Evening star., 1939-04-02
Press Agents
Inspiration
OF New Film
Sonia Henie's Next
About a Publicity
Romance
By Douglas ". Churchill.
HOLLYWOOD.

k1OAL WOOO.
Observers have long felt that pro-
ducers would be better of In many
instances If they would permit their
press agents to concoct the exploi.
tation campaigns first and then
strive to make the pictures fit the
advertising. In hundreds of cases
the trailers that are shown in thea
tiers in advance of an attraction in
dicate potentialities far beyond the
achievements of the feature. The
advertisements, the publicity stories
and even the synopses contained in
press books, all of which spring
from the facile minds of publicity
men, set pace difficult for pro-
ducers to follow.
While recognition probably has
not been given by the geniuses Of
Twentieth Century-Fox, the pub
licity boys are patting themselves
on the back for being the inspira-
ton Of Sonia Henie's current epic,
Second Fiddle" When Miss Henie
arrived at the studio two years
ago the resourceful press agents
dreamed up a great and breathless
romance between the skater and
Tyrone Power, who was then loom
ing as probable matinee idol. It
is doubtful that the two performers
ever had any more than a casual
interest in each other, but with oc-
casional dates which the studio
was able to arrange, coupled with
confidential tips" given the gossip
writers, the romance famed in the
public prints with an intensity that
made Cupid and Psyche mere bow
ing acquaintances by comparison.
This manufactured attachment
served the studio well, for it not
only attracted attention to the two
players but it provided picture
with plot. In Second Fiddle"
Miss Henie, a Minnesota school
teacher, is discovered by Power, a
press agent, and is brought to Hol-
lywood. At the studio Power devises
a romance between Miss Henie and
Rudy Vallee, great cinema star.
In order to give it legitimacy he
signs Vallee's name to love letters
to the skater The usual compli-
cations ensue, which are about the
only departure the screen play
makes from the source.
Second Fiddle" previously known
as When Winter Comes" and
Cupid Goes to Press" will deviate
somewhat from the Henie formula
with more emphasis to music than to
the stars skating; in fact, she will
have but two ice numbers in the
picture. Reversing the Fox policy Of
touting unknowns as brilliant stars
before the public has an oppor-
tunity to express it's opinion (Simone
Simon, Arleen Whelan and Tony
Martin are examples of the prac-
tice), the studio has slipped Mary
Healy, youngster from the South.
into the second lead and will await
the customers verdict. The Aim is
Miss Henie's fifth on the lot.
Producers Attach Little
Importance to Writers.
Remakes are not only having an
evil effect no the bank accounts of
writer's, but they are proving dis
tressing to their producers. Possibly
a third Of the current product is
composed of rehashed photoplays
served under new titles, while the
names of old successes have been
applied to modern pictures that have
no connection with past endeavors.
Warmers sold the title The Crowd
Roars" to Metro, and then when
they remade the picture, they had
to call theirs The Roaring Road" ="
Universal applied The Last Warn
ing to film two months ago and
now call the remake of the picture
"Backstage Phantom"
The remarks rarely attain the
success visited upon the originals
While most of the makeovers orig
mated from ordinary program fare,
the great pictures have suffered from
attempts to improve them. This
modernization frequently results in
destruction of the elements or bal
ance that made the films outstand-
ing in the first place. This occurred
with THE Miracle Man" and "The
(See CHURCHILL. Page Fly