Flight from Destiny (Warner Bros.) (1941)

PUBLICITY LEAD STORIES ° THEATRE STORIES ° ADVANCE Mat 201—30c GERALDINE FITZGERALD and JEFFREY LYNN carry the romantic interest in ‘Flight From Destiny,” the novel and powerful film drama which will have its first local showing Friday at the Strand Theatre. ‘Flight From Destiny’ Is Enteraining, Novel Film Drama Opens Friday at Strand Next Friday the Strand Theatre will show one of the year’s most unusual films. It is called “Flight From Destiny” and it is a picture as important as its title. The film stars Thomas Mitchell, Academy Award Winner, Geraldine Fitzgerald of “Dark Victory,” Jeffrey Lynn, star of “All This And Heaven Too” and James Stephenson. Professor Henry Todhunter, played by Thomas Mitchell, learns from his doctor, played by James Stephenson, that he is suffering from a heart ailment which allows him only six more months to live. After much deliberation he decides that he can make his life worthwhile by doing away with someone who menaces others yet whose crimes are not punishable by law. He hasn’t the slightest idea who that victim will be but it isn’t long before he finds a deserving candidate. The wife of one of his favorite students, portrayed by Geraldine Fitzgerald, tells the professor that her artist husband, Michael (Jeffrey Lynn’s role) seems to be in some sort of trouble but he won’t reveal it. After some investigation the professor learns that a woman called Ketti, played by Mona Maris, owns an art gallery and employs Michael to make copies of masterpieces which she sells as originals. When he wants to quit she threatens to expose him. The professor tells her very coldly that unless she frees Michael he will kill her and she ridicules the thought of this weak looking creature threatening her life. The plot continues to pile up surprise after surprise in a film crammed with suspense. Ace director Vincent Sherman, handled “Flight From Destiny” and from advance reports he has kept his brilliant record intact. Barry ‘Trivers wrote the screenplay from a story by Anthony Berkeley. Powerfully Conceived Film Drama Coming To Strand In a recent interview with Manager Starks of the Strand Theatre, he made the statement that the new picture, “Flight From Destiny,” which has been booked into his theatre, starting Friday, is one of the most fascinating films he has ever shown. The picture is so powerfully conceived, convincingly acted, vividly true, yet so utterly simple you'll say, “Why couldn’t I have thought of that?” “The actors are good. There’s Thomas Mitchell—you remember him as the drunken doctor in “Stagecoach,” and in dozens of other fine character parts. The girl is Geraldine Fitzgerald— who scored such a hit in “Wuthering Heights,’ and she’s as pretty as she is Irish. And there’s Jeffrey Lynn, that goodlooking young leading man from the “Four Daughters’ series, and “My Love Came Back.” All three of them are the kind of people you’ll feel friendly with when you see them on the screen, Mr. Starks told us. “Flight From Destiny” has a decidedly original twist. It tells about a mellow old professor of philosophy who is suddenly confronted with the fact that he has only about six months more to live. He decides to spend it in making life worth living for someone else. Starting on this highly interesting premise, the story goes on to an even more exciting and unexpected conclusion that makes great entertainment. ‘Flight From Destiny’ To Show At Strand Friday The Strand Theatre’s next feature attraction, “Flight From Destiny” is, according to an announcement from the management of the theatre, a picture crammed with thrills and suspense yet is different in its treatment of an exciting theme. Thomas Mitchell, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Jeffrey Lynn head the cast of players. Mitchell, Academy Award winner for his portrayal of the doctor in “Stagecoach,” plays the role of an elderly professor who learns that he has only six months to live. A philosophical fellow, he decides that he must find some way to put that six months to good use. He finds out from the wife of his best friend that her husband is in some sort of trouble but refuses to reveal it. On further investigation he discovers that his friend, who is an artist, has been painting copies of original masterpieces which a cold-blooded, scheming woman, played by Mona Maris, sells as authentic painting. When he becomes disgusted with his occupation and wants to quit, his phoney art dealer employer threatens to expose him. Mitchell, who fears nothing since learning of his illness, steps in and clears things up for his friend in a very definite manner. The young couple are played by Miss Fitzgerald and Lynn. She’s the lovely Irish star who scored so successfully in “Wuthering Heights.” Lynn is fast becoming one of the screen’s top leading men through his work at such pictures as the “Four Daughters” series, “The Fighting 69th” in which he portrayed Joyce Kilmer, and the recent comedy success, “My Love Came Back.” The siren role is portrayed by Mona Maris who, with this picture definitely establishes herself as one of the sereen’s most attractive and capable feminine “menaces.” “Flight From Destiny” was made under the direction of Vincent Sherman, who was responsible for the recent and successful, “Saturday’s Children.” The script by Barry Trivers was based on an original story by Anthony Berkeley. Strand Film Stars Geraldine Fitzgerald For the first time in many months Geraldine Fitzgerald faced the cameras when she was cast as the feminine lead opposite another distinguished scion of the ‘ould sod,’ Thomas Mitchell, in a drama called “Flight From Destiny,” opening Friday at the Strand Theatre. In “Flight From Destiny,” Miss Fitzgerald plays