Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

Page 20 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW October 7, 1939 THE new RKORadio picture, "Three Sons," featuring Edward Ellis, William Gargan, Kent Taylor, J. Edward Bromberg, Katharine Alexander and the two winners of a recent Jesse L. Lasky "Gateway to Hollywood" contest, Virginia Vale and Robert Stanton, deals with the rise of Chicago following the famous fire of the early seventies. Because it tells the story of enterprising men who started in humble circumstances and became merchant princes, it has the angles that make for excellent exploitation. Here is one picture that, unlike many others where merchant cooperation may have to be dragged in by the heels, literally commands tieups, especially in those stores long established in your community. Noting the cast as listed in the foregoing paragraph, the average exhibitor knows that while none of the names, with the possible exception of Edward Ellis, are really stars as we know them today, all of them are reliable and familiar to most movie fans. Add to this the publicity gained by the "Gateway to Hollywood" talent quest that ran for several weeks over the radio, and you readily realize that "Three Sons" is a picture worth going after. Ellis won notable acclaim for his role in "A Man to Remember"— acclaim that placed him right at the top in public favor. They'll be watching for him in the new film. Remember, too, that you have a picture dealing with one of the most colorful periods in American history. Let it be the background for your campaign. Advance teaser ads could be in the form of a "special Screenplay by John Twist. From the novel, "Sweepings" by Lester Cohen. Directed by Jack Hively. Produced by Robert Sisk. sale coming to Blanktown soon." In the department store manner, these teasers could read something like this: "Never a sale like this in Blanktown — Never have you been able to buy so much for so little, etc." As the ads progress, you can point out that what you have for sale is "the grand, human story of the building of a mercantile empire in Chicago after the great fire." If you can get a print of "Three Sons" in advance of your playdate, we believe it would be wise to screen it for members of the local merchants' association and other civic leaders. In this, way, you will be as THREE SONS Poster Good For Lobby Display Cut out the illustrative portion of this 6-sheet, mount on compo-board, then have your artist build a background embracing the title, cast and scene stills. For posting, this accessory should gain attention with its cast and title-selling value. Merchant Cooperation, Ba I lyhoos Appropriate In Selling New Drama sured of their cooperation in any of the tieups you seek to make with them, and you'll have their word-of-mouth comments and endorsements. In this connection, you might ask the oldest merchant to write a review of the film, with the regular reviewer stepping aside for the "guest critic." With the cooperation of one or more department stores, arrange a display in your lobby of old photographs and mementoes showing their growth. Pages from the film of the newspaper might also be displayed; but since most papers will not permit pages to be removed, you could either have reproductions made or display a volume opened to the particular page you want the public to see. Of course you know that all the material you need may not be available — photographs, for instance. For that reason, it's quite possible that you'll have to conduct a search through the newspaper. Theatre tickets could be offered for loan of the material. Interview Old Customers Contact long established stores to furnish you with the names of their oldest customers; that is, those who are still living. As feature articles to run each day for several days, each of these old-timers could be interviewed about the growth and development of the store each patronized. They could be your guests at a special performance of "Three Sons," perhaps on the opening night. On this page you'll find a sketch for a display on the changes in styles. What people wore in the past when placed alongside the styles of today will attract plenty of attention, and at the same time arouse discussion. The period of the story makes possible ballyhoo stunts. Take the cow that caused the Chicago fire. You could have a man in period dress carrying a lantern and leading a bovine around the business district plug the picture for you. A sign on each side could read: "A cow and this lantern laid the foundation for a great fortune — See 'Three Sons' at the Blank Theatre." A bell should be hang-ing from the cow's neck. _ Attired in 1880 outfits, or as near to that time as possible, three men of different ages could walk around town carrying banners. They could distribute heralds at street corners and in d«oartment stores. There's at least one store in your town which has been handed down from father to son. If you can obtain photographs of those who have been active in the management of the store since it was first established, place them in the window of a photographer's shop, with a card explaining that just as the store has kept pace with the community so has photography advanced. The oldest photo, as compared with the latest one of the present executive, will serve to bring out this point. Through the newspaper, seek those families which have only three sons, no daughters. Most people are generally straightforward and honest so that you needn't worry about someone claiming only three sons while hiding the fact that there was also a daughter or two in the family. Set aside an evening when fathers, with their three sons, providing all are living in town, can attend a performance as your guests. Looking at the calendar, we note that the week of November 6 is designated as Father and Son Week. If you play "Three Sons" at that time, the suggestion made in this paragraph would be a "natural." Incidentally, the Y.M.C.A. is sponsoring the observance, which should be your cue for tieing up with this civic organization. Why not stage a Father and Son banquet, after which those present could attend your theatre in a body? Civic leaders could help defray the cost of the banquet. Almost everyone, at some time or other, has heard of John Wanamaker, F. W. Woolworth, Marshall Field, R. H. Macy and other mercantile pioneers. In a tieup with the schools offer cash prizes or theatre tickets to those who write the best essays on the man of their choice. For a radio contest, or for newspaper use, you could run short biographies of these men, with their names, birth dates and places omitted. Fans would be required to furnish the names and fill in the blank spaces. Photos might be published for readers to identify. Stage a Double Wedding One of the sequences in the film shows a double wedding. Why not line up the merchants and the newspapers to aid you in holding such a wedding on the stage of your theatre? Not only the wedding angle, but the fact that the picture deals with the growth of a large store, should be the themes on which merchants could base the attendant publicity. If you inquire at the fire station, chances are you'll discover they still have an old fire engine. Ask to borrow it for street ballyhoo purposes. Parked in front of the theatre, it will have the sidewalk crowded. Associate Edward Ellis with "A Man To Remember" in all your advertising. And drive home the fact that "Three Sons" is a human story that will appeal to the wholt: family. One of the evenings of its engagements could be designated as "Family Night" at which time the entire family would be admitted for a certain admission charge. 2 Get Window On Old Styles Surely there is a store In your community which has been In business many years. Arrange a window display like the sketch shown above. If the store doesn't have the old styles, perhaps they could be borrowed from citizens via the newspaper.