LYCOS RETRIEVER 
George Arliss: Roles
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For the first and only time in Academy history, multiple nominations were permitted for individual categories (notice that George Arliss defeated himself in the Best Actor category). [With a change of rules, this would be the last year in which performers could be nominated for roles in more than one film.]
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George Arliss gives a wonderful performance. Nothing finer has been seen on the screen than his delineation of the character of the East Indian Rajah, a potentate who combines the veneer of white civilization with the cunning, craftiness and cynicism of the Oriental topping it all with an excellent sense of humor. He would appear to be the perfect embodiment of the author's conception. His calm, reserved and carefully modulated portrayal of a role that could easily be overacted adds a tremendous force and realism to the melodramatic story.
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Arliss made ten sound films exclusively for Warner Bros. under a contract that gave the star an unusual amount of creative control over his films. Curiously, his casting of actors and rewriting of scripts were privileges granted him by the studio that are not even mentioned in his contract. One of these movies, The Man Who Played God (1932), was Bette Davis' first leading role. Until the end of Davis' life, she would credit Arliss for personally insisting upon her as his leading lady and giving her a chance to show her mettle. The two ... co-starred in The Working Man in 1933.
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Paul Muni carried on the tradition of George Arliss as the "King of the Film Biographies" with his Award winning role in THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR (1936). He followed up with THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA in 1937.
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Arliss' control extended to his working hours as well. Because of his age, he only worked from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Just to keep him from overtaxing himself, his valet, Jenner, would show up promptly at quitting time. If Arliss were still involved in a scene, even if the cameras were rolling, Jenner would walk right up to the star, remove his hat or coat, and take it to Arliss' dressing room, with the star following.
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After an absence of many months, Alice Joyce makes her reappearance on the screen as Mr. Arliss' leading woman and gives a thoroughly satisfactory performance. Ivan Simpson as a typical English valet in Oriental surroundings contributes a fine piece of acting; Harry Morey is excellent as a British Major, Paul Powell gives a good account of himself in a role that has very limited possibilities, and Jetta Goudal is particularly well cast as an Oriental servant, and William Worthington as the native high priest.
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