Life Begins (Warner Bros.) (1932)

CURRENT FEATURE STORIES Care of 10 Babies in ‘Life Begins, ’’ No Cinch (Current) ‘‘Ten babies, stand by,’’ read the call-sheet for ‘‘Life Begins,’’ the remarkably powerful and beautifully acted drama of a maternity ward in which Loretta Young and Eric Linden are co-featured at the Theatre this week. What ‘‘ten babies, stand by’’ really meant, of course, was for ten mothers to stay at home, close to the telephone and ready to start for the studio on ten minutes’ notice. It was necessary to have the babies for ‘‘Life Begins,’’ which deals with the drama, pathos, comedy and tragedy which meet in the maternity ward of any hospital. Baby and mother receive $75 for each day’s work, if the baby is under 30 days old; $50 if the child is between thirty and ninety days old and $25 for babies between ninety Ever ossibl f i oe eeard: for thelr days and six months of age. welfare and comfort was provided by the studio in accordance with the. laws of California. The children are secured through the Los Angeles Board of Education and the studio signs an agreement to be fully responsible for any possible injury resulting from the picture work for six months following the appearance. No child under seventeen days of age can work in pictures. Each baby working must be examined each day by the representative vf the city’s board of health, to pre “vent any possible spread of any conThe contracts are signed by studio executives, a member of the Board of Education and the mother of the child. tagious disease. 30 Seconds Limit for Babies Babies can not be photographed more than thirty seconds at a time, nor more than twenty minutes all told in any one day. The pay for ‘‘standing by’’ is $10 per day for the mother, and it must be paid for each day the mother keeps herself and baby ready to start for ; the studio on notice. Two hours on the set is considered ‘¢We want ten new-born babies for Tough on Casting Office James Flood and Elliott Nugent, assigned the ticklish job of directing the screen’s first intimate picture of a maternity ward, knew what they were in for when they gave that order. And William Forsyth, who took the order in the casting office, realized what he was in for. He called up several maternity hospitals and got the names and addresses of about fifty recently discharged confinement cases. With two assistants, he made the rounds of the mothers. ‘‘Would you like to put your little baby in the movies?’’ he asked. That was just the beginning of his job. He had to transport the mothers and babies to the Board of Education in downtown Los Angeles. He had to crowd into elevators with scolding mothers and bawling infants. He had to see that all the children were thoroughly examined by the Board of Education doctor and permits to work issued—and then take When the eall came in for them to report on the them home again. set, Forsyth had to get cars again and bring them to the studio. Trained Nurse in Charge Josephine Gellerman, the trained nurse who acted as technical adviser on the picture due to her experience as @ nurse in real maternity wards, came in for a large share of the work % GUNS a eT EAN PRC Oc SR ETC Sen SE Un nn ee eae en Sra in attending the children in the cozy Loretta Young, Eric Linden and room prepared for them just off the | Dorothy Peterson weren’t considered stage. for a moment. She had to check up on mothers’ schedules, see that the infants were fed and kept dry. In this she was assisted by Lois Horne, the studio’s official school teacher and welfare worker, who is responsible to the Board of Education for the babies’ welfare, although paid for by the studio. If it had been Chatterton, Bennett or Kay Francis instead of these three they would have had to play second fiddle to the babies just the same. You can’t reason with newborn temperament—nor trifle with the rules of the Los Angeles Board of Education. At last James Flood uttered thse There were several scenes to be| final ‘‘Cut!’’ taken, some in which Loretta Young appeared alone and others with Eric Linden and Dorothy Peterson. Five scenes to be shot with a total of twenty minutes actual shooting to in sure their being perfect. The babies and their mothers were loaded into four big cars under the supervision of Misses Horne and Gellerman and Messrs. Fox and Forsyth. A man with a satchel full of money He checked over names and ages of the babies before paying them: ‘‘John Blake, 51 days old; Hugh Binyon, 34 days; Grace Axtell, 40 days; Harry Colas, 32 days; Alan Weeks, 32 days; Richard Henderson, 34 days; Lou May Ingball, 37 days; Franklyn Spendley, 34 days; Martin © Perolio, 40 days; Malcolm Raeder, 36 days.’