Talking Picture Magazine (Jan 1933 - Jul 1934)

Page 40 TALKING PICTURE MAGAZINE August, 1933 SILK STOCKINGS Roy Luther Thayer Drama File No. 10323 DAUGHTER of Supreme Court Judge Warren Rockwell, honorable and respected gentleman ot the old school, Nan Rockwell repulses tne attentions of James T. Matigan, son of a former Ward Heeler. Realizing" that Matigan is plannuig to nisure his own social and political position by becoming son-in-law of the Judge, Nan assures Matigan he is wasting his time, and furious at her contemptuous attitude toward him, Matigan leaves planning revenge. Through liis political attiliations, Matigan captures the post of District Attorney, and the Judge shakes his head as he reads the news in the paper. Nan kisses him lightly as she teases, "Not everybody is as honest as you, dear," and while her father's eyes follow her admiringly, she goes shopping. Suddenly the store detective grasps her wrist, and whispers to her to come quietly. Color Hushes to her cheeks as she accompanies him through the gaping crowds to the manager s office and hi her handbag is found a pair of silk stockings which she is accused of having shoplifted. The case is turned over to the District Attorney for Grand Jury consideration and Matigan tniumphantly sends for Nan. In his oftice he turns to her suavely and repeats his offer of marriage — despite her disgrace, adding that he can drop the whole case. When he lias finished. Nan turns upon liim and accuses him ot having trained the whole matter and walks quickly out. At home the Judge finds Nan sobbing and proceeds directly to Matigan's office and warns him he is going to begin proceedings to disbar Matigan. W Hereupon Matigan calls in his stenograplier and dictates the story JUDGE'S DAUGHTiER CAUGHT SHOj:'i,lFTING, which he is to release to the newspapers. At Matigan's sketch of the attendant notoriety, the Judge breaks down and Matigan informs him that if he resigns from the Supreme Court bench, Matigan can be appointed liis successor and the whole matter will be dropped. At length Rockwell agrees and a year later dies. Nan, who has tried to save her father by offering herself, too late, to Matigan, now studies law. Two years later she is admitted to the bar, and with her beauty and connections she rapidly rises to power. Backed by women's political organizations as well as all those who had supported her father, she runs opposite Matigan lor re-election to the Supreme Court and is swept into office. Matigan returns to private practice but his prestige gone and his lack of ability apparent, he turns to the underworld. Matigan is blackmailed by lyila, the girl who had planted the stockings in Nan's bag and at last he consents to marry her. Less and less scrupulous now, Matigan decides suddenly to reopen the case against Nan and sends Ivila to demand ten thousand dollars for the return of the police records accusing Nan Rockwell of shoplifting. Matt Howard, financier, who loves Nan offers to thrash Matigan, but Nan pretends to comply with the demands. The extortionists are followed and arrested. Lila turns state's evidence and Matigan is sentence to a long term, (Jn the wave of popularity that follows the sensational case. Nan is elected Governor of the State, and as she leaves her offices for a brief honeymoon with Matt, she pardons Matigan, who has taken desperately ill in prison. Brokenly Matigan thanks her and returns to his sharp-tongued wife, while Matt lifts the Governor's face and kisses her fondly. NEVER AGAIN Josephine A. Bay Drama File No. 10068 WHEN Hanka returns late from a solitary trip to the movies in a vain effort to forget how lonely she is, she is startled to discover a man lying unconscious on the steps of her house. Bringing him inside, she bathes the cut forehead and as he opens heavy eyes to thank her she remains there through the night looking down at the handsome face. The next morning. Patrick has a splitting headache and as Hanka prepares a bromide and some breakfast for him he is_ touched by her kindness. Thereafter he is a frequent caller and when at last he asks her to marry him, telling her some day he'll come into all his father's wealth, Hanka hesitates. It is only when Patrick promises never to drink again, although as Hanka smilingly achnits if he hadn't fallen on her steps she should never have met him, that she promises to marry him. At the wedding the bridegroom shows up drunk, and his father, turning in disgust tells him from now on he can get along without any financial assistance from home. Patrick is bitter but Hanka soon assures him they can get along. Bitter years of struggle follow and Patrick more and more relapses into states of into-xication, but Hanka carries on and her whole life is bound up with her son Russel who brings splendid marks home from school. When Patrick's father dies, he leaves his inheritance to Hanka for her courage, and the little family move into the Reagan mansion. Once Russell comes home with a blackened eye and he admits to his mother he got it fighting one of the schoolboys who called his father a common drunkard. Hanka holds the lad to her and Patrick, entering, is covered with shame. Once again he promises to give up drink and in his remorse he endears himself more than ever to Hanka. Russell grows up, studies law, and falls in love with a girl Mary, who stands by him staunchly in his