Our Town (United Artists) (1940)

HERE'S ATTRACTIVE ART FOR SPECIAL SELLING For sock show-selling in a number of different mediums—through your lobby, window displays, co-op ads, and so on—here's a special still that ties in your two young stars, Billy Holden and Martha Scott, with whatever message you wish to put across. The signboard is blank on the still, to admit of any copy you wish to superimpose on it. Use it for an attention-commanding blowup in your lobby, with selling copy such as shown here; or for tieup purposes, inserting dealer's message in the copy space; news¬ paper editorial plant. Order still No. Expl.-l direct from Exploita¬ tion Dept., United Artists, 729 Seventh Avenue, New York. Price, 1 Oc each. INVITE CRITICS, COLUMNISTS TO ADVANCE SCREENING FIND LOCAL "EMILY WEBB” Sell the appeal of Martha Scott, lovely new star of "Our Town," by running a campaign to find the local "Emily Webb"—that is, the most typical high school girl in your town. A popularity contest through the local schools, with newspapers running photos of the leading contenders and a final judging on your theatre stage, will put across to your whole town the fresh, youthful appel of your show and the romantic attractiveness of its feminine lead. The fame of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Our Town," both as a play and in the widely selling book version, means that the picture version will be big news to every drama critic, every book critic, every columnist and general commentator, in your town. Assure your picture plenty of discussion in the local press by arrang¬ ing a special advance screening, inviting all critics and commentators, as well as heads of local drama groups, literary clubs, and general culture groups. You have a picture that rates as tops from the critical angle, and the critics will come through with unlimited space in their columns if the impressiveness of the production, stars, story, etc. is brought home to them. A gala opening, to which all celebrities of your town should be invited, with press interviews, radio coverage in the lobby, floodlights and all the paraphernalia of the big-time movie premiere, should also occupy a "must" position in your campaign. 'WpeeUd (Phorizur - - QU R TOWN "OUR TOWN" CAMERA CONTEST Sell your show to the legions of camera fans by run¬ ning a contest for "Our Town" photos—the best shots taken of typical scenes and locations around town. It's the kind of theme that the shutter-snappers go for, and a contest will get wide participation. Subjects can include familiar buildings, street corners, etc., as well as familiar town characters. Run the best pictures in the local paper daily for the duration of the contest, and display the winners in your lobby. Tie with a local camera supply house for cash or merchandise prizes to assure widespread interest and participation. PROMOTE YOUR SHOW THROUGH SCHOOLS 1. ENGLISH CLASSES. For English classes and drama classes in local schools and colleges, arrange an essay contest on the importance of "Our Town" in the English drama and cinema. The play, both in its theme and in its novel production, established a landmark in the theatre. Instructors will recognize this theme as a legitimate and interesting subject for students. 2. CIVICS CLASSES. The angle of civic duty and civic pride can be made the basis of lectures and contests in civics classes, as well as to the student body generally. "What Our Town Means To Us," or "Our Duty To Our Town," is a theme that's always timely and keys in with the subject of your picture. 3. SKETCH CONTEST. Get students in drawing or art classes to compete for prizes with sketches of your town as it appeared around the turn of the century—the approximate period of the story's opening. History books or photographs in the library will provide models. Dis¬ play the best sketches in your lobby as a further reward. 4. SEWING CLASSES. Get the girls to participate by adapting the bygone fashions worn in "Our Town" to present-day style trends. Stills Nos. 9, 31,32 and 39 are among those that furnish good models. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS. Don't neglect the school bulletin board anad school papers or magazines as a medium for getting across to students the fact that you have a picture that claims the attention of every American boy and girl. 6. SPECIAL MATINEE. See if you can organize the student body to attend a special student's matinee en masse, either on a Saturday morning or some weekday after school. You might work out a group admission arrangement if you get sufficient participation. Ijfse the J/^ave f^eviews! Seldom if ever in the history of the American theatre has any play been received with such unani¬ mous and ecstatic praise as went up in New York and the scores of other cities where the play was presented. These rave reviews are first-rate selling ammuni¬ tion for you. Use them good and big in your lobby; get them into your newspaper; use them in connec¬ tion with whatever promotion you undertake, as well as in your ads. From the long list of laudatory reviews the play has received, we select the following few brief excerpts for your use: "One of the finest achievements of the current stage ... A hauntingly beautiful play."— New York Times. • "Big and fine and moving ... a glowing, heart¬ breaking picture of all humanity."— Pittsburgh Post- Gazette. • "One of the great plays of our day."— New York Telegraph. • "Our Town" is more than a great play; it is an up¬ lifting and memorable experience."-— Washington Post. "A truly distinguished, profoundly imaginative work."— Columbus Dispatch. "Wilder is a master of characterization . . . One of the finest of the plays that have captured the Pulitzer award."— Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. "An original, extremely interesting play."— New York Sun. Page Six