What Leading Men Have Taught Madge Evans

One of the most sought-after leading ladies is Madge Evans. Although only twenty-five years old, she is really a “veteran” since she appeared on the screen at the age of six.

“Most of my knowledge of acting,” says Madge, “has been taught me by men. I believe that every masculine star with whom I have worked has contributed something to my training.”

Madge mentioned Ramon Novarro first. She made two pictures with him. Impossible Lover and Son of India.

“Ramon taught me more about charm than any other man. He taught me that with charm and grace any scene can be made effective.”

She said that during the production of Impossible Lover, she questioned the probability of a certain sequence, and suggested a change that was not agreeable with the director.

“Then Ramon told me a secret. ‘Play it,’ he said, ‘as if it were the most important scene in the world. Put everything you have into it. Tell yourself it’s the most beautiful piece of drama ever written, and act it accordingly.’

“Well,” said Madge, “I did, and it became the brightest sequence in the picture.”

She has been Robert Montgomery’s leading woman in three pictures — Lovers Courageous, Hell Below, and Fugitive Lovers.

“I learned much about the light touch from Bob,” Madge said. “It is natural with him. He employs it with suavity and grace.”

Madge cited an instance. When Lovers Courageous was being filmed she said she was afraid that parts of the story were too sentimental.

“But Bob’s acting circumvented this,” she said. “At just the right time, he would make a gesture or a funny little expression which would lighten the emotional burden and distract the audience.”

Otto Kruger’s chief charm for Madge is his voice. They played together in Beauty for Sale. Madge believes Kruger has more romantic appeal in his voice than any other man on the screen.

“The thrilling quality of his voice almost hypnotizes one into submission. In a love scene, when you’re in a man’s arms, you can’t be thrilled by the expression on his face or the light in his eyes — because you can’t see them. Your head is probably buried in his shoulder. But you can hear! And to hear Kruger’s voice is hearing the voice of all emotion.”

Madge named James Cagney next as a contributor to her dramatic education.

“Jim is a master at the art of pantomime. From him, I learned the use of my hands for expression. Jim has developed the art to such an extent that words sometimes seem superfluous.”

There is one thing which all these stars have, but which Lowell Sherman, in Madge’s opinion, has more of — the art of timing.

“At least, I learned it from him,” she said, “when we made The Greeks Had a Word For It. There were some excruciatingly funny lines in the picture, but on seeing the rushes each day I noticed that Lowell had somehow timed his lines so that laughter would never break in on dialogue.

“Yes, these men are fine actors,” she concluded, “and I shall never cease being grateful to them for what they taught me.”

The above article originally appeared in the 1934 issue of Film-Lovers Annual, published by Dean and Son, Ltd. Click here to read this article in its original context.