The Count of Monte Cristo (United Artists) (1934)

FORTUNE MONTE CRISTO TREASURE HUNTS “Monte Cristo” is the sort of picture on which “treasure hunts” can be arranged to advantage. Such a hunt might be an outdoor frolic in search of trinkets hidden in various vacant lots, parks and public vantage points; or could be a quest of bargain treasures through the advertisements of some paper. Scrambled words, publicity stories with code endings pr sentences, radio tips with the help of a radio station, and information to be had by calling the theatre, might be the means of putting entrants on the track of prizes or bargains. “The Count of Monte Cristo profited handsomely by the finding of treasure, and so can you . . .”, suggests a tie-up caption. MONEY SAVED IS TREASURE FOUND — GOOD AD CONTACT - U NtWIY FOUND TREASURE BRINGS HAPPINESS TO THE COUNT Of MONIE CRISTO Newly found treasure brings happiness to “The Count of Monte Cristo”! Money saved is treasure found! Shoppers will find treasure in these money-saving bargains. This syllogism can be applied with variations to any type or number of merchart contacts you desire; saving dough is still fashionable. The size the theatre takes should be proportionate with the size of that subscribed to by merchants; if it isn’t large, at least get your credits in with the title tie-up. In many cities sections and spreads are not entirely obsolete; and the best way to work them up is to smuggle the idea across to some aggressive advertis¬ ing solicitor of your paper, he knows the ropes about who most likely wi|l go for the stunt. If a paper doesn’t take it, in a smaller scale and more cheaply, perhaps, but with less guaranteed circulation, the theatre and some merchants can make it a handbill propo¬ sition. rs & RCA VICTOR RADIO PLACES WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS “The world was his—when The Count of Monte Cristo discovered new treasure; the world is YOURS when you discover it at your finger tips, or discover the new treasure of reception, of the new RCA Victor Radio receiv¬ ing set.” All-wave reception, distance broad¬ casts, the new world of radio joy brought home by the newer models, makes this item an important one for ads and window tie-ups on this feature. Work with your RCA Victor dealer; provide him with posters, stills and other special display material to work in with his own copy on new radio models. RCA Victor home offices ap¬ prove of this dignified and effective tie-up angle; use only the newer models, and the copy approved by their representative. COLOR CONTRAST AND ANIMATION IN DRESSING FRONT A flashy front often saves an ordinary show; a big front on a good show gives increasing interest impetus from the start. In “The Count of Monte Cristo,” you have a golden opportunity to let imagination and animation run riot; you’re going to do big business on a pic¬ ture with all the potential box-office strength of “House of Rothschild”—so don’t stint; make this one the flashiest front you ever invested in assured com¬ mensurate returns. The following suggestions should give you some adaptable ideas, or start your own flow of imagination: A roulette wheel divided into colored segments with numbers and a ball spin¬ ning about, with copy emphasizing the angle that Dantes and others found their whole lives changed by a turn of fortune. A clockwise mechanism can swing the ball around your upright wheel; or, like the window display of a certain popular cigarette brand, the shallow cylinder with protrusions can turn rapidly so that the ball can bounce about, a covering of glass or cellophane keeping it from bouncing out. A half-and-half front; one side playing up the dungeon and rocky shore atmosphere, with dramatic scenes of the char¬ acters. Use a dark sky with lighter streaks of blue, or cutout slits cellophaned over for lightning flashes. Play a weird green shade of spotlight on this side. On the other side lighted by a golden “spot,” the rich atmosphere r the later episodes, chests of coins and jewels in metallic pi ", the Count swinging his foil in a fan-like arc. Tossing Matboard St If cutout strips of rippling water are 1 as base for any display, a rocker arm or cam-lever moverr. '-an jiggle two or three narrow sections in an eccentric rr to resemble rough seas. Real iron bars or matboard simulation of bars, < ver dungeon windows, through which may be viewed posters or stills. Huge "blocks of masonry can be imitated by painting off blocks of your front in blues, browns and grays, with white plastering. On the sections backing the richer scenes, tiles and mosaics in bright colors can be similarly represented. Big title letters can be cut out and coated with gold metallic paper so that stereopticon lighting can ripple across it with shimmering magnificence. Dominance in arrangement is always effective; make your poster characters or scenes stand out big in comparison to your array of stills and lettering. 3