Illicit (Warner Bros.) (1931)

“4 Warner Bros. present “ILLICIT,” A Vitaphone Production BARBARA STANWYCK BRILLIANT AS LOVE-REBEL IN “ILLICIT” (Advance) ‘“Tlicit,’ a Warner Bros. and Vitaphone comedy-drama of modern love and marriage, comes to BUG Theatre _.__... next for a run of days. The cast that presents this dar-| ing picture is headed by Barbara Stanwyck, as a modern young woman, the daughter of divorced parents, who honestly believes . that marriage is inimical to happiness, and for that reason refuses to marry her common law husband whom she deeply loves. The tongue of Mrs. Grundy, the kindly urging of her lover’s millionaire father, and that of the lover himself finally make her consent to the marriage. What happens to prove or disprove her theories—make up the enthralling picture. Those who appear with Miss Stanwyck are James Rennie, Natalie. Moorehead, Joan Blondell, Chas. Butterworth, Ricardo Cortez and Claude Gillingwater. Harvey Thew did the adaptation from the play of Edith Fitzgerald and Robert Riskin, Archie Mayo directed. “Tilicit” deals with a _ delicate subject in such a way as to create a really moving bit of life, intensely human, amusing on occasion, and always understandable. The performance of Barbara Stanwyck is one of the most brilliant since the coming of the talking picture. She is so wholesomely feminine, so frankly bewildered by her “theories” and so appealing in appearance and manner that she unwittingly dominates every scene whether present or absent. JOAN BLONDELL AS DUKIE IN “ILLICIT” (Advance) _ Joan P'ondell, Se Gere “¥eatured role of Dukie, a playgirl of Broadway, in “Illicit,” the Warner Bros. and Vitaphone production presenting Barbara Stanwyck and James Rennie, which comes to the ERR Theatre next, is the eldest daughter of Eddie Blondell, famous vaudeville comedian and known the world over as “The Katzenjammer Kid.” Archie Mayo directed “Illicit” which is a daring ae SENSATIONAL | NEW STAR Barbara Stanwyck Cut No. 28; Cut 15c, Mat 5c BUTTERWORTH LENDS FUN TO “ILLICIT” (Advance) Charles Butterworth, the inimit able comedian, who plays a featured role in support of Barbara Stanwyck and Jaines Rennie in “TIllicit,’ the Warne” Bros. and Vitaphone comedy-drama wnich comes CO THe next, is a member of the Indiana State Bar. He attended the University of Notre Dame and was admitted to the bar in 1923. ‘The Butterworth humor is absolutely individual and it delightfully heightens the dramatic power of “Illicit.” Others in the cast are Natalie Moorehead, Riardo Cortez, Joan Blondell, and Claude Gillingwater. story of modern love and marriage.’ Archie Mayo directed. This new star ... SO warm and vibrant --. so brilliantly differCIE ve .6x< This new picture ... so bold, so truthful. ess a million wives, husbands and lovers ? will see themselves in this story. .. Good New theme. New star! New idea in screen drama! Warner Bros. EARLE Broadway at 47th St. Twice Daily 2:45-8:45 . Are Marriage Bonds Security for Love? Cut No. 6—Cut 40c; Mat 10c 150 Lines (Review) “Tlicit” a Thrilling and Modern Romance with Miss Stanwyck Raden ate rales THEATRE: Warner Bros. present “Illicit,” featuring Barbara Stanwyck. Based on the play ‘Illicit,’ by Edith Fitzgerald and Robert’ Riskin. ‘ Sereen play and dialogue by Harvey Thew. Directed by Archie Mayo. The east includes James Rennie, Charles Butterworth, Joan Blondell, Natalie Moorehead, Ricardo Cor. tez and Claude Gillingwater. Barbara Stanwyck achieves the supreme triumph of her career in “Tllicit,’” the startling comedydrama of modern love and matrimony which opened last night at [ans eater aeons Theatre. She plays the part of a Park Avenue society girl, who, while desiring the love of her special young man-about-town, objects to his insistence that they conform to /gxonvention and marry, fearing that the ceremony will be the end +f romance. ‘Though she finally tloes consent to marry, it is with many scruples. That the calamity she feared did happen, may be well imagined but what happened after she went back to live in her own apartment to regain her individuality—and what didn’t happen—is the gist of one of the most