Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1957)

EXPLOITATION PICTURE Get The Opinion-Makers Behind This One! Every so often a picture comes along bearing intrinsic hallmarks of distinction not readily apparent from the title, cast, credits or advance publicity. Yet it is packed with entertainment values that are certain to appeal to all who like dramatic meat in their movies — and to make them tell their world to go see it! Such a movie is "Three Brave Men", based on the Pulitzer Prize articles by Anthony Lewis, written for the screen and directed by Philip Dunne for producer Herbert B. Swope, Jr., under the 20th Century-Fox banner. There is one prerequisite incumbent on every showman worthy of the name — let the public generally know about this movie and get opinion makers, particularly, to spread the word about it. 20th-Fox has based a concentrated campaign on these two requirements pegged on two fountainheads of wordof-mouth — stimulating advertising and widespread screenings. The special screening campaign is one of the biggest 20th has undertaken for a picture of this type. Before it runs its present course of nationwide showings, more than 50,000 community opinion makers, exhibitors and press people in 34 major cities will have seen the CinemaScope drama, each of them sending word rippling out among their constituents, members, readers and viewers that here is a picture not to miss. The types of organizations invited to send their representatives to view the film: Council of Churches, Parent-Teacher Associations, American Civil Liberties Union, Federation of Women's Clubs. Typical comments: "This is the finest picture of its nature that I have ever seen and I will urge all my constituents to see this picture and tell their friends about it." — Luther K. MacNair, executive director, American Civil Liberties Union; ". . . Never forgettable struggle for true freedom for mankind. I hope that we can be of some beneficial service to the theatre when 'Three Brave Men' will open" — Mrs. R. Griffiths, president, Boston Federation of Women's Clubs. While Fox is sponsoring the screenings in the key cities, there is still ample room for individual showmen to set up showings for community talk-it-uppers outside of the key areas. Since the picture deals with a dramatic miscarriage of justice that is controverted by the bravery of individuals who risk their own reputations to save an innocent man from being branded a Communist, it carries, along with the emotional impact, a significance that hits every communal organization leader where he or she lives and makes them a walkie-talkie ad for the film. Showmen who take the opportunity to set up local screenings will be performing a double service — boosting the picture's boxoffice and ingratiating their theatre with the town's top people. On the advertising front, 20th has uncorked a series of factually teasing, hard hitting newspaper ads that smack out at the thinking audience, pique the interest of those who are content to just sit back and be entertained, as well. From the teasers on this page to the display ads opposite, the campaign subtly encompasses the whole of the moviegoing audience (and lots who don't usually go). Every illustration, every line of copy is a dramatic punch softening up the public for the actual viewing coup d'etat. An added sock is the line: "Find out WHY their story had to win the Pulitzer Prize!", tossing out the undoubted lure to the discriminating with this distinguished honor. There will be, possibly, those who will feel that the picture leans too far in its heartfelt cry for human rights. A touch of this will hardly be unwelcome since it will bring in controversy, a magic boxoffice word conjuring up so much more talk about the film. This, then, is the showman's peg: let 'em know with the ads and the screenings, get 'em talking and let the picture's strong entertainment values do the rest. TEASER ADS THREE BRAVE MEN The name of Abraham Chasanow will bring back few flickers of memory in the average American, even though his story is still warm in the newspaper morgues. Two of those, however, who saw in it the kind of drama that reaches into every American's life are Anthony Lewis, a writer, and Herbert B. Swope, Jr., a movie producer. Lewis esconced Chasanow's story into fame with a series of articles that won the writer a Pulitzer Prize; Swope has made a movie of that story that has already started talk about "bests" for 1957. It stars Ernest Borgnine as the Navy Department employee who sees his 22-year service with the Government blasted into bits by charges of "Red", Ray Milland as the attorney who puts his reputation and career on the chopping block of prejudice by defending Borgnine, and features distinguished performances by Dean Jagger, who weighs his duty as an Assistant Secretary of the Navy to preserve security against the rights of the individual to work and live with honor; Frank Lovejoy, Nina Foch, Virginia Christine and Frank Faylen in sterling performances. As the film unfolds, the details will come back — Borgnine's suspension as a security risk by Jagger when he is charged with communist associations; the abuse he and his family receive in their home and at school as the innocent man dazedly sees his world crumbling; the brilliant defense by lawyer Milland, who brings faithful, undaunted neighbors and friends, to testify for the accused, resulting in his clearing by a hearing board; the double blow when Jagger overrules the board and terminates Borgnine's job; Milland's tenacious appeal for a re-investigation, uncovering the web prejudice and hysteria that brought the charges, and the courageous public apology and reinstatement by Jagger. It's a story — and a picture — to remember. Page 14 Film BULLETIN January 21, 1957