Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1959)

iv, April 13, 1959 Motion Picture Daily T/ON PICTURE HERALD MERCHANDISING CONFERENCES A to Sell "Shake Hands' As A ardHitting Action Melodrama' By VINCENT CANBY [ elaborate, hard-hitting advertising and exploitation campaigns being id by United Artists for its Pennebaker production, "Shake Hands with !)e\dl," were outlined Thursday afternoon by U.A. executives at the fourth the latest Motion Picture p in d merchandising conference, e picture, filmed at the new ore Studios near Dublin and the ull length feature to be filmed jly in Ireland, is an action meloL which has as its background ,921 "troubles" with the British the especially infamous Black"ans. James Cagney, Don MurDana Wynter and Glynis Johns j:he stars, with special feature ■rt from Michael Redgrave and j: Sybil Thorndike. Michael Anil, who won first fame with and The World in 80 Days," ted for executive producers re Glass and Walter Seltzer, d Goldberg, executive assistant ger Lewis, United Artists' direcf advertising, pubHcity and extion, welcomed the exhibitor ates to the "Shake Hands" dism following a showing of the |in the U.A. screening room. No 'Soft-Selling' "e're not going to soft-sell this re," said Goldberg. "We're going 1 it for what it is— a hard-hitting 1 melodama." Idberg then outlined an advance kit which the company is prey for exhibitors on "Shake s." "This will be a complete kit," romised, "layouts, art work, all and sizes, in color and in black vhite. This won't be 'eye-wash,' arefully designed merchandisingy material." Kits will be ready il out to exhibitors about Apr. 15. •cause the film is an action melo.," Goldberg continued, "we we can best capture its excitein special radio spots. We are ig three different series." 2 first series will be five seconds long, or perhaps even shorter, and will feature simply the sound of a ricocheting bullet plus the title of the picture. The second series will be a little longer and feature the ricocheting bullet and the title as well as the names of the cast members. The third series will feature all these things in addition to what Goldberg described as "the full sell." Lige Brien, director of special events, took over from Goldberg to outline the tie-ups which United Artists has scheduled for the picture. "We are concentrating," said Brien, "on national tie-ups which will be most helpful on the local level." Tie-Up with Fawcett One of the most extensive tie-ups he outlined is the one with Fawcett Publications for a pocket book edition of the novel by Reardon Conner from which the screenplay was adapted. Joining U.A. in the big "Shake Hands" push will be all the dealers and distributors of Fawcett Publications around the country. Supplementary tie-ups will be made in clothing endorsements by Don Murray and Dana Wynter. Joe Gould, United Artists advertising manager, showed the exhibitors the display ads and teasers which have been prepared for the film. The theme of the ads is a hand reaching through flames to pick up a pistol. When questioned by the exhibitors as to why none of the ad copy stressed the locale or the Irish rebellion background, Gould said that such stress "tends to limit the audience," adding that exhibitors in areas where there are strong Irish populations could and should bring out this "Irishness" in their promotion. Cram "Highlights' of 'Earth' Campaign Into One Night By SHERWIN KANE Three men consumed an hour describing the still incomplete campaign plans for Universale "This Earth Is Mine" at the Motion Picture Herald sponsored merchandising forum which followed the screening of the picture to a large exhibitor delegation in the Uni paigns on the scale of those done for "Perfect Furlough" and "Imitation of Life"; a wide variety of tie-ins, a paperback edition of the story— the romantic adventures and escapades of members of a California wine dynasty during the prohibition era; recordings of the title song by Don Cornell and of the sound track; tie-ups with Southern Pacific R.R., which is prominent in the film; Japanese camera contests and travel agency tie-ups with the scenic area in which the picture was filmed; an all-expense tour to the area as a contest prize sponsored by the Wine Institute, and numerous other stunts, not omitting wine baths and shampoos. Recommendations Heard versal home office projection room last Thursday night. Detailing the campaign plans were Philip Gerard, Eastern publicity manager; Jefferson Livingston, Eastern advertising manager, and Jerome Evans, exploitation manager. The picture will have its premiere in San Francisco, June 25, and will open in many key situations immediately thereafter. Gerard said the campaign must match the picture's "bigness" in conception, in story, cast, production, entertainment values and box office potential, and it was initiated with this in mind at the very beginning of production. All Media to Be Used Gerard and Livingston said that "only the highlights" of "the still incomplete" campaign would be covered. These include national magazine advertising in Life, Look, Redbook, Seventeen, McCall's, leading fan magazines, Sunday supplements and others; national publicity already generated by visits of more than 100 newsmen to the location scene in Napa Valley, California; a comprehensive kit of specially prepared publicity stories and magazine articles, complete stills, tie-ups with Henry King's 40th anniversary as a picture maker (he directed "Earth"); personality tours of cast members, perhaps including the stars Rock Hudson, Jean Simmons, Dorothy McGuire, Claude Rains and Kent Smith; a special national tour for Cindy Robbins, the picture's "new face," and tours by King. Other highlights of the campaign include special stories by syndicated columnists; television and radio cam Invited to contribute suggestions to the "incomplete" campaign, showmen at the forum advanced such recommendations as liberal disclosures in ads of "what the picture is about"; emphasis on the Technicolor and scenic backgrounds, particularly on radio and billboards for the out-ofdoors summer season; liberal use of teaser trailers— "the more the better, but keep them brief"; placing emphasis on all the factors that the public cannot get on television. The discussion was interesting, lively, continuing to 11 P.M. Listenersin from Universal, in addition to those named, included Henry H. Martin, general sales manager; Charles Simonelli, Eastern advertising-publicity director; F. J. A. McCarthy, assistant sales manager; James Jordan, circuit sales manager; Morris Alin, Milton Livingston and others. Gift baskets of wine from the Napa Valley accompanied the seminar participants home. Goldberg, UA ad executive, Martin Quigley, Jr., discuss ke Hands with the Devil." Joseph Gould, UA advertising manager, explains the campaign to the conference guests. Jefferson Livingston, eastern advertising manager, and Philip Gerard, eastern publicity manager, present Universal's campaign for "This Earth is Mine." i