Two Seconds (Warner Bros.) (1932)

/ Review | Edivard G. Robinson Triumphs In “Two Seconds” At Edward G. Robinson took his audience completely by surprise yesterday and added new laurels to his actor’s crown with his interpretation of John Allen, the steel worker, in “Two Seconds,” his latest First National picture which opened at the Pisce See eee Theatre. In a season that has been unusually full of sur: prises and nov= elties, “Two Seconds’”’ stands out as somei thing different. ; Nothing Robinison has done ? prepares the for one. It differs complete— ly from “Little » Caesar’? and NY CIS a ORE ae Edward G. Robinson Final,” just as seer Te tat eal, Ma ar ear Teen Cut No. 6 . they differ from CAE Se MEME St ee Hatchet Man.” From first scene to last, the audience sat spellbound last night, intently watching the star in his first screen portrayal of a passionate lover whose amour was unfortunate and misguided. The picture is really two dramas in one — the outward, tangible drama of John Allen and.his buddy. and. athe. ine? and the inner drama within John Allen’s soul, which Robinson makes you see and understand as clearly as the physical action of the story. So thoroughly does the star live his part that, at the end, you feel that John Allen, in going to his death, is doing so because he wishes to die, not because society has said he must. He has been condemned for killing his wife. In his own mind, however, he is dying for the accidental killing of his best friend and because he is convinced the must atone for that wrong, he refuses to take refuge behind the “unwritten law,” as he could easily have done. The characterization is superbly done — Robinson’s art at its finest. Preston Foster, as John’s Pal, is big, burly, rollicking. Vivienne Osborne, in the role of Shirley Allen, is the cheap dance-hall gold digger to the life. In the part of Shirley’s lover, Carroll Naish contributes a colorful, suave performance. Guy Kibbee, as a red-faced “bookie,” leaves a delightful impression behind. Smaller roles are in the hands of such capable players as Burton Churchill, Edward McWade, Adrienne Dore, Helena Phillips, William Janney, Dorothea Wolbert, Charles Evans, Otto Hoffman and Frederick Burton. Mervyn LeRoy’s direction is sure and clean-cut from start to finish. His sense of dramatic values is unusual and he has omitted no opportunity to lighten his situations with natural comedy touches. The scenes are breathtaking in their realism and deserve especial mention among the highlights of an exceptional picture. Page Five woman who wrecks pestis ‘aaah sae Guy Kibbee Grateful To Wm. Powell For Advice Guy Kibbee, who plays the role of the “bookie” in “Two Seconds,” the First National picture starring Edward G. Robinson, which comes to Pes stake Theatre next looks upon William Powell, Warner Bros, star, as his motion picture godfather, in spite of the fact that Kibbee is almost old enough to be Powell’s father. “Bill Powell and I had been together in stock years ago,” said Kibbee, speaking of his initiation into pictures, “and I was lucky enough to be cast for one of Bill’s pictures at Paramount as my first role before the camera. “He had had considerable experienée in silent pictures. I had had none and the whole thing was a dark mystery to me. Bill was kind enough to take me in hand and give me innumerable pointers on working in front of the camera. . The result was that, after three parts, I began to know my way around and feel that I was making progress. “Y’ve never forgotten Bill’s generous tutoring of me when I was a camera greenhorn. His coaching during that first picture saved me weeks aoa Sropine anaiis ——— mn a Lit 1Ly ve pha war i a I worked out the problems of picture ~ acting for myself.” “Two Seconds”’ Tells Lifetime Story — Took Five Weeks To Film Edward G. Robinson’s latest First National starring vehicle, “Two Seconds,” which is now at the SSeS eae litte , unfolds in an hour of tense drama a story which only takes two seconds in thought. The two-second thought which becomes a one hour film drama took five weeks to film and required a large cast of specially selected players, specially constructed sets and many hours of executive conferences. The care taken on “Two Seconds” results in the fifth successive hit for Edward G. Robinson, star of “Five Star Final” and “Little Caesar,” and Mervyn LeRoy, who directed Robinson in both pictures. Le eae ee spapeee Aowl hafore |. esearch anata nach MORE SHORT STORIES Edit them to fit your Space 50 Pacific Coast Taxi Dancers In ‘Two Seconds’ Starring Ed. G. Robinson Fifty of the best ‘taxi dancers’ on the Pacific Coast, the cream of the ‘Ten Cents A Dance’ Girls from the hoofing palaces of Los Angeles’ Main Street, are featured in the dance hall scenes of First National’s “Two Seconds,” starring Edward G.| Robinson, coming to the.......... Pheatre) mertii sta Ske eee Mervyn LeRoy, the director, and his assistants spent several evenings in the dance halls along Main Street, picking the hostesses they wanted for the picture. Inasmuch as their services were required by the studio for three days and nights, special leaves of absence had to be arranged for the girls with the management of the dance halls. It is in one of these garish ‘dime a dance’ mills that Robinson, as John Allen, the _ steel-worker, meets the taxi dancer (Vivienne Osborne) whom he marries, and whose infidelities lead to the tragic culmination of this unusual drama. Father Of Edward McWade Played Rip Van Winkle 32 Years Edward McWade, who plays the prison doctor in “Two Seconds,” the First National production starring Edward G. Robinson, coming to the Go ais ciate Theatres MOXtet ts ate is the son of one of the two famous ‘Rip Van Winkles’ of the American stage. The late Robert MeWade, Sr., played Rip Van Winkle for thirtytwo years, during the same period that Joseph Jefferson was making Washington Irving’s celebrated hero of Sleepy Hollow famous. Two generations of McWades are still active on both stage and screen. Edward MeWade and his brother, Robert MeWade, Jr., are well known to Broadway and Hollywood. Robert McWade’s two sons have both begun a theatrical career and give promise of carrying on the MeWade tradition. Walking And Reading Chief Recreation Of Edward G. Robinson Walking is Edward G. Robinson’s favorite form of exercise. Music is his chief recreation. The star of First National’s “Two Seconds,” now at the Theatre, never misses his early morning walk, except when working during a night sequence at the studio. Weather never causes him to alter his program in this respect. During the making of “Two Seconds,” Robinson spent an hour or two every evening in the music room of his home, listening to the compositions of Wagner and Tschaikowsky. The Russian composer, he declared, was in complete harmony with the mood of the character he was creating in the picture during the day. Obsolete Type Radios Regarded As Antiques At Motion Picture stugiy The newest thing in antiques is the antiquated radio set and the First National studio property department is already making a colleetion of “ancient”? radio models, most of them actually less than ten years old. One such radio “set?? was needed for the First National picture “Two Seconds,” in which Edward G. Robinson is starred at the Theatre. The script described the radio as one of the earlier models with numerous gadgets, contraptions, additions and mysteries in and about the machine. A model with more faces on it than a character actor was found for this set. It had condensers, lightning arresters, static strainers, shock absorbers and every other known addenda to early radio models. It was a real “antique’ among radios but it was actually only seven years old. You have a powerful box office picture in Two Seconds. Follow the campaign we have outlined for you in this Merchandising Plan. ——