consistently entertaining plays of the year. The lover is played by handsome James Rennie; his father by Claude Gillingwater — the first courtly old gentleman that that sterling actor has created for many a day. Charles Butterworth—most unique of all Broadway funny men —acts the part of an inebriated and woozy friend of the family— Wile, ox v0a Biondell as his compzion in ribaldry. fhen-there is that blonde menace of all bonde menaces, Natalie Moorehead —and Ricardo Cortez successfully playing an unsuccessful suitor. Don’t miss “Illicit’”—intriguing— sophisticated—human—different. (Current) iy Barbara Was Chosen For Title Role in “Thlhicit” In selecting Miss Stanwyck to play the role of Anne Vincent in Cie “NO We ate Lek ee Se Theatre, Jack Warner was influenced by her ability to portray delicate sex situations in a subtle and inoffensive manner. The story of the picture is a daring one. As Anne Vincent, Miss Stanwyck is geen as an ultra-modern daughter or high society who has ner own thougnts on life and love, She does not think husbands make good lovers and prefers a life with her sweetheart that defies convention, rather than be united with him in wedlock. Although she cares nothing about what gossips say and think, she finally yields to the importunities of her friends and her lover and marries him. A year of married life then follows at the end of which time there has been a gradual cooling of her husband’s ardor. He still loved his wife, but in a matter of fact way. The bane of married life, that taken for granted attitude, which in her mind often marks the difference between a husband and a sweetheart and which she dreaded in the beginning, bids fair to wreck their marriage. The steps she then takes, her heart aches and_ struggles, would have made the picture an intense drama if it weren’t for the comedy relief provided by Charles | Butterworth, who as the good natured souse, injects his droll hu WARNER BROS. Present It JAMES RENNIE The boy who wanted to marry! with BARBARA _ STANWYCK Charles Butterworth, James Rennie, Ricardo Cortez, Joan Blondell and Natalie Moorehead The Sensational Theme Will Keep You Thinking! The Sensational Star Will Keep You Raving! Cut No. 12; Cut 40c, Mat 10c lovely girl! -RIVOLI| | New Fashioned Theories In Old Fashioned Love! starts where others leave off. You can’t forget the startling theme. You can’t forget this BARBARA STANWYCK The girl who wasn’t the marrying kind! 256 Lines — DARING “ILLICIT” SCREENED BEFORE IT IS STAGED (Current) A departure from the customary treatment given new plays, was accorded “Illicit,” the comedy-drama by Edith Fitzgerald and Robert Risken, when Warner Bros. filmed the play before it had appeared on the stage. be The picture is now to on the screen at the Theatre with Barbara seen Stanwyck, James Rennie and Chas. Butterworth in the featured roles. In the past, it was the established custom of movie producers to film only stage plays that have been tried before the footlights, where the audience reaction could be used as a guide in determing in the mor into the picture to such an extent that the producers bill “Illicit” as a comedy-drama. Cut No. 13; Cut 20c, Mat 5c minds of movie men, the screen value. Warner Bros. officials were so impressed with the story of “Illicit” that they arranged with the authors for the filming and release of the picture before the play was produced on the stage, the y ~ reverse of past performances “THlicit” deals with an ultra ern society girl, played by Barbara Stanwyck, who refuses to marry her sweetheart because she does not think men make as good lovers in wedlock, as they do out of it. It is a daring story that required very delicate handling and it was because in their opinion, the authors had treated an unusual plot with rare good taste, that Warner Bros. bought and produced the story. It is a type of story that could not have been brought to the screen but for the invention of talkies. Like many Of the greatest stage comedy.dramas, itis not suitable material for a silent film portrayal. Dialogue characterizations and brilliant lines characterize the entire atmosphere of the plot. Ao