Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1942)

December 19, 1942 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 19 AMERICAN EMPIRE A Selling Plan Geared for a Particular Picture But With Ideas You Can Use to Exploit OtherWestern Screen Dramas While "American Empire" hardly rates as a pretentious spectacle it rates high, in its category, among the more elaborate and better American pioneer films. The locale it pictures and the historic period it covers are such popular bits of Americana that it is certain to intrigue the interest and capture the heart of every theatre-goer. The camera turns back the pages of history to bring the spectator some imposing and impressive vistas of the beauties Dame Nature showered so lavishly on American landscapes before the grinding wheels of progress dirtstained our rivers and smoke-smeared our skies. Awe-inspiring panorama of sylvan beauty is vividly contrasted against the thrilling spectacle of great thundering herds of cattle, pictured on a grandiose scale, and other exciting situations contained in this story dealing with drasvic counter-measures taken by early Texas ranchers to protect their families, and properties, from the ravages of a marauding band of rustlers who asked and gave no quarter. The total absence of barroom brawls, the confining of motivating material to family and community happenings, the interesting and understanding character conflict and the wide scope of thrilling and exciting action definitely places the picture in the class all types and ages of audiences enjoy. "American Empire" is a picture that will keep your cash register ringin" merrily throughout its engagement if you give it the full-coverage advertising and exploitation it merits. The following ideas, based on scenes and action contained in the film, may prove of assistance : Newspaper and Radio Publicify Every town has an array of persons, dead and living, who figured prominently in, or contributed materially to, the founding, development, and progress of the community. Prevail on the editor or radio station manager to inaugurate a search for intimate stories about such persons and offer tickets for those published. An evening dedicated to the oldest inhabitant with the town pioneer and family as honored guests will result in good publicity and serve to swell attendance. The procedure could be followed throughout the engagement by honoring the largest family; the most prominent citizen; the community organization that accomplished the most beneficial service, etc., etc. The youngster in the picture adores his dad and contends his parents to be "the best dad and mother in the world." The phrase could be used as the title of a newspaper or radio contest where the kids would be asked to send in 100-word accounts of why they consider their parents the "best in the world." The fact that the picture deals with cattle is sufficient reason to plant a woman's page contest with receipts for meals where substitutes for meats are used to ease the Government meat rationing program without reducing the nutritive values of the repast. Using local doctors as judges will lend prestige to the contest and preclude the possibility of publishing some receipt that might prove injurious to the health of readers. A scene in the picture featuring a birthday cake made by the pioneer wife is reason for " contest where theatre tickets would be offered for receipts for cake making where little or no sugar is required. The film shows the wife as cherishing the first gift she received from her husband back in courting days. This circumstance lends itself to good contest material where wives and husbands are asked to advise, in limited wordage, what happened to his or her first gift. The entire footage motivates from an "idea" gathered by the pioneers while engaged as river freighters. On this premise you can tie in with the Government-sponsored search for "ideas' to save time, heighten production, improve conditions, etc., etc. This is particularly good in communities where Government contracts are being executed but is equally adaptable to local merchants, civic effort, gas and tire rationing, etc. The beautiful scenery lends itself to use as base for a camera contest where prizes would be offered for the most beautiful scenes of the country-side in your vicinity. The ambition of the child in the picture to follow in his father's footsteps offers excellent material for use in a contest where the kids would be asked to write of their aims for the future. Newspaper Co-op Advertising The title is perfect for full page, double truck and even a special section of co-op ads with contractors, plumbers, furniture dealers, lumber yards, etc., taking space under a streamer heading "The American Empire is the Home." The line is also adaptable for individual ads. Scenes in the film showing the pioneers selecting their land and in their first house are admirably suited to co-op displays with real estate developments, home builders, furniture stores, gas and appliance companies, etc. Shots of the pioneer wife engaged in washing and other hard work are perfect for tieups with merchandisers of labor-saving devices such as washing machines, sweepers, ironers, etc. The head of the rustler band in the picture excuses his thievery on the grounds that the "cattle are lost and he just finds them." This is excellent material for tieups with the classified section of the newspaper to encourage wider use of its lost and found columns. The fact that the principal character in the film is actuated by a consuming desire to protect the future of his wife and child makes tieups with insurance agents, using newspaper space or handbills, or both, particularly fitting. The husband is always bringing presents to his wife. Use this angle to secure advertising from merchants dealing in articles particularly suited for gift purposes. The birthday celebration in the picture can be used to tie in with the anniversary sales of merchants, etc. The scene of the young wife laboring over an old fashioned washtub is a natural for laundry cooperation. Exploit-Qtion There are many scenes in the picture where marksmanship is emphasized. Go after the pin-ball game locations, the shooting galleries, pool rooms and bowling alleys for displays in return for tickets to be issued to high scorers. Borrow or rent a dart game or a milk bottle knock-down game, after you have convinced the city fathers that a lot of war stamps can be sold if they allow you to use the City Hall or Court House lawn or some other prominent location. Then get a pretty girl to sell stamps to those participating. Give theatre tickets to successful contestants and turn the stamps over to a deserving charity. The father and son theme predominates the early footage of the picture. Ask the radio, the newspaper and the local civic clubs to help you generate interest in a father and son night when the youngster will be admitted free if accompanied by his ticket buying father. Cliff Edwards sings and strums his guitar in the picture which provides a chance for tieups with the music stores for handbill distribution, window displays, etc. Interest the school superintendent in an essay contest where pupils of the various grades would submit articles on "the hardships of the pioneers," "the early history of the state or city," "important milestones in the growth of the community," etc. The pioneers start an immense fire to stop the charge of the rustlers. Prevail on your local fire chief to conduct a demonstration in front of the theatre on how to stop a fire and to use your stage for demonstrations in fire prevention, fighting incendiary bombs, etc. Some of the dialogue concerns itself with the value of Confederate money. This makes the use of phony money handbills appropriate. Lobby In the picture an inebriated cowbo^• rides a bull through a general store and leaves the place in a terrible mess. Borrow a showcase^ and fill it with numerous articles loaned from the various merchants and for a full week in advance use a card asking patrons to guess how many {Continued on Page 21)