Variety (Aug 1932)

20 VARIETY l^ieeday, August 23, 1932i Wednesday, Aug. 10.1932 'LIFE BECaxr TRlGIIIENDOViS; ANOTHER HIT FOR WARNERSI Fine Production Of Unusual Theme fUFI BEGINS" 1 flitl NiHoiwI ))rcct1on%«..^.>~...»'<>>'>I*Qlcs Flood, - Elliott Nugent. Play by.r:M^..Mary McDougall Axelson Adaptation and plalogue..Earl Baldwin Photography James Van Trm Cast:'Loretta Young, Aline McMahon, Eric LIndan. Clenda Farrcll, Preston Foster, Clara Blandick, Vlvlenfie Osborne, Frank McHugh. _.^ Mark down another hit for War^ me' Bros.>First National. • Life Begins" la one of thosil un< usual stories, the type e)ihlblton have b#cn yelling fw and the kind audi- ences will go out and talk about. And. -fbo; It Is dowif to earth, every ioot'of It, furnishing • brand of entertain- mcnt that r>o audience, anywhere, will deny* It Is • show for snowmen and how that gang (the few that are left) will go for this attraction. How, Why and where Warners dig lip such'orlgrnal story Ideas when al- most tiVeiy othei; studio )n Hollywood la begging foir them, can only be an- swered by an expression we neard on leaving thp theatre- "Maybe other studios cannot recdgnize thenS." The entire running of this picture takes place In a maternity hospital. It neyei; leaves that atmosphere for a secortd. Even when a nurse sends an' «nxlous and waiting father to a drug storie on a gag errand to get a: can of ether, there is still that atmosphere. And It Is* refreshing, terrifying*, as» founding, but, at all times ENTER- TAINMENT. It reaches the heights of tense drama and then drops you down to % Dig laugh'. It shows ln..a few reels of celluloid the workings of such an institution, the people who conduct it artd the.men and women who pass through , its doors to get its benefit. This reviewer orice had a- course fn medicine, did maternity ward duty, thought he knew all there was to be known, but. the manner In whIch*'Life Begins" was presented by Warners, the treatment of ev^ry sequence of the picture, the beautiful directlon.the fine acting and the excellent piroduc-' 'tlon, taught us things v/e had r>ever leanned, held us as If It were all new,' a page from a book we had. never read. Women who have been confined, who have given birth, will get.just as^ much entertainment out of "Life Be-/ gins'-* (nfMybe more) as those who know littfe of childbirth. And If you don't tfilrik the men will get a Itick out of this revelation In motion pic-. tures, then you've finished your guess- ing. It Is a show for the masses and.) that should mean a smash. . The entire cast of the picture was I almost perfection, with the honors easily going to Eric Linden i3S the young husband. It Is a performance vou will remember long after you have fiargotten the picturel Clenda Farrell, Aline McMahon and Frank McHugh should be ranked next, with Loretta Young excellent,<but with not as much I to do. The remainder of the big cast { were distinguished. James Flood and Elliott Nugent can | take plenty of bow^ for the direction. The Earl Baldwin adaptation of the I play by Mary McDougall Axelson was about as finished as anything vv« have seen in months. The photography of James Van Trees effected a perfect | combination of all the other produc- tion ielements of the picture.. As we .suggested above, this- is a I show for SHOWMEN. There is noth. Ing In the cast that will draw. You I have the brand name of Warner-First-1 National to which the public has be- gun to look more 'and more for Its I entertainment. You have to create your own draw. But there, is plenty to create. You have a sensational topic to play with, the most Important in | life—childbirth—backed by a swell 'picture. What more do you want?