The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

22 7' MOVING PIC Somethin Frances Marion — Sales TNT THE women of this country form a considerable percentage of all picture theatre goers. Sixty per cent would not be far' from wrong. To enlist their support—ACTIVE support— is one of the fundamental prmciples of selling the picture to the public. In a two-page announcement to our readers last week, Producers Distributing Corporation justly recognized the work of one of the great feminine brains in the country — the brains of Frances Marion. They told HER story in THEIR story on "Simon the Jester," which Frances Marion adapted for them from the novel by William J. Locke —her first for P.D.C. The term, "scenarist," or "scenario writer," is a little cold. It is not a word that plunges into the imagination and comes up saturated in color. Producers Distributing Corporation have brought the word up where the sunlight cf sales can play it up--sales to the exhibitor of this Metropolitan Pictures production — sales by the exhibitor to his public. "Adapted by Frances Marion." That line is sales TNT for P.D.C. and for the exhibitor. Help Them Sell Her THE exhibitor who has played such Frances Marion adaptations as "Hunioresque," "Pollyanna," "Secrets," "Potash and Perlmutter," "The Eternal Flame," "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," "The Dark Angel," knows that he can put his money on the same horse — to win. It's a "future" bet, but a pretty safe one. Here's a bet for you, Messrs. Flinn, Harvey, and Giegerich over at P.D.C. : HELP THE EXHIBITOR TO SELL FRANCES MARION TO HIS PUBLIC. U RE W 0 RLD i November 7. 1925 g That Is Give him some of your portable, readable copy so that he can, in turn, tell HIS public that they are seeing a product of the brain that created the adaptations of "Humoresque" and the rest. The Woman Angle WOMEN are vitally interested in what other women are doing. They go to pictures to see not only the Novarros, the Valentinos, the Dixes, but the Talmadges, the Pringles, the Philbins. For many reasons. Besides, they cannot find enough "Exhibit A's" of women who do big things in ANY form of creative endeavor. If Frances Marion could tour this country she would do a big job for you and for Frances Marion. Failing this, provide the exhibitor who books "Simon the Jester" with copy for his advertising, for press notices, for his advance program, for circular letters to the women of his community, telling them what "adaptation" is all about, who Frances Marion is, what she has done, and what they may expect to see. Frances Marion is a sales instrument for the exhibitor. Help him to USE it. P. D. C. Service You may be 'way ahead of us on this idea, gentlemen. We know that you are getting out letters to exhibitors, pointing out to them PARTICULAR ways of pointing public feet toward their box-offices on PARTICULAR P.D.C. pictures. You don't give a college yell on your products in these letters. You plainly and calmly ANALYZE its ticket selling possibilities. This aside from the regular channels of service to the exhibitor. That's something CONSTRUCTIVE. It is right to recognize Frances Marion as you did. She deserves it. NOW help the exhibitor to use Frances Marion as his BOX OFFICE deserves. piiiiiiiiiiii i Moving^ Picture WORLD EDITOR ------ WILLIAM J. REILLY PubUshed Weekly by CHALMERS PUBLISHING COMPANY, 616 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. Telephone; Morray Hill 11(10-1-2-3. Member Andit Bureau o( Cireulatlons. John F. Chalmers, president; James P. Chalmers, Sr., vice-president: Alfred J. Chalmers, vice-president; Eliza J. Chalmers, secretary and treasurer, and Er\in L. Hall, business manager. Branch Offices: Joseph Esler, 5434 Glenwood Avenue, Chicago; W. E. Keefe, 6404 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Cal. Managing Editor — John A. Archer. Circulation Manager — Dennis J. Shea. Subscription price; United States and Its possessions, Mexico and Cuba, $3.00 a year; Canada. $3.60; foreign countries (postpaid), $10.00 a year. Copyright, 1925, Chalmers Publishing Co. Copyright throughout Great Britain and Colonies, under the provisions of the Copyright Act of 1911. (All rights reserved.) Other publications: CMne-Mundlal. Published In Spanish and circulating In all Spanish spealting countries of the world. Technical Books. VOLUME 77 <^^^p|^^B . NUMBER 1 Yes Sir— CONSTRUCTIVE WE ARE offering these pages as SOMETHING THAT IS CONSTRUCTIVE. We hope that varied elements in this business will find in them something that IS constructive. The above, on Frances Marion, may be of use to individuals other than Frances Marion and to organizations other than P.D.C. The whole idea brings up the subject: What is a contract with an exhibitor? When does the contract begin, and when does it end? A contract does not end when the salesman walks out of a theatre with the dotted line tucked in his pocket, either for the exhibitor or for the salesman, or the organization he represents. Making Money Makes a Contract THE contract does not end until both sides have lived up to obligations other than those of credit and finance, and the picture or series of pictures has made MONEY. When the exhibitor WORKS, and when the picture WORKS — that's when a contract is terminated. When a contract is terminated in that manner a NEW contract if^ already being written.