Misbehaving Ladies (Warner Bros.) (1931)

= a P<. Xémember! Here Is The Picture S Draw That “Family” Patronage! Remember! “MISBEHAVING LADIES” HAILED AS MOST HUMANLY AMUSING COMEDY SEEM LOCALLY DURING SEASON (Prepared Review, Featuring the Cast) Cut No. 16 Cut 30c Mat roc Lila Lee and Lucien Littlefield in an amusing scene from “Misbehaving Ladies” Last night’s audience at the accorded enthusiastic applause First National production, featuring Lila Lee and Ben Lyon. And no wonder they showed such vociferous approval, for the Juliet Wilbor Tompkins story on which the picture is based, is one of those warmly human, genial, tender, chuckling pieces which find everybody’s soft spot. The story is that of a small town beauty who goes abroad, marries a prince, and after a few years, returns home widowed. Her old friends are expecting to see her in all the purple and gold of royalty, and when she appears, simply clothed and subdued, she is taken for a seamstress, and at once put to work, to prepare for her own arrival. How she shocks and delights her democratic countrymen and countrywomen by donning her regal gowns —how the gossips gossip—how the ladies’ aid convenes—how the real Prince Charming comes into her life —make as jolly an evening’s entertainment as can be imagined. But in spite of the fine story and superb direction the piece would not really eome to life, without the aid of the superb players. Beautiful and versatile Lila Lee is east as Ellen; the gallivanting prin cess and plain home body—and her | portrayal is vivid and finely balanced. The many astonishing situations in which she finds herself are met with a marvelous sense of values. Ben Lyon—a thousand miles from the daredevil ace of “Hell’s Angels” —appears as the gentle, misunderstood village genius, who renews his childhood lovemaking with Ellen, exprincess, and finally wins a name for himself and Ellen in the bargain. The out-and-out comedy of “Misbehaving Ladies” is in the capable hands of Louise Fazenda and Lucien Littlefield as Aunt Kate and Uncle Jo Boyd. Aunt Kate, while an one hundred percent American, feels ludicrously important that the whole village is agog with the return of her niece, now a princess. Uncle Jo is democratic—and much more interested in ladies themselves than in whatever high-sounding titles they may bear. No comedy team has outdone the uproarious character work of Fazenda-Littlefield. Old ladies of power, of one sort or another, are ably presented in the finished work of Julia Swayne Gordon, Emily Fitzroy and Martha Mattox. Virginia Grey does a fine bit ang Osear Afpel is grand and glori § as ethe pompous mayor. : sereen play and the dialogue -Julien Josephson. William at the Strand. Theatre to ‘‘Misbehaving Ladies,’’ the Beaudine directs magically—for “Misbehaving Ladies” is another typical Beaudine story. Don’t miss seeing the ladies and all the rest of the folks —no matter how misbehaving any or all of them are. REXY Oh Lady Be Good! Misbehaving ladies, Misunderstood husbands and Misbelieving wi ves — é they’re eral together MISBEHAYING LADIES — with BEN LYON / LILA LEE. Louise Fazenda Lucien Littlefield Cut No.6 Cut 20c Mat 5c ito her “Misbehaving Ladies’ Like Own Old Home Town Director and Players Enjoy Living Over Old Times (Advancé Reader) The editor of the Weekly Chronicele —the mayor — the town band — Meta Oliver who clings tenaciously old-fashioned geraniums, her starched sunbonnets, and her midVictorian ideals — Phil the village dreamer — Mrs. Joe Boyd of the un | surpassed plum preserves and the garden planted in bachelor buttons and straw flowers—members of the Ladies Aid—the home grown Italian princess—and many other delightful people appear in “Misbehaving Ladies,” the First National picture which comes to the ........ SRR Ea eet Theatre next. The picture presents a small American town of a decade ago in tenderly amusing retrospect. “It is like a visit back home, to those of us who played marbles, went to Sunday school, had our first love affair, and spoke our first pieces in a little town,” says William Beaudine, director of the picture. Louise Fazenda, who’has made a specialty of quaint characters, and who has first-hand information on the subject from her own early years in a small Indiana town, declares that folks are essentially the same the world over. “Ice skating may be the popular thing in Vermont while people are swimming in the water off Florida, but the differences are mainly geographical. Small-town life,” Miss Fazenda says, “leaves one with a lasting interest in people. I suppose Pll always be a small-towner at heart. Even now, after years in Hollywood, I’m given to neighborly visits and swapping recipes over the back fence. And I wonder if this knowing everyone else’s