Tumbleweeds (United Artists) (1925)

Exploitation Suggestions That Should Help Brief Synopsis of Story "W hen the Cherokee Land Strip between Kansas and Oklahoma was opened to homesteaders in 1889 by the Government, the cattlemen who had ranches on the strip had to move. Don Carver is a range boss for a big cattleman who owns the Box-K ranch. He is a self-styled “tumbleweed”—a roving cowboy. But he falls in love with Molly Lassiter who comes in the van of the homeseekers and changes his views. He decides to locate on the site of the old Box-K ranch house, where the water control of the strip centers, and gain a home for Molly—and maybe for them both! Her rascally half-brother and an equally evil companion, decide to cir¬ cumvent Don and themselves locate the claim. They bring about Don’s arrest as a “sooner” when he is taking a last look at the old ranch. He escapes at the last moment, however, and gets to the site where the two miscreants are already located. He throws them out and they try to con¬ vince Molly that he usurps their claim. She repudiates Don but later learns the truth and while the villains are apprehended as “sooners” and for shooting a trooper, she agrees to become the wife of the “tumbleweed,” who is such no longer, being anchored by love and the instincts of a homesteader latent in his breast after a first glimpse of Molly’s fair face. The epoch-marking dash of the homesteaders across the broken barriers of the last frontier is spectacular and moving to a degree, and the story forms an epic of romance, adventure and historic achievement. Stage Settings and Prologue Musical arrangements of songs popular in the eighties, western music of an atmospheric nature, descriptive music and so on would be best. If the verses from “Tumbleweeds” attached, herewith could be set to music— it is possible that the original tune could be secured—it would be effective in smaller theatres or even in larger ones, to have a singer attired as a cowboy, sing these verses prior to the start of the film. Stirring music for the homesteaders’ rush is of course obviouslv the thing. For a stage setting if on' an elaborate scale, a back drop with light ef¬ fects depicting the rolling prairies, could be used. In the foreground, actual piles of tumblew r eeds. Perhaps a set rock upon which an actor attired as an Indian is gazing out across the expanse of land. A cattleman on a horse appears and they raise their hands in salute—the right arm held high in the air, Indian fashion. A U. S. cavalry officer in the blue uniform of the period, then appears. The cattleman draws back—the Indian spreads his hands, to signify—“The White Chief in Washington offers our lands to the homesteaders—the cattleman must go!” And now a covered-wagon with ox-team—or in fact any old-time vehicle—drives up. The settlers have arrived. The cattleman shakes hands with the Indian, smiles whimsically at the officer—looks angrily at the settler 1 and starts to mount horse. But a girl in the dress of the eighties appears and holds her hand toward the cattleman, even as she stands beside the grizzled settler—perhaps her father. She smiles, the cattleman shrugs and takes her hand. It is inevitable—the feud is finally settled. Window Displays For window displays, a large portrait of Mr. Hart together with stills, will always be found effective. Again using the Tumbleweeds idea, a big specimen—the biggest obtainable—in a show window, together with photos and accompanying articles for sale, with a placard calling attention to the picture and the theatre, would be certain to make people stop and look. Get the biggest stores to place a large squash and a tumbleweed to¬ gether in di window—where the weed can be obtained and the squash is in season—with a sign: “Are you a Tumbleweed or a Squash? See William S. Hart in “Tumbleweeds,” a United Artists Picture at . Theatre and find out!” If you can find an old ordinary bicycle—with the big front wheel and little one at rear—it would be a great display in a hardware, auto or machine manufacturer’s window, with a sign reading: “If you don’t want to walk to the . Theatre to see William S. Hart in ‘Tumbleweeds,’ a United Artists Picture produced by William S. Hart, ride a bicycle. The settlers rode ’em to locate on Cherokee Stripe back in ’89.” Real Estate Tie-Up It would be a great stunt in a progressive community where real estate is on the boom, to tie up with a prominent realty dealer in this fashion: The crux of “Tumbleweeds” concerns the homesteader’s rush to secure claims in the Cherokee Land Strip when it was opened by the Government. Get the realtor to arrange for a sale of lots in a tract during the run, or just prior to run of the picture. Announce in newspaper ads that the first man to buy a lot on a given day starting at a certain hour set for the opening, would receive some prize—either two lots, a house and lot, an automobile, or something. Have the theatre manager where picture is shown tie up in the advertising with a brief synopsis of the story of “Tumbleweeds” and offer two seats to every person buying a lot during the week. , If possible, some fun could be provided when the sale is held, by get¬ ting a man on an old/ “ordinary” bicycle, or people in any sort of queer or quaint vehicles make a dash for the office on the tracfr and bid for lots like cappers in a medicine show. Big cards announcing the picture should be prominently displayed on the tract and if the matter is worked up through the press it would not only bring some lively lot sales, in all probability, but also arouse a good de^ of interest in the picture. Naturally, William S. Hart should be prominent played up ill the ads and cards or banners as star of the production. Prior to sale, a queer looking covered wagon could parade streets with banners: “I’m going to buy a lot in the . tract next . and see ‘Tumbleweeds’ at the . Theatre. William S. Hart is the star.” Suggestions for Lobby Display In regions where the tumbleweed, in its dry state, is plentiful, a char¬ acteristic decoration for a lobby would be to have tumbleweeds hanging from the ceilings and arranged in picturesque piles at sides, with photos, stills and portraits of Mr. Hart, placed in a frame, like effect of tumbleweeds. Elsewhere, western decorations, suggestive of the cowboy and cattle ranches would be appropriate. If a large lobby, an old covered wagon, buckboard or other vehicles characteristic of the rush for the Cherokee Land Strip, could be effectively placed and properly placarded, thereby attracting interest. Large cut-outs of Mr. Hart in character are always good for lobby dis¬ play, especially where the space for display is more or less limited. Good displays of stills and portraits are invariably potent means of getting the attention especially of the transient prospective patron. Ballyhoo Get several old timers in your town—especially if it is in the west or middle west—to arrange an old-timer’s night at the theatre and advertise the fact in the papers. The street display of a covered wagon mentioned previously is in the nature of a street ballyhoo. This could be carried to any extent possible. A cowboy on horseback, in the/ Eastern cities and towns, with an appropriate sign, would attract attention. Get someone to drive a cow down the street—if you can obtain permission—bearing a banner—“Im on my wayHo . Theatre to see Bill Hart in “Tumbleweeds.” A theatre lobby ballyhoo could be arranged with a man discoursing on tumbleweeds and telling their peculiarities—a wonderful description is con¬ tained in “The Hawkeye” by Herbert Quick. Little miniature tumbleweeds would make dandy souvenirs to be given to patrons. Inside the Theatre So much depends upon the size and general character of theatre' in¬ teriors that it is difficult to offer suggestions that! have more than a general value. This being a picture of the midwest in the late “eighties,” dealing with the rush of the homesteaders in the Cherokee Land Strip when it was opened, but having as well the frontier town atmosphere, and the cattle ranch episodes as well, possibly frontier relics if available can be employed on the walls, with pictures, etc. The title, “Tumbleweeds” offers an oppor¬ tunity, as in lobby display, in places where dried tumbleweeds are plenti¬ ful, of a decorative scheme, with piles of these fantastic plants grouped ai either side of the screen or used elsewhere as the architectural arrange¬ ment permits.