The Film Daily (1934)

THE 10 ■Sim DAILY Thursday, Oct. 18,1934 » » » » TIMELY TOPICS « « « « I Good Story Essential For Sale of Book To Films T is difficult to name a single unchanging factor that determines the acquisition of a book for the screen; but the most important element always remains that of sheer story. The narrative itself must be capable of transference to the screen before it warrants serious consideration. The next important item motivating an ultimate selection is the starring possibilities inherent in the book. If a company is seeking a vehicle for a certain actor, it will naturally exert every effort to find a book which offers an appropriate major characterization. The "Judge Priest" tales of Irvin Cobb's are a conspicuous example of this tendency; Guy Gilpatric's celebrated "Mr. Glencannon" is still another illustration. In both these cases the books presented no unified story, but the central character was sufficiently interesting to justify their purchase. Books are occasionally acquired for their titles alone; but this rarely happens unless the title has some extraordinary national or topical appeal. Walter Pitkin's non-fiction volume "Life Begins at Forty" is just such a book. Failing a superior story or stellar possibilities, companies will often exhibit interest in a book if it possesses an unusual pictorial background or individual characters and sequences that will lend themselves readily to further expansion. The most striking demonstration of this is Warden Lawes' study of prison life "Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing." In this instance, a new story was created to take advantage of the novel background and provocative title. It is well known that many literary properties are bought that never reach the screen: but few people appreciate the reasons for this seeming deliberate waste of money. The story may fail of further development when subjected to a scenarist's probing, it may have been intended for a particular star whose contract expires before the book can be adapted for the screen, it may become old-fashioned through a sudden change in the national tempo as would be true of books with a Prohibition background. or it may fall under the dread ban of the Hays' Code after due and careful consideration. But these are not gross errors of judgment or the distressing re sult of ill-advised decisions. They are the normal expenses incidental to any great industry where speed is essential, making the good story of today the inferior story of tomorrow. Hollywood may purchase material that they never utilize, but it is only discarded after every effort to salvage it has been defeated. Although many unusual and original devices have been proposed to further the sale of books to motion picture companies, they all inevitably break down before the incontrovertible fact : the books must possess good stories. Recourse to friends and relatives of producers, the whispered offering of "inside information," gossip concerning a company's future plans, rumors of immediate needs — all again reduce themselves to the simple formula: the books must be adaptable for the screen. If a book does not measure up to the standard maintained by the picture company, all of the "inside information" and relatives added together will not persuade the company to buy it. They do not invest millions of dollars annually without making every possible effort to verify the value of the stories they purchase. — William James Fa "irrvnn. Hollywood Has Monopoly On "Human Material" J-^OLLYWOOD still holds a world monopoly on "human material" for motion pictures, and need fear no serious competition from any other nation in spite of the "bewildering activity" in the screen studios of Enerland. Hollywood is impreenable in the motion picture field. To those of us who have been occupied elsewhere. Hollywood is the symbol of supremacy in screen entertainment. It will retain its position as lone as it retains its monopoly of human material, for despite what may be said of the relative value of story or production value, stars are still the fundamental element of motion pictures. Photography on the American screen is so far ahead of any other nation that there is no comparison. It is the envy of cinematographers all over the world. — Leontine Sagan. » » » » EXPLOITETTES « « « « Big Houston Campaign for "The Count of Monte Cristo' pOR the opening engagement of "The Count of Monte Cristo," Reliance production starring Robert Donat and Elissa Landi and released through United Artists, at Loew's State here, Manager W. V. Taylor put over a series of contests, tie-ups and street ballyhoos which gained outstanding attention for his attraction. A few days in advance of the opening all local newspapers devoted considerable space to the engagement with feature stories and photos of both Donat and Landi. Two contests were put over with the "Post" which resulted in the picture getting many swell breaks. The first stunt was a classified ad contest in which the picture got a two-column ad in the want ad section. A puzzle contest was used in the Junior Section of the "Post" resulting in additional publicity. A tie-up with the local taxi company accounted for the picture getting mention on 25 3 x 5 painted signs which were used on each cab. More than 8,000 blotters were distributed throughout the schools in the city and all sidewalks leading to the theater were stenciled with strong selling copy on "The Count of Monte Cristo." Local street cars also used half-sheet cards and 4,000 book marks were distributed at the local library. The library also used a picture display on the attraction and gave the theater full credit. Book store tie-ups accounted for some exceptional window displays, and special panels with stills were placed in all local hotels. Both radio stations KPRC and KTRH devoted considerable time on their daily programs to mention of the opening of the picture at Loew's State. For a street ballyhoo, a man dressed as a count paraded the streets of the city carrying a large book labeled "The Count of Monte Cristo." This book contained a number of large stills on the production. The man would gather a crowd about him and then show the book as well as give a short talk on the highlights of the production. In addition to this ballyhoo a large beaver-board book was mounted on a truck and carted about the business section of the city. The front of the theater contained special panels and blow-ups of the stars. Cut-outs were used around the marquee and a twenty-four sheet on the attraction covered the rear wall of the theater. — Loeiv's State, Houston Silver Chest and Tie-ups Boost "Treasure Island" gHORTLY in advance of the opening of "Treasure Island" at the Grand theater, Topeka, a large showcase with a silver chest was displayed in the lobby of the theater. The chest was filled with one-cent pieces, with prizes for the ones guessing the nearest amount. This attracted a great deal of attention. Ten days in advance of the opening, large 20x40 art portraits of Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper were placed in the lobby. There was a large art set piece in main foyer with art posters of Beery and Cooper, selling the picture. Six large display frames in lobby had special air-brush portraits of the cast. A special atmospheric front was made up by the art department for this attraction with cut-outs of the 24-sheets on each end of the marquee, the valance under each end of the canopy. Pennants were hung from the top of the building to the top of marquee giving it a holiday appearance. One week prior to the opening all doormen and ushers wore special pirate costumes. Each member of the floor staff wore a silk ribbon with the title in gold letters, "Treasure Island," starting Friday. Mr. Mayo, district manager for Procter & Gamble in Kansas and Missouri, arranged with several local bakers in the city to cooperate with the Grand theater on the "Treasure Island" cake tie-up. The bakers carried banners on all trucks selling the cake tie-up and the picture. A large cake display appeared in the lobby of the theater with credit card announcing the bakery. — Grand, Topeka, Kan. * * * Novel Lobby Display Plugs "Du Barry" in Cleveland HTHE Hippodrome theater, Cleveland, set off an effective and novel advance lobby display on its showing of Warner Bros. "Madame Du Barry," starring Dolores Del Rio. Highlighting the display was an enlarged framed photograph of Dolores Del Rio, while just below the ceiling and reaching from wall to wall was the title, "Madame Du Barry," in huge box letters. Descending from that was a series of dimunating steps, each step bearing the title of the series hit of a previous year, with the number of the year indicated. At the bottom step was copy reading: "They Made History!" The letters of the titles were all cutouts and in back of them against the step itself were silhouetted figurettes appropriate to the theme of each picture. — Hippodrome, Cleveland