Publix Opinion (Feb 7, 1930)

Sc ia ac beast i yn ss e SELLING “THE GREEN GODDESS” By A. P. WAXMAN, Advertising Director, Warner Brothers (Not For Publication) George Arliss, the star, is one of America’s really popular and famous actors. In recent memory he starred on the stage in “The Green Goddess,” “Old English’ and “‘Disraeli.”’ His work in “Disraeli” has been praised, by hosts of authorities, particularly for his diction and correctness of English pronunciation. Educators and publicists have long deplored the careless English that dominates every-day speech. You will find school and college professors interested in Arliss’ English. It / might be possible to interest leading educators in your community in the Arliss English as subject for their endorsement. School and college professors, invited to a pre-showing, would form a helpful adjunct if you could get ‘them down in blackand-white verdict. Never fear—they will delight in the Arliss diction. Exploiting the supporting cast will fall naturally. Two stars who have been starred and are stars—H. B. Warner and Alice Joyce have their following. Remember the scope of a camera—the plot is carried ‘off stage’ for those who saw Arliss in this one behind the footlights and the value of the entertainment is thus enhanced. You'll find the press book a compendium of helpfulness— More than a collection of “words” and an assemblage of “cuts.”” The advertising text gives a wide variety of angles to the picture and its understanding. Aviation and wireless plays a strong part in the development of the story. If there is local opportunity for hook-ups in either field here’s your chance for effective exploitation. The title is inspired by an idol—a goddess in green— who sits on her feet, tailor fashion, with hands joined before her in pointed fashion; this goddess the villain worships and she controls his movements. There is opportunity to create a goddess of giant size for the lobby and lesser ones for ‘Marquee and windows. Gandhi, who is giving England so much trouble in India, is such a leader as the villain in “The Green Goddess’— fanatical, cruel, idol worshipping detester of English rule and Englishmen. There may be a news angle breaking from India just at the time you can grab it. The out-of-door “atmosphere,” the Himalaya Mountains, suggests settings for lobbies, and inspires imagination. There is opportunity for the unusual. eee Fe i ololoiolon felolololeleiefeletetefoteteferteetete SHORT REVIEWS OF SHORT FEATURES © By LOUIS NOTARIUS Publix Theatres Booking Department : SHH Oeeloioiiloloieleiloleieieieieletulolololotutetetetttetoteeteetegen PARAMOUNT SCRAPPILY MARRIED (18 min.) Bert Roach and Johnny Arthur carry the brunt of this two reel Christie. It is a domestic comedy involving two married couples—the husbands of which are forever scrapping with their wives—one for lack of attention and the other for too much attention to others. A plot is injected, the solution of which eventually brings peace. A farce that should be booked with feature of the rough underworld type containing a lot of dramatic hokum. ; THE BEARDED LADY (20 min.) A two reel Christie Comedy with Louise Fazenda in the stellar comedy role. As the name implies, it has circus background and tells the story of a freak with a long whisker who tries to conceal this fact from her lover. All ends well, however, when the object of her adoration turns out to be a barber who is willing to accept the freak. The bearded children, as the result of the marriage, will undoubtedly get a laugh. Will serve as fair entertainment with a tense dramatic feature. Should have a number two spot on a three act program with a strong opening and closing act. : PRISONER’S SONG (8 min.) A Song Cartoon that is sure-fire. Will get a lot of laughs and stimulate community singing. Very good on any program. ‘ RADIO RIOTS (8 min.) A talkartoon poking fun at setting-up exercises and bedtime stories over the radio. Clever cartooning and funny sound effects result in a novelty that will mean entertainment. May close or open a front show, depending upon the surrounding program. Used in the Paramount and Rialto Theatres, New York City, successfully. DUKE OF DUBLIN (21 min.) A two reel Christie with Charlie Murray as the comedian. This famous comedy is presented in an elaborate manner and makes use of all the hokum that is associated with Murray in the silent days of movies. Tells the story of an Irish laborer who suddenly inherits a million dollars. _It doesn’t require much imagination to forsee the results. moving and full of slapstick that will serve as excellent comedy relief with a dramatic feature. : VITAPHONE 945 Billy Lytell and Tom Fant in ‘“‘TWO OF A KIND” (8 min.) Two popular vaudeville headliners who blend every type of entertainment into a two-man revue. Jazzy tunes, dancing, comedy, in strumental novelties and a travesty on magic acts, result in a fast-moving show. A novelty that will prove excellent entertainment on any part of a bill. May easily close a three act front show to advantage. Jack