Desirable (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Romance Smashed, Brent Now Turns To His Career Leading Man In “Desirable”? Hurls Self Into Serious Work playing the leading masculine role in ‘‘Desirable’’ at non having deserted him, George Brent, now the time and attention to his work and the rebulding motion picture career. all his of his Theatre, has turned No recent newcomer to the sereen has attracted the attention and praise that was showered upon George Brent during the first six months or year he was under contract to Warner Bros. His marriage to Ruth Chatterton, the star, who had picked him George Brent appearing in Warner’s ** Desirable ,”’ now at the from a great number of candidates for the leading role opposite her in “The Rich Are AIways With Us,’ brought that first phase of his career to an end. For the next six months or so Brent progressed rapidly up the ladder of screen fame toward stardom. After that his career seemed to languish. He played romantic leads opposite Miss Chatterton in four of the six pictures George Brent Gets Pilot License George Brent’s plans are all up in the air these days. The popular Warner’ Bros. actor, who will next be seen in “Desirable,” which comes to the Fs he Jer 2 Theatre on ae: has joined the legion: of the airminded and is one of the most enthusiastic aviators in the cinema village. Every minute he can spare from working, is spent in his new plane. Brent Sought by Film Stars as’ Leading Man George Brent, whose return to the screen after a long absence, has seen him rise far beyond the heights he had attained before his lay-off, is now in constant demand by other producers to play leading roles opposite their feminine stars. Immediately markable Bros., in Bette Davis and Ann Dvorak, and his almost sensational per after his. rework for Warner “Houswife,’ with formance in “Desirable,” in which he shares starring. honors with Jean Muir and Verree Teasdale, he was loaned by Warner Bros. to play opposite Greta Garbo in her next starring vehicle. Page Four she made during their courtship and marriage. Brent appeared, all told, in twelve Warner Bros. pictures before his disagreement with the studio resulted in his long holiday from the screen. Three times George Brent had tried Hollywood and _ pictures without any appreciable success. He was on his way back a fourth time when his Hollywood agent telephoned him to hurry out to Warner Bros. studios to take a test for a role in the picture, “The Rich Are Always With Us,” Ruth Chatterton’s first picture for that studio. It is studio history now that immediately after Miss Chatterton saw that test in the projection room the next day, she turned to studio executives and said: “Where has this man been all my life?” He got the part. For a time the marriage did not seem to materially affect Brent’s progress in popularity. No young actor ever moved forward more rapidly than did he. It was considered only a matter of months until he would win the right to be starred in his own pictures. What happened to Brent is very difficult to explain. It was nothing tangible. He became aloof and difficult to please and at times completely out of reach of studio employes who wished to consult him on the business of picture making. Full fledged stars can sometimes get away with such an attitude but for a young actor, just stepping into stardom, it was a nearly fatal mistake. In more recent months his rumored domestic difficulties were reflected naturally in his continued quarrel with his studio. The whole unhappy affair was climaxed within one week—almost within one twenty-four hours. Miss Chatterton, in New York, announced their separation and the Warner Bros. studios, in Hollywood, announced that Brent had been reinstated in favor and would be seen shortly in important roles in new pictures. So, abruptly, Brent came back to the studio and picked up the tangled threads of his career. The Chatterton bungalow on the Warner lot where much of their courtship was earried on and where they lived as man and wife for a short time after their marriage, is occupied as a dressing room now.by Barbara Stanwyck. Telling About GEORGE BRENT George Brent was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of a prominent newspaperman. George became an aide of Michael Collins, in the Irish Rebellion. He had won praise for his work in the Abbey Theatre plays, and in America had been successful in stock before entering upon a screen career. His recent productions include “Housewife, 99 “From Headquarters,” “Lilly Turner,” “Female,” “‘The Rich Are Always With Us,” “‘The Crash,” “They Call It Sin.” Photo on left available—Mat