Publix Opinion (Jun 6, 1930)

PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF JUNE 6ru, 1930 iy 5 SELLING “ONE ROMANTIC NIGHT” © By BRUCE GALLUP Advertising Manager, United Artists Pictures (Not For Publication) ; ; | ~“One Romantic Night” is a ‘““mop-up”’ if handled properly. It’s a full bill of fare in box-office values. Cast, story, title, production—everything connected with it signifies drawing power. One factor alone makes this production momentous. For the first time in her career, Lillian Gish speaks from the screen. Screen personalities don’t come any bigger. Lillian Gish ranks alongside of Charlie Chaplin, and Mary Pickford as one of the biggest names ever known on the screen. Here is a name that brings to mind the biggest pictures the screen has known. Star of ‘‘The Birth of a Nation,’ ‘“‘Way Down East,’’ “‘Broken Blossoms,’ ‘Orphans of the Storm” and “The White Sister,’ this favorite has more outstanding successes to her credit than perhaps any other screen topnotcher. Now you have her in her first speaking role. As a talking star Lillian Gish is superb. In the light of one who has seen and heard her in ‘‘One Romantic Night’ this is a conservative statement. Miss Gish was on the stage for a number of years playing leads prior to becoming a screen actress. She has returned to this medium in the Broadway production of ‘‘Uncle Vanya’’ staged by Jed Harris. Play up the Lillian Gish angle for all it’s worth, Five Stars But there’s more than one star in this picture. There are five big stars. Make your public aware of this fact. ‘‘One Romantic Night” has a cast of big stars. Four other class A players appear with Miss Gish. Rod La Rocque is one. His work in “‘The Locked Door’ established him as a front rank personality in talking pictures. Conrad Nagel is also prominently cast. Since talking pictures shave come into favor Nagel’s popularity has mounted steadily. Gifted with a marvelous speaking voice he has been cast in the leading role of many a big picture. ‘‘Dynamite,’’ ‘““Hollywood Revue,’ ‘‘“Redemption,’ and “‘The Kiss’’ are some of his recent successes. Then there’s Marie Dressler. Ever since the days when she was teamed with Charlie Chaplin, this clever funster has been a big favorite. Talking pictures have added to her standing considerably. Whenever she appears in a picture, certain important key towns bill her as big and sometimes bigger than the romantic leads. ‘‘Divine Lady,” “Hollywood Revue,’ and ‘‘Anna Christie’ prove her right to distinction. O. P. Heggie rounds up the star cast. A Broadway stage star for years, Heggie has already built himself a following with screen audiences through his work as the detective in “Dr. Fu Manchu,”’ as Louis the XI in ‘“‘The Vagabond King.”’ Play up all of these five big names in your campaign: Gish, La Rocque, Nagel, Dressler and Heggie. This is a bona fide all star cast. | The factor that finally counts with your public, you have. ‘‘One Romantic Night’ is out and out entertainment every way you look at it. This is not said on the strength of our enthusiasm over the possibilities of the picture. It’s a conviction backed by definite achievement. “One Romantic Night” is the screen version’ of a big Broadway success. The play was called ‘“‘The Swan.” It made three big stage stars—Eva La Gallienne, Basil Rathbone and Philip Merivale. In New York, “‘The Swan” was presented for a long and profitable run. Equally successful was it on tour when staged in the leading key cities. England also accorded it a warm reception. The plot is just what modern audiences want. It has been preserved intact in its screen manifestation. Melville Baker, the famous playwright who translated ‘“‘The Swan” into English from Ferenc Molnar’s original, did the film adaptation. Paul L. Stein did the direction. Like Molnar, Stein was an important figure in the Austrian theatre. <A pupil of Max Reinhardt’s, he has demonstrated his ability to handle this type of plot with his brilliant direction of ‘‘This Thing Galled Love,’ for Pathe. The settings are in keeping with the general excellence of the production. They are the work of William Cam-eron Menzies, who was art director for ‘“‘The Thief of Bagdad’’ and pFuttin On The Ritz.” “One Romantic Night’ is high comedy, at once smart, sophisticated and daring. It abounds in sparkling dialogue. The action moves at a brisk clip, being accelerated constantly by the many unus‘ual twists that spring naturally out of the story. Love is the backbone of the story. A lovely beauty, hidden from men till she has reached womanhood, suddenly finds herself besieged by.two ardent suitors, one a brilliant but humble commoner, the other a gay prince fresh from the mad frivolities of city life. Both men loved her, both men kissed her—her problem was to determine the right one. This theme throws open a wide field of exploitation possibilities for the promotion of the picture. Newspaper contests to determine the best method of courtship, how a girl is to know the right lover, the right kiss. Contests for married couples to find who of them’ had