Publix Opinion (Aug 1, 1930)

SELLING “THE LOTTERY BRIDE” by BRUCE GALLUP Advertising Director, United Artists (Not For Publication) “The Lottery Bride’ is a romantic spectacle, big in dramatic power, big in human interest and big in patronage appeal. And more, it has that indispensable ingredient for wide-spread comment — novelty. Here is a virile story—a story of adventure, of thrills, of laughter, a story that sparkles with originality. It unfolds the dramatic heart adventures of a girl and a boy, who separate because of a misunderstanding and wander to the farthest corners of the globe to forget and begin life anew. The girl lands in a primitive mining camp of the North country, where she becomes a lottery bride. She and the boy meet. In grief, the boy joins a dangerous areonautical expedition to the poles. The dirigible in which he is flying crashes and death seems imminent, when the girl makes a thrilling rescue at the head of a relief party. The story itself effervesces with ideas of modern interest. It speaks in the language of today. It represents the 1930 news headlines. Daring air flights, polar expeditions, dance marathons, have all stirred the public fancy in recent months with such feats as the Graf Zeppelin round-the-world tour. Byrd’s trip to the poles and the various éndurance marathons headlined in leading cities. Then there’s the cast. Jeanette MacDonald, heroine of ‘‘The Love Parade” and ‘‘The Vagabond King,” plays the lead. She is supported by’ John Garrick, hero of ‘‘The Sky Hawk”; Joe H. Brown, comedy star of stage and screen and recently headlined in ‘Hold Everything’; Robert Chisholm, famous baritone of the Broadway stage hit “Sweet Adeline’; Zasu Pitts, Harry Gribbon, Joseph Macaulay, and Max Davidson. Paul Stein, celebrated director of Lillian Gish in ‘One Romantic Night,” and Ann Harding’s ‘Her Private Affair,” piloted the film. There are six smashing song hits that are naturally brought into this sensational and romantic drama. These songs have been spe cially written for the production by Rudolf Friml, composer of such | celebrated musical numbers as “Rose Marie,’ “Song of the Vagabonds,” “Only A Rose,” and ‘Indian Love Call.” The six numbers are all of hit calibre, with catchy melodies and interesting lyrics. Back of ‘“‘The Lottery Bride” is the production genius of Arthur Hammerstein, Broadway’s ace producer of “Rose Marie,” “Golden Dawn,” and other big hits. " The exploitation possibilities of this production are sensational. Ballyhoes, lobby displays, contests—a thousand and one ways of exploiting “The Lottery Bride” are possible. Consult the press book. AD COPY: The peak of pageantry; a kaleidoscope of color; a reverie of rich romance; a dreadnaught of drama—mighty masterpece of melody, mirth, madcap mishaps, modern marvels! A momentous picture every one should enjoy. : A scintillating spectacle that takes bud’in the peaceful beauty of a quaint town and blossoms to full radiance in the dazzling wastes of the North country, land of red blooded men and rugged adventure. : A dramatic romance alive with the glorious music of Rudolf Friml and the brilliant performances of the foremost players in Hollywood. ; “The Lottery Bride” is the fabric from which enduring boxoffice records are woven. It carries originality, novelty, and speaks the language. of modern day picture audiences. By getting behind this production and featuring its various cash angles the 1930 showman has an opportunity to present some of the most novel exploitation stunts of the day and bring an envious gross to his theatre. Et Meili bboitelieieleleieleidieleteteten SHORT REVIEWS OF SHORT FEATURES By LOUIS NOTARIUS Publix Theatres Booking Department Eesbeendessessessesseseesgeerererehohestonk festesargefegesgestesfeshestectertuutrtintiol feteafesteeleefestengerteeteatertertete PARAMOUNT ‘ BARNACLE BILL (8 M.). A Talkartoon based on the famous Barnacle Bill. It moves fast and winds up with a sure-fire finish under the sea where the main character is surrounded by a chorus of pretty mermaids jazzing it up. The synchronization is per ’ fect and the song element is entertaining. A subject which will put life into the front show. SWING YOU SINNERS (8 M.). Another Fleischer talkartoon, which, from the standpoint of cartooning is the most lavish piece of work attempted, in this line, to date. It is a parody on the ‘Sing, You defedetendetepess Sinners” number of Honey, and portrays in caricature the spirit |. of yoodooism. Will hold the attention from start to finish with its marvelous technique.and its fast pace. GO AHEAD, SING (9 Min.). A one reeler with Tom Howard, that well-known Broadway comedian, and Sam Hearn. It all tales place in front of a sanitarium, where Howard insists on singing to the discomfort of the hospital patients. How he is rewarded for his unwelcome warbling is told in a surprise finish. The act, is amusing and will