Uncertain Glory (Warner Bros.) (1944)

Still U.G.-31—Mat 201—30c Jean Sullivan and Lucile Watson as they appear in Warner Bros,’ “Uncertain Glory,” which comes to the Strand Theatre on Friday. ‘Uncertain Glory’ Shown To GI Joes Overseas “Send me more and more of the same kind of pictures,” they write, “—plenty more.” This is the constant plea received daily from men in the field by the War Activities Committee and the Army Overseas Motion Picture Exchange who, between them, have accomplished a remarkable transition from the days when our men overseas were bemoaning the dated films they were being treated to, until now when those same men see nothing but the best and the latest of Hollywood fare. As a result, G. I. Joe now sees most of the Hollywood products long before the films are released in this country to the general public. The latest example is Warner Bros.’ “Uncertain Glory,” the Errol FlynnPaul Lukas | starrer, coming Friday to the Strand Theatre. This picture had its overseas premiere a good three months ago. What’s more, this type of film, boasting a _ consistently excellent cast—Faye Emerson, Odette Myrtil, Sheldon Leonard, Victor Kilian and others—gradeA direction by Raoul Walsh; and generally high production U. C. L. AL Authorities Rate College Training Above Real Film Work Jean Sullivan, Warner Bros.’ newest “discovery,” who plays the feminine lead in “Uncertain Glory,” Errol Flynn, Paul Lukas starrer now at the Strand, matriculated at the University of California at Los Angeles to continue her studies on the Westwood campus while the film was still in production. Miss Sullivan, a junior, attended classes whenever she was not actually before the cameras at Warner Bros. Oddly, although she majored in dramatics, Miss Sullivan received no credits toward her bachelor of arts degree for the very practical work she was doing in Hollywood. According to the university authorities, one hour of instruction at Westwood per week counted for more than eight hours per day of actual work in one of the year’s most important motion pictures. standards under Producer Robert Buckner, is coming to be the ordinary and expected diet in films to our overseas servicemen, rather than the unusual or extra-special attraction. A recent tabulation of seryicemen’s opinions showed that the boys’ taste is varied, geared to include anything from musicals to war stories. In fact, so unpredictable have their reactions been, that Hollywood producers are taking matters in their own hands, producing pictures on any number of subjects and hoping they hit the bull’s-eye. They have discovered that, as long as they keep their standards high, G. I. Joe will not close his mind to any entertaining theme, whether it be funny or serious. “Uncertain Glory” is the adventure-type of film, a suspense-packed thriller with Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas as French criminal and Police Inspector respectively, who join forces to outwit their common enemy—the Nazis. Still U.G.-502 Mat 102—I5c Jean Sullivan, who plays the feminine lead opposite Errol Flynn in Warner Bros.’ “Uncertain Glory,” now at the Strand. from Northern Ireland To Hollywood By Way of New Guinea And Australia, Errol Flynn’s Life Reads Like Baedecker The same independent forthrightness that made Fletcher Christian lead the mutiny on H.M.S. Bounty against the evil Captain Bligh is strong in one of Christian’s more famous descendants, Errol Flynn, currently co-starring with Paul Lukas in Warner Bros.’ “Uncertain Glory” at the Strand. In fact it is Errol Flynn’s dominant characteristic. He refuses to be shoved around by anyone. Since he was a lad of 17, Errol Flynn has been on his own, facing high adventures that sound fictional. He was born in Antrim, North Ireland, June 20, 1909, the son of Professor and Mrs. Theodore Thomson Flynn. Even in his earliest school days he was athletically inclined, and from one of his tutors gained a knowledge of boxing which later became of great value. When he was 17 he went with his father on a trip of scientific exploration that was to take them to Tasmania, but a sudden change of plan found Errol again enrolled in school in Sydney, Australia, there to await Prof. Flynn’s return from his island trip. This was in 1926, a year when fresh gold deposits had been discovered in New Guinea. Young Flynn determined to leave school and get some of that wealth. After several days of haunting the waterfront, he managed to ship as second cook and cabin boy on a three-master headed for Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea. The ship was the Paradise. A complete misnomer, according to Flynn. In New Guinea, forced to find a job, any job, quickly, he applied for a place