? went from car to car. Each time the lights were snapped on, a stop watch clicked in Lois Horne’s hand. As it neared the thirty seconds limit, she signaled to the directors. There were camera set-ups and changes of angles to take care of. The sound recorder had to emerge from his booth a couple of times to arrange the microphone in a better position. The bawling and screeching of ten healthy babies often proved too much competition for the lines the principals had to speak. They all came in the fifty dollar class and were paid accordingly. On a motion picture set, babies are not what you might call blessed events, but ‘‘Life Begins,’’ simply Stars Disregarded could not be made without them. Precious minutes were consumed be ‘‘Life Begins’’ is based on the play by Mary McDougall Axelson, and adapted to the screen by Earl Baldwin. tween scenes while occasionally babies were lifted out of their cribs to be deftly diapered by Josephine Gellerman. a full day. the nursery sequence tomorrow.’’ Current Feature i ae ee » — lhe ae a ae hin ey ee aS vfCtiu FO, Zu <c Happiness—Contentment You can truthfully call Loretta Young, First National’s feaSe eer TOW ate the? 2.3 tiie en Theatre in ‘‘Life Begins,’’ the richest girl in filmdom. From the standpoint of dollars and cents she may not rank with many others we can name off-hand, but in the matter of happiness and contentment, she is Hollywood’s richest girl. The reason is that Loretta Young prefers the Simpler Things in Life. One of these days, Loretta says, she is going to turn up very much married. But it is going to be one of those heaven-made matches that will withtstand the wear and tear of time. Her one sad experience has given her wisdom—and when her next choice is made, it will be on a permanent foundation with the idea of having a child as one of its big features. This, then—motherhood—is the only unfilled desire of Loretta Young. Aside from this she considers herself abounding in everything that life can give to make her happy. When she is not working, she never gets up before 11 A.M.—no matter how early she went to bed the night before. While she is working it is another matter altogether, for then she must be up even before stenographers and shop-girls. In the matter of food, rare fillets and odd edibles do not thrill her in the least. She heartily enjoys a cheese sandwich and a glass of milk when she feels in need of a snack. The most delicious dish she can think of is the cheese pie with custard filling that her mother makes—and she’d walk a mile for lemon tarts and chicken tamales. Loretta does not care to be another Duse or Bernhardt. The idea of being a great tragedienne leaves her cold. All she wants is to make the name of Loretta Young always welcome on the screen and to play her type of roles to perfection. Not Crazy About Clothes Gorgeous clothes don’t mean a thing to her. She has plenty of them for every movie star has a certain standard of living to live up to. But for every day wear she prefers pajamas. She can derive extreme satisfaction from the smallest of things. Most of her requirements to make life worth while living are within the reach of any working girl. Has Simple Tastes She does not care to own a yacht nor an imported, rakish car. She drives a Buick coupe. The beach cottage fad of most of the stars does not appeal to her. The modest house in which she lives on the outskirts of Hollywood is all she wants the year round. If she wants to go in swimming, it is a very short drive from there to the beach at Santa Monica. One reason for this sort of costume is that she does not care to wear stockings or uncomfortable shoes. Sandals are her ideal footwear. She does not care for elaborate celebrations on Christmas, Thanksgiving or any other holiday. Nothing in the world could keep her from spending these -holidays with her mother and three sisters. Among themselves they have a real family get ‘und the fireplace and sit ~rtkey dinner as though ch a meal once a year. vury is to sleep late. She does not care to play bridge or any card games. When it comes to indoor sports she gets a huge kick out of parlor games. One of her favorite sports is rollerskating. Week-end yachting trips, or jaunts to the various resorts within reach of Hollywood can’t compare to the trips | family or some. of her neighbors. i eds ae eS eas trees: ‘| “yueatre-going »with hei she takes to the mountains and out| Erj¢e Linden Runs Gamut of Human Emotions While in the country in company with her ua matter of evening gowns and limousines. Outside of the occasional premieres which she attends, movie-going is a matter of taking mother and sisters to a neighborhood theatre. Perfumes Only Luxury Her love for delicate perfumes is the farthest she has gone in her desire for luxuries. She is just a girl whom success has not spoiled—and who wisely realizes that it is the Simple Things in Life that bring the greatest happiness. ‘¢Life Begins’’ is based on a play by Mary McDougall Axelson, adapted to the screen by Earl Baldwin. Loretta Young and Eric Linden are cofeatured with a cast composed of Aline MacMahon, Preston Foster, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Vivienne Osborne, Dorothy Tree, Reginald Mason, Walter Walker, Herbert Mandin and Dorothy Peterson. It was directed by James Flood, with Elliott Nugent as co-director. 