Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1945)

July 7, 1945 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 21 ^Ue Bo^'O^^e Slant Irving Rubine Associates to Aid Campaign on 'Tomorrow Is Forever' Augmenting the effort to give "Tomorrow Is Forever" a diversified merchandising campaign, William Goetz of International Pictures has announced the engagement of Irving Rubine and Associates to create an exhibitors' relations and merchandising service on the forthcoming attraction. Assigned to Rubine in the organization of the special over-all booster campaign will be James Luntzell. According to John LeRoy Johnston, director of advertising and publicity for International, the Rubine enterprise will be integrated with the company's advertising and exploitation staff concentrating on special exhibitor campaigns, unique exploitation and local and national tieups. Disney Posters Help Sell Bonds The United States Army is using Walt Disney's "The Three Caballeros" as the basis of a promotional campaign to sell war bonds to the armed forces stationed in Central Latin America and other Spanish speaking countries. Exceptional returns have been reported as the result of posters featuring Walt Disney characters. Index for June, 1945 Equipment and Maintenance, June 23, pp. 35-59 Exploiting Serials June 9, pp. 88, 104 Exploitation Campaigns — by Pictures Along Came Jones, June 9, p. 27; June 16, p. 14; June 23, p. 12 An American Romance June 9, p. 32 A Song to Remember June 9, p. 32 Back to Bataan, June 9, p. 27; June 16, p. 13; June 30, p. 21 Bedside Manner June 30, p. 16 Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe, June 2, p. IS; June 9, pp. 30, 36 Body Snatcher June23, p. 12 Captain Eddie . .June 9, p. 27; June 23, p. 11 Dillinger June 30, p. 20 Don Juan Quilligan June 9, p. 33 Enchanted Cottage June 9, pp. 27, 32 Medal for Benny June 23, p. 16 Murder, My Sweet June 9, p. 27 Nob Hill June 2, p. 18 Objective Burma June 2, p. IS Picture of Dorian Gray June 9, p. 33 Rhapsody in Blue, June 2, p. 18; June 9, p. 27; June 16, p. 13; June 23, p. 17; June 30, p. 16 Since You Went Away June 9, p. 28 Son of Lassie June 9, p. 33 Flame of the Barbary Coast, June 9, pp. 28,30 Tonight and Every Night June 9, p. 33 Where Do We Go From Here, June 16, p. 13 Exploitation Campaigns — by Stunts Boy Contest June 2, p. 18 Career Girl's Luncheon June 2, p. 21 Courtesy Week June 9, p. 28 Dance Contest June 30, p. 21 Fashion Tieup June 9, p. 33 Jockey Usherettes June 9, p. 36 Puppy Give Away June 9, p. 30 Worthiest Teacher Contest. . .June 30, p. 21 "Great White Way" June 9, pp. 98-99 How Long Should Pictures Run?, June 9, p. 69 Money Dates for July June 9, p. 36 Showbuilder June 2, pp. 33-34 Summer Campaigns, June 9, pp. 70, 71, 86, 87, 97 The Cheaters Republic Comedy-Drama 87 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Though slow moving, this picture has plenty of laughs and entertaining moments to offer the average patron. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Advance exploitation on the misleading title should help sell this. It will make a very satisfactory extra picture for any spot. Cast: Joseph Schildkraut, Billie Burke, Eugene Pallette, Ona Munson, Ray Walburn, Anne GilHs, Ruth Terry, Robert Livingston, David Holt, Robert Greig, St. Luke's Choristers. Credits: Associate Producer and Director, Joseph Kane. Screenplay by Frances Hyland. From an original story by Frances Hyland and Albert Ray. Photography, Reggie Lanning. Plot: A rich family, almost broke, decide to play Santa Claus to a down-and-out actor, during the Christmas holidays. At the same time they learn that an uncle had left his millions to an unknown showgirl. To pre■\-ent her from getting the money, because of their own desperate need, they locate the girl and bring her into their own home, without telling her why. The actor and the girl fall for each other, the girl finds out the truth and the picture ends with the girl dividing the millions with the family. Comment: This Republic picture, if it didn't have a title that will make the average moviegoer think it just another "crook" story, should do a very satisfactory business, for it has good entertainment for the regular patron. So in selling this to your customers, be sure to stress this fart. Let them know that it has a good story, fine performances and lots of laughs and is a very good extra picture for anybody, with the exception of the youngsters, who won't find enough action in its slow story to hold their particular interest nor understand the subtle moral it carries. For