West of Shanghai (Warner Bros.) (1937)

Mat 204—20c TRAPPED in war-torn battlefields, Americans Gordon Oliver and Beverly Roberts anxiously await word that will bring them freedom... or a firing squad to shatter their love in ‘‘West of Shanghai,’’ the Warner Bros. film coming to the Strand Friday. The discussion was heated. The subject being the labor situation. The newspaperman was upholding the right of labor to stage sitdown strikes. The blonde, bespectacled publicity man was viewing the situation with alarm. Suddenly another publicity man, who was looking at a press relepso shouted: ‘Do you know you can spell Vladimir with a W or a V?”? That important discovery concerned Vladimir Sokoloff, recently signed by Warner Bros. and given an important part in ‘‘West of Shanghai,’’ the melodrama of China which opens next week at the Strand Theatre. The fact that his name can be spelled with a V or a W is interesting. But it isn’t the only interesting thing about Mr. Sokoloff. His biographical questionnaire is filled with odd and curious items. For instance: ‘‘I’ve played all of Shakespeare’s fools,’’ wrote Mr. Sokoloff. ‘‘And I played Puck for Reinhardt. And the King in the “*Miracle’’ and the Devil himself in ‘‘Everyman.’’ Sokoloff Has Had Checkered Career And here are some of the pictures in which the actor had an important part: ‘‘The Beggars Opera,’’ ‘‘The Lower Depths,’’ ‘Mister Flow’? and ‘‘No Man’s Land’’—all European productions. Vladimir, or if you prefer Wladimer, was born in Moscow, December 26, 1889. Edueated in Mas cow public schools he entered the Moscow Art Theatre against the wishes of his family. ‘‘Right from the first, I wanted to be an actor,’’ he says. ‘‘When I was seven I started writing plays. One of them was produced in school.’? But is was 1911 before Stanislavsky, of the Moscow art Theatre, gave him his first opportunity. Mr. Sokoloff ’s biography is filled with fine, big names like Stanislavsky. He worked for Moskwin, Reinhardt, Jouvet and Copeau on the stage. In 1926 Karl Freund and Berthold Viertel persuaded him to go into pictures and he played the lead in ‘‘The Adventures of 10 Marks Bill.’ That’s the kind of a man Mr. Sokoloff, whose first name can be spelled either with a V or W, is. CHINESE TOWN IS BUILT FOR KARLOFF FILM It’s fifteen or twenty days to North China, from Shanghai, by boat or railroad. But it was only half an hour to North China from the Warner Bros. studio, a few weeks ago. For a scene in ‘‘ West of Shanghai’? Art Director Max Parker built a complete Chinese city on the Warner ranch near Calabassas. The set, which represented a small town and missionary station in Northern China, covered 10 acres and took three weeks to construct. The set didn’t look like much from the road, for it faced the hills. It wouldn’t do, in a picture about China, to have the cameras pick up gas stations, hot dog stands and the pet cemetery on Ventura Boulevard. But from the other side it looked like home to the hundreds of Chinese extras working in the film. Although he is an Occidental, Mr. Parker didn’t make the mistake of putting chop suey parlors in his town. There were little cafes, but not one sported a chop suey sign. There were also vegetable stands and cages filled with ducks, chickens and geese. During the week the company was on _ location . in ‘“‘North China,’’ the chickens laid half a dozen eggs. The ducks and geese, however, laid down on the job. Boris Karloff and Beverly Roberts are the stars in ‘‘West of Shanghai,’’ which was directed by John Farrow and comes to the Strand Theatre next week. Also in the cast are Gordon Oliver, Sheila Bromley Vladimir Sokoloff, and a host of Chinese players. Mat 106—10c RICARDO CORTEZ, suave leading man, who plays a major role in *“West of Shanghai,’’ thrilling Warner Bros. film coming to the Strand Theatre Friday. His real name is William Henry Pratt... but you can’t call a man who plays villains ‘‘ William Henry’? ... he isn’t a Russian . his mother was and that’s where he gets the Karloff ... Boris was his own idea . He was born Dulwich (called. Dulch by the English who never pronounce a thing the way it is spelled) on Novemzer 23, 1887... was the baby of the family, seven brothers and one sister having preceded him... but he is the baby no longer for he stands six feet tall and weighs 170 pounds... His father was James Pratt of the British Indian Civil Service ... Mr. Pratt wanted his boy to. be a diplomat ... his boy didn’t ... when he was 21, Boris chucked his career and went to Toronto to be a farmer ... got a pick and shovel job at a fair grounds... later became a real estate salesman but didn’t sell any real estate ... moved to Vancouver and when he was down to his last dime ran into his brother, John, who was good for a touch... A Vancouver stock company UNUSUAL GIRLS BEST IN FILMS To become a great film star, one must be either of two things, according to Beverly Roberts. One must be entirely representative of an American type or entirely out of the ordinary. **Tf you fall between these two classes, you’ll never make more than an average success in pictures,’’ says Miss Roberts, who is