Evening star., 1945-12-04
BY HAROLD HEFFERNAN.
HOLLYWOOD.


Does the public actually know
what it wants in the way of screen
entertainment? Several major stu
dios, which have invested large sums
during the last few years in cross
sectional research of the fan mind
are beginning to doubt it. Follow
ing the entertainment clues OBJ
tained in the polls has proved costly
in several instances.
Heads of two large lots in Holly
wood make no decisions as to stories,
casts and even titles without first
getting an expression of public opin-
ion through their poll connections.
This has so aroused other executives
that large-sized feuds are now re-
portedly in progress on those
premises.
Trouble with most of the polls on
movie matters" declared one studio
boss, "is that they seldom hit the
real public pulse on film tastes. It's
different with political problems, but
In the movies it's a hit-and-miss
proposition. After all, this Is pri-
marily a bobby-soxers' business. II
we're going after audience research
let's have two polls--one for the
youngsters, the other for adults"
Reason so many titles have been
changed at the last minute before q
picture goes into theaters is traced
to the industry's increasing depend
ence on polls, 1t is pointed out.
After a picture gets under way
carrying It's original title, the big
wigs get together and submit sew
eral other titles to the researchers
for polling purposes. Folks in every
walk of life-fervid fans and even
casual moviegoers-are interviewed
and their opinions tabulated.
Seven changes were made on big
picture titles last week, much to the
bewilderment of the bona fide screen
fans who have been following the
progress of the shooting under the
films original titles. Advertising de-
partments are going out of their
minds, their budgets being shot to
pieces by the necessity of last
minute dumping of prepared ad ma
terial and the necessity of replacing
1t in a hurry.
And as we conclude this report the
phone rings with a red-hot title
change announcement from Para
mount. Seems Love Lies Bleeding"
hailed as one of the most proyoca-
tive titles to be tackled on a movie
this year-becomes 1.-THE Strange
Love of Martha Ivers." This not
only hits a new high for length but
something in a new low for origin
ality. Why the change? It was
picked as a result of the studios re-
search poll!
Most n-again-off- -again project in
Warmers history is THE Life Story
of Marilyn Miller" which has been
shelved and reinstated no less than
dozen times in the last four years
Last week the studio announced
it had definitely decided against
making the biography of one OF
musical comedy's most famous dan
GERS and this week there was an
other change of heart. Story diff
culties, plus inability to decide on
a star for the title role, are chief
factors in the delay.
And researchers report that a
large portion of this generation s
ticket buyers have only a faint
recollection of Marilyn Miller.
\ X X X
Patricia White, a Davenport. Iowa
miss attending U. c. L. A., is this
weeks Cinderella girl. After play
ing a bit role in Might and Day."
she attracted the attention of Di-
rector Robert Florey, making "The
Beast With Five Fingers" She will
play maid in this story, the part
being obscure until near the finale