Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

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Page 64 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW June 3, 1939 Planned Release Dates for UA WITH eleven of the industry's outstanding producers scheduled to contribute a total of from 28 to 32 pictures to its 193940 program, United Artists will enter its 20th Anniversary year wiih every prospect of it being the most successful season in the company's history. Advance estimates reveal that more than $25,000,000 will be spent by the company's producer roster in making the United Artists releases for the coming year. In formulating plans for the 1939-40 season especial emphasis was placed on a schedule of "planned release dates" that will bring the company's outstanding pictures to the exhibitor in a steady flow through the 12 months of the year. This practice, it is expected, will free the industry, in part, from boxoffice "drought months" when big productions are not available for showings. To back up its pictures with an advance audience, United Artists plans to undertake the largest advertising and exploitation campaign in its history, appropriating more than $3,000,000 for newspaper, national magazine and fan magazine advertising. Placing of the copy will be timed to coincide with the greatest number of playdates throughout the country in order to yield to the exhibitor the greatest publicity value from the drive. Included in the list of producers whose Murray Silverstone films will be released by United Artists during the coming year are eight who have been associated with the company in the past. They are David O. Selznick, Charles Chaplin, Samuel Goldwyn. Alexander Korda, Douglas Fairbanks, Walter Wanger, Hal Roach and Edward Small. To this group have been added three newcomers to the company's releasing operations. They are David L. Loew, Sol Lesser and Ernst Lubitsch. David O. Selznick will contribute three pictures to the schedule: "Intermezzo," starring Leslie Howard; "Rebecca," to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and an as yet untitled production. For the first time in more than three years Charlie Chaplin will again be represented on the LTnited Artists schedule. He will make "The Dictators," which will be written, directed and produced by himself as well as supplying Chaplin with his first speaking role. Scheduled for early release are two films from Samuel Goldwyn Studios: "Music School," introducing Jascha Heifetz, and "The Real Glory," starring Gary Cooper and Andrea Leeds. A strong selling point is found for the company and exhibitor alike in the plans of Alexandra Korda to make all five of his new season films in Technicolor. They are "Four Feathers," "Over the Moon," starring Merle Oberon: "The Thief of Bagdad," with Sabu; "Sinner," a Merle Oberon starring vehicle, and "The Jungle Boy," starring Sabu. Six pictures will be contributed by Walter Wanger, including "Winter Carnival," starring Ann Sheridan; "House Across The Bay," with a cast headed by Joan Bennett; and four untitled productions. Of these one will be an original story by Gene Towne and Graham Baker, and another will be a fictionization of the current outstanding Vincent Sheean novel. Entering their second year in the LTnited Artists' ranks will be Edward Small and Hal Roach. From the Hal Roach Studios will come "The Housekeeper's Daughter," starring Joan Bennett and Adolphe Menjou; "Of Mice and Men," the outstanding novel and stage play; "1,000,000 B.C.," "Caption Caution," and a filmization of a Thorne Smith novel. Roach will also produce a group of four Stan Laurel-Oliver Hardy films. Small will offer seven films: "Kit Carson," with Joel McCrea and Frances Dee; "My Son, Mv Son!" starring Louis Hayward; "Quantrill, the Raider," "Valentino," "South of Pago Pago," "Two Years Before the Mast" and "Food of the Gods." Also returning to the company's roster is Douglas Fairbanks who will produce "The Californian," the story of Lola Montez, one of the most influential women in history. Rounding out the company's schedule will be a dramatization of a famous stage play by David L. Loew, and an Ernst Lubitsch production to be presented by Sol Lesser. This will be the largest lineup ever sold by United Artists. The company has always released the product of producers who felt that they would rather devote a long period to the filming of a few fine productions than to turn out a larger number, even though they had the facilities to do so. With more producers than ever before the company confidently expects to continue this policy. FRANK McDonald D I RECTOR Just Completed THEY ASKED FOR IT" UNIVERSAL R^C J^l^^ J4_ _4 PICTURES PRODUCER-DIRECTOR