Paramount Punch (1930)

PARAMOUNT PUNCH. “ SIGN OF THE CROSS” PERSONALITIES. No. 1. Marcus Superbus. F r e d r i c March por traying the role of Marcus Superbus, the Prefect of Rome in Cecil B. deMille’s Para m o u n t spec t a c I e “The Sign of the Cross”, has a part that gives him Fredric March. ample SCOpe for his histrionic ability. As the cruel favourite of Nero, who falls in love with Mercii the Christian girl, and finally shares her fate, he gives a performance that even surpasses his great work in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” Next week: Elissa Landi as Mercia. NEW SELLING STUNT. MEETING WITH SUCCESS IN N.S.W. CLEAVE SHEPHERD of the N.S.W. Sales force is meetiii,g with a great deal ot success with country exhibitors on a new sales camoaign introduced by District Manager Gawler. Shepherd is travelling with a print of “The Magic City”, the trailer for the new product, and several short features. These he screens for exhibitors in each town, selling the product on the trailer and the shorts from the samples screened. As the films are carried freight free on the rail “ SIGN OF THE CROSS ” GETS EDITORIAL COMMENDATION. PARAMOUNT’S forthcoming pictures certainly are creating quite a hubbub in production circles! Just cast your eyes over the editorial from a recent edition of the “Hollywood Reporter”. It speaks volumes ! "There is a most pleasant odor oozinq out of Paramount on the DeMille production of ‘Sign of the Cross'. This department has not seen one foot of the production, but has seen several scenes in the make, has talked to some of the principals in the cast and gazed on the contented countenance of Mr. DeMille in his struts around the lot. All of this has the 'hit' feef "It is our impression that the industrg is waiting for a spectacle such as C. B. is turning out. It has been a long time since the clank of armor, the footbeats of Roman soldiers or pomp of such a story as ‘Sign of the Cross has resounded from the sound apparatus or reflected from the screen in theatres. Just long enough for audiences to have a uen for a production of that type.” ways as traveller’s samples, there is no extra expense entailed. There is no doubt that to show an exhibitor a sample of the product he is buying is more convincing than hours of sales’ talk. GEORGE RAFT AND MAE WEST. BOTH POSITIVE HITS. (By ARCH REEVE.) Two more personal it i e S are over the top for Paramount. George Raft, in his first leading role has drawn surprisi n g I y favorable reactions fol George Raft. lo^jpg ^he preview of “Night After Night”. You know how fan magazine writers have been raving about him. They and the public, through fan letters, have been howling for “more Raft”. Heretofore, he has had little more than “bits”. Today even the conservatives hail him as a new type of starring personality. I can tell you that Raft will not disappoint a single one of his many fans — and he should draw mobs more. Also in this entertaining picture there bobs up another success— that of Mae West. No sore thumb ever stuck out more than she did. The audience was right in her hand from her first entrance. Her brand of humor is immense. Paramount is keeping her for more screen work. And you won’t be sorry. A REMINDER. THE Harold Lloyd “Movie Crazy" Exploilaiion contest ivhich carries £75 cash in prize money closes in January next. Therefore, it is up to you boys in the field to remind exhibitors to book this picture early if they wish to participate in the contest. irS IN THE AIR • • • “PARAMOUNT FOR 1933”.