/^ • • • FROM TIME to time we may have given you a atiff' patn In the neck .when we ding-donged one of our Pet Theories..... .;to wit ...this film biz la crying aloud- -for a cycle of simple, human stories. / .....draimfis taken-from the lives ofsprdinary, everyday folk . .... ..pictures without theatricalism and artificiality. films that got right down to earth ... .. .and handled with sympathy and understanding the plain. Facts of Life fami1iar» «yeryday things that John Public and his wife could go to see ...... .and come away front the theater with a feelihgr that they had,seen a screen visualization of ihatters very close to their hearts ........and. such pictures..... .T.we have- said again and agaiii.... .. ,\. would go BIG with tho Masses and the Classes—... IF some producer had the gawdglven intelligence to ap' and make 'era. • ■ • • AND, to :,... our prayer has been answered. , . Warners have turned out their First Nash pix ..."Life Begins" .and we are here to state. .without any ifs> ands or bats........that this pit Is a searching human document that Will stir the heart and mind and soul of every man and woman that views it....... .and send them 4way with renewed faith and interest in the Motion Picture,.,..... • • • IT TAKES the situation of » young married couple ........ on the brink of life's Greatest. Adventure...... ,«thft' ftdvent of a baby........and.facing one of lifers post ironical, problems. ^..... .shall the mother die and the baby live?.>\^ • • • . : • • • • THAT IS the crux of t^e entire dranfa.. r.'rrr.buf what they have done with itt........every single step in this supreme^ crisis in the lives of two helpless young peo^ile is de- veloped with .consummate artistry. , .. ■. .a fine understanding of humanity ..i its'hope^r and fears.........Joys and soirows .... .., sacrifices and devoti(^n it plays on every emotion builds beautiful and soul-stirring Ofioments •.. .with the Tdtigie of Syhipathetie Understanding of Life.'.... .'of Love Of Motherhood,.... .the .eternal longing) of a man ahd' woman, throughout all eternity have been graphically and poignantly caught up.,».. and presented to the*world in this; picture. ' ' — • • • IT IS the hitherto unsung glorification of Woman^ hood the courage and fortitude of Motherhood.....:j< no blatant, blustering male heroics ... . .just the quiet faitlr and resignation of a woman.. .facing her great crisis when Life Beginef... . °., .and as such........it should bring every woman to the theater. > and drag every mai| with her . ...v.. renewing'their faith in Life....-..\in Xove ...the Home in a word,.t.....^making this world* more beautiful, and worthwhile for everyone fortunate enough 4o see "Life Bejgins"; .- ♦ • ♦v,: >; „ .♦r' • • • TO. YOU exhibitors r.:?^ . let us say this.... .s /JS all earnestness and sincerity ' ~. .Tr.here is a picture you can SHOUT about. ......for it has a thetne that reaches to the heart of the Universe ~- .plays on a3l the beauty and tend- erness that Life holds- -r.-^ ; and your theater will tidce on a distinction and dignity it never knew... ^... .for having shown . a poignantly human picture that- will linger in the memory of everyone.long: after most"pictures have been forgotten. ■ « a:""'^ ' »' if w '' MpTIONlPICTURE^HERALO; AJg_ust^6.Tl^|;2^ Warners^~^'Ufe^Begitt^*^ir'As Outstanding As It Is New, Says j 'Meehan; And Xherei Ar eJOthers) 'b7 LEO MEEHAN' ; Hollywood St0ff ConeipMieiif ^ .X There is no question as to which is the outstanding picture' previewed the past week: It is "Life Begins," from the Warner- First National incubator. The last word is used advisedly, for, listen to. this, the entire action of the picture takes place in a maternit]^ hospital! It deals with biirth, and the tragic conse- quences which sometimes attend. There never has been a pic- ture teniotely resembling it; aiid possibly for story interest,' intense, throbbing drama interlaid with natural comedy (the about-to-become<a>father stuff), there never has been a more gripping picture. C . V __ Rumors have been leaking out of the Warner plant these past '; several weeks to the effect that "Life Begins'* was something very unusual, very courageous, daring, sensational. The spon'! tancous applause which broke out in the preview audience her>1 aided .confirmation of previous reports. Women went out with ' tear-stained faces, men with glistening eyes, ' ^ The rather commonplace subject at childbirth has been pretty ; much taboo in pictures up to now. Here is one to challenge anyone who thinks it is not a screen subject. Don't jget the mis-J taken notion it is clinical, either. It is intensely human, under>) standablev sincere. The Warner production staff and the Hay^j office have worried considerably about th<; possible -reaction ofj censoring bodies. Well, if they don't pass this one and titck aj gold star on It, mothers had best quit havins babies and^studip^ •better begin making Grimm's fairy tales exdusively.^