Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1931)

October 10, 1931 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 41 PASSING IN REVIEW The department endeavors to set forth two lines of material of service to the exhibitor — first a showman's evaluations of the outstanding pictures — second, reviews of information CTREET SCENE" is going to be deliv*^ ered to you with the usual stuff about "box office smash," "audiences waiting and crying for it," and other hackneyed phrases, all too familiar to the showmen of today. And we'll venture a bit more and say that you stand a chance of busting a couple of nice little records, BUT, you'll have to go out and sell this like you've never sold before. And I'll tell you why : Being a prize play to Times Square, the Loop — and a couple of other key cities — will mean nothing at all to those thousands of Muscatines, Norwichs, Portlands and what have you. Being a page torn from the life of a group of families in a city tenement, will mean even less to those many towns where tenements are something that film producers play around with. We predict that wherever this picture is left to shift for itself, it will end up in disappointing grosses. Of course, there are the exceptions, but they will be found mostly in the larger communities. But, backed by sensible merchandising, a newspaper campaign designed to create and build up interest, exploitation of the variety which makes a theatregoer stop, look and then buy a ticket ; this picture should prove a mighty satisfying addition to your season's product. From the box office point of view, what we've just told you is the answer. Don't depend too much on its title or reputation to bring them out by the thousands. From the "audience" slant? Ah, that's an entirely different story. It IS an "audience" picture and it will give the customers every penny worth of entertainment that they paid for — and then some. Word-of -mouth advertising, too, will help the b. o. intake. There are many fine angles for merchandising this production and the alert manager will not lack a campaign if he wants to go out and work a bit. True, you may have to pay a lot of dough for it, but then, if you take in a juicy increase over your average receipts you'll have no kick about that. But, if you were to ask me, don't ride along without any build-up and then wonder why the receipts are not what you expected. Plug this one and profit. T ^^THE ROAD TO SINGAPORE," wher' ever Powell is popular, will be a sure-fire business getter ; not because it is a marvelous picture — it isn't — but because it has Powell plus a lot of feminine interest, both in story and acting. We expected a whole lot more from this first Warner-Powell vehicle and were disappointed when we found it just ordinary entertainment. The title possesses "box office" appeal ; the story will be satisfactory as we said before, providing they are great followers of the star, and with any sort of a worthwhile campaign to create and build up interest, there is no reason why you should not get some healthy returns at the box office. When caught at the Strand here in New York, the Powell "strut," or better known as his "nonchalant" walk, drew a few snickers and giggles from the matinee audience. We had a tough time trying to keep a straight face ourselves, but, apparently, the director was told that this was one of Bill's assets and he used it as often as possible. To get back to the possibilities of this picture at your box office; we mentioned previously that it had a lot of feminine appeal. That's the slant that you must not lose sight of for one moment in laying out or starting your campaign off on the right foot. Dozens of good ad lines, directed at the ladies, will command their attention and probably get them to the box office as soon as they can. The men-folk will probably be bored at the whole proceedings, but if you've got a good Mickey Mouse on the same bill, they won't kick because they came along with the ladies. Stressing the tropical background in your lobby or marquee displays will help convey the impression that the title implies, but overemphasizing it would be poor judgment because its entire story could have been set in any other spot on the globe. You ought to do some nice business with "The Road to Singapore" despite the handicaps. T ^^ TWENTY-FOUR HOURS," you are go' ing to be told by lots of reviewers on the big city papers, is not so good. I disagree. I think it's fine entertainment ; and, helped along via a good selling campaign, ought to gross plenty above par in receipts. The title is not "box office" except where the author's name and book mean something. But you can make it "box office" by reason of the way you sell it to your patrons and community. Surely, there are plenty of fine angles connected with a title like that. Make the most of them and you will succeed in getting customers into the theatre. Once you've started them coming, you need not have any fears over the results. They'll like the picture and tell their friends and neighbors about it, too. About the only weak portion of the entire thing is the exaggerated luxury in some of the