little affairs is such a bad thing after all. The fact that you know everyone in town is interested in your every move, may inspire you to put your best foot forward. I think small-town life begets confidence in oneself. John Smith looks around and decides that he’s far better in his line than anyone else in town, and tries his skill in broader fields. “There is no thrill in the world quite equal to going back to the old home town after one is successful. The desire to impress the home-towners is probably responsible for more worthwhile accomplishment than anything else. “T had a lot of honest fun working in ‘Misbehaving Ladies,’ and I see in every character a portrait of someone I used to know.” Julien Josephson adapted ‘‘Misbehaving Ladies” from a story by Juliet Wilbor Tompkins. The cast includes Lila Lee, Ben Lyon, Louise Fazenda, Lucien Littlefield, Julia Swayne Gordon, Emily Fitzroy, Martha Mattox, Virginia Grey, and Osear Apfel. LITTLEFIELD SAYS COMEDIANS ARE SAD FELLOWS (Current Story) Lucien Littlefield is perhaps ihe sereen’s most pessimistic comedian, and one of the best, Even Chaplin does not excel him in lugubriousness, and like Chaplin, he wants to play Hamlet. He says that few will believe comedians to be serious fellows at heart. Littlefield and Louise Fazenda give the fans 1001 hearty laughs in “Misehaving Ladies,” now at the Theatre. Lila Lee and Ben Lyon are featured in the romantic leads of this entertaining First National comedydrama, which William Beaudine directed. The story deals with a small-town girl who goes to Italy during her girlhood, marries a prince, becomes his widow, and returns to the small town to be mistaken for a seamstress expected to prepare for the princess’ visit! ep Visiting Your ’ Ben Lyon, Tried, Tried Again, And Succeeded (Advance Reader) Ben Lyon became discouraged three times with his screen work and returned to the stage. Making good there, he returned to the sereen with a sense of triumph, but the movies would have none of him. Though Lyon, who with Lila Lee, Louise Fazenda, Lucien Littlefield and other favorites, comes to the Theatre next in “Misbehaving Ladies,” began to play in pictures when he was still in school, he had trouble getting even extra parts in pictures. He finally went on the stage, and almost immediately became a leading man, playing on Broadway in such vehicles as “Wonderful Thing” and “Mary The Third.” He tried pictures for a second and third time, and at last succeeded in getting a juvenile lead in a New York studio. From that time on he has been one of the busiest and most popular of the screen’s young leading men, The talkies, of course, increased the prestige won by his stage training. “Hell’s Angels” was his latest vehicle to be released prior to “Misbehaving Ladies,” which is a_hilarious comedy-drama, directed by William Beaudine, and produced by First National. OLD ITALIAN CUSTOM The custom of charging American tourists for social teas with Italian princesses, one of the comedy *highspots of First National’s “Misbehaving Ladies,” which comes to the .... Theatre next, isn’t just the scenarist’s inspiration. It is an Italian custom. And why not. Lila Lee, In Early Twenties, Veteran Of The Talkies (Current Story) Lila Lee, although known for nearly ten years on the screen—since © she was starred in films at thirteen —is one of the earliest and latest talkie celebrities. Miss Lee recently signed a longterm contract with First National Pietures by virtue of her work in such films as “Dark Streets,” “Drag,” and “Woman Hungry.” Her latest picture, ‘Misbehaving lJLadies,” is now-at. thes. = ee Theatre. A child star, Lila played opposite such men as Harrison Ford and Wallace Reid. When her gawky age came she retired, later going on the stage and only recently returning to the sereen. Ben Lyon plays opposite her in “Misbehaving Ladies.” Louise Fazenda and Iucien Littlefield are other favorites in the picture, which William Beaudine directed. LIKES PLAYING QUEEN When Hollywood easting directors need a queen they usually send for Julia Swayne Gordon, who although born in Columbus, Ohio, has the regal bearing and queenly features of royal tradition. Miss Gordon has been a queen in “The Divine Lady.” “Yhe Viking,” and other’ screen plays. Her latest appearance is in First National’s “Misbehaving Ladies,” which opens at the ....... See ae Theatres a ee She is the queen of a bankrupt Balkan state and the mother-in-law of Lila Lee, who portrays the role of a princess in the film. a ‘ / A society princess who was mistaken for a seamstress until a Main Street sheik recog nized her kisses! ISBEHAVING BEN LYON-LILA LEE LOUISE FAZENDA LUCIEN LITTLEFIELD — OSCAR APFEL A FIRST NATIONAL & VITAPHONE PICTURE Cut No.7 Cut goc Mat toc Page Three