Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1937-1940)

Page 2 HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE REVIEW August 14, 1937 JOE BLAIR Editor Publisher Published weekly by Hollywood Motion Picture Review. Joe Blair, Editor-Publisher. Agnes Blair, Associate Editor. Executive and Editorial Offices 1040 North Martel Ave nue. Phone: HE. 5982 Hollywood, Calif. Subscription rates $10.00 per year Foreign $15.00 Single copies 25c Vol. Ill HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, AUGUST 14, 1937 No. II An Exhibitor Comments on Studio Contacts I T SEEMS our recent editorials relative to the treatment Exhibitors receive when they attempt to see the inside of a motion picture studio, has not only created considerable interest and talk here in Hollywood, but this week's mail brought several letters from Exhibitors commenting on the subject. A prominent Kansas Theatre operator writes: "Was very much interested in your article about studio contacts. The idea of a contact man is about the best one I have heard. If each studio had such a man to meet and greet Exhibitors, he could gather a world of information and it would be of great help to his company in many ways. "i must tell you about our visit to Hollywood last spring. We ran across a surgeon from Wichita, whom we knew very well. He and his wife and another couple were visiting and seeing the sights. One day when we saw them, he said he had been through three studios and asked us how he could get through another. We told him that he was doing well for himself, as so far, we hadn't been able to get into one. In fact, we had found that it was harder for us to get in than for a person in any other line of business. "On another occasion, I met a lady whose husband is in the automobile business and they had just returned from Hollywood and they stated they had been through ALL the studios. It is sort of embarrassing for us to admit that the only way we can get through one is on account of the kindness of friends like you, and not through our business channels." Hollywood Review does not believe the motion picture studios should be turned into a sight seeing menagerie even to satisfy out-of-town visiting Exhibitors, but we do believe the first studio farsighted enough to employ some person sufficiently experienced in contacting and making friends with Exhibitors will find the investment a most profitable one. In meeting and greeting the Exhibitor, the contact man should ask the theatre operator a series of stock questions, such as: What pictures have you made money on or what pictures flopped in your area? What patrons object to and what wins them to the box-office, as well as many other problems occurring in different parts of the country. He also could inquire about patronage reaction to mystery, musicals, westerns, costume, historical and other types of photoplay. The results of the interview to be sent to all studio employees in bulletin form. Following the interview, the studio contact man should point out the advantages of playing his concern's forthcoming product. He should ascertain what exchange the theatreman books through and the salesman calling upon him. After concluding the visit, these details could be forwarded to the exchange manager as a follow up sales procedure. The Independent Exhibitor is the person best qualified to give producers advice and an honest reaction as to the kind, type and quality of pictures shown on the screen. He is the one Individual who comes In closer contact with the general theatre ticket buying public than any other person within the motion picture industry. He must personally close deals for the rentals of film. At his finger tips, he has the actual figures of profit and loss. Such accurate and valuable information seldom reaches the producers in Hollywood and in the meantime the industry goes merrily on its way, selecting stories and making pictures according to the dictates of those who believe they know what Is wanted in the way of popular entertainment, but who In reality have little contact, information or knowledge of what Is actually sought for by film patrons. The installation of a studio contact man for Exhibitors, working out of the publicity departments, is a forward step. Not only would it be a great aid to the company's field sales forces but It would be one of the most valuable sources of Information for the improvement of product in the business of making motion pictures. JOE BLAIR THIS WEEK IN NEWS Ralph Murphy has been assigned to direct Paramount's "City Hall Scandal," with John Barrymore in one ot the featured roles. Others newly signed are Louise Campbell in the feminine lead. Lynne Overman, Charles Bickford, Elizabeth Patterson, Evelyn Brent, Cecil Cunningham and Barlowe Borland. Barrymore and Miss Campbell currently are in "Bulldog Drummond's Revenge," directed by Louis King, which is the second of the Drummond series in which they both appear. Edward Ludwig has been selected to direct Edward G. Robinson in "The Last Gangster," M.G.M.'s drama of the fall of racketeering, shortly to go Into production. An original story by Robert Carson and William Wellman, it stars Robinson as the last survivor of the lawless element conguered by modern progress. Lou Ostrow will produce the picture. Robert Young will don the uniform of a United States Naval Cadet and play football with the middies in his next picture, M.G.M.'s "Navy Blue and Gold," for the romantic lead of which he was selected yesterday. Sam Wood will direct with Sam Zimbalist producing. Young recen tly completed "The Bride Wore Red," with Joan Crawford starring. Lloyd Bacon will direct George Brent and Wayne Morris, and co-star them in a new Navy story, "Wings Over the Sea," which will be done in technicolor. Hal Wallis, Associate Executive in charge of production, has assigned Lawrence Kimball to develop the original story, which will be written around naval seaplanes. James Cagney will start east after the first preview of "Something to Sing About" next week, and will spend two or three weeks at his farm on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts, while preparations are being completed for his next starring vehicle. Victor Schertzinger directed the Cagney musical "Something to Sing About," an elaborate production filmed in the most ambitious manner of any of the previous Cagney pictures. Robert Z. Leonard was yesterday assigned to direct one of the outstanding musicals of the year, M.G.M.'s "The Girl of the Golden West," which will co-star Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy for the fourth time. Leonard and his wife, vacationing in Honolulu, arrived back in Los Angeles, and the director starts work at once on the new script. Raymond Cannon is to direct the first of the series of comedy features that David Diamond will produce for Grand National release. Casting will start next week for the first picture titled "He Wanted to Marry," adapted by Clarence Marks from the Percy Rowland original "All Ashore." John Boles moves over to Columbia for the featured male role in "I Married An Artist," which serves as the initial American effort of Luli Deste, foreign star recently signed under long term contract. John Boles [oins Miss Deste in heading the cast of this important film under the direction of Marion Gering. Michael Curtiz will begin exterior scenes of "Gold Is Where You Find It" for Warner Bros, this week, traveling to three widely separated locales in the state of California for locations. Combining drama in the placer-mining districts of California and the fight with the agriculturists, the new production, to be made in technicolor, promises to be one of the most interesting historical pictures to come out of Hollywood. George Brent and Olivia de Havilland are starred.