political aspirations. A few days before election, Russell is to make a speech. He has come out strongly for prohibition and his political opponents have planted hecklers in the audience deiermined to break up the meeting. Russell begins an impassioned speech and his mother and j\tary look on proudly until one of the hecklers utters a derisive cry and calls out that Russell is only insisting on prohibition because his father is a notorious drunkard. Other voices take up the cry and when a man arises next to Patrick, whose senses are befogged with the drink he has taken to celebrate his son's speech, and gives a catcall, Patrick strikes out with his fists. In a moment all is confusion. Men fight each other, hats are torn off and women scream. One man raises a bottle to bring it down on iMary's head, and with a sudden leap, -fatrick puts himself between and the bottle crashes on his own head. Mary is saved but the blow IS fatal to Patrick. As Russell, Hanka and Mary hover over his body, Patrick wistfully begs for forgiveness for having started all the trouble. Pie urges Hanka to stop crying, saying she 11 be better off without him, and smiles to see Mary is safe for his boy. "This time, you win," he adds with a fiash of his old charm, "I'll never drink again, Hanka." TINSEL WOMEN Louise Gree Drama File No. 10225 HEED closely in the arms of Eee Norris, Alice feels her resistance slowly overcome and despite the misgivings of her parents, she consents to marry him. Within a short time, however, Alice realizes that to Lee the chase is all-important, the prize once won, without interest. More and more frequently he phones in that business keeps him from coming home to the dinner she has laboriously prepared, and when once, after she has wistfully put the dishes back, too disappointed to eat alone. Alice calls Lee at his office she discovers that he has already left. Until the small hours of the morning she lies awake, eyes staring into the darkness, but when Lee tiptoes in. she pretends to be asleep. When her child Lorice is born, Lee becomes more restless than ever, abhoring the chores and losing his temper when Alice holds up his supper when the baby is sick. To her parents, Alice writes cheerful letters, explaining that they can't come again this Christmas because Lee is so busy, but that they are very happy. It is Sunday. Alice and Lorice are at Church. Lee is conspicuous by his absence. The minister announces a violin solo by Mrs. Lee Norris, and as Alice steps forward and begins to play, her music seems the apotheosis of all the struggle and gallantry of soul that characterizes 'h«r. Lorice's eyes are fi.xed adoringly on her mother, and as Alice returns softly to her seat, an impressive silence fills the room until the minister begins his sermon. Outside Alice receives the commendation of the other Church-goers and at last she and Lorice laughing gaily enter the house. Alice goes to the closet to put Lorice's little coat away, but as she notices all Lee's things are gone, her eyes widen in amazement. On the table she finds a note. He has tired of this quiet life and has gone away with someone more suited to him. Like a statue Alice remains rooted to the spot and Lorice, frightened, calls. "M'amma,. mamma, look at me." Slowly Alice lowers her staring eyes to her child and gathering her in her arms, weeps despairingly. The telephone rings. Mechanically she answers it and learns that Lee and a girl with him have been killed in an automobile accident. Alice's hands smoothe the soft golden hair of her child, and she knows she must go on for Lorice. It is Spring again. Alice, more mature, still beautiful, is back with her parents, and as they see her gentleness, her gravity, they urge her to go for a vacation somewhere, where there will be nothing to bring back old memories. With Lorice, Alice goes to Lake Arrowhead, where there is just such solitude as her soul cries for. She is playing her violin, and the hills echo the beautiful music. A man stops at the sound and, unable to resist, follows the strange music to its source. He starts at sight of the beautiful musician with the child beside her, and begging forgiveness for intruding says softly that only one who has suffered could play like that. He learns that her husband is no longer living, and softly asks if he may come again — soon. Then one night, when Alice has put Lorice to bed, Norman comes again, and as they sit alone, overlooking the lake, he tells her of his life, of the girl he was engage^ to, who had left him waiting at the Church — thought it was a good joke, and how he had sworn never to trust another woman — until he had met Alice. Gently he kisses her. and as he plans the future — just Lorice and Alice and he, a great peace comes over Alice. LIFE IS SWEET Etta Sanders Drama File No. 10128 FOR years Mrs. White, still beautiful in spite of her white hair, had been living on the money her late husband had left her. Neither she nor her daughter Betty had given a thought to money until, without warning, the town bank crashed. Like hundreds of other depositors, the Whites found themselves bereft of their fortunes and faced with tne immeaiaie need of money. Betty, with the easy auapiaoiiuy ot youtn. leu school and uespiie ner inoiiier s protests set about getting a posuiou. At uie omce oi juuge Nyles whom sue nau Oiice intervieweu lor her couege