Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1955)

^eiiina ina ^y^ppi^oaa k DOCTOR IN Tr-c HOU<^i= — J. Arthur Rank-Republic Pictures. In color by Technicolor. The comedy hit of the year. Busiest "Doctor" in town — will work wonders with your ailing audiences. "Extremely likable — fast and funny — full of charm and broad laughs — wonderfully wacky — a howling success — one of the wildest, gayest and funniest" — these are critic's comments in situations where the "Doctor" has been in the house for long runs. They've laughed and laughed, around the world, at this very funny comedy. Republic's pressbook doesn't list any posters, but the British pressbook has one-, three and six-sheets In American sizes. Republic's newspaper ads are good, light-hearted and gay — better than Jaro's, and including some humorous drawings as teaser ads In cartoon style. Lots of good exploitation Ideas, too — this time we don't have Odeon's "Exploitips" — but Republic's stunts are workable and will get laughs, as street and lobby promotions. Film should be aimed at doctors and students, for it is a genuine laugh from their Insiders' outlook. And everybody will laugh at — and with — this picture, of four merry medics and their temperature-raising girls. Loaded with love-of-llfe and light-hearted lunacy. The gayest comedy to come to the screen — since "Genevieve." TO PARIS WITH LOVE— J. Arthur RankContinental Film Distributors. In color by Tech nicolor. A comedy with Alec Guinness, which Is a word for laughter. We haven't an American pressbook on this film, but Continental Distributors is a company in which Walter Reade, Jr., is a partner, so you can expect showmanship aimed at his audiences. The British pressbook shows a six-sheet with gay, colorful and exciting material for lobby and marquee display, and the 3-sheet and I -sheet are equally good. They list a 24-sheet, but do not illustrate It, among British posters in American sizes. Newspaper ad mats are, of course, available only when provided here, but they are styled for comedy, and will promote laughter in advance of the picture. Again, the JARO pressbook contains a double-truck, color Insert which has fine display value, better quality than most of our lithograph jobs. SIMBA — J. Arthur Rank-Lippert Pictures. In Eastman Color. Again we have no American pressbook for this release, which we understand is scheduled to come from Lippert, in the near future. The call Is "The Mark of the Mau Mau" — which Is the exciting and desperate story of Africa, in Its present turmoil. The terror that comes In the night, out of the darkness, always hidden, always ready to strike! Newspapers and magazines are full of "Mau Mau" — and It can mean a lot to readers and viewers. The stars look nice. In this picture; while their names are not known to our audiences, sell them as good artists, capable In their roles, easy to look at and to enjoy, for their theatrical skills. The British pressbook offers a 24-sheet, a six-sheet, three-sheet and one-sheet, in American sizes, and all Illustrated have great pictorial art. The British pressbook contains another spread, in full-color, printed by processes ahead of our own, which makes theatre display, as a coming attraction. Publicity stories and mats refer to "drums in the night" — and on that you can build a theme which our audiences appreciate. THE PURPLE PLAIN— J. Arthur RankUnited Artists. In color by Technicolor. Gregory Peck, giving one of the best performances of his career. He had flown too long — and loved too much. The blinding sky, the blazing sand, the merciless jungles of Burma's "Purple Plain" — introducing Win Min Than, the Burmese girl who carried the story of this picture to thirty American key cities. The United Artists pressbook offers a 24-sheet which Is designed to provide pictorial art for lobby and marquee display. Other posters and the herald, carry out the same advertising theme, and key your campaign. Newspaper ad mats in generous assortment, with strong portrait heads of Gregory Peck, and a special mat of advertising lines selling the star In his greatest picture. The composite ad-publlcity mat, for 35^ at National Screen, gives you eight ads and two publicity shots for the price of a single mat. The Jaro pressbook, from England, has been a showman's inspiration in planning the U.A. issue. Cdeon of Canada, In Jim Hardiman's "Exploitips" gives gold-seal treatment of exploitation tieups for Canadian theatre men, with some special stress on publicity stills that are "exclusive" for Canada, and good presentation of promotion. THE BEACHCOMBER — J. Arthur RankUnited Artists. In color by Technicolor. Written by W. Somerset Maugham, and none can write as he does, of the Far East Islands. A strange and passionate love, which grows out of suspense and terror, heroism and hate. Scenes of unrivaled excitement and splendor, the Elephant Gods of Maputiti, a missionary's sister who slowly awakens to romance under the fiery sun of the tropical isles. Posters Include 6-sheet and smaller, all of which have trumpeting elephant terror theme. Newspaper ad mats sell the trouble-making, love-making tramp of the tropics, with elephants playing the deep bass. The British pressbook has another fine color insert, v/hich makes advance display in your theatre lobby. Odeon's "Exploitips" — in from BRITISH PICTURES We present on this page, in the typical review style of "Selling Approach" for the information of showmen generally, a selection of British pictures, to be considered as a group, and separately. We have British, Canadian and American pressbooks in hand, although none of the accessories will do you any good unless and until these are available here. But the pictures will go far towards solving a product shortage. Many have enjoyed long runs — and are still current or coming attractions in our theatres. We invite you to try British films, and discover that while these may be an acquired taste in our midwest, they please and satisfy, and will bring your audience back for more of the same good humour. Jim Hardiman In Canada, says, "Let's go to work on 'The Beachcomber' " — and offers pages of personalized, pointed promotion, aimed at theatres playing this picture across Canada. We note again, special attention to publicity mats which obtain free space in friendly newspapers. LAND OF FURY — J. Arthur Rank-Universal International. Eastman Color, print by Technicolor. Actually filmed in New Zealand, the ancient kingdom of the Maori, where skulls were wealth and savage pagan rituals filled the jungle night with ecstasy and terror! An action-packed saga of adventure — they conquered a lost world of exotic splendor— timeless and terrible. 24-sheet and other posters from Universal, planned to provide pictorial art for your lobby and marquee display. You can get an exciting standee of the girl dancer which Is only part of the 24-sheet, with plenty of atmosphere and another shot of the stars. A set of Color-Glo stills from Universal will sell color with color. Newspaper ad mats are good, and in generous assortment, following the British pattern, which have good showmanship — powerful ads for a powerful film. The bargain composite mat, from National Screen over here, gives small situations six ad mats and two publicity mats, for 35^ which Is the cost of a single mat, and gives you a choice, at the press, where your composing room foreman or editor will see ways in which you can cooperate to get a better result and more variety. The British pressbook contains a very fine, full-color insert spread, better than our poster printing, which can be used for theatre display. 188 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE SECTION, JUNE II. 1955