serve its purpose well as an opener on a 3-act front show which builds. EDUOATIONAL _ LLOYD HAMILTON IN PRIZE PUPPIES (19 Min.) A two reel slap stick comedy in which several funny situations are fairly well knit together to round out an average Hamilton comedy. The element of dogs will appeal to dog lovers and children and the. bit of satire at the dog show should provoke a laugh here and there. Aga whole, average fare for the “‘B’’ houses. HELLO TELEVISION (20 M.). A Mack Sennett comedy in which Television is used to develop the plot. This is a domestic comedy in which Andy Clyde does his whimsical role as a father who tries to prevent an only child from marrying the boy of her dreams, (Nick Stuart). How an unhappy marriage is frustrated by the use of Television is amusing and interesting. Exploita tion and tie-up possibilities with Jenken’s Television who will demonstrate in lobbies and broadcast on radio mentioning the A good comedy. Picture. UNFAIR CRITICS FLAYED BY. _ HAYS OFFICE Fully realizing the importance of newspaper critics in influencing public opinion, the Hays organization in a statement issued to the press of the nation takes strong exception to those critics who unreservedly condemn the movies. The statement follows: The different types of movie critics are surpassed numerically only by the number of planets in the universe. This is as it should be, It keeps the industry on its toes, and monotony and complacency in the outer darkness where they belong. There is one type of critic, however, who stands out from the rest. His class can be recognized by its sweeping condemnation of the movies on moral grounds. They see nothing good in the films because their judgment is colored by a Nineteenth Century view of a Twentieth Century institution. In looking back to a bygone day for their standards, they unwit tingly hold a distorted mirror up: to the movies. For example: The Rev. W. B. Woodham Denham, Viear of Chorley Wood, Hearts, England; declared: “No Christian should go to the movies. No truly converted person can sit and watch some of the films that are shown today. Anyone who does so is not a Christian, even if he has been going to church for forty or fifty years. Above all I appeal to the parents not to allow their children to go to the cinema, It is their duty to see that children do not come under the destroying influence of the cinema.” A Sane Attitude In contrast with this attitude are the following views of a religious educator, an army officer, and a widely read woman writer on social problems who bring an appreciation of modern standards, and the temper of the times, to bear on their judgment of the motion picture. J. BE. McCullough, Executive Secretary, Vanderbilt University, (School of Religion) Nashville, Tenn., states: “Much of the criticism of the motion picture jis trivial because it is based upon ideas and practices that are no-longer accepted by the new generation. I am certain, for example, that my mother would have been very. much displeased with many of the pictures that I enjoy, but that would be to her credit because she would be loyal to ideas that she learned in an earlier day to cherish. I am not to blame for enjoying the pictures that she would dislike since I am trained to think in other terms. It is simply a difference in. attitudes. The new generation certainly likes the motion pictures that are being shown. .. . I take it that the business of the producers is not to provide entertainment for an ideal public mind, but for the public mind that exists for the present stage of our national development.”’ Capt. R. S. Dean, head of the soldier bonus division, is quoted by the Lansing, Mich., State Journal: ‘Tt is true that some films shown are brutally frank, but this is a frank age, and our children appear to be much better off.in the face of today’s frankness than we were at their age when we were trying to befog the issues which they openly acknowledge.” Concerning Children Mrs. Walter Ferguson, syndicate writer on the staff of the Newspaper Enterprise Association, expressed herself as follows: ‘Tt seems entirely reasonable that children might be benefited instead of harmed if ;they were taken now and then to a bad picture. Provided that they could be shown how unreal, how stupid, how foolish it is. Keep them constantly away from the lurid and PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF AUGUST 1sr, 1930 ore ; 5 SELLING “LET’S GO NATIVE” , By RUSSELL HOLMAN Advertising Manager, Paramount Pictures (Not For Publication) I quote the very tough critic of the Hollywood Spectator, Welford Beaton, in his opinion of this picture because he gives so well the spirit of the production, ‘It is the most deliciously silly thing brought to the screen since it began to bray, and if a.gale of laughter does not follow it from one picture house to another it will be because the public has no sense of