paper, liecty expiamea that sne htiU Had no previous business experience but, given a.i opportunity she would make gooU. ine juuge looked a^ioss at Betty with twinkling eyes ana snnling at ner spirit replied he thought she would too. Mrs. Vfiiite sighed at the thought of Betty in the buimess world but her daughter assured her the juage was a uarling and she loved to work. Eacn nigtit Beny would come home witn a new story auout how hanusonie oi her employer was and Mrs. White signted at ner youth. But, released of the worry about money, and feeling independent now that she was earning a regular salary, Betty began running around wuh a new ciowd. vv he»i dark circles began appearing under her eyes 11 om dancing all night, Mrs. white remonstrated, lo her the smoking and freedom was unwnolesome and despite all Betty's assurances that her mother was just old fashioned, iVlrs. Vvhite worried. Even the Judge notices Betty s peaked look and insisted that she go home early and get some sleep. Once Betty exclaimed to her mother that she thought that the Judge was more than a Uttle interested and looking up was astonished to see that her mother thought sne could do worse than marry the older man. Laughing, Betty seized her wrap, and kissing her mother's cheek, ran out to jom J-red Warling, captain of a college football team. Then Betty began to repent of the many evenings she left her mother alone and when the Judge asked It he might come over some night, Betty thought it would do her mother good to have company lor dinner and spend one evening at home with her. Eriday night, however, when Betty finished her work, she saw l^red waiting outside with a new painted Hivver and at his insistence that she be the first to drive in it, she forgot about the Judge and her mother. At home Mrs. White spent hours of anguish over Betty's neglect to come home or call and it was the Judge who comforted her and assured her there could be nothing wrong or they would have been notified. It was almost dawn when Betty, yawning, came in to state sleepily that their car had broken down on an unfreciuented road and the Judge signalled Mrs. White to say nothing to Betty of her fears. Thereafter in the anxious watching of Betty throught all the quarrels and hurts of puppy love, it _was Judge Nyles who gave advice and comfort and the day that Betty sent home a painfully brief telegram explaining that she and Fred had eloped, it was Judge Nyles who gently took Mrs. White hand and asked, now that she didn't have Betty to worry about any more, would she consider marrying him ? AIN'T LOVE WONDERFUL Ucebe Sansouci Comedy File No. 10082 AFTER four years at college Tom Johnson is returning home to his father's ranch and elaborate preparations are in progress to celebrate his arrival. His father and mother in hilarious new clothes climb into the old Ford and John banks at sight of their outfits. Ma cries a little and Pa blows his nose violently at the sight of their son. But John, the hired man hops up and down as he waits for the Ford and starts after his girl Rosie. The roads are bad and poor John gets stuck. He gets out to push but when he bends forward, Rosie shifts into reverse and when John pushes back, Rosie jumps the flivver forward so John leaves her sitting there and patiently plods back to get the mules, and thus they arrive grandly. Tom helps Rosie from the car and she trips landing with her arms about his neck while John is so mad that he tears a bale of hay to pieces in the privacy of the barn. There are many speeches at supper and Rosie sits down coyly next to Tom whose discomfort is increased when the indomitable swain, John inserts himself amazingly between. After supper they dance and Rosie seizes Tom who at sight of John's dismay decides to have a little fun at the hired man's expense. Accordingly when John tells the objecting Rosie it is time to go home and resolutely plunks her down in the flivver. Rosie sulks at being taken from the dance so early but about a mile on a masked man jumps on the running board and at the point of a water pistol takes Rosie from the terrified John. However. Tom begins to repent of his joke wdieii the flattered Rosie throws her arm about his neck and tells him he is a hero to rescue her from John, Tom tries to put her straight and at last, infuriated. Rosie allows him to take her home. Meanwhile John too excited to start the flivver jumps out and runs all the way to Rosie's house, excitedly tells of fifteen armed men who kidnapped Rosie from him with cannons and long knives and Mr. and Mrs. Smackover in old fashioned nighties begin a search led by the now courageous John. After alarming the entire neighborhood the Smackovers return liome only to be greeted by an enthusiastic Rosie who blithely informs them that Tom was so much in love with her that he carried her off by force. The Smackovers thereupon override Tom's explanations and prepares for an immediate ceremony, returning to the Johnson ranch to reassemble the guests for the wedding. Tom's distress is as nothing compared to the forlorn John's and at last Tom gets an idea, asks for an hour to dress properly, and informs the elated John that he's going to let him marry Rosie. Tom dressed the awkward John in his clothes, shaves him clean and trims his amazing hair. The rest of the precious minutes are spent instructing the awkward hired man how to