scenes. Toned down a bit closer to normal, both in settings and dialogue, this would approach, for the average town and city, an almost perfect picture rating. As it stands, it's acceptable entertainment which should please the most discriminating audience and send them home quite satisfied that they have been treated to an evening of genuine pleasure. Selling slants are not lacking for a picture like this. The title, the type of story, the cast — all these lend themselves admirably to assist the alert showman who knows where the best slant lies for his community and then cashes in on it for all it's worth. So don't be influenced too much by key city newspaper reviewers who have become hardened to the point where they can only find fault. We believe "Twenty-four Hours" will do business for any showman who gets behind it right. T VNrOB SISTER," as a title, won't mean O much until your selling campaign gives them some idea of what it is . . . and you should not lack for exploitation slants to get this one across to the customers so that they will come out a-plenty to see it . . . and after coming out you can sit back . . . firm in your knowledge that here is an "audience" picture in every sense of the word. . . . Coming close on the heels of "Bad Girl" and James Dunn's remarkable performance . . . this one should boost his popularity another couple of hundred notches. . . . He's fine as the opposite to another newcomer for the box office . . . Linda Watkins, and she'll roll up a neat little score of her own when it comes to popularity. . . . "Sob Sister," being a yarn about a feminine reporter, lends itself to some fine newspaper tieups that ought to count for something in most spots . . . and the fine acting of the two stars . . . plus the bit handled by Minna Gombell . . . makes it more than desirable entertainment of the finest variety. . . . The customers want to go to the movies. . . . With any sort of an inducement at all they will pack your house. . . . Pictures like this will soon start the long lines forming again at the box office ... but don't let it shift too much for Itself. . . . Emphasize Dunn . . . Linda Watkins ... the title . . . what that title means . . . and with the aid of some 'grand word-of-mouth advertising you're going to make some real money. Incidentally, this gives Fox a nice average for hits on the new season's product. Maybe Santa Claus is on the board of directors and the exhibitors will keep getting them right along. Hi-Ho. Maybe only a dream, but ain't it grand???? ^^THE SPIRIT OF NOTRE DAME" is not just a "timely" picture . . . it's a real smash attraction because it is "box office" in title and a hundred per cent "audience" in entertainment . . . and that's a combination you'll have to go far to beat. . . . BUT ... the question is : will those thousands of subsequent runs get it while football is still the topic of the day ? That's the rub. It's all very well for the first runs to get their hooks into the cream while it's still sweet ... but all too often the second and third runs just get the sour leavings, and for a picture with football as its theme, it stands to reason that you'll have to get it while the cash customers are hot for the sport. . . . After the season ends you will only have its entertainment value as a picture to help you make some money with it. Telling you lot about "The Spirit of Notre Dame" is hardly necessary. . . . Your biggest problem is to get hold of it as soon as you can and then sell it for all it's worth. Be careful not to get this picture mixed up in the minds of your patrons with any of the shorts being released this season about football. . . . Sell it as a full-length feature along the lines of your best merchandising methods. . . . We've told you it's "box office" and we've also raved about its "audience" value ... so don't leave a stone unturned to let every living soul, within the area you draw your patrons from, know what you've got and why they must not miss seeing it. . . . You know, fellows, it's a genuine pleasure to note how fine this year's product is coming through, and "The Spirit of Notre Dame" is among_ the leaders of the parade. Play it and cash in. iUURDER AT MIDNIGHT" is every bit as good a mystery yarn as the screen has offered in the last year or so . . . and being a good mystery yarn you need have no fear about selling it as such. . . . Incidentally, when Red Kann reviewed it he admitted he was a bum predicter by guessing wrong about the murderer ... so we're feeling rather cocky because we took a guess ourself . . . and whadda ya think ... we guessed right. ... So now . . . get your local police . . . prosecutor . . . newspaper editors and other civic officials together and pull a little preview for their special benefit. . . . Stop the show at some point along about the middle and ask them to write on a piece of paper their guess as to who is the villain. . . . Not new ... we admit . . . but timely . . . and productive of some good newspaper copy for your campaign. . . . Aside from the detective (Robert Elliott) and Montrose (Hale Hamilton), the others in the cast don't do enough to warrant too much bill