Anthony Adverse (Warner Bros.) (1936)

z =) ee hat be Fiat ag o pal os 4 Fal SPECIAL MAIL CAMPAIGN ee For your direct mail campaign, we’ve looked into possibilities of attracting local groups and societies and leaders whose endorsement of film would mean added prestige to your show. If we’ve omitted any contacts which might be present in your town, letters can be so adapted as to cover that territory. We’ve received favorable comment on our past sample letters — for which we thank you fellows. FOR MUSIC GROUPS My dear Mrs. Modry: I hope you will be my guest at a private showing of Warner Bros.’ longawaited production of “Anthony Adverse, based on the renowned novel by Hervey Allen. The screening will take place at the .................. Theatre on the night of (date) at 9 o'clock. Two weeks later the San Diego pre ‘miere of the picture will be held. Unquestionably your interest in “‘Anthony Adverse’’ will be heightened by the information that it contains musical episodes rarely to be found in motion pictures. If you have read the novel, you may remember that one of the leading characters, Angela, becomes an opera singer and appears in a number of musical works by the leading composers of the day. Of equal interest is the information | have recently received that Erich Wolfgang Korngold, one of the foremost musicians of the day, has scored the film. You may recall that Dr. Korngold was responsible for the enthralling orchestration of Felix Mendelssohn’s music to last season’s Warner Bros. production of Shakespeare’s ‘‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” a piece of musical workmanship which stirred artistic circles the world over. Certain to be acclaimed by musical leaders everywhere for its daring entree into the operatic field — Claudio Monteverde’s little-known ‘“L’Orfeo”’ for example — and for the speciallycomposed work “La Duchessa de Ferrara’’ by Aldo Franchetti, former conductor of the Chicago Opera Company, “Anthony Adverse” represents an unprecedented departure in motion pic. ture production. With kindest regards, I am, FOR HOTEL VISITORS Dear Visitor: Among the many, many attractions in our city today is the showing at the Strand Theatre of Warner Bros.’ production of ‘Anthony Adverse,”” based on the best-selling novel by Hervey Allen. You undoubtedly have read this magnificent novel. I am sure you are anticipating seeing it at the earliest opportunity. In. the cast are Fredric March playing the title role; Olivia de Havilland and Anita Louise in the leading feminine parts; Donald Woods, Edmund Gwenn, Claude Rains, Louis Hayward, Ralph Morgan, Henry O'Neill and hundreds of other noted players from stage and screen. Should you desire to make reservations in advance in order to avoid crowds, a phone call to our theatre will ensure prompt and courteous service. Thank you. Page Twenty SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, ENGLISH TEACHERS Dear Mr. Carson: I hope you will find it possible to accept this invitation to a private screening of Warner Bros.’ production of ‘Anthony Adverse,” at the... ioe A... .... , at 10:30 A.M. This letter, will serve as your admission card presented at the box-office. In decades to come, I believe, the season 1935-36 will be regarded as marking the full flowering of our motion picture literature. Recall for a moment the outstanding films that have been produced by one company alone — Warner Bros. There was the Max Reinhardt production of Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” a veritable screen: masterpiece. There was “The Story of Louis Pasteur,” the title role enacted by Paul Muni, first of the film biographies which opened an interesting new field of screen entertainment. “The Green Pastures,”’ the film transcription of Marc Connelly’s Pulitzer Prize play. And now, on ....... eats date) the Strand Theatre will present “Anthony Adverse,” a picture as great as Hervey Allen’s truly great novel. | The millions who have read this work, agree with critics that “Anthony Adverse,” as a novel, may well be placed alongside of Tolstoi’s ‘War and Peace,” Jules Momains’ ‘“‘Men of Good Will,” Galsworthy’s ‘‘Forsythe Saga” and those few other memorable contributions to world literature which have become the symbols of epochs in human history. It is for this reason that a film like “Anthony Adverse’’ becomes a matter of the profoundest importance to movie-goers generally and a literary event to students of American letters specifically. It is not too much to pre dict that many millions more who will see this film will become acquainted with one of the outstanding novels of the twentieth century. Yet inevitably the question arises as to how well a filmization Warner Bros. have made. Have they succeeded? Have they adhered faithfully to the text and not perverted it with lamentable alterations? “It-is quite impossible for me,” wrote Mr. Allen after seeing a special preview of the film, “to express adequately my delight and relief at finding that the novel has been given such a magnificent screen version. No one knows better than I the tremendous task that confronted you and the far more than ordinary difficulties which you have triumphantly surmounted in transferring ‘Anthony Adverse’ from page to film.” It is a moving tribute and I am sure you will agree after seeing the film that it is quite merited. I am looking for CHARITIES & BENEFITS My dear Mrs. Lee: As you may have already seen in the newspapers, the Strand Theatre has announced that beginning next (date) it will show Warner Bros.’ production of “Anthony Adverse,” based on Hervey Allen’s.great novel. It occurs to’ me that your organization may find a benefit performance of a motion picture which even before its local premiere has excited unusual interest and discussion, exceedingly profitable. The mere newspaper announcements of the imminence of the motion picture’s premiere have brought to my office so many requests for advance reservations that | feel certain any organization sponsoring a special benefit performance will add many dollars to its treasury. Should you desire to discuss the technical phases of such an arrangement more fully, a representative of our theatre will be delighted to call on you at any time convenient to yourself. With kindest regards, I am, LITERARY & ART CIRCLES Dear Dr. Aneser: The Strand Theatre is having a special guest screening of Warner Bros.” production of “Anthony Adverse,” based on the novel by Hervey Allen, which I hope wou will be able to attend as my guest. Presentation of this letter at the box-office on the night of (date) will serve as your admission to the theatre. Bearing in mind the instant acclaim which “Anthony Adverse” received from students and literary critics upon its appearance, I am certain you will agree that the bringing of such a work to the screen is an event of major importance. Assuredly a book that has been read by millions and one which has left so great an impression on the stream of contemporary literature, must be considered most seriously and its presentation as a motion picture is an important contribution to the literature of the theatre. It is with a real and pardonable pride that I am announcing as well the local premiere of this notable motion picture at the Strand Theatre on (date). | hope that later you will be able to cooperate with me in informing our fellow-townsmen of a future treat in store for them. With kindest regards, I am, = ward to seeing you at the Strand Theatre on (date of screening) and, perhaps, receiving assurances of your support and endorsement of this motion picture. With kindest regards, I am,