Those Redheads From Seattle-1953

From the original, short-lived 3-D boom of the fifties, here we have a picture promoting three things--the gimmick, the legs and the cast. 

It's a nifty idea of a grabber to show the chorus dancing right off the screen. This was a Paramount release so we don't really get ant A list musical performers but Rhonda Fleming was probably THE preeminent redhead of the era so we start out well. Gene Barry, known later for a half dozen or so suave TV series roles on shows like BAT MASTERSON, BURKE'S LAW and THE NAME OF THE GAME, would also go on to make a name for himself in Broadway musicals like LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Agnes Moorehead, best remembered for BEWITCHED but arguably the best radio actress of them all, was always a welcome presence in films. Teresa Brewer was a then-popular recording star whose career, although never stellar, would stretch another few decades! Guy Mitchell, another long-lived but under the radar pop star, was her male equivalent. By contrast, the Bell Sisters were a flavor of the month singing duo who appeared in a couple of films around this time. 

I don't recognize any of the behind the scenes names and I can't see 3-D but it's a respectable enough cast that if I weren't doing anything, I'd probably go and I'd probably enjoy it...although I doubt I'd remember it a few weeks later. 

Ulysses-1954

Maybe it;s just me but I think this one is terrible. Many (most?) people of the day would have been familiar with THE ODYSSEY and other versions of the story of ULYSSES so the fact that it was an adaptation of a classic was the main selling point. The note that it was in Technicolor was a plus as these epics were born for color!

Silvana Mangano looks pretty good there, statuesque...literally. She was an Italian actress but not the fiery type. Her career was solely masterminded by her husband, Producer Dino De Laurentiis, later known as one of the world's most successful international producers. He produced this one with Carlo Ponti, another man whose wife--Sophia Loren--was in pictures!

Where it falls down for me, though, is with Kirk Douglas. Not only is he seemingly miscast but he looks like he's doing just that...falling down!

It's a good movie. I've seen it. But if I had seen this ad first, I'd have passed.

Hollywood Cavalcade-1939

This one is a lovely ad, isn't it? It's only flaw may be that it's in black and white when the picture itself is in glorious technicolor. 

What's being sold here is clear--the Ameche/Faye team, Fox's A-list romantic musical comedy stars PLUS a whole supporting cast full of then still-familiar silent comedians including the one and only Buster Keaton and even cross-eyed Ben Turpin! 

Really not much not to like here. I'd see this one in a heartbeat! 

(And yet, oddly enough, as of this writing I've never SEEN it!)

Artists and Models-1937

More a photo feature than an ad, this 2 page plug for Jack Benny's ARTISTS AND MODELS may have seemed like a good idea to someone at the time but it's a little too busy and a little too inconsequential to make a difference. Outside of some generic proclamations about how gay and gag-filled the picture is, I couldn't tell you what this movie was about. 

Nice pic of Jack, though. Contrary to popular belief--spurred on by Jack himself--Benny's movies were often quite entertaining. This one offers Judy Canova, Martha Raye and Ben Blue--known laugh-getters all, along with the now forgotten but hilarious Yacht Club Boys. 

And those artists, including Rube Goldberg, Peter Arno and Russell Patterson...What do they have to do with the plot? Who knows? The very title implies sex. After all, artists DRAW models and sometimes those models wear little or nothing when they're being drawn. 

Bottom line, here, though, is Jack Benny. 1937 was a year when Jack's weekly radio show was building to its early peak and he was arguably one of the most famous men in the country. They could have left out everything but the image of Jack in this overdesigned ad and I'd still have to say, yes, I'd see it in a heartbeat.

You Belong To Me-1941

Outside of the uncharacteristically giddy look on Henry Fonda's face here, this is a lovely ad with the red shade playing well with the greys of the black and white photo to nice effect. Clearly what's being sold here is the reunion of Fonda and Stanwyck. Even the two guys at right (?) seem interested in said reunion.

Wesley Ruggles was a name to reckon with at the time as director although his cache has faded with time. Former licensed dentist Edgar Buchanan was an impressive character actor in comedies or dramas so he may have well been a selling point as well. 

You can tell this is meant to be a romantic comedy but that's about all you can tell. According to IMDB, it's actually pretty dull and even bad in spots, with original story by the controversial Dalton Trumbo. The thing is, you can't tell any of that from this ad either. 

Would I see it? I might have been disappointed but, at the time, I'd have to say yes. 

Gunga Din-1939

It's a goofy-looking title now but in 1939 Rudyard Kipling's poem would have been much better known than it is today. That said, it was (and is) a poem, not a story, so the casual reader would have been intrigued as to what additional story the already legendary screenwriters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur had added to it through the lesser known credited screenwriters. Seems to be a foreign legion tale. Those were quite popular in those days.  And look at those faces, laughing, lusty adventurers all! Fairbanks, Jr. was probably the biggest draw at that point with Grant just starting to reach his stride. Both were known for neat, clean roles and in this one they were about to get messy. 

Victor McLaglen, Eduardo Cianelli, Sam Jaffe (in the title role but you couldn't tell that from this ad) and a young Joan Fontaine, familiar names all, round out the heralded cast and George Stevens produces and directs. 

Would I have seen it based on this ad? Absolutely. And I'd have loved it!

The Citadel-1938

Undoubtedly more recognizable then than he is today, the now nearly forgotten Robert Donat's image highlights this ad. The main selling point, though, is the fact that it comes from a big name book. The presumption seems to be that one is already familiar with said book. If not, only the word "doctor" in the text hints that this is a medical drama. But even that doesn't reveal the British Isles setting thereof.  The casting of Rosalind Russell doesn't help as she is not British. Althogh she'd already had a number of major film appearances prior to this, her greatest triumphs were still ahead of her, starting 2 years later with HIS GIRL FRIDAY.

The chameoeon-like Donat is probably best remembered for his roles in Hitchcock's 39 STEPS as well as for his Oscar-winning turn in the following year's GOODBYE MR. CHIPS.

King Vidor's name as director might have indicated to some that this was to be a heavy, message picture. Vidor, although an excellent filmmaker, was the Stanley Kramer of his day, specializing in "relevant" filmmaking. 

The supporting cast list shows the always welcome Ralph Richardson and the young Rex Harrison. Rex could be a fun presence in films through the years but he is here still nearly 3 decades out from his surprising mid-life super-stardom that came via MY FAIR LADY and led to DR. DOLITTLE.

The book itself continues to sell to this day and was generally stocked when I was managing bookstores up through 2008.

Bottom line: It's a pretty ad, well-designed and eye-catching but not particularly informative. I think I'd have to pass.