Showmen's Trade Review (1939)

Page 14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW July 15, 1939 The Man in the Iron Mask Edward Small Picture Is Action Film With Active Selling Angles SWASHBUCKLING has always been a favorite word among showmen to describe a picture, for the reason that it recalls pictures which are full of action, adventure, romance and at the same time the word indicates that all this takes place in a bygone era when men were men and they fought for women. Now that we've explained to you just what our idea of swashbuckling is (even though it might not exactly agree with Noah Webster) we can go into our little discourse about a swashbuckling picture, "The Man in the Iron Mask," confident that you'll know just what kind of a picture it is. Let us first analyze what you have to sell in this picture and get down to the business of selling it afterward. First of all, you have a great story. Historians dispute whether it actually took place or not — whether there was a twin brother of Louis XIV imprisoned in an iron mask or not has for over two hundred years remained a secret. But in any event, the story seemed dramatic enough in the last century for Alexandre Dumas to immortalize it. The story itself is worthy of considerable thought upon the part of the showman. Here is a man who solely, through the accident of birth, is imprisoned in a mask to hide his identity — denied the throne that was rightfully his and torn from the object of his affections. Here, indeed, is a story which is admirably suited for the screen. An Era of Romance Next (and still concerning the story) it takes place in an era of romance. The duel has long been a favorite subject for screen picturization and one which affords plenty of action. The time of the story and its action involves a number of duels between men who fought at the drop of a hat. There's a wonderful love story in the picture. Here is a beautiful princess wooed by one man to become the wife of another. A man and a girl gamble with a kingdom as the stakes. Surely this should give you plenty to sell. The Duelling Angle Fencing is becoming increasingly popular, so if you can get a couple of fencers to do their stuff in a store window, you'll attract plenty of attention, especially if you put plenty of selling copy around it. The lobby would also be a good spot foi it. (REG. U. S. PAT. OFF.) All of these angles have been welded together in a story by a man who has had plenty of experience in doing it. He is Edward Small, who produced "The Count of Monte Cristo" another Dumas' novel a few years back. Most of you will remember what a hit that was. The title of the picture suggested to the United Artists exploitation department that there ought to be some "iron masks" available to showmen to exploit this picture. Accordingly, an actual papier mache reproduction of the mask has been made available to exhibitors at a comparatively low price. These can be put to numerous uses and in this Showmanalysis we will refer to them from time to time. A Newspaper ContestWhile we're on the subject, here's an idea for using them in a newspaper contest of the type the newspaper goes for. A photographer snaps somebody on the street and the newspaper prints the picture with a photograph of the iron mask (available in stills) superimposed over the head. Thus the person photographed appears to be wearing the iron mask. Guest tickets are awarded to the person photographed if he can recognize himself. Another way to use this mask and tie up directly with the fencing in the picture, is to hire a local fencing expert, put the mask on him, and have him in the lobby with the announcement that he will fence with all comers at a specified time and place. This announcement can also be carried in the newspapers. A substantial prize can be offered to anyone who beats him (a well nigh impossible stunt if he is an expert). A sporting goods store should be contacted for tieups on the fencing equipment, such as foils, helmet, etc. A few days before the picture opens put the mask on one of your staff, lock it with a padlock and have him approach some public authority or the police explaining that he has lost the key. It should make a news story in any town and to gain further publicity and attention, announce that you will employ him as a lobby attendant during the run of the picture, "The Man in the Iron Mask" which through a strange coincidence you are about to run. Have Suitable Lobby Display Your lobby should be appropriately decorated in keeping with the setting of the picture. First of all, an effective shadow box can be made by using stills of Louis Hayward and Joan Bennett facing each other. Scrimmed off in the background and between the two is a cutout of "The Man in the Iron Mask," which can be flashed on and off by means of a light bulb on a broken circuit. Copy underneath can read, "Which does the mask hide? — wooer or a beautiful woman or tyrant of a helpless nation? A couple of pairs of crossed rapiers hung on the lobby wall would add to the effectiveness of any lobby display. You can also use a large throne chair draped with a purple material and with a gilt crown on it. Underneath the crossed rapiers on the wall you can mount one of the aforementioned papier mache masks. On a table next to the throne cutouts of the 8x10 stills would be very effective if you mount them like a table setpiece. Other items for lobby display include the following: a French 17th Century rapier or as near a likeness as you can get, which can be borrowed from the nearest museum or property dealer; a paste duplication of the crown jewels of France; costumes of the period which can be rented from a costume shop; copies of the Dumas' novel, and any historical objects of the period. Radio Quiz Questions For a tieup with your radio stations there are a couple of quiz questions which tie right in both with the picture and with the present vogue for question and answer games. First you can have the station ask for the names of famous twins. Then you can have this question put: "If you were giving a dinner party for four famous characters with strange or inhuman qualities, whom would you invite?" Just in case you want to have the answers ready, here they are: The Golem, The Man in the Iron Mask, The Invisible Man, and King Kong. Here Are Your Cast and Credits Lp°hiitppcIV\ Louis Hayward Maria Theresa Joan Bennett D'Artagnan Warren William Bouquet , Joseph Schildkraut Porthos Alan Hale Aramis Miles Mander Athos Bert Roach Colbert Walter Kingsford Mile, de la Valliere Marian Martin Spanish Ambassador . . . .Montagu Love Queen Anne Doris Kenyon Louis XI J I Albert Dekker Commandant of Bastile . .William Boyle Released through United Artists Produced by Edward Small. Directed by James Whale. Screenplay by George Bruce. Musical direction by Lud Gluskin.