Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

2 INDEPENDENT EXHIBITOR FILM BULLETIN' AWAKENING THE 'SLEEPERS' The purpose and plan of this department is to bring forcefully to the attention of theatremen those pictures which are ordinarily overlooked or neglected in their advertising. Mr. Wolfe-Smith, prominent theatre publicity expert, aims to point out the latent exploitation angles in these "Sleepers" with the view to having you SELL them to the public in a manner that will bring you the best possible returns. Follow these "Sleeper" campaigns for bigger grosses! By Wolfe-Smith And So They Were Married . . Columbia . . 73 Minutes Melvyn Douglas . . . Mary Astor . . . Edith Fellows The just-completed, huge mountain resort hotel is waiting, spick and span, for the expected flood of pre-Christmas guests. Nervously, the jittery manager paces the lobby in fear that something might happen to upset his plans for making the opening night a gala affair. Four people get through the narrow mountain pass just before the avalanche blockades the road and makes the hotel as far as a thousand miles away. But, those four! A man-hating divorcee and her shrewish little daughter. A womanhating widower and his female-scorning son of twelve. There they are, the only ones in that immense hostelry, divided into two armed camps of hostility. And that "gala opening night" dinner! Melvyn Douglas the handsome widower, seated at one end of the vast dining room, and Mary Astor, the lovely divorcee, at the other end. They have learned to hate each other on first sight! But, the management, determined to have its "gala" opening night, turns a gabby hostess loose on poor Mary and an aggressive master of ceremonies on Melvyn — "to put them in the spirit of the affair!" And, in the background, those two kids, fearful that their parents will marry, plotting to keep them apart! And that, guys and gals, is the beginning of a series of comedy sitsiashuns that keeps "AND SO THEY MARRIED" on the hop, skip and jump from start to finish. This thing is funny . . . not the usual type of strained humor that feeds all the gags to the top billed star . . . but honestly funny situations and scintillating dialogue. WOW TITLE "AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED" is a wow title and from it you get all the cues for stunts to be pulled on the pic. It suggests more ideas than we can get into the space allotted to us, so we'll give those juiciest stunts and you use those best suited to your requirements. Have no fear about selling it strong. Get the customers in and they won't go away from the theatre dissatisfied. AWAY FROM THE THEATRE Obviously, the title suggests store tie-ups by the dozen. For department stores or drug stores a great comedy window can be outfitted that is bound to make 'em stop, look and laugh: Caption a 30 x 40 card with "THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE FACTS OF LIFE . . . 'AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED' " (Smaller lettering should name stars, theatre, playdates). Mount a still of Douglas in one corner and one of Astor in the other with copy like this above it: "THEY WERE SURE THEY HATED EACH OTHER . . . 'AND SO THEY MARRIED' " In the window, the store should display all manner of drug items that newlyweds need, such as tooth brushes, Zonite, bath powder, baby bottles, etc. Department stores would show baby high chairs, diapers and all infant accessories. The limits to which this gag can be pulled rest with the individual situation and how far you think you can carry it. Tone it down or play it up, but don't pass up the opportunity such a tie-up affords to sell the comedy angle. Department stores are ready and more than willing, especially at this time of year, to go for a bridal window tie-up. This is a natural. The stills are swell and should be used plentifully, as well as llxl4's and 22x28's. You can get a number of women's clothing shops to give you this tie-up without any difficulty or expense on your end. STREET BALLYS Dress a couple in a bride and groom outfit and send them parading around the town and in the stores. You can rig up the groom's vest with an electric flasher that shows the title and playdates through a stencil clipped on the inside. Paint a black eye on the bride for laughs. Another old chestnut, but one that will catch everybody's eye (and it won't cost much more than a fishcake) is the open rig riding through the streets, with bride and groom perched high on the back seat. Copy on these should read: "SHE WAS A DIVORCEE AND HATED ALL MEN . . . HE WAS AN EX-HUSBAND AND HAD NO USE FOR WOMEN . . . 'AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED' "... Strand Theatre . . . Friday and Saturday. Try to locate an old tandem bike and have the couple ride it around the town. (Continued on page 6)