Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

34 EXHIBITORS HERALD February 28, 1925 DeMille Film Smashes Record With 62 Weeks’ Run “Herald” Writer Considers Exploitation Campaign One of the Finest Ever Conducted for a Motion Picture By JOHN S. SPARGO New YORK, February 17. — On the date of this issue of “Exhibitors Herald,” “The Ten Commandments” ends its long engagement on Broadway — a run that is not only the longest in the history of motion pictures but one that is notable for one of the finest exploitation campaigns in the show business. This Paramount picture has been on Broadway for three calendar years. IT began its engagement on December 21, 1923 at the George M. Cohan theatre where it played until August 24, 1924. Then, when “The Covered Wagon” left the Criterion theatre, “The Ten Commandments” moved in and has played to absolute capacity through 1924 and for the first two months in 1925. On its 61st Saturday on Broadway it grossed $1,798, which was $22 more than the previous high record on the Giendon .\iivine previous Satur day. It could remain at this theatre indefinitely because the demand for the picture is still tremendous. Why the picture is leaving is explained in the last of a series of unusual and always interesting advertisements prepared by Giendon Allvine of Paramount, who handled the advertising and exploitation all through the long run. WITH in-t.VD HEIJ> HIGH the Paramount picture that seemed permanent on liroaidway makes its exit next Saturdivy, aft^r playing to capacity crowds tor 62 weeks, which breaks all long-run records for a picture any>vhere in the world. It could remain at the Criterion theatre indefinitely to entertiun the thousands wdio still want to see Cecil B. I>e Mille’s cinemasteri>iece. But an international gesture sends “The Ten Commandments” into temporary oblivion. For “The Miracle of the Wolves,” made in I>ance imder government subsidy, representatives of the French government want a Broadway theatre. The Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, grateful to the French for many courtesies accorded Gloria Sw'aiison and her company, which recently prodnc<‘d “Ma<lame Sans (iene” in Paris and Versailles, and in appreciation of the great poi)ularity of Paramount Pictures in France, yields its theatre, IT IS FOR FRANCE! Incidentally, it is my opinion that no picture ever had a consistently finer campaign of advertising, exploitation and publicity than “The Ten Commandments.” Discriminating showmen who know the ins and outs of the picture business have spoken to me along these lines and rank outsiders who don’t know the first thing about show business have called my attention to some of the advertisements and stunts for “The Ten Commandments.” * * * I know, and most of the people who may read this also know, that it is tough to keep any attraction fresh in the public mind over a period of more than a year and yet this man Allvine has managed to accomplish just that. When I asked him about it the other day he said that he had tried to break away from the routine handling of pictures and to freshen up this attraction by relating it to current events. He explained that because of its Biblical background and its ancient history he felt that an attempt would have to be made to keep the advertisements as fresh as tomorrow morning’s newspaper that you would buy after the theatre tonight if you were on Broadway. I remember way back last summer when A1 Smith was running for president, the promoter of “The Ten Commandments” was urging the Democrats in prolonged session at Madison Square Garden to include as a plank in their platforms “The Ten Commandments.” And that when Mayor Hylan quoted one of the Commandments in a heated argument with one of his opponents, the minutes of the board of estimate were reproduced for a timely, humorous and effective advertisement of Cecil B. De Mille’s dramatization of the Decalogue. * * ♦ When, after 35 weeks at the Cohan theatre, the picture moved to the Criterion, Rudyard Kipling furnished the copy for the change: GEORGE M. COHAN THEATRE WHERE THERE AIN’T NO TEN COMMANDMENTS THIS PARAMOUNT CINEMASTERPIECE BY CECIL B. DeMILLE Is Now Being Shown at the Criterion Theatre 2:30 Twice Daily 8:30 Beginning Today at the Criterion Theatre Broadway and 44th Street There was an unusual series of copyrighted advertisements headed, “The man in the box office says,” “The man in the projection booth says,” “The orchestra conductor says,” and “The head usher says,” which attracted wide