McLallen and Sarah, in “OH SARAH” (9% min.) This vaudevillian serves gags and wise cracks in a manner that will get laughs. McLallen is assisted by a ‘dumb girl’ known as Sarah, and Tony Labriola, comic piano accordionist. The act has played vaudeville successfully for years and will be just as entertaining . inits adaption to the screen. A good number two act. 941 Barry & Whitledge in “JUST FOR A WHILE.” (8 min.) This team has headlined in vaudeville for many years and still retains the pep and versatility to put their act over successfully. Whitledge plays merry melodies at the piano and Clara Barry scores with her snappy quips and songs. Her imitation of Sophie Tucker is excellent. A good opening number on a strong three act front show that builds. Otherwise may be used to close. 946 7 3289-90 ALL SQUARE (15 min.) A human interest story is told in two reels. A young boy has saved $100.00 to take his ailing PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF FEBRUARY 77, 1930 BEAT PAPER 10 BAD WEATHER (0-OP IDEA Take the co-operative badweather advertising idea to your newspaper before the newspaper brings it to you! The originator and promoter of this idea in any city is bound to reap a majority of the benefit and glory, so don’t let any anticipated difficulty in selling the plan delay you. Publix Opinion has received four newspaper clippings from the Coast which indicate the rapidity and ease with which your paper may develop a bare idea on this into a full-fledged campaign. On a recent Thursday, the Portland ‘‘News’”’ ran a front page editorial styled “Go Outside.” It sold the idea Publix theatres everywhere are furthering, ‘don’t let bad weather keep you at home!”” Among other things it said: (Not For and bounds. \ than ever. . . again. . “Only the Brave’’). . classic of the South. : The setting of the story Yankee cavalry captain whose falls in love with her. surprise climax frees him for “Go to the theatre. You'll Civil War or not. get good exercise on the way to town and on the way home. You'll enjoy the show because you’ll feel better for being outside.”’ The editor of the Seattle “Times” read this with attention and appreciation, and on Saturday his lead editorial read, in part, as follows: | “Downtown Seattle is as lively and interesting as at any time of year—more so, | perhaps, for many. The stores and shops, big and little, are carrying on with their highly attractive postholiday offerings; the bills at the theatres were never more alluring; everywheré downtown there is much to see, to do and to enjoy. Folks who think themselves housebound |. “are making a mistake. Come out and see for yourselves!’’ The Seattle ‘Star’? thought this idea excellent, and by working fast came out that afternoon with a fully organized campaign, “Come Downtown Next Week!” Merchants, theatres and all other downtown business enterprises were lined up behind the drive and offered all the inducements possible to bring citizens into the business section. The Chamber of Commerce and similar organizations enthusiastically endorsed the move. Prominent.among the stories and advertisements furthering the drive were assurances from the theatres that current and coming pictures were the finest in months. Effective, yes, but in this case it was the paper which directly profited in increased good-will and the brave deserve the fair. . . cried, “I love you!”’ Maire, film comedy director. and they will.) Exploitation: One scene in the picture surrender of Lee to Grant at clean throughout. Remodeled Ninth Floor Offices Occupied With completion of the remodeling of the ninth floor annex of the Paramount Building, over the N. Y. Paramount Theatre proper, it Office Booking and Management Departments. Formerly devoted to offices and rehearsal halls of the Music and Fast |. receipts, and the theatre was a : s Production Department, now ae Se, oe Sue tener te housed in the Paramount Long Island Studio, the entire floor has been laid out anew in commodious and comfortable offices. In addition to the private offices of the booking department heads, Messrs. Saal, Netter, Kelly and Notarius, each Divisional Director now occupies a suite on this floor. Attached to the offices of Messrs. World’s Largest Tire Used To Sell “The Love Parade” A mammoth auto tire, said to be the largest in the world, was used by Manager Montague Salmon of the Capitol Theatre, Ma Schneider, Feld, Mayer, Crabill, con, Ga., as a ballyhoo for 4 Maurice Chevalier’s ‘Love PaWalsh, Harry Katz, Koerpel, rade.’’ Friedi and EH. R. Ruben are offices for their division bookers and division advertising supervisors, a convenient arrangement impossible with the former office layout. Offices on the ninth floor of the main building vacated by the management and booking forces will be occupied by the Advertising and Publicity Department, which has heretofore been scattered. over the entire Paramount Building. The tire was the property of local Goodyear agent but Salmon was permitted to place a large sign in the center of the tire. Tire was used in a local parade with the sign, leaving a message with all spectators. In addition, Salmon had a telegram in French placed in the local paper. with a pass offered to the first person submitting correct translation. mother West to recover her health. The punch comes when the boy gets the drop on an escaped convict who steals his money, only to learn that the thief is his own father. While it holds the interest and is full of suspense, there is a relationship of parent and child presented that may prove objectionable in spots. Should be used as contrast with a feature comedy. : ‘COLUMBIA : CONTINENTAL EVENING with Fay Marbe. (11 min.) Fay Marbe is well known along Broadway and Paris as a musical comedy favorite. She presents three song. numbers — English, German and French—with a great deal of charm. The act moves slowly but it is dressed up, and with Miss Marbe’s magnetic personalty will add charm as an opening act. : SELLING ‘ONLY THE BRAVE? By RUSSELL HOLMAN, Advertising Manager, Paramount Pictures nothing old-fashioned about the show! up-to-date as tomorrow’s headlines. clever and at times uproariously funny. makes a nice display for window of art store. : send it with letter to school teachers and get them interested in sending the kids and coming themselves. has ‘been occupied by the Home| twin girls. three women in one a break! cis Publication) Gary Cooper’s second star film, “Only the Brave,” shows him as the same type of rugged, hard-riding, drawling, he-man hero he played in “The Virginian.” to sweet and lovely Mary Brian, a girl whom talkies have made a marvelous bet and whose popularity is growing by leaps Again he’s making love That, ‘it seems to me, gives the advertising approach: “The Virginian” is back again, more dashing and attractive The sweethearts of ‘‘The Virginian” are in love . You liked ‘‘The Virginian’ out West: now see him in his native state of Virginia... (Virginia is the scene of . “The Virginian” is the great outdoor classic of the West; ‘Only the Brave’ is the great outdoor is the Civil War. But there’s On the contrary, it’s The dialog is snappy, Cooper plays a job is to spy behind the South ern lines and purposely get himself caught so that certain papers on him will fool the Southern chiefs. ball in a Southern mansion, meets flirtatious Mary Brian and Discovering him a spy, she braves everything to save him. He’s about to be strung up when a He crashes a Mary. You’ll have to use your own judgment about mentioning I would talk about the story this way: She betrays convention for the man she loves. have killed him but she kissed him instead. . in her hand and love in her heart, she sought him. . . She should . With a gun . . Only With her gun at his chest, she About halfway through the picture a ragged, down-atthe-heels comedian pops onto the screen and proceeds to steal the show for a while with some of the screamingest comedy you’ve ever listened to in your life. 'of phonograph, vaudeville and radio fame, of the team of “Sweet William and Bad Bill.” liner with Gallagher, of Gallagher and Shean. Rufus Le Maire, the revue producer, and the late George Le (Information in case they ask— He is William Le Mairé, Once teamed as Keith headBrother of Admit free all war veterans in the town who have been awarded medals or other decorations for bravery... ‘‘Only the Brave’’ deserve the pass. reproduces exactly the historic Appomattox. The still of this You could also The show is very Smart Exploitation Of Bad Weather A good example of bad weather exploitation in a small town where there are no street-car lines is furnished by City Manager Harold Webster, of Blue Island, who painted a banner himself (there being no sign painter in town) and placed it on the tractor with way department to clear up the Blue Island streets. The copy read: ‘‘We are trying MIGHTY hard to clear your way to see GEORGE BANCROFT IN THE MIGHTY at the LYRIC Theatre tonight and Saturday.” The crew left the banner on the tractor as they went to clean snow in neighboring towns, thus giving Webster the benefit of wider publicity. The expenses for all this constituted one cigar and nearly a full pack of cigarettes. Numbered Handbills | Help Increase Gross Jim T. Newman, manager of the Strand, Tampa, which plays three pictures weekly, increased his gross for one week forty per cent by the use of numbered handbills distributed through the residentia} sections of the city. Usual media were also utilized. Carrying copy on pictures for the week, the handbills also stated that certain numbers would be posted in the Strand lobby, and that persons holding corresponding-numbered handbills would be admitted without charge. Each of the twenty free admissions was accompanied by at least one paid admission. LADIES’ MAN Pat was always a ladies’ man— even in funny stories. So it was all according to Hoyle when the stork presented. Mrs. Pat McGee, the wife of the Manager of the Criterion, Capitol, and Victoria Theatres of Oklahoma City, with Now Pat can keep home—what snow plow sent by the state high— a