currently playing the feminine Tan A 2. OWT Dene dd COT gh ne ivuau iu warler: »Tros. W Gsu UL Shanghai,’’ which comes to the Strand Theatre next week. Olivia de Havilland is a star, according to Miss Roberts, because she represents the average young girl’s dream of perfection. She is what every girl in her ’teens wants to be. On the other hand, Bette Davis is a star because her appeal is unusual. She is an out-of-the ordinary type. Miss Roberts says the same thing is true of actors. Robert Taylor is a typical American boy. Edward G. Robinson and Paul Muni are out-of-the ordinary. Beverly herself is representative of the outdoor athletic type of American girl. In ‘‘West of Shanghai,’’ which was directed by John Farrow, she is co-starred with Boris Karloff. Englishman “Boris” Has Russian Name needed an experienced character actor, and Boris told the manager he was it ... that’s how he got his start as an actor... at $25 a week ... played all over Canada and then moved down to Chicago. Wanted to be a hero in the war, but his heart wouldn’t let him. .’. 1916 found him playing the villain in ‘‘The Virginian,’’ featuring Belle Bennett ... it was with this company that he first came to California ... that was in December, 1917 . . . the tour ended in San Francisco and Boris got a job loading cars at the Sperry Flour mill in Vallejo . . . didn’t like it so he dropped down to Hollywood and was a film extra for atime... at Universal where later he starred in ‘‘ Frankenstein.’’ From extra he jumped to playing bits... then to featured roles . . when production was slack he worked as a truck driver and a day laborer ... all through 1924 he drove trucks for $5 a day... then he got a bit in ‘‘Never The Twain Shall Meet’’ and lost his trucking job... He says that was just as well. Decided to be a villain in earnest and it paid ... finally won the part of ‘‘Frankenstein’’ and became a star ... one horror role followed another after that... he grew sick of them and moved to Warner Bros., on condition that he could play human villains .. . that’s what he is in ‘‘West of Shanghai,’’ which comes to the Strand Theatre next week, a villain, but with a golden heart. eee Mat 101—10c BORIS KARLOFF, Hollywood’s greatest makeup actor, who plays a grim war lord in ‘‘West of Shanghai,’’ which comes Friday to the Strand Theatre. Cast of Characters nD OPE ee ge WU YEN FANG NT Sea ea OE Sn nk ee eae RI JANE CREED ON ee GORDON CREED MUP IVER os Rs JAMES HALLET ME TONNE ck a Se ee eae LOLA GALT eee ONO ne SN Oa FU SHAN ON Ts ie ne, Se a ae ne Nee ae SS DR. ABERNATHY MNOME COO Fi ge eh Sey ees MR. CHENG SOU a ae ee ae MYRON GALT NE ae aA ee er ca ee, KUNG NUI RR gi Se oe oe es epee CHAN Selmer Jackson.......................... OS ay Sarg Nao Wut eS aes Beets HEMINGWAY Ee BOON ci A Soci Gon ee ee PAO REN RN a ee Seg Bee ely ae MU NOR nic a Mt ees ae CUR yoke WANG CHUNG NRC RMN Se Ni a Se CONDUCTOR Bn ERG Soe cia te te Oe dal HUA MEI Production Staff NOON err ee Maer ee RICE ON ue john Farrow et POONER ey Crane Wilbur RES hoe Se ee Porter Emerson Browne euotomraphy. by. Lu. O’Connell, A. S. C. ON a Rs ae ee Frank Dewar ROUROH SMRONE OR cy aS oR Jo Graham Peenmcat Advisor. 2 oe Tommy Gubbins PSC ECRS ON ie FF ete ge or eee att een Max Parker Oe BY. Pee a cnca ys eee cure ee Rane Howard Shoup ¢ The Story « Jim Hallet (Gordon Oliver), has discovered an oil fiield in North China. He has borrowed $50,000 from Myron Galt (Douglas Wood). The note is overdue and Galt is planning to foreclose. Another financier. Gordon Creed (Ricardo Cortez), wants the field. Galt, Creed and Galt’s daughter, Lola (Sheila Bromley) take the Suiyan train en route to the oil field. On the train is General Chou Fu-Shan (Vladimir Sokoloff). Shan is murdered by emmissaries of General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff), the ‘‘ White Tiger’’ who controls most of North China. Galt, Creed and Lola ‘arrive at Sha Ho Shen, which is near the oil fields, to find that General Fang has possession of the town. There they meet Hallet and Jane Creed (Beverly Roberts), who is working with the missionaries. Jane is Creed’s estranged wife and she and Hallet are in love with each other and are anxious to marry. Mat 103—10c Boris Karloff Fang takes them captive. Hallet has once saved his life, so Fang sets out to return the favor. Fang gets the note from Galt and tears it up. Then he bargains with Galt and Creed for the oil field. During the bargaining which is enlivened by threats of death from his gunman, Mr. Cheng (Richard Loo), Fang takes $50,000 in cash from Galt. Galt and Creed decide to doublecross Fang. make a deal with Hua Mei (Mia Ichioaka) whereby they are to be released and Hallet is to be shot. comes to Hallet’s rescue and Shoots Hua Mei. Meanwhile Hallet’s servant has escaped and gone for help. General Ma (Tetsu Komi) and his troups besiege the town. Fang knows he is whipped. As his last gesture he saves Hallet’s life when Hallet is threatened with death by Creed. Fang shoots Creed and so Jane is at last free to marry Hallet. The picture ends as Fang faces General Ma’s firing squad. They Mat 105—10e Beverly Roberts Fang