18 Babies in “Life Begins” The large number of Hollywood mothers who have managed to get their offsprings into pictures from time to time, were exuberant when they heard that the First National studio was seeking 18 babies for use in “Life Begins,” one of the most unusual pictures ever to go into production at the Warner Bros. studio. The casting director was besieged by 300 mothers, who brought their children, ranging in age from two years to eight, to the studio, in hope of securing a part. However, their hopes were blasted when they were told that only babies less than 60 days of age were wanted. “Life Begins” is now playing at the Theatre with Loretta Young, Eric Linden, Glenda Farrell and Frank McHugh. a a a a RCT With forced cheerfulness—Forcefully Touched—His voice breaking Alarmed—Controlling self with di® — ing “| Almost hysterica®' ovat. Frantically—Almost insan xiety Terrified—Upset Fiercely—Through his teeth Deeply shaken Try that on your mirror if you want to learn how to register ‘‘ Anxiety’’ in the movies. ae = -. “aire Be (Current Feature) There was a time when any trouper who could ‘‘register’’ Joy, Fear, Hate, Love and Anger with any degree of convincing facial change felt entitled to become a movie player. She (or it even might be a He) would probably have one set grimace for each of these emotions—but how about the thousands of shadings of each of these? There are such, you know, as Eric Linden can show you with conclusive proof. When Linden was handed his script for a part in the First National picture ‘‘Life Begins,’’ now current at the Theatre, he was told merely that he was to portray an anxious father awaiting the birth of his child in a maternity ward. It is possible for anyone to stand before a camera and make a facial contortion that would accurately register over the caption of ‘‘ Anxious Father Awaiting The Birth Of His Child In A Maternity Ward.’’ In fact, it might fit the general title of ‘“ Anxiety,’’ but in motion pictures, especially those of the talking variety, such an emotion needs a lot of nuances before the picture is completely presented. ‘‘Life Begins’’ is based on a play by Mary McDougall Axelson, and adapted to the screen by Earl Baldwin. Loretta Young and Hric Linden are co-featured at the head of one of the largest and most brilliant casts Hollywood has provided in one pic ture this year. Some of the well known players being Aline MacMahon, Preston Foster, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Vivienne Osborne, Dorothy Tree, Reginald Mason, Walter Walker, Herbert Mundin and Dorothy Peterson. It was directed by James Flood, with Elliott Nugent as co-director. They also directed ‘‘The Mouthpiece’’ for the same studios. 8 Mothers Without Children Used in “Life Begins” Eight mothers without one single child any one of them could call their own! Yet each called upon by her role to portray the real intimate emotions of an expectant mother. That was the anomalous situation which confronted the cast during the filming of “Life Begins,” the First National film now at the Theatre. The entire action of the picture takes place in a hospital maternity ward, and the script called for eight women to play the roles of the new mothers. On checking over the actresses who played these roles, it was discovered that not one of them was a mother in real life. They are Loretta Young, Glenda Farrell, Gloria Shea, Clara Blandick, Vivienne Osborne, Elizabeth Patterson, Ruthelma Stevens and Dorothy Tree. ‘Others in the cast of “Life Begins” are Eric Linden, Aline M .cMahon, Preston Foster, F ank McHugh, Walter Walker, Dorothy Peterson, Gilbert RoInd and Hale Hamilton. As far as Eric Linden’s part in ‘<Life Begins’’ is concerned, his action and speech start on an hysterical note and end that way. His role carries through the entire production, and with practically no let-up he registers nothing but ‘‘ Anxiety.’’ But this word, or rather its adjective, is mentioned only once in the script in connection with the part he plays. Before his speeches as they are written in the script there are parenthetical directions for their delivery which carry him through the entire gamut of emotions he must depict to make his role convincing. _ Copying them consecutively as one turns the pages of the script of ‘‘ Life Begins,’’ Erie Linden’s lines carry the following specifications: Pounecing on nurse—In confusion Looks about him dejectedly—Embar rassed : Puzzled—Swallowing hard Appealingly—Anxiously (sic) Impatiently—Protesting Stubbornly—With a catch in his voice Page Twenty-Three