Harrison's Reports (1962)

48 HARRISON'S REPORTS March 31, 1962 Spring is Here... (Continued from Front Page) A change of uniform is within keeping of the season. Increased attention to all the courtesies due a patron (while an all-year practice) should be re-emphasized. In such communities where the multi-thousand seaters give way to the smaller theatres, the house manager should be more in evidence on the floor, especially at show-break time. He should make it evident that he is available at all times. The girls in back of the candy-counters should be more alert and also full of the pleasant smiles that lend additional cheer and pleasure for having gone out to a movie that night to get more out of life for all the beckoning beauty of a spring night. The Tv fare has already gone into repeats of old repeats. So, that box office menace is of lesser violence. Old Story, but \eu> Every Year All these reminders, we know, have been gone over time and again. The enterprising exhibitor has helped write the primer of smart showmanship out of which we quote. But, it is for those who may have lost that zest and will to do the necessary things at times when they should be done that these gentle reminders are gone over once again. It's by their leave that we do so! It's also by reason that "spring is here!" and as we look at some of the theatres, most of them are still besmudgcd with the grime of winter and the dirt of neglect. It's not conducive to movie-going, especially when the advertised attractions are not of blockbuster proportions. To be sure, there are some big, potential moneymakers on their way between this entry of spring and its segue into summer. But, by the law of averages, ** less redeeming when totaling them up in creative enterprises than in other fields of endeavor quite a few of these promising big ones may not play themselves out as big when they unspool themselves on the screens of the nation's theatres. So, it behooves the exhibitor to use every additional inducement possible to make the people want to come into his movie house. An inviting-looking theatre outside usually is assurance of a spotlessly clean house inside. Refurbishing, repainting, rebeautifying are the paint-brush, the palette, the oils, the colors of a pretty picture. Your house should look like one. And, this is the time of season when you should get to work to make it so. No matter what important event may be going on in your community, there is none that has the same common interest for so many people of different sects, creeds, ages as the doings on the screen of your theatre. Movies, » Life's MassAppealing Elixir Its language of romance, drama, excitement is a simple one the better for more people to understand. The more popular movie is not fashioned for the few, but for the many. In plot-structures that are heartwarming, steeped in tender emotions that find their way to the senses of even the so-called cynics there is nothing like the entertainment to be derived from a film properly produced, well acted and expertly directed. It's the kind of a residue that is the moviegoers'. Comparable, almost, to the glorious beauty of Films Feed Fat... (Continued from Front Page) Stage Plugs tiuurantee Big Audienees Thus far, since the movie season got under way (September '61) these former stage plays have gone out into the public market: "West Side Story" a hard-ticket sell-out, "Summer and Smoke," "Flower Drum Song," "A Majority of One," " The Children'6 Hour," "A View from the Bridge," another from Tennessee Williams "Sweet Bird of Youth." Some of these plays that made their transition to the screen have done, and are doing big business. Most of them are attracting audiences that are not steady moviegoers. Not all of them were outstanding smash hits in the theatre. But, film producers were sure of their story content. The drama with its emotional impact and power (four of them in this release schedule) dominates. Two are musicals, one a comedy. Soon to reach the theatres of the nation are such films taken from stage plays as "Five Finger Exercise," "The Miracle Worker," "Two for the Seasaw," this time William Gibson coming up with two ("--Worker" and Seasaw"). There will be "Long Day's Journey Into Night," "Gypsy," "The Music Man." In process of getting them ready for the cameras are such Broadway plays as "Toys in the Attic," "Mary, Mary," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Irma La Douce." And, not too long a way off will be that Broadway perennial transmitting itself to celluloid, "My Fair Lady." In this latter productional blueprint, the musicals hold strong. Uollguood Plugs It Safe With Plugs Out of about 150 pictures that will come from Hollywood producers this year, nearly ten percent have proven their film value on the Broadway stage and will have made their way to the screen. What makes it look good for that "fabulous invalid" Broadway, is that nearly all of these former plays, as movies, are raking in fabulous box office returns. While Hollywood continues to be criticised for lacking the courage to try its expensive hand at originals, the "play-it-safe" producer is willing to leave the creative challenge to his brethren in the fierce competition, while he takes to the stage play with its built-in audience-proven power to pull them in. Failing in that, his next objective is the best-selling novel many of which go for a six-figure buying price. Next, as vehicles, will come the more popular stories in the bigger magazines. The better-known author lands in the periodicals with proven circulation power. Out of a season's releases into which are put million-dollar production costs, from all majors combined you may not get more than a dozen stories that are originals these days. 20th Century-Fox, for instance, will stake its money on only one original, this year. a spring sunset for that is what movie-going does to many people, - imbues them with appeal of the poetic. So, Mr. Exhibitor, pitch in at this gladsome time of the year. Make your theatre the most inviting, want-to-go place in the whole community. Spring is here! time out to make the movie house the inspiring symbol of this romantic, beautiful time of the year.