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

I f special school campaigns OUTLINE SCENE PROVIDES COLORING CONTEST RASIS Here is the coloring contest layout that proves popular with kids everywhere, from about three to eighty-three. An excellent contest idea which can be distributed in special pages printed by the theatre and given to the schools, or which can be presented through the newspaper. LOCAL STARS ENACT STORY School dramatic clubs can find practice play material in re-enacting chapters of the book. It will give the amateur playwrights rich material to draw up a little production, or the radio script can be used. You might work with your local radio station to put on a home¬ town search for talent, with the best performers of certain dra¬ matic societies qualifying in tests for the honor of present¬ ing the “Monte Cristo” script in a regular broadcast. This should require working well in advance with both the dramatic clubs and the station. The awards given are for merit, and if cash and guest privileges to your theatre are included, so also should be some promoted merchandise like drawing pads, colored pencils, colors, and so forth. Indeed, a merchant handling materials that the amateur artists find in demand, can well afford to help print and distribute the contest layout, since he will reap patronage from the very act of contest solutions and interest stimulated. You may restrict the contest to crayons, or you can leave every entrant open to select the medium of coloring he or she prefers. Big stores, too, can build up patronage and interest in their juvenile tog and toy sections by including the specimen outline as wrap-ins with purchases, and can add to the awards from their stock, as well as building an effective window on it. A giant book, with poster cutouts, and dolls running out and over, will be a fantastic touch for a setting of brass coins and cheap jewelry imitations to impress the treasure air. FIRST STEPS WITH WEALTH If you suddenly came into ownership of ten million dol¬ lars, what would be the one thing you would do first? “The Count of Monte Cristo” discovers such a treas¬ ure, and the first thing he does is to right injustices to five people wrongly persecuted. Here’s a question sure to evoke interesting response and copy from student or general patronage and readers. It is a little different from the usual query, “What would you do if you fell heir to a million dol¬ lars?” In choosing what is the first thing the various people would do, an interesting sidelight on their characters is brought out; and this is the substance of its charm. DISCUSSIONS OR DERATES FROM LITERATURE ANGLE Schools and clubs of the upper classifications can find real literary meat in a special debate or discussion on the merits of “Monte Cristo” in comparison with other Dumas works. Some points which may key the discussion, are: 1. Is this story dominantly adventure, or romance? 2. In what order would you say the follow¬ ing elements contribute toward maintaining the interest; characterizations, dramatic situations, dialogue? 3. How does Dumas prevent the revenge of Dantes from seeming a small thing for such an intelligent man to perpetrate? 4. Is the solution or climax at any time foreshadowed? 5. Are the fantastic elements too exagger¬ ated? 6. Do you think this story could be trans¬ ferred to the stage with perspective as effec¬ tively as that offered by the talkies? “The Count of Monte Cristo,” in almost every city, should have for one of the highmarks of the campaign, one or several phases directed at schools, from the grades right up through col¬ leges, Story Hour Circles, Book Lover Clubs, and any literary order devoted to the appreciation and study of good books. In your novelty accessories you will find several^ items which will permit you to reach the general class of readers through routine channels, the libraries, book shops and so forth. But on this finest of Dumas works, your cam¬ paign for literature lovers should not stop with the conventional items. See that the principals of schools, officers of classes and of clubs, are included in your pre¬ view invitations. Place at the disposal of teachers guest admissions to be awarded either for special assignments on this particular story, or as “Monte Cristo” awards for any other scholarship accomplishment. Bulletin boards, special cards, still displays, posters, have a right to be in ex¬ traordinary spots at schools with this outstand¬ ing story for justification. ^ Elsewhere on these pages are several sugges¬ tions which will, no doubt, help you in your own particular territory. In some spots, working up special interest in schools and churches, and with clubs, scares off the dyed-in-the-wool movie crowd; if it’s poison in your zone, drop it; keep your bread-and- butter crowd with you. PICTURE CANNOT FAIL TO GET INDORSEMENTS Indorsement by some outstanding educator, pastor, or editor, can be mimeographed, oi| blown-up for lobby display. Some such copy as this may be used: I have just had my greatest screen thrill. It is not easy for me to become enthused about pictures to the point of personally indorsing one. I most heartily and unreservedly indorse “The Count of Monte Cristo”. It has beauty, character, romance, and adventure of the fantastic color which keys every individual to imagination and hope. Robert Donat, Elissa Landi and other members of the cast give fine performances of the roles created by Alexandre Dumas. The spoken lines are gems of expression, exalting to the spirit, enriching to the mind. The moral tone is excellent. Such a picture should be an inducement to all members of any family; it is a credit to motion picture producers. Sec it if you possibly can. SCENIC THEMES Choose from the exchange set of stills enough duplicates of eight or ten of the best scenes to be distributed among the members of any class. Let them write a little theme pointing a moral suggested by the situation or characters in the particular scene they draw. The teacher or leader may award tickets for the five best composi¬ tions, in addition to regular grad¬ ing for English, spelling or writing. The school library or bulletin board, in return for a quantity of blotters, bookmarks, or ducats for excellent scholarships, should give you permission to work up a spe¬ cial display in which recommended reading lists are presented. Use stills or posters to color this dis¬ play. UTILIZE HOARDS