A Successful Calamity (Warner Bros.) (1932)

GEORGE ARLISS WILL SELL “A SUCCESSFUL CALAMITY” Here is what you have been looking forward to—another GEORGE ARLISS HIT. Never before have you had so much to sell in a picture starring the “First Gentleman of the Screen’ as you have in “‘A Successful Calamity.” You have the STAR—Who is ina chess by himself as a smash, box office bet. His ROLE—That of a millionaire who fakes failure in order to win back his family, enables him to display his great flair for comedy with which he panicked audiences in “The Millionaire.” The STORY—Is modern, human—one that all will enjoy because of its universal appeal. The SUPPORTING CAST—Is the greatest George Arliss has yet had, with youth predominating. It will pay you to put in a strong plug for Mary Astor, Evalyn Knapp, Grant Mitchell, David Torrence and William Janney, all of whom have a fine fallen ine. The SAME authors and director who were responsible for ‘The Millionaire’ and “The Man Who Played God” are responsible for ‘A Successful Calamity.”’ Get over this fact in your ads. SELL the picture as being based upon the gonsalional stage success that ran for months on Broadway. | THE STORY | Henry Wilton, a millionaire, is tired of the continual round of social affairs to which his pretty young second wife, Emmie, drags him. His daughter, Peggy, and son, Eddie, likewise are addicted to the gay life of their set. Wilton, convinced that his family looks upon him merely as ~ a provider, gets the idea of pretending to have lost his money. When he announces the fact that he has failed in brisipess a8 dost practically bads am him to ger a onal Sie in the country mhere she can ges raise chickens to help out. Even Connors, the butler, hands him his bank 14. book and tells him to use his savings to clean up his losses. Emmie pawns her jewels, Eddie gets a job and Peggy is ready to : start her classes. Wilton’s failure has leaked out through the son and Advance stocks in the concern in which he is interested are duniped on the marPublicity ket. He buys them up cheap and makes several millions more. 3 George, one of Peggy’s suitors, surprised at her unusual friendliness, ‘ thinks she wants his money now that she is poor, and beats a hasty retreat, while Larry, another suitor, is delighted at her. change of heart Ads and immediately asks her to marry him—he is glad that her poverty 5, 6, 7,8, 9 has given him the break. She discovers his sterling qualities and promises to marry him. . Wilton returns Connors’ bank book and the faithful butler finds the Banner amount has been doubled. Wilton discovers that his suspicions were 14 all groundless and that he really has a fine, loving family. Everyone : a is happy. Current Publicity SCREEN RECORDS 4 e GEORGE ARLISG.................. “Disraeli,” “Green Goddess,” “Old English,” “The sees Millionaire,” “Alexander Hamilton,” “The Man Who Exploitation Played God,” “A Successful Calamity.” 12, 13 MARY ASTOR... “Holiday,” “Behind Office Doors,” “White Shoul ders,” “Smart Woman,” “Men of Chance,” “The Lost Squadron.” : Feature Stories EVALYN KNAPP.............. “River’s End,” “Sinner’s Holiday,” “Mothers Cry,” “Smart Money,” “The Millionaire,” “Fame,” “High 10, 11 Pressure,” “Fireman Save My Child.” e GRANT MITCHELL.......... “The Champion,” “Man to Man,” “The Star Witness,” “The Famous Ferguson Case.” Lobby Frames HARDIE ALBRIGHT......“Young Sinners,” “Hush Money,” “Heart Break,” 14 “Skyline,” “So Big.” WILLIAM JANNEY......“The Man Who Played God,” “The Mouthpiece,” . “Two Seconds.” P Cc DAVID TORRENCLE........“Disraeli,” “Raffles,” “The Devil to Pay,” “Five ~~ "O8Fam “uls Star Final,” “East Lynn.” 3 RANDOLPH SCOTT......““Sky Bride,” “The Challenger,” “The Lone Cowboy.” HALE HAMILTON......... “The Love Affair,” “The Champ,” ‘Cuban Love : pone “Susan Lenox,” “Wallingford,” “Never the Review ain.” OSCAR APFEL.................. “Five Star Final,” “High Pressure,” “The Man Who Played God,” “Woman From Monte Carlo,” “Alias & the Doctor,” “The Famous Ferguson Case,” “The Heart of New York.” Shorts 3, 4 | PRODUCTION STAFF | AGC 208 oe ee ee Clare Kummer Adaptation and Dialogue by Austin Parker, Maude Howell and Julian Josephson PSiien 8 EE ee een nett Se Sie Seniors John Adolf Art Dee inn Anton Grot Page Two what FILM DAILY ‘‘A Successful Calamity” Here’s about says SWELL ENTERTAINMENT IN POLISHED YET SIMPLE PLOT. COMEDY THAT WILL HIT GENERAL APPEAL. Not only does George Arliss give one of his most likeable portrayals in this Clare Kummer play, but the story itself is of the popular type that ought to get over nicely with any audience. The class fans will appreciate the finesse of Arliss, and the others will enjoy the delightful comedy as a whole. Arliss plays the part of a great international financier who has a yen for home life, but can’t get any of it because his young wife, son and daughter are always stepping out. So he pretends to have lost all his money in business, whereupon the members of the family immediately give up their pastimes and rally to his aid—the daughter making a rich marriage, son getting a job, and wife hocking her jewels. At the same time, Arliss puts over a big business coup as a result of a crooked rival trying to take advantage of his supposedly ruined condition. George Arliss and Mary Astor in “A Successful Calamity” Cut No. 5 Cut 30c Mat 10c | CAST OF CHARACTERS | PL Sey WV ate ee ee George Arliss ery oR En re zo seg ere SiO a RON ee nese am ree Mary Astor Oe ee ee ea pee Evalyn Knapp NINE sc ee Grant Mitchell DE ON ce oc espe David Torrence Fe ee ee eg William Janney ESTER ya Caprese meer pen Sp ei RON mene re eees re Hardie Albright re ee i eee Hale Hamilton Ee nc Sem ale one ig =e ee ee oe pe meee eR Meceaeae SAY ene Fortunio Bonanova br Speen Spe eee el en ee Pe aR ree tee eee oe ee meee Ne Randolph Scott NAR ee a ea ee Nola Luxford Ca ak ee SE se ae Murray Kinnell TRWPODRE <5 Sides age i ee ee Richard Tucker PRG oo ra, a eet OE Barbara Leonard W aletecn 2 ee ee ee ee Harold Minjur Dariey Davis: oc ees ee ee ee ee Leon Waycoff | OFFICIAL BILLING | Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. present GEORGE ARLISS 100% in “A SUCCESSFUL CALAMITY” 75% with Mary Astor — Evalyn Knapp 25% Directed by John Adolfi 20% A Warner Bros. and Vitaphone Picture 40% Length e S ® e Se e e e Running Time... . 6637 Feet 32 Minutes