Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1942)

22 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW August 1, 19421 ROCKFORD COMMUTERS SEE HUGE ATTRACTION SIGN For a number of years now, the side of the building shown above has been utilized for the billing of forthcoming attractions to the State Theatre, Rockford, III. This year Manager Oscar Granquist reserves the space for United Artists films exclusively, with one of the panels being utilized to aid he War Bond and Stamp drive. Huge sign is 150 feet long, 20 feet high, took one week to complete. That Summer Slump With A "Better Business Jubilee" Riders of the West (Continued from Page 10) one of the better ones. The story is developed with reasonableness and the writer has given it flavor. Where westerns go this one should do very well, as it has all the required elements. The direction by Howard Bretherton keeps the action moving and as western fans like to see their villains shot, this one mows them down. Raymond Hatton, masquerading as a quack doctor, surprises with his performance. Use the same exploitation as in former Rough Rider westerns. Catchline: "The Marshals clean up the mess for Ma." Invisible Agent Universal Comedy-Drama 79 mins. (Prod. No. 6049— Nafl Release, July 31) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Good slapstick for those interested in broad comedy and camera tricks. Youngsters will howl with laughter. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Novelty makes it good added attraction for serious drama. Cast: Ilona Massey, Jon Hall, Peter Lorre, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, J. Edward Bromberg, John Litel, Albert Basserman, Holmes Herbert. Credits: Produced by Frank Lloyd. Associate Producer, George Waggner. Directed by Edwin L. Marin. Photography by Lester White. Plot: The young owner of a small New York printing shop possesses the secret of a drug which makes him invisible. He is approached by Japanese and German agents and severely beaten when he refuses to divulge the formula. He also refuses to give his secret to United States authorities until the attack on Pearl Harbor brings a change of heart and he enlists in the espionage forces of the United States. Sent to Germany to contact undercover agents, he meets a beautiful girl who ranks high in Nazi officialdom and exciting adventures are encountered and surmounted in amazing fashion in their attempt to get detailed information of a planned Axis sabotage and invasion scheme. They manage to escape to Britain with the information which is flashed to America in time to frustrate the Nazi plot. The ef?ects of the "invisible" drug wears of¥ while the printer is recuperating in a British hospital. Yeh, the girl is at his bedside when it happens. Comment: This is good fun for the devotees of slapstick especially, and has the advantage of capitalizing on the saboteur angle now so much in the news. What happens to the Nazi would-be saboteurs when the "Invisible Agent" goes to work on them will produce howls of laughter by youngsters in the audience and may prove a thoroughly enjoyable vent for the feelings of older people as to what they would like to .see happen to the enemy agents. The plot is extravagant, and this is used to advantage by some swell camera trickery which is far ahead of the plot for imagination and novelty. The cast is able, but the competition of the camera is such that its members play second fiddle to the visual photographic stunts. The saboteur plot uses the "Invisible Man" device to circumvent a planned surprise attack and sabotage by the Nazis. There is an admixture of comedy and melodrama, with enough satire on Axis doctrines to give the story humorous appeal to the adults. The "Invisible Man" stunt lends itself to novelty exploitation, with trick heralds, invisible ink messages, etc. Catchline: "Try and catch this elusive man." Is business slow in your town this summer? Are the merchants complaining about the loss of business due to tire restrictions and gas rationing? Well, perhaps you can do something about it if you all get together. Either through the Chamber of Commerce or by local calls arrange to meet the various merchants experiencing a slowdown in sales. Get as many as possible to join you in a Better Business Jubilee to extend over a period of 30 days, during which each and every one will ofTer bargains in merchandise to attract patronage. As a mask for the entire program and to give novel and personal stimulus to the event conduct a voting contest to determine which local girl is sufficiently popular to be chosen as Jubilee Queen. It will be advisable that you arrange complete plans showing the amount of newspaper advertising each merchant will devote to the event — preferably one full page of cooperative ads each week over the four-week period, together with details of participation in such other advertising as will put the Jubilee over in a big way. Perhaps cards mailed to rural route box owners, radio announcements, handbills, etc., should all be used to get best results. To this array of publicity you will contribute the free use of a descriptive trailer on the screen, an impressive lobby display, mention on the front, the use of your service staff to pass out handbills and the use of your posting force to distribute cards in surrounding area. When these plans have been arranged and each cooperating merchant is properly pledged m UlTl STATES WAR BOIDS and STAMPS to do his part, lay the plans before the editor of the newspaper whose part it will be to publicize the event in advance and during the contest. The fact that his paper is to receive fullpage advertising will influence him to fullest cooperation. If radio is considered in your plans the station manager is to be solicited for similar cooperation. The changing of handbill copy and newspaper advertising every week will enable merchants to change their bargain leaders as availability and supply dictates. It might even be advisable to carry mention of the ten or more leaders in the contest on the handbills each week. Votes should be set up on an "amount of purchase" basis — one vote for each five cents, three for ten cents, ten for 25 cents, twenty for fifty cents, fifty for a dollar, etc. The period at which each merchant is privileged to use extra votes as a business lure are to be divided equally so that each has fair opportunity of capitalizing on the interest generated as the contest progresses. For quick tabulation it is suggested that different colors be used in printing the voting coupons. It will be necessary for most of the activity to circulate around your theatre with the photos of contestants, names of entries, weekly standing, etc., carried on a lobby board and possibly on the screen. If possible, arrange for the appearance of the girls on stage once a week and, of course, the final award should be made by one of the civic leaders from your stage. You can use the special Showmen's Trade Review "All Expense Trip to New York" as a capital prize as this is certain to attract plenty of interest and will guarantee plenty of participants. On this we are able to supply a 100 ft. sound trailer without cost. If this prize is not practical you can set up a cash amount as top award in which all merchants participate equally, and runner-up prizes of merchandise tickets, etc. The girls contesting will be soliciting all of their friends and acquaintances to patronize tlie stores where the voting coupons are being disbursed which will bring many customers to the places participating. A receptacle for the placement of voting coupons should be placed in your lobby and all news stories and advertising should make mention that the place for depositing votes is at your theatre. Be sure that you arrange in advance for a run of good pictures that will completely satisfy the patrons you attract.