the most interesting romances. Ad Copy A challenge to all lovers! She defied love for-love’s sake! <A bewildering belle of royal lineage risked all for a commoner when her heart really belonged to a blasé young prince. She made him show his mettle as a man and as a lover. She turned a courtship of state into a warm-blooded, human and most thrilling adventure. Today a new love, a new romance, a new spirit of defiance and daring has sprung into being! It is the spirit of “One Romantic Night’’—night of love, night of life, night of great adventure! The last ‘word in romantic drama. A battle of wits and pulsating | sentiment! A love triangle that ended in high honors for\all! A manageable courtship that proved unmanageable! Smart, sophisticated, modern as Broadway, this sparkling comedy romance electrified New York theatre-goers with its crackling dialogue and powerful situations. Pounding with the pulse-beat of humanity, volcanic in its emotional stir, it sweeps on up to one of the screen’s most amazing climaxes. READE CIRCUIT ACQUIRED BY ~— PUBLIX The first step in the vigorous expansion policy forecast by Mr. amount Publix Conventions, was taken with the acquisition on May 30th of 18 theatres in the well known Walter Reade circuit in New Jersey. Theatres have been placed in the division of Milton J. Feld. To Home Office executives the acquisition marks another opportunity for the advancement of men to positions of responsibility. It has been definitely announced, however, that no changes in the personnel of the Reade company will be made, the operating staff in each house being taken over as well as the property. The purchase marks the entry of Paramount Publix into New Jersey. Additional developments in accordance with Publix policy| will doubtless be made. Theatres involved in the transaction, all of them in New Jersey, are: / Theatre Town Strands ec eee Perth Amboy Majestic. .00 3. sone: Perth Amboy Ditmas (closed) ...Perth Amboy CLeSCORLY 8 koe uae Perth Amboy Plainfield (Under Construction), Plainfield PREOMC a ee eo tes Plainfield Strands eri ee Plainfield Embassy (closed)...... Freehold DULAC le <tc es Roe rte hope Freehold Carlton: 2276s en ey Red Bank Mayfair .......%.:Asbury Park Si James 2) Fok 28 Asbury Park [oViiG eee ers are ae Asbury Park SaVOV ee eee es Asbury Park Rialto (closed) ....Asbury Park Beach Theatre (almost completed) Asbury Park Broadway (being remodeled), Long Branch Long Branch eee sec eee re ee ey UIE LUE PEPER O OUCH VERO OTS TNO OTOTTOTENT EET TNE O TN TTFTIT C3 MUSIC NOTES TUTTE eee Bob Hamilton opened as feature organist at the Paramount, Des Moines, replacing Herbie Koch, who has been transferred to the Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, La. Willye Stahl has been appointed Musical Director at the Palace Theatre, Dallas, Texas, beginning June 16th. Lou Forbes has been engaged as Musical Director at the Paramount Theatre, Atlanta, Ga. His opening date will be fixed by Mr. Friedl, which date will be subsequently advised. Wesley Lord, formerly feature organist at the Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, La., has been assigned as feature organist at the Paramount Theatre, Omaha, replacing J. Thomas. There is no further assignment for Mr. Thomas. Lord’s opening date will be fixed by Mr. Pincus. Willard Moore, formerly District Musical Advisor for Omaha and Des Moines, has been appointed Manager of the Paramount Theatre, Des Moines, and will no longer act as District Musical Advisor for the Home Office Music Department on and after May Bhi ks 1930. He will not be replaced as District Musical Advisor. SUT TEU TET Katz at both the Publix and Par George Parrish has been appointed as District. Musical Advisor in the South, with headquarters at the Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, La., covering Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and -New Orleans. He began his duties actively on May 24th. Only the finest of actors—egreat artists backed by a world of accomplishment and experience—could vitalize this gloriously human story. “One Romantic Night” sparkles with the great performance of great players. ; Superb as a Broadway stage success; triumphant as a talking picture. All the artistry and excellence of a great cast at its best in one of the screen’s most engaging film entertainments. “One Romantic Night’? measures up as a big money-maker in every respect. It’s worthy of real showmanship. It offers you any number of angles to work from. And as entertainment it will back anything you say of it. excellent flash on crowded streets. NO PARKING! Manager Roy P. Drachman cooperated with police in marking no-parking zones on the streets of Tucson, Arizona. His signs read “No Parking! But remember that ‘Song of the West’ opens a fourday engagement at the Rialto, Saturday.’’ Signs furnished an SHORT REVIEWS OF SHORT FEATURES By LOUIS NOTARIUS Publix Theatres Booking Department _ PARAMOUNT PUBLIX EDDIE CANTOR IN “INSURANCE’’—(1 Reel). There is no doubt about this one going over. Action takes place in a doctor’s office. Eddie is being examined for insurance—the gags and method of putting them over may be left to the imagination. It moves rapidly and winds up with a song as Cantor alone can sing it. Sure-fire anywhere. “RESOLUTIONS” WITH BILLY HOUSE (20 min.) Billy House has adapted his vaudeville skit to the screen and it is just as funny as it ever was in the flesh. It tells the story of a fat husband who vows to be good but he just can’t. Humor lies in the situations created during his attempts to fool his suspecting wife while he is making whoopee. Good hokum comedy which will undoubtedly get plenty of laughs. Being used now to close the ‘show with “One Romantic Night’ at the Rivoli in New York, where it is getting excellent audience re-action. PATHE OOM PAH PAH (6 min.)—A clever fable that has all the elements of the best cartoons and means entertainment. It moves fast and will hold the interest from\ beginning to end. : THE GLACIER’S. SECRET (9 min.)—This is the third of the Vagabond Series. As the title implies, it takes you to the far north where the wonders of nature are brought to view with the aid of a dramatic word picture by Tom Terris. <A story is cleverly injected in order to heighten the interest. A subject which will lend class and a touch of variety to the usual program. COLUMBIA STAGE DOOR KNIGHTS (8 -min.)—Just a fair act with Lew Hearn and Buddy Doyle. Contains a lot of the usual hokum but lacks the pep which is necessary to put it over. Will serve as an opener on a three act front show. FIDDLIN’ AROUND (6 min.)—-A Disney Cartoon which lacks .the laughs of those which preceded it. Clever cartooning but that is all. R. K. O. PALOOKA FLYING SCHOOL (7 min.)—-Here we get an army instructor teaching a flying corps the art of flying by means of a map. As he points to different parts of the globe, the usual wise-cracking accompanies it. For instance, the town of Quincey is followed by the crack that ‘It is the only town named after a sore throat.’’ Consider it a good novelty with which to open the show. VITAPHONE 3897—HOLLAND (8 min.)—-A flash with Dutch atmosphere and singing and dancing girls all done in excellent colors. The special music by K. Jerome and dance creations by Jack Haskell ‘combine to produce a colorful closing act. 958—-BEN BERNIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA (8 min.)—Assisted by Francis McCoy who puts over ‘‘Hello Baby’’ a la Helen Kane, Ben Bernie goes through his paces with his usual jesting in between numbers which are rendered with pep. . Contains several novelties in the form of photography which add a touch of class to the act. he numbers played are ‘‘Sweeter Than Sweet,’’ “Have a Little Faith in Me,’* ‘‘Hello Baby,” and “Lady Luck.” A good flash ctosing number. f Ten Commandments! The fundamentals of business organization and management are the same whether in the motion picture business or in banking. Below appear ten general regulations which if put into practice by executives would result in. much more smoothly functioning organizations. As reprinted here from the Wall Street News, these commandments were laid down by Col. M. C. Rorty, vice president of the International Telephone and Telegraph Corp. 1. Definite and clean-cut responsibilities should be assigned to each executive. Responsibility should always be coupled with corresponding authority. No change should be made in the scope of responsibilities of a position without a definite understanding to that effect on the part of all persons concerned. No officer or employe occupying a single position in the organization should be subject to definite orders from more than one source. é ‘Orders should never be given to subordinates over the head of a responsible officer. Criticisms of subordinates should, whenever possible, be made privately, and in no case should a subordinate be criticized, in the presence of officers or employes of equal or lower rank. No dispute or difference between officers or employes as to authority or responsibilities should be considered too trivial for prompt and careful adjudication. Promotions, wage changes and disciplinary action should always be approved by the officer immediately superior to the one directly responsible, . No officer or employe should ever be required, or expected, to be at the same time an assistant to, and critic of, another. | Any officer whose work is subject to regular inspection should, whenever practicable, receive the assistance and facilities necessary to enable him to maintain an independent check of the quality of his work. “The ten rules of good management enumerated by Colonel Rorty,’”’ the News comments editorially, ‘“‘are sanctioned by the dictates of common sense. Every one of the ten principles 8 10. laid down above is violated almost daily in some organizations. Where this is true there will be found only a second-rate or third rate concern. The first class establishments in every branch of business in almost all instances are singularly free of the disrupting influence of office politics.” (oan EEE pneneemeeemmemmmeeeneeneee eee