attention. There was also another series which was widely read and commented upon, namely: The Ten Commandments of Business, by Otto H. Kalin. The Ten Commandments of Health, by Commissioner Thomas Darlington. The Ten Commandments of Success, by Joseph P. Day. The Ten Commandments of Thrift, during Thrift Week. The Ten Commandments for Young Husbands, by City Magistrate Jean H. Norris. The Ten Commandments for Young Wives, by City Magistrate Oberwager. One of the high spots of the campaign was the showing of a reel of “The Ten Commandments” outside the Criterion theatre in the darkness resulting from the total eclipse of the sun. The crowds which thronged the streets at 9 o’clock on Saturday morning saw “this unusual attraction which can positively not be repeated during the next ninety-nine years,” while down through 44th street they saw the sun hiding behind the moon through the green eye shades which at once protected the retina and advertised “The Ten Commandments.” This stunt was sent out on the wires of the Associated Press, United Press and other news services. * * * Meanwhile the general public and even those of us in the show business have not been aware of the independent cam paigns carried on in behalf of this picture by Mr. Allvine in the Jewish publications, the Catholic newspapers and magazines and the Protestant publications. Any attention to these campaigns has been carefully withheld from the public generally so as not to create the impression that this was a religious inspiration but rather corking good entertainment. No other attraction has ever had such an elaborate electrical display as “The Ten Commandments.” The sign on the Putnam building was the largest electrical sign Broadway had ever seen and the novelty effects of the present electrical display on the Criterion theatre have never been previously approached. The combination of all this advertising has had the result of attracting 1,000,000 persons to spend from 50 cents to $2.20 to see this picture throughout its sixty-two weeks on Broadway. The exhibitors who next autumn gets this attraction for his theatre will have the advantage of the publicity given this picture by the most unusual Broadway engagement and by its unequalled success during sixteen weeks in London, ten weeks in Paris and Melbourne, six weeks in Berlin and thirty weeks in Sidney. Ten road companies playing at $2 top prices have paved the way for the exhibitor. The conspicuous success of this picture is attested by engagements of eight weeks in San Francisco and Cleveland, five weeks in Detroit, Washington and Cincinnati and four weeks in Kansas City and St. Louis. December Film Shipped Falls to Near $500,000 (Washington Bureau of Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C— Exports of motion picture film during December were somewhat lower than in preceding months. The total was valued at slightly more than $500,000. Shipments of positive film amounted to 14,169,155 feet, valued at $483,581, of which Canada took 1,693,904 feet, valued at $67,271; Australia 2,112,027 feet, valued at $62,651; France 1,402,461 feet, valued at $44,814; England 1,256,363 feet, valued at $38,961, and Argentine 1,088,371 feet, valued at $37,617. Negative exports amounted to 330,784 feet, valued at $76,262, the heaviest importer being England with 228,273 feet, valued at $70,648; and exports of unexposed film totaled 3,351,622 feet valued at $47,187, of which France took 1,248,000 feet, valued at $7,617, and Canada 706,755 feet, valued at $13,947. Real Showman Allies With Radio on ‘‘Inferno** (Special to Exhibitors Herald) KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 17.— Another exhibitor has found that radio broadcasting stations are more profitable as allies than oppositions. S. J. Stebbing, manager director of the Liberty theatre here, has made arrangement with the local broadcasting station with the result that he broadcasts a few minutes occasionally and lures the listeners into his show. Marked success was noted in his efforts for “Dante’s Inferno.” If Duell Wins Gish Quits (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Feb. 17.— “If she never works again she is not going to work for Charles H. Duell,” shouted Max D. Steuer, attorney for Lillian Gish, attacking the plaintiff in the hearing for an injunction which would restrain Miss Gish from avoiding her contract with Duell. Something had been said by the plaintiff about Miss Gish smuggling jewelry into this country on her return from a trip abroad.