The Film Daily (1931)

THE Monday, January 5, 1931 EXPLOITETTES A Clearing House for Tabloid Exploitation Ideas C What Is the Popular Type of Picture? A/fAJOR Albert Warner, one of the Warner brothers, recently made an acid test of motion picture theater receipts (or lack of same) and the results of his laboratory experiments are worth quoting. "Motion picture audiences of today like good stories," says Major Warner; which would seem to indicate that audiences of yesterday didn't like good stories." He then goes on to explain what kind of good stories the audiences like best: "Action and punch are the most necessary ingredients, with youth, love and sentiment entering into the whole." I doubt very much that any one will arise to dispute the truth of Major Warner's pronouncements. It is a virtual certainty that, if there were more of action, punch, youth, love and sentiment on the screen there would be vastly fewer empty seats out front. There is hardly a man or woman alive today who doesn't nourish a secret fondness for action, punch, youth, love and sentiment. However — it is one thing to diagnose the public's taste correctly and quite another thing to find ways and means to satisfy it. In which connection, it is significant that Major Warner doesn't tell us just where he and his brothers are going to look for the supplies of action, punch, youth, love and sentiment that they intend to use in their pictures. Perhaps he doesn't want to tip off his competitors. Or perhaps he doesn't know. . . . I earnestly pray that Major Warner will immediately provide us with a lot of pictures that possess action, punch, etc., and that his colleagues in Hollywood will do likewise. But I'm positive that they won't accomplish that desired end by wasting their time subjecting previous box office figures to the old acid test. — Robert E. Sherwood, Bell Syndicate A FILM FACT A DAY Argentina has about 400 theaters in large cities that are adaptable to installing sound equipment. ICUkmL^Si DAILY • • • THE NEWSREELS are starting to enter the field of controversy with discussion of vital social problems that affect practically everybody lately Pathe News featured a discussion by Judge Lindsey on his companionate marriage theories now Fox Movietone at the News Reel theater runs a discussion by a celebrated English divorce court barrister on the family relations between man and wife and his well considered opinion after 40 years at the British bar handling divorce cases is that "women are less faithful than men" boy, won't that start women everywhere into a hot discussion it took courage to let this Britisher shoot that pronouncement from the newsreel screen to audiences filled with women everywhere now if Fox will come back with a statement from some leading feminine authority on social problems from the woman's viewpoint, we will be launched on a nice little discussion that will interest practically every adult, male and female after all, folks get tired of looking at views of launching a battleship an air pilot landing after a continental hop Hindus in a ceremonial parade pictures are nice, but some gent spouting on a Vital Subject like Judge Lindsey or this British barrister, sends people out doing a lot of discussion on their own account and that's great word-of -mouth advertising for any newsreel all the great newspaper writers, novelists and playwrights are great because the things they write about are controversial and human nature loves frank discussion so it looks as if the Newsreels are coming into their logical domain as a Forum for Discussion of Live Topics personally we've heard more comments on Judge Lindsey's remarks than on anything in newsreels since they started people seem to want Ideas in their Newsreels along with mere pictures so why not let 'em have it? • • • JOSEPH SCHNITZER, prexy of Radio Pictures, picked up his phone the other day out at the Hollywood stude it was 7 a.m he said "Hello" to W. Scott, manager of Arkayo interests in Sydney, Australia where it was 10 a.m. tomorrow! and with half a world between 'em they held "a li'l 30-minute conversation just a bit of twentieth century magic of radio-telephony now a part of the film exec's daily routine heigh ho the world does move, even though a lotta gents think it's standing still. * * * * • • • WARNERS HAVE launched Clark & McCullough on a series of industrial sponsored shorts plugging Chesterfields and Paramount already has shown an industrial sponsored by this cigarette concern now if Heinz pickles will divide up their 57 varieties, there'll be enough for all the producers to get out a series of pickled shorts. ....... Phil Engel, assistant manager at the Rivoli, aided the cops in locating those college students who recently busted into the show without buying tickets they simply picked out every youth who could not show a check stub so this is a warning to you ALWAYS keep your stubs • • • JOHN DACEY, Pathe's vet film salesman, claims the motion picture rights to over 100 short stories by famous authors of today in the present state of shortage of screen material, John may be a li'l fairy godfather in disguise Society Note: In the Roxy lounge the other day a gent poured his coffee in his saucer, and taking a sandwich from his pocket, proceeded to enjoy himself in the grand manner And speaking of popular generals, lei's not forget General Admission « « « » » » Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion — ©— Tie-Ups Feature "Du Barry" Showing "£)U BARRY — Woman of Passion," at the United Artists in Chicago, 111., had as part of its campaign, a tie-up with the B. & O. lines. Cards were placed in the stations within a radius of two miles, with special copy reading — "Ride the B. & O. lines to ChicagoUnited Artists Theater," followed by the theater announcement. Five jewelry stores were tied up with a display of Du Barry pearls and photos, of Talmadpe in Du Barry costume. Du Barry powder display were taken in the Loop section of the city. From 3,000 to 5,000 boxes were distributed at the theater by a young lady dressed as Du Barry. — United Artists * * * Midget Gob Ballyhoos "Sea Legs" QNE of the high lights of Manager Roy Felker's campaign for "Sea Legs" when it played the State, Omaha, was a four foot man, dressed as a sailor, and used on the street to ballyhoo the picture. The miniature sailor was the center of attraction as he marched down the street with his pant legs flopping in the breeze. Those whom he approached on the street were sufficiently curious to turn around and take another peak at him over their shoulders, and then they saw the oil cloth sign on his back, advertising the Jack Oakie picture at the State. — Paramount MANY HAPPY RETURNS Best wishes and congratulation! a/e extended by ThE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who are celebrating their birthdays: January 5 David Lee Edward Sutherland