the situations where the names of Joseph Schildkraut, Billie Burke and Ona Munson are an attraction, this is strong enough to top the bill. Production and' direction by Joseph Kane are very well handled and the cast, headed by Schildkraut, all give clear and concise interpretations of the characters they portray. Worthy of particular mention is Schildkraut's delineation of a down-at-the-heel "ham." You Game Along Paramount Comedy-Drama 103 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Vastly entertaining story with much comedy and emotional appeal. Will please all adults and the kids will howl at some of the comedy, possibly missing the significance of later emotional sequences. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Advantageous word-of-mouth and certain laudatory reviews added to the right kind of exploitation, energetically applied, can make this a top-drawer box-office picture. Cast: Robert Cutnmings, Lizabeth Scott, Don DeFore, Charles Drake, Julie Bishop, Kim Hunter, Robert Sully, Helen Forrest, Rhys Williams, Franklin Pangborn, Minor Watson, Howard Freeman. Andrew Tombes, Lewis L. Russell, Frank Faylen, Will Wright, Cindy Garner, Marjorie Woodworth, Ruth Roman, Crane Whitley. Credits: Produced by Hal Wallis. Directed by John Farrow. Screenplay by Robert Smith and Ayn Rand from a story by Mr. Smith. Photograpliy, Daniel L. Fapp. Process photography, Farciot Edouart. A Hal Wallis Production. Plot: Assigned to a nation-wide bond selling tour, combat air force veterans Major Robert Cummings, Captain Don DeFore and Lieutenant Charles Drake embark with Treasury representative Lizabeth Scott. Near the end of the eventful tour Lizabeth and Robert find they are in love and marry despite the certain knowledge that Robert will die soon, due to an incurable blood disease. (He is not aware that Miss Scott knows of his condition.) After the honeymoon at an eastern air base Robert receives his orders to go to Walter Reed Hospital to live out his remaining few months. He tells Lizabeth he has been returned to Europe as an instructor, but in a short time she is informed by the War Department of his inevitable death. Comment: The plot, sketchily outlined above, may seem to be a slender thread upon which to tack 103 minutes of motion picture entertainment; but the script has been embellished by such delightful humor and heartrending pathos that audiences will not notice its length, even though the change of mood from comedy to tragedy is so abrupt. Produced with a lavish hand by Hal Wallis and directed with a deft, delightful flair for sophisticated comedy and a sensitivity for pathos by John Farrow, the result is entirely satisfying. Robert Cummings as the condemned air force major, and his two pals Don DeFore and Charles Drake as the other officers, do a magnificent job of acting as does Lizabeth Scott, about whom much, much more will be heard before very long. The girl is beautiful and a fine, sensitive, convincing actress, playing in this picture a difficult role in an entrancing, fascinating manner. There is a hardly noticeable tendency toward slowness of pace in the closing sequences, which is established simply by contrast with the speed with which earlier sequences move, but this can hardly be noted as adverse criticism, so engrossing is the entire film. "You Came Along" is .bound to elicit favorable word-of-mouth advertising and laudatory reviews. It should do better than normal business everywhere. Aggressive Selling Marks Boston Premiere of 'The Great John L' {Continued from Page 17) and used for direct mailing from all department stores and music shops. For the first time in Boston, a Sidewalk Interview was arranged on a picture opening. Martin Starr interviewed patrons entering the theatre and later obtained their comments after seeing the picture. This stunt was arranged via Station WCOP and the Blue network. In addition, more than 269 spot announcements were secured over all stations on the New England network. The World Publishing Company, publishers of the book, "The Great John L," got out a 300line co-op ad plugging the opening of the picture. Two huge banners were strung across important city intersections heralding the film's opening, and a sound truck was used for a street ballyhoo three days prior to the opening. Legion of Decency Ratings (For Week Ending July 7th) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE Nob Hill You Came Along Rustlers of the Badlands White Pongo A Thousand and One Nights SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY A Bell for Adano Great John L