humor. It is beyond criticism. It is one of those once-in-a-lifetime happy accidents. “The cast is excellent. It is a laughing triumph for McCarey (the director). When ‘Let’s /Go Native’ scores the success it deserves, there will be a wild rush to imitate it. I laughed continuously during its showing. Never have Jack Oakie and Jeanette MacDonald given such a delightful performance. William Austin is a delight. Eugene Pallette, another fine actor, makes his mark in the opening sequence. Skeets Gallagher contributes a lot of cleverness to the fun. Charles Sellon supplies a good characterization. Jimmy Hall, Kay Francis and David Newell keep up their end. BVERY EXHIBITOR SHOULD GO AFTER ‘LET’S GO NATIVE,’ ” When ‘‘Let’s Go Native’? was shown at the conventions in May, theer was one almost unanimous comment, ‘Another ‘Cocoanuts.’ ” With the public hungry for broad, belly-laugh comedy, this picture should be a clean-up. A .big selling point of course, is the cast: Oakie, MacDonald, Skeets Gallagher, James Hall, BHugene Pallette and Kay Francis, Never so many first line Paramount players lavished upon one production! . The story should be treated only in broad terms: When a merry,” mad gang like (naming the cast) are marooned on a tropical isle, even the palm trees shake with laughter. . . . The players get shipwrecked in a wild mirthquake and you’re laugh-wrecked in the mightiest gale of joy that ever swept over a screen. ... See Jack Oakie woo the cannibal cuties; hear Jeanette MacDonald buy a billion dollar island for a smile and a song; see rotund Gene Pallette in a fight to a finish with grandfather’s clock; see Skeets Gallagher as the king of the cocoanuts; see beautiful, glamorous Kay Francis in her first rollicking comedy role; see and hear the wildest, broadest, snappiest comedy that has hit the screen since the original Chaplin classics. But most of the copy should be directed at the comedy element: Let’s all go laughing to “Let’s Go Native.” ... It’s nutty but it’s nice... . . Not a sensible thing happens, and not a sober face in the theatre. . . . The greatest grin invasion that ever hit the South Seas or this theatre. . . . If you’d like to almost roll out of your seat with laughter, here’s your picture. . . . Let’s Go Native.” McCarey, the director, was also responsible for that irresponsible comedy hit, ‘““‘The Sophomore.” There are songs in the show—good songs. Use your discretion about talking about them. HANDY SCHEDULE CHART J, L. Harris, Boston projectionist, compiled the following table to accurately replace mental arithmetic in figuring running time, Managers will find it a time-saving aid in planning schedules; re-type it and slide it under the glass on your desk. ACOURATE GAUGE FOR RUNNING TIME Seconds Weet Minutes eee eee ee AU LEVY coe enee eee DV OS5S4U 2 er eeee wee ee eee es LU 42IIU peewee eee OL OSU 22... ee eee ce eeese eo ANU AME ic cee we ee COOL rh Peli) pec woven eee eee eee AYU DUOU we eee eeee DE i(LZUU ......-. eee e ee eee OU DLOYU cece e eee e DD % (IY weceeee eee ce cree e OV DODU seve eeeee DE (4IU wee eees eee rece ee FU DOUU wee eeeene FU (FEU .eceees eee eee eee DU DOIY wane eereee FL (GBOU wee naes eee eer eee OU DIDDY seer eereee FH %(ILU weseeee eosceeereee OV DOU ecoeveeeeese FH GULIVU rec eae eee eee eee SHE GLVUY w~ewsene wees ee eee FCO GLIV .enseee eee eeeoe ee ee OS | ERE ee ec eeeiee (KO (OAOU) Sere el aialeia Charente neers Fs Pe. wvejelwiias el eravel i ctiG wimenes ii Ulmotarenetetteta CE ONO SO ES EEA Ceigletese elec e: ia, 9 OU ia tatsietalele OOF OS Oe OO 8 KS) ee SEO) Te veverajeiasarevs SOU)» (OU SUN ete ebatarerel OE RON “ee eine eae « SO SiO te eimcavaiele OF ee OSS LL VOUS Vey aie d mice we) Oat C0014 Urata tavelintela eeeeereees YF 4§G60 ....cceee SES: PLO Ok eres SOULE lanes pice wiasen Ut | UO! tera atavenn Poser’ Senet ss (ODL ce eaerascejens (OY) * SOU Coy hatamabana Ce) woes eres ee, eae 6 OU arererenaare dias Uni oe *ViONU ime etunanele O58 Seg ene em OOM, fa wale erereae) 45) 8 (iG U) cae acumeene Cr ey ee eeeeer ee DGD JOLY ~eenaae SNA Sr 8 ein Me LOIS seta: arate q yeep tO aU) eet akareal tara eee ee 2YU VODOU weer eeeee VO %VGIJU waneaen stew eae were eee ee seer e eee e VO LUGOU we ceeae a ry see eer eee DI LUDDY wc eeeee eee eee ene wee ee eee EU LUZEU gee srene Ce ee ry CC iy eee ee ewes erase aed wasn AN OM wb epdlqdatarea: SklOc) WUUMOL Ute aati 10800 (2 hrs.) 120 RE ee EE Ss A er eo eR Pa | se eeereeee 4060 DVOOU ,eeaee they will live in a perpetual state,a wholesome discrimination so of curiosity to see it.. that upon their own initiative they. “Censorship of anything always|can choose bétween the good and incites interest in it. -Pictures,}the bad. The greatest moral lesbooks, life. We must not attempt] son in our Bible is that of the forto censor these too much for our] bidden apple tree, We have not children. We should teach them | yet learned it.”