with the constabulary, lied four years on to his age, and got it. “I got by because I was big for my age, being six feet tall when I was 17, and I had the muscular build to go with it,” he says. After almost a year in the constabulary, during which he joined other whites and natives making frequent forays into the jungle territory of the head hunters and other wild tribesmen, he got a job as overseer of a copra plantation. At this time also the actor started to write down his experiences and observations, sent short articles and column essays to a newspaper in Sydney and soon began to receive a small revenue from these writings. The result was that when the wanderlust hit him again, he had enough money, about $1,500 he recalls, to buy a small boat, the Kavieng. He got back to Sydney just in time to enter the Olympic game tryouts, won a place on the team, and represented Australia in the boxing events at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. He survived three rounds of the semi-finals, but was knocked out eventually by Eddie Eagan of the American team. From 1928 to 1931 Flynn followed many pursuits, met many new adventures, made very little money except for one major strike. Back in Sydney in 1931 he found himself once more without money but with an ancient ketch called the Siroceo, in which he and three new-found friends immediately set sail for any and all ports in which they could make a small profit. It was from his experiences on this boat, later wrecked, and a replacement schooner, the Maski, that Flynn wrote his book of adventure, titled “Beam Ends.” Germany. In Sydney he stopped to have his film developed and printed, and an Australian picture producer got one look at the star who appeared as the guide in many scenes. The upshot was that the producer got in touch with Errol Flynn, offered him the leading role in a picture to be called “In the Wake of the Bounty,” the story of Fletcher Christian and the indomitable Captain Bligh. The picture was shown throughout Australia and had limited release in England. It never reached the United States. The actor did, however, and the rest is modern history. He returned to England briefly, determined to follow an acting Still E.F.-393—Mat 204—30c Errol Flynn, who co-stars with Paul Lukas in “Uncertain Glory,” Warner Bros.’ new film about a fugitive French criminal. The picture opens Friday at the Strand. It was the straightforward account of the life he lived during that time: pearl diver, copra trader, even one rather reprehensible stretch of “black-birding,” or recruiting native labor, for work in the mines. Then one day Flynn was approached by a German camera explorer, Dr. Herman F. Erben, who was seeking a guide to take him up the Sepik River into the dangerous and unmapped country of the New Guinea head hunters. That trip, packed with bloody adventure, all of it recorded on film by Erben, changed the whole pattern of Errol Flynn’s life. After the trip Erben went to Sydney on his way back to career. He trained for a short while in Birmingham and Northampton, then in London got a part in John Drinkwater’s play, “A Man’s House.” A Warner Bros. representative arranged a screen test, the Hollywood studio offered a contract, and Errol Flynn was on his way to the United States late in 1934. The actor’s screen career started slowly with a part as a corpse in a picture called “The Case of the Curious Bride.” But then, in 1935, came one of those miraculous things: his part in “Captain Blood,” which Robert Donat had to refuse, and Errol Flynn’s course of stardom was set. Two ‘Watch “When you act with a person for two solid years, you get to know that person.” Paul Lukas speaking. The star who, for his performance in “Watch On The Rhine” was recently given the Academy Award, was referring to his association with Lucile Watson, prominently featured with him in “Watch On The Rhine” and again currently in the Errol Flynn-Paul Lukas starrer, “Uncertain Glory,” now at the Strand. On The Rhine’ Veterans Together Again In ‘Uncertain Glory’ Miss Watson and Mr. Lukas spent eighteen months working together in the Lillian Hellman property on Broadway and the road. The remaining time was spent before Warner Bros.’ cameras for the film version which starred Bette Davis and Paul Lukas. “There’s something about working on the stage,” Mr. Lukas says, “that brings you much closer to your fellow players than similar work in studios. Especially is this true when a company hits the road on tour. Shieh t months of ‘Watch on the Rhine’ was on the road. That’s [ow he ene really got to know what a fine trouper and what a gay, Ae a geet tee ak hearted Still U.G.-17 person Tae Mat 104—IS¢_— GiJe Watson PAUL LUKAS really is. 5