Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1940)

Page 14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW April 27, mo A LTHOUGH you may be familiar with the fSct, it would be unwise to let your public know that " 'Til We Meet Again" is a remake of "One Way Passage." So we start off this Showmanalysis with this word of caution. Regardless of whether this picture is better than the original, we suggest that you refrain from mentioning it in any way whatever. The things to sell in this picture are the names and the romance. The latter is probably the most outstanding romantic angle you've had to sell in a long time. It is a beautiful love story, full of tenderness and poignance and that's just the sort of language you'll have to use in selling — the type we are using to sell you on the idea. The title, too, is a good one. For instance, how about running a contest in which you ask newspaper readers to submit instances of where they have met long lost friends or relatives under peculiar or unusual" circumstances? The best of these could be dramatized on the local radio station, giving due credit of course to the picture which inspired the idea. Further along this line, you could set up a bureau in the lobby where people could register the names of those whom they were seeking. Many girls, for instance, lose track of their friends and later they are married, their names are changed and the friends don't know the husbands' names. The idea of having a desk in the lobby where registrations of names could be left is a good one to carry out the title. Stunts to Play on Title Here's another stunt to play on the title. You announce through the newspaper that a man in your employ will start at your theatre at a certain time and walk through certain streets (giving the route). A few minutes later, a girl will do the same thing. Now the idea is to have newspaper readers try to pick the spots where they will meet. The routes can, cross and recross many times, but only at certain points will the couple meet. Whoever spots them meeting is awarded tickets. This stunt could be worked in connection with a local bus or street car company, which could advertise that the two people will be on certain bus or car routes which cross. When they meet at a certain point at the same time, the passes are awarded. This stunt can be used by the traction companies to advertise their "on time" record. A similar idea was used in one of our theatres a few years ago and very successfully. Groups of "Meeters" You may have read of certain groups of people who have arrangements to meet at various places years after a certain event. For instance, the survivors of the Titanic disaster meet regularly and so do those who went through the famous blizzard of '88. Find a local group of this kind (perhaps they're fraternity brothers from college or just members of the same class). Tie up the meeting with the picture. Another way to play up the title would be to arrange with certain hotels to cooperate with you. For instance, a local hotel might have a reputation as a convenient spot to meet, or a local restaurant or candy shop might have the Screenplay by Warren Duff. From an original story by Robert Lord. Directed by Edmund Goulding. lOMANCE, CAST FOE CAMPAIGN same reputation. This brings considerable business to them and you might therefore have them push the idea further by organizing a " 'Til We Meet Again" Club with George Brent and A-Ierle Oberon as the sponsors. You can arrange to have jumbo telegrams sent you from Hollywood addressed to the meeting place and signed with their names, wishing the Club luck. The title can be further emphasized by having everyone in your employ use it when finishing a conversation on the telephone. This should be done both when they answer the theatre phone and their own private phones as well. To put this point over even better, you can have hangers made up to slip over the mouthpieces of public telephones, with copy on them reading, "Don't say 'Goodbye,' say ' 'Til We Meet Again' and see the picture of that name at the Strand on (playdate)." Tieups for Bars The stars of the picture meet over a cocktail in the picture. This suggests the possibility of having a "Paradise Cocktail" (that's what Brent orders and it's his own concoction) featured in local bars. You'll have to use your judgment about whether you will risk any illwill by tieing up with a bar. If you do use this stunt, ask the bartender to put up a sign advertising that he will serve a Paradise cocktail, exactly as served in the picture, and underneath that to give the playdates. In this connection, you could have a couple come in and order Paradise cocktails and then break the glasses as they do in the picture (but be sure the bartender is in on the gag). A further stunt in connection with local bars would be to ask everyone to use the title of the picture as a toast. You might run a newspaper contest for good toasts starting off the parade with the title. The second day story in the newspaper could state that the title was suggested by the picture coming to your theatre. It would also be a good bet to have a great many people send in this idea for a good toast and then later announce the showing of the picture. To put over the story (and we suggest you don't use this idea if your town played "One Way Passage" when it was reissued) there is a good contest to last five days in the newspaper. Five stills with captions are available in mat form, each depicting a scene from the This is the type of still with which your lobby, newspapers and programs should be chock-full picture with one of the many problems which occur in it. These same problems can be used in other ways if you do not have access to your newspaper's columns. They can be used as a radio quiz contest, or the questions can be asked by an Inquiring Reporter. Still another way would be to have outgoing patrons answer the questions posed by the picture as they leave. This is especially good for the first day. Since the entire action of the picture takes place on a trip from Hong Kong to San Francisco, you can tie up with travel agencies selling cruises to the Far East and Honolulu. Promote from them a large map of the Pacific Ocean. At various points along the way place stills of the stars with appropriate captions. For instance, at Hong Kong the caption says "Here they met and knew they were fated for each other." Enroute captions say, "We who have no tomorrow must take our love today" and "We have nothing to live for but love." At San Francisco, the caption is simply " 'Til We Meet Again." Many National Tieups The press book on the picture is replete with suggestions on making use of various national tieups which have been arranged. These are capital for putting over the stars, already well known to every moviegoer. Stills of such people as Merle Oberon, George Brent, Pat O'Brien, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Frank McHugh and Binnie Barnes can be used all over town to good advantage. Use the angles best suited to your community. But sell this picture hard. The women will have to bring their handkerchiefs, but how they'll love it ! There are plenty of fie-up stills available for us in putting over the stars of " 'Til We Meet Again." Reading left to right above is George Brent plugging stripes for business suits this spring; Merle Oberon in a striped jacket and slacks for vacation wear; Brent smoking a pipe (good for tobacconists) and Merle Oberon displaying the latest in white gloves.