the neglected wife of Jeffrey Lynn. It is a powerfully dramatic role and she was happy to play it. Its unusually dramatic plot appealed to her. A kindly professor, who learns that he has an incurable heart ailment gives him only six more months of life, decides to devote that time to righting the wrong that has been done to her. Mitchell, of course, is the professor. Miss Fitzgerald thinks he is tops and found it a treat to work with him. She was also very much “sold” on the ability and dramatic understanding of Vincent Sherman, the young director, who guided the film. She believes the ground she has gained by her portrayal in this picture has done much toward making up for lost time. Typical Audience Preview ‘Destiny’, Call It Great From the management of the Strand Theatre comes word that “Flight From Destiny,” the new picture which has been scheduled to open there on Friday, has passed with flying colors one of the most unusual of “test previews.” Warner Bros., producers of the film, held various screenings of the pictures in all different parts of the country, showing the film to over a million people representing a crosssection of the nation. Shown in metropolitan, suburban and rural districts, the film in each case was greeted with the greatest enthusiasm. Comment cards handed in by members of the various audiences after seeing “Flight From Destiny” indicate that it is definitely great audience entertainment. Every element of drama romance and suspense is present in the highly unusual film, and the novelty of story and direction is something unique in the annals of motion picture drama. The cast, fine performers every one, includes Geraldine Fitzgerald, the lovely Irish girl who charmed audiences in such pictures as “Wuthering Heights’ and “Dark Victory” last year; Thomas Mitchell, superb character actor and Academy Award winner who has lately scored in “Gone With The Wind,” “The Long Voyage Home” and “Angels Over Broadway”; Jeffrey Lynn, handsome young leading man whose recent triumphs includes “The Fighting 69th” and “All This And Heaven Too”; James Stephenson, the surprise star of “The Letter”; and Mona Maris, a young veteran of South American films, makes her Hollywood debut as an enchanting menace. “Flight From Destiny” was directed by Vincent Sherman, from a screen play by Barry Trivers, based on Anthony Berkeley’s original story. Brief Notes Warner Bros. studio first aid department was very busy—but not because of accidents. During the filming of medical examination scenes in “Flight From Destiny,” Doc Paul McWilliams, studio physician, had to stand by as technical adviser to see to it that James Stephenson, the medico who examines Thomas Mitchell in the film which opens Friday at the Strand, handled slides, fluoroscope, spectroscope etc., in the proper manner. Mona Maris plays the adventuress role in Warner Bros. film, “Flight From Destiny” now playing at the Strand Theatre with Thomas Mitchell, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Jeffrey Lynn in the leading roles. The adventuress role is said to be the most sinister feminine role written into any picture in recent years. She loved it! A collection of nearly 100 rare miniatures is displayed in the scene in which Thomas Mitchell appears in the art gallery sequences of Warner Bros.’ “Flight From Destiny.” Eleven miniatures which have been worthy of loan exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City are included in the sequences. Thomas Mitchell faced one of the most difficult tasks of his 30 year acting career in “Flight From Destiny.” He worked almost constantly every day but two of the entire shooting schedule. When the picture was completed, he had memorized the equivalent of 92 pages of typewritten script. In the picture Mitchell enacts a benign college professor who is impelled to commit a socially necessary murder. THE CAST Betty Farroway GERALDINE FITZGERALD Professor Henry Todhunter THOMAS MITCHELL Michael Farroway JEFFREY LYNN Dr. Lawrence Stevens JAMES STEPHENSON Ketti Moret........ Mona Maris District Attorney .Jonathan Hale Saunders ......... David Bruce Dean Somers..... Thurston Hall Martha ......... Mary Gordon Peterson ....... John Eldredge Ferrers ......:; Hardie Albright Prentiss ....... William Forrest Brooks ....... Weldon Heyburn TPO V AR aie ken cuaaare DeWolf Hopper Conway ..Alexander Lockwood Edvaard Kreindling Frank Reicher Maid PRODUCTION Directed by VINCENT SHERMAN Screen Play by Barry Trivers; From a Story by Anthony Berkeley; Director of Photography, James Van Trees, A.S.C.; Art Director, Esdras Hartley; Sound by Charles Lang; Film Editor, Thomas Richards; Gowns by Damon Giffard; Music by Heinz Roembheld; Orchestral Arrangements by Ray Heindorf; Makeup Artist, Perce Westmore; Musical Director, Leo F. Forbstein. SYNOPSIS (Not for publication) Professor Henry Todhunter (Thomas Mitchell) finds that a young couple who are very dear friends of his are in difficulties. Betty (Geraldine Fitzgerald), the wife, comes to him and tells him that Michael (Jeffrey Lynn) is drifting away from her. The profes sor takes Betty down to Michael’s art studio to talk things over with him, but they see him leaving the building with Ketti (Mona Maris). is that Ketti has on Michael. the young artist to paint copies of old masterpieces. Investigating further, the professor learns what the hold She runs an art gallery, and had hired She had then sold them as originals, and when he protested and wanted to quit, she had threatened to expose him as a fraud. The professor, harboring alone his secret knowledge that the doctor (James Stephenson) has given him only six months to live, takes justice into his own hands to straighten things out for Michael and Betty. (Running Time—74 min.) 1B