Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1941)

November 1, 1941 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 23 When you can stand in your lobby and accept the praise of patrons for the picture they've just seen, it's a grand and glorious feeling. From all reports, "One Foot in Heaven" is that type of picture — clean, wholesome, warm, human, appealing entertainment. But to have those patrons thanking you as they leave the theatre, you must first get them to enter. "One Foot in Heaven" will attract a large number who look for the best, but there are many others — those who seldom attend the movies — that must be reached. And that can be done only through extensive exploitation. Here are several ideas designed for the average situation : PLAY UP FAMILY' ANGLE Prizes could be offered for the best family group photos. A humorous angle could be added by making it a requirement that all photos entered show the family group posed in the old "family album" manner. A search might be conducted for the oldest photo of a local family. Members of the community's largest family might be the guests of the theatre on opening night with attendant fanfare, etc. MINISTERIAL COOPERATION Since the story concerns a small town minister, it might be wise to arrange a private showing for local clergymen, at the same time inviting men and women prominent in other walks of life. Use the endorsements in a trailer, in your ads and as the basis for a special lobby display. During the engagement, invite local divinity students to attend. Print their pictures in the paper, and set aside a day to honor them. Many former ministers may now be engaged in other professions, either in town or away. Good human-interest publicity might be "cooked up" by having a reporter seek them out for interviews. If you can get any "out-of-towners" to come back for the occasion, it would certainly be a feather in your cap. One of the picture's episodes concerns the delayed baptism of the family's youngest child because of a disagreement between the minister and his wife as to the name to be given it. This suggests a newspaper letter-writing contest in which readers tell why the names they bear were selected, and whether father or mother did the naming. IDEAS INVOLVING 'FATHER' According to the ads, Father chaperones young romance. Maybe newspaper readers could write amusing letters on the subject, "How Father Helped Our Romance." Again, the ads say that "Father Has One Foot in Heaven, and the Other in Hot Water." This line could possibly be used in arranging a tieup with the local gas or electric company on hot water heaters. Usually it's difficult to get Father out to see a show. He'd rather sit by the fire and read. Therefore, make an offer, effective on the opening night of the picture at a certain hour, at which time Father will be admitted free if mother succeeds in bringing him and at least two of the children to the theatre. Extensive Selling Will Help You to Reach Those People Who Seldom Attend Movies People are busiest taking pictures in the summertime, with the result that the bulk of this activity falls off during the fall and winter months, except in the case of those who make photography an avocation. Get local camera owners to take their picturetaking equipment from the closet by means of a contest, to be sponsored by a prominent camera shop, in which prizes are offered for the most amusing photos showing Father in some sort of predicament that might seem serious to him but funny to others. You'll also need the cooperation of the newspaper on this stunt. THAT 'PERSONAL' TOUCH "One Foot in Heaven" is the type of picture that comes along once in a blue moon ; it therefore deserves your personal endorsement. Sell it by means of personal, "from-me-toyou" messages in at least one or two of your advance ads. Point out the entertainment elements that make the picture so ideal for young and old alike. PIE & CAKE SUGGESTIONS In one sequence, pies and cakes baked by church members play an important part. The sequence is that in which the young minister ^Father ^akes+ke Laughs go Farther forHte broadest smiles u_i) and -Hie happiest Wr Ky) you can ask for, see.. . MARCH© MARTHA mro&rm^ ® p I'owble! LAURA HOPE CREWS GRANT MITCHELL Djrecled by IRVING RAPPER Everybody loved Hie book everybodys wild1 about" ftie picture! Ads Highlight Comedy Angle Although "One Foot in Heaven" is essentially a drama, it has its moments of comedy, and since many theatre patrons are seeking comedy in their screen fare, it's little wonder that this angle is played up in the ads, as illustrated above. Screenplay by Casey Robinson. From the book by Hartzell Spence. Directed by Irving Rapper. and his bride are feted. It suggests a tieup with the ladies' aid society or another women's church organization whereby the group is given advertising in the lobby in connection with a cake sale. You might arrange for the group to raise funds by permitting the members to hold such a sale in your lobby. The newspaper could print the recipe of the church member who has the reputation of baking the best pies and cakes. In case neither of the aforementioned pieand-cake stunts are used, there is still the possibility of tieing in with a local bakery for a window display. POST HIGHWAY SIGNS If permission can be obtained, signs advertising your showing should be placed along the highways leading into town. With apologies to Burma-Shave, something like this might prove practical: "Whether you're young . . . Or ten times seven . . . You'll still enjoy . . . 'One Foot in Heaven'." Or like this: "The miles from here . . . To town are 'leven . . . Be sure to see . . . 'One Foot in Heaven'." Or like this: "Your name's not Smith? . . . Not even Bevan? . . . You still should see . . . 'One Foot in Heaven'." BRING BACK MEMORIES One of the situations in the picture revolves around Fredric March attending the movies with his son. The attraction on view is an old Bill Hart western. Through the newspaper, appeal to old-timers to send in letters recalling the first movies they ever saw. The most interesting letters could be published and their writers given guest tickets to see "One Foot in Heaven." SHOE STORE SELLING SLANT You should be able to include a shoe store in your campaign by using thisl tie-in line: "One Foot in Heaven ? . . . Wear our shoes and you'll feel like both feet are in Heaven!" A similar line might be used in drug store tieups on foot remedies. CLASSIFIED AD TIEUP The barrel-in-the-attic sequence could be the basis for a newspaper Classified Ad tieup in which the newspaper conducts a campaign urging residents to search their attics for unwanted items. Aluminum, rubber and other articles could be turned over to the defense program, while anything else usable could be given to charity. SPOT DRAWINGS IN LOBBY Four drawings highlighting several of the humorous scenes in "One Foot in Heaven" are available as separate stills which can be blown up for lobby displays. Engravings can also be made for newspaper planting, programs, teaser throwaways, etc. MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS Tie in with book shops and libraries on the book by Hartzell Spence . . . Play up the stars, Fredric March and Martha Scott, in a lobby display which points out the "different" ty^e of roles they play in the picture . . . Conduct a contest for the town's most typical brother-andsister . . . Tie up with a department store for a window display showing the change in women's fashions since the period in which the story is set.