burton Churchill, Dorothea Wolbert, Edward McWade and William Janney help to round out the carefully picked company of players. starring Warren Wil Harvey Thew has done a sympa. thetic and intelligent piece of work in his adaptation of the play to the requirements of the screen. Mervyn LeRoy’s direction is considered to be equal to the ‘best this astonishingly versatile director has turned out. This is the third picture in which LeRoy has directed Edward G. Robinson, “Little Caesar”? and “Five Star Final” being the other two. The two men understand each other perfectly and form an ideal working combination. Each one is high in his praise of the other’s ability. ey Bas your eB story Le SSS Famous Slogan Of Troupers, Just A Phase To Guy Kibbee “Broadway or Bust,” famous slogan of troupers, both vaudeville and stage for nearly a hundred years, is just a slogan to Guy Kibbee, First National player who appears with Edward G. Robinson in “Two Seconds, coming............ to the Theatre. Kibbee doesn’t believe there is a Broadway—for all that he’s played on it. And you can’t blame him. For years he trouped the states —or “sticks” as stage people call them—trying to get the big break that would put him on the Great White Way. He never got it. At last he gave up. He was too old to get there, anyway, he figured. He settled down to a life of trouping, and grew satisfied with his lot. Then like a bolt out of the blue came the order to appear in “The Torch Song,” on that same BroadHe had crashed a Broadway. LO en BOR AV ss ORR Mette meaner parvo 25 years of Pine He went, he appeared, and he was one of the decade’s hits. He was cast in another play, and then another. Motion picture people saw him and signed him at more money than he had ever heard of. He thought when he finished a picture or two they would let him go back to Broadway. Maybe he could still be a hit there. But one or two pictures with him only made movie audiences hungry for more. Now he’s under long term contract, and Broadway dear old unapproachable Broadway—is just a blur on the horizon. your Ah. storv ROS SE NE RR 0 i rt ABS TI PIE OT SEE LEC AUTRE HIS. Edward G. Robinson’s Dramatic Work In ““Two Seconds”? Amazed Even The Director With the final scenes of “Two Seconds” starring Edward G. Robinson completed, Mervyn LeRoy, the director, was elated over this latest First National production which comes: to-thefe A a8 Theatre next SG aN He regards it as the most unusual picture he has directed during his entire career. “Those who think they have taken the measure of Robinson as an actor haven’t seen anything until they witness his performance in ‘Two Seconds,’?” Mervyn remarked the other day. “This will be the third picture in which I have directed him, a your D th story ALENT PRR TEESE EON SS TA SD Taxi Dancer in “Two Seconds” Finds Movie Work Too Slow Edward G. Robinson, Vivienne Osborne, and _ director Mervyn LeRoy were sitting on the side lines while the electricians “muscled” lights for the next set-up on the big dance hall set which plays an important part in “Two Seconds,” Robinson’s current starring vehicle for First National, coming to the Theatre next... .../7 ae With a dainty finger Vivienne pointed out a girl in a rose-pink evening gown with a trimly groomed head of blonde hair, the color of which was very evidently an afterthought. “That’s Myrtle, the best-known taxi dancer on Main Street,” said Mervyn LeRoy. “She’s been peddling dances for twelve, years, and still going strong. Isn’t she a peach of a type? I picked her as soon as I got a flash of her.” Robinson pad been looks her wm se cas ee (a Over analy Ically. “What’s her story?” Vivienne laughed. “T’'ll tell you that some other time. But I asked Myrtle, among other things, how she liked working in pictures. ““No more of this picture work in my coffee,’ said Myrtle. ‘I’m eured. As far as I’m concerned, you can keep it. Ill stick to shaking the hoof on Main Street. This “pieture racket is too hard for me. And besides, the hours are all wrong. I’m used to working nights. “And there’s too much sitting around between scenes. I’m used to being busy every minute. If I ain’t that means it’s a slow night and the boss is liable to be crabby. This actin’ business gets on my nerves. “<Tt’s all right to pick up a little side money now and then, but for a steady job Ill take wrestling with music, same as I been doing for twelve years.” oa a a Se and in at least two situations in this picture he absolutely amazed me. “The scene in which the bookmaker brings him the money he has won on the races and he realizes he can, at last, square accounts with his wife and her lover, is one. The other is the scene in the court-room, when John Allen tells the judge who is about to sentence him why it is unfair to send him to the chair for killing his wife. “They were so tremendous that the hardened members of the production staff were frankly wiping the tears from their eyes when the scenes were over, and I was struggling with a lump in my own throat.”