Wonder Bar (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Cortez Makes Love To Del Rio While e e Longing For Bride Could you imagine any man holding Dolores Del Rio in his arms for hours at a time—and being impatient to get away? Ricardo Cortez did and was. In the First National dramatic | musical, ‘‘Wonder Bar,’’ which | comes to the 0.0.0... Theatre OV. sacscssssisasrneisieees ,» Cortez, as Miss Del Rio’s dancing partner, was obliged to spend many hours rehearsing the intricate dance routines with her. But it was all wasted on Cortez. He was striving desperately to induce the studio to give him a few days off so that he could wed his fiance, Mrs. Christine Lee, the New York society woman, and the ordinarily pleasant contact with Miss Del Rio was, therefore, just work to him. The minute Cortez finished the picture the actor and his bride immediately leaped into a plane for Phoenix, Arizona, where they married. They went off in such a hurry that Cortez even forgot the wedding ring. But his impatience to get away during the production of ‘‘Wonder Bar’’ unquestionably lent realism to his work, for in the picture he has grown weary of his dancing partner, who is still very much in love, and is trying to get rid of her. ‘SWonder Bar’’ is the mammoth musical and dramatic spectacle in which Al Jolson starred for two seasons on the stage. There is an all star cast which includes, besides Miss Del Rio and Cortez, Dick Powell, Kay Francis, Hal LeRoy, Al Jolson, Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda, Fifi d’Orsay and Merna Kennedy. The sensational ensembles and dance numbers were created and directed by Busby Berkeley with musie and lyries by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. Lloyd Bacon directed the production. Cortez Has Many Rebuffs But Life Can’t Down Him He Plays Handsome Villain Opposite Beautiful Kay Francis In ‘““Wonder Bar” ICARDO CORTEZ, ex-doorman in a New York theatre, and now a magnetic movie name, is a man who has never let life get him down. He has more than his share of bitterness and disaster — enough to engulf an average spirit a dozen times over. Ever since he appeared in Hollywood, more than ten years ago, he’s been the most sober, industrious, grim jawed person in the colony—and with less reason. Seventeen years ago, he was wearing a uniform and opening limousine doors in front of a Broadway theatre. A doorman’s job is not an easy one. It means standing on your feet from ten to twelve hours a day in blistering sunshine, in rain and snow and cold. But hot or cold he managed to keep a smile on his handsome face. On speculation, he came to Hollywood and was getting established, when stardom suddenly drifted down on him. Valentino had set the style for the great Latin-type craze. Valentino had an argument with a producer. “T’l] take an extra,’ shouted the producer, “and make him as big a star as I’ve made of you.” Cortez was the man chosen. How he avoided going Hollywood then, when he was suddenly catapulted from $5 a day to thousands per week, no one knows. But he kept an even keel. Rie’s latest picture, “Wonder Bar,” stars him with Kay Francis, Dolores Del Rio, Al Jolson, Dick Powell, Hal LeRoy, and many others. Busby Berkeley created the sensational dance numbers. “Wonder Bar” Dolores Del Rio and Ricardo Cortez in a scene from “Wonder Bar’? now at the Strand. Mat No. 7—10c Cortez Gets Even With Al Jolson On “Wonder Bar” Set After a great deal of more or less good-natured rivalry all during the making of the First National musical drama, ‘‘ Wonder Bar,’’ now showing at the ............ Theatre, Al Jolson and Ricardo Cortez finally did a scene where Cortez was supposed to be dead, and Jolson had to carry him from the room. Jolson had been ‘‘bearing down’’ on Cortez almost from the first day of the picture, kidding him across the stage with Cortez making suitable and adequate re plies. When it came time for the “dead scene’? Cortez did his ‘‘bearing down.’’ He weighs 192 pounds and Jolson 142. Perhaps it was just a coincidence that Lloyd Bacon, the director, shot the scene eight times, with Jolson carrying Cortez clear across the stage each time. The scene comes as a smashing climax to the picture, which is set amid the gay revelries of a Parisian night club with spectacular musical and dance numbers created and staged by Busby Berkeley in which 300 beautiful girls take part. Musie and lyries are by Harry Warren. There is an all star cast which includes Kay Francis, Dolores Del Rio, Dick Powell, Hal LeRoy, Jolson and Cortez. Ricardo Cortez Prefers Films To The Stage Ricardo Cortez, who has the villain role in the First National musical drama, ‘‘Wonder Bar,’’ which comes to the .............0ce Theatre on ............0000, Says that despite the ‘‘fashionable yearning’’ of Hollywood actors and actresses for the legitimate stage, he prefers the screen. ‘“ Motion pictures,’’ he declared, ‘‘have such tremendous scope and flexibility compared to the speaking theatre, there is absolutely no limitation to hamper one’s efforts.’’ Cortez has an intimate knowledge of the legitimate theatre possessed by few actors in Hollywood. He was launched upon his career aS a young man when, employed in a New York brokerage office, he felt the urge for the theatrical world. The Personality Smile Ricardo Cortez, villain of innumerable pictures, shows that he can smile—and how the gals love ii! He is starred now with Kay Francis, Al Jolson, Dick Powell, Dolores Del Rio and many others in “Wonder Bar’ at the Strand. Mat No. 25—20c Cortez Killed Eight Times For Picture Dolores Del Rio had to plunge a dagger into Ricardo Cortez’ chest eight times before she finally killed him for a scene in the First National musical drama, ‘‘ Wonder Bar,’’ which comes to the ............ srensteniueenees Theatre OM ..........ccccceeccceeeee In the finished production, you see her strike but once. It was in the filming of the scene that she had to strike so many blows. This is one of the big scenes in the picture and Director Lloyd Bacon was not satisfied with it until it had been retaken eight times. Cortez Only Actor Billed Over Garbo Ricardo Cortez, who has the villain role in the First National super-production ‘‘Wonder Bar,’’ now showing at the ...............0..0.. Theatre, with Al Jolson and Kay Francis heading an imposing east, is the only actor in the film business who ever has been billed above Greta Garbo. Cortez was her leading man in ‘‘The Torrent,’’ which first introduced the Swedish actress to American audiences, At that time she was merely an interesting newcomer, while Cortez was an established favorite and consequently had precedence. Ton of Temperament Near Explosion in*‘WonderBar ”’ All Star Cast Works Under High Tension in Creating Mammoth Musical Drama HE ‘‘ton of temperament’’ involved in the making of the First National picture, ‘‘ Wonder Bar,’’ now showing at the thank you. Theatre, got along fairly well, The very fact that so many high strung, artistic-type players were included in one cast has helped Director Lloyd Bacon guide the progress of this picture with less than the usual amount of temperamental delays. Bacon played with the temperaments of the many stars under his guidance in “Wonder Bar” as a lion tamer might with his high powered performers. He licked one outburst by encouraging an even hotter explosion on the part of someone else. After a few days of this no one of these human voleanoes dared blow up for fear of setting all the others off—and so defeating his own purpose. The “ton of temperament” includes many justly famous names and plenty of high spirited ability. There is Al Jolson, of the “Wonder Bar” cast. Jolson’s proverbial good nature is not always proof against “mike fright.” He is nervous during the making of a picture, especially a picture like “Wonder Bar” in which he takes a great personal pride and interest. There is Dolores Del Rio, fiery Mexican lady, a star in her own right, and an actress accustomed to having her own way—which isn’t always Jolson’s way or the way of others. Kay Francis has not often shared first billing in a picture with more than one fellow player. In “Wonder Bar” the honors are divided almost equally between half a4 dozen. Even smooth Kay Francis can stage a tantrum on_ her own sets if roperl rona ete obMat No, 15—10c viously she would not do so in front of all the other equally important players in this picture, no matter what the occasion might be. RICCARDO CORTEZ Dick Powell is notoriously good natured. While working in ‘“Wonder Bar” he was distinctly nervous for the first time since he entered pictures. The reason was an obvious one. In all other pictures he has made, Dick was the only male singer of consequence in the story. In “Wonder Bar” he has the toughest competition in the world—A1l Jolson. No one could blame Dick for becoming temperamental under the circumstances—but, of course he holds himself in leash. Ricardo Cortez is another member of the “ton of temperament” east. High spirited and quick tempered, Cortez has been known to blow off like an over-heated locomotive. But while this picture was in progress, he was in a round house full of over-heated locomotives any one or all of which might have “popped” off if he did. He maintained an unruffed exterior on the “Wonder Bar” set as a consequence. Fifi d’Orsay is sometimes a problem in temperament all by herself. She is a French pepperpot who can, if so inclined, stage a one-woman demonstration of what artistic temperament means. But even Fifi recognized the competition she had in “Wonder Bar.” She was almost meek. Hal LeRoy, Guy Kibbee, Louise Fazenda, Merna Kennedy, Henry Kolker, Hugh Herbert, Ruth Donnelly, Robert SBarrat and Henry O’Neill, added both weight and importance to the “ton of temperament” and even Director Bacon was known to keep a temper under his slouch Fedora. a ESS I TENA IEEE A TEDSTER SEIN ELEC EEE LEE CTE EDL ELD DEDEDE LLL LDL LLL DEL ADE ELE AL LEILA DL DELLE LAL DDL LDL. Page Eleven