No. 8—20c George Brent Now Saving His Money Against Rainy Day George Brent, who plays the role of a man-about-town in the Warner Bros. production of “Desirable,’ which comes to the Theatre on is now Hollywood’s outstanding quiet, small-town boy. The popular actor has engaged a business manager, a financial adviser, who takes complete charge of the Brent pursestrings and sees that every penny goes where it is likely to do the most good. George hasn’t ever been the spendthrift that every actor is supposed to be, but he has been wondering where his money has been going these many years. Now he’ll know the answers. The Brent income is turned over directly to the business manager who disburses it in faithful allotments through the various channels provided in the budget. A part is doled out to the actor, but he is kept within bounds on his personal expenditures. “Desirable” is a dynamic drama_. by Mary McCall, Jr. Jean Muir heads the all-star east which ineludes Verree Teasdale, John Halliday, Charles Starrett, Russell Hopton, Joan Wheeler and Pauline True. Mayo directed. George Brent Handsome star of “Desirable,” new Warner Bros. film starring Jean Muir and Verree Teasdale along with the personable young man seen above. Mat No. 10—10c Romance having deserted him, George Brent has gone back to work. In “Desirable” Brent has the role of a bon-vivant and _ suecessful young business man who falls in love with the daughter of a brilliant Broadway star, after a . passing romance with her mother. The story by Mary MeCall, Jr., is a dynamic love drama set in the sophisticated atmosphere of the theatre and New . York’s Four Hundred. Others in the cast include Jean Muir, Verree Teasdale, Charles Starrett, Russell Hopton and Joan Wheeler. Archie Mayo directed. Archie’ Stars’ ” in the new Warner Bros. romantic hit, “Desirable.” ‘Desirable’ ‘Jean Muir and George Brent, featured along with Verree Teasdale This dynamic tale of the love of mother and daughter for the same man, offers an unexcelled starring vehicle for the lovely Miss Muir. The picture will be seen at the Strand beginning Wednesday. Mat No. 14—20c Actors Of Today Must Be Natural, Says Brent Reflection of National Characteristics Necessary, Says Lead In “‘Desirable”’ CCORDING to George Brent, always a serious student of the drama, nothing reflects national characteristics as accurately as acting. Discovered on a set at Warner Bros. studios, where he was making ‘‘Desirable,’’ which comes to the , Brent was asked how he liked Expecting a stereotyped reply, the interviewer Theatre on his part. was surprised to hear him answer: “T like it because the role is a composite picture of thousands of men instead of one. All good parts must reflect the feeling and habits and reactions of many people in order to be interesting.” “How then,’ he was asked, “ean a role be definite, if it spreads so far?” “That’s just it,” said Brent, with an engaging smile. “A character that is too definitely one person eannot have general appeal. “You mean, a character must strike an average?” “Not exactly,” he said. “For instance, the average person in your class says ‘I saw,’ while the average person in someone’s else class says ‘I seen. We cannot strike an average between I saw and I seen, but we choose the one that the greatest number of people will accept as right. “Tn regard to acting reflecting national. characteristics. It is easier to illustrate than to define. Let’s take the three obvious examples. The French are a lively, ebullient, demonstrative people— so their acting methods are the same. The English are repressed, dignified and imperturbable. So are the methods of English ac tors. Americans move fast and are inclined to a nervous alertness. The American actor reflects this in his method. “We are now in a eycle of realism and actors make every effort to be as natural as pos sible. Our only concession to ‘theatre’ is the over-emphasis necessary to project ourselves across the footlights. The hero may whisper his words of love to the heroine, in some cozy nook, but he must remember that his words, gestures and _ attitude include his audience.” In “Desirable,’ Brent has the role of a successful young business man who is enamored by a brilliant Broadway actress, but whose love turns to the woman’s daughter, whom he meets when she suddenly returns from a Broadway school where her mother had hidden her, fearing she would jeopardize her professional career. There is an all star cast, including besides Brent, Jean Muir, Verree Teasdale, John Halliday, Charles Starrett and Russell Hopton. Archie Mayo directed the picture from the story and screen play by Mary McCall, Jr.