Film Daily (1931)

DAiLV Friday, April 10, 1931 Timely Topics A Dige>t of Current Opini< ti c— Children Best Judges Of their Film Entertainment ALARM about the baleful influence of motion pictures on children has subsided to a remarkable degree, a fairly good indication that it was much over-emphasized in the beginning. Children are consistent patrons of the cinema and if allowed to choose their own programs will usually do a more discriminating job of it than their elders. Two factors are exerting a wholesome influence over child life today that were absent in past generations. They are the public playground and the motion picture. The latter is, perhaps, a more passive influence than the former but nevertheless is a boon to adolescence. Idleness has always been the insidious factor in demoralizing children. Without a definite interest to engage them children are certain to be led into channels of thought and deed that are not good for them. It is idleness that the playground and the motion picture do away with. I have noticed that children in selecting their own pictures, can usually be trusted to choose the wholesome ones. They do not appear interested in the sophisticated type of play, but enjoy the comedies, the westerns and the dramas with vigorous action and adventure. The hours they spend enjoying the picture, might be much more harmfully devoted to an idleness productive of real moral danger. — George Archainbaud A Vis*/ f< FILM FACT JBt"**^ A • DAY About 25 per cent of the fea ture productions have a foreign locale. • • • JUST BY way of variety those Ampians gave the Thursday luncheoners at the Dixie a guest speaker who knew something about the inside workings of the film biz it was a delightful surprise. . here were all the presragjys gathered around the festive board and a gent was introduced who told 'em plenty about their industry they had never heard before he supplied 'em with more hunches, leads and tip-offs on new angles of adveitising and publicity than they can incorporate in their campaigns this season after listening to Walter V/anger, Paramount prcduction chief at the Nsw York studios, there's no mystery at all why that outfit over on Longisle consistently ticks and clicks there is a Thinker at the head of it a gent with Vision Horsesense in a word a Real Showman oh, we almost forgot the most important attribute of all Mister Wanger has a keen analytical sense he can take trends, developments, reactions, policies uiing these as an artist employs his pigments, he can paint a broad canvas of the entire showmanship panorama and presto when he finirhes, you have a vivid picture of where the film biz is headed for and What It's All About in the brief time allotted, Walter could only sketch in the main highlights tut they were enough to set receptive minds thinking in a Serious Way assuming that yours is a Receptive Mind, 'and begging pardon if we have you wrong, we spread a few of the Wanger Pearls before you to wit in times past, this industry has been afflicted with gigantic and sensational mismanagement none of us appreciates the power and strength of our industry and its potentialities times have changed, and we must change with them we are now gunn'ng for the entire entertainment-seeking public, and not just the so-called motion picture audiences distribution often proves itself hidebound as evidenced by many exhibitors who scratched "Sk'ppy" and "Tom Sawyer" off the advance booking lists because they hadn't been educated up to the potential box-office possibilities of such subjects there is something needing correction when stars in third-rate pix get a bigger advertising play than worthwhile productions there has never been a time when producers, exhibitors and distributors were working so closely together as right now talkies have produced this change when it comes to personal production, no one producer can turn out more than three good talkies a year the day of the glorified super-production has gone forever the current writers, stars and directors are getting their Creative Way in pictures because the officials have seen the light, and realize that you can't mechanize picture production, muzzle initiative and creative effort, and still get PICTURES the technical side of pictures has always been okay it's the lack of showmanship in the production end that has throv/n the works out of joint the epidemic of gang stories is inexcusable Variety in the season's schedule is imperative ■_ the Theater Guild opened up a new channel of possibilities when they sold four roadshows of "Strange Interlude" with advance propaganda and oversubscribed the performances we of the film biz have been asleep at the switch here is a Natural that this industry should develop Special Message to P.As: Get behind pictures that have the QUALITY, regardless of the star let's get together in all divisions realize the other fellow's problems and get this biz where the Public is crying for it to be the office clock has just peeped "Cuck Coo" but, baby, you've been reading Sound Dope from a very Wise Owl thanks for the kolyum, Walt EXPLOITETTES A. ( leaving House for Tabloid Exploitation Ideas t) « « « » » » Scout Stunt Helps "Father's Son" Jy[ANAGER Eugene Lavoy worked out a neat idea when the Boy Scouts co-operated in exploiting "Father's Son" at the Publix-Orpheum, Grand Forks, N. D. Three groups of Scouts were stationed on the top of low buildings in the heart of the business section during the business hours. The Scouts wigwagged signals back and forth; the signals spelling out the title of the picture. As each letter was received, one of the groups hung two-foot high letters on a special frame, 12 ft. long. When the full complement of letters were hung on the special frame, it read, " 'Father's Son' now playing at the Orpheum." A Scout blew bugle calls at intervals calling attention to the signs. — Orpheum, Grand Forks, N. D. Shattered Contest On "Unfaithful" JyjTANAGER C. E. O'Donnell was literally swamped with answers on a Ruth Chatterton Shattered Contest in exploiting the star's latest vehicle, "Unfaithful," at the Paramount, Baton Rouge, La. Broken pieces of Ruth's picture appeared well in advance in one of the local newspapers. Underneath was copy about the contest in detail. All one had to do was to cut out the pieces of the photograph, arrange them in their proper order, and mail to the Ruth Chatterton Contest Editor. — Paramount, Baton Rouge, La. MANY HAPPY RETURNS Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who are celebrating their birthdays: April 10 Joe Moskowitz Tom Geraghty Nick Stuart George Arliss Tim McCoy