Showmen, Sell It Hot! by John McElwee

Author:John McElwee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paladin Communications
Published: 2013-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

A proud assemblage attends a Paramount reception in March 1949. From left to right—William Farnum, Mack Sennett, Adolph Zukor, Gloria Swanson, Cecil B. DeMille, and Hedy Lamarr.

Swanson cuts a cake in recognition of the 20,000 miles logged on behalf of Sunset Boulevard, the second wave on her cross-country schedule. Co-star William Holden and Paramount advertising-publicity director Norman Siegel flank her.

Previewing, reshooting, and extensive post-production delayed Sunset Boulevard for almost a year, but this provided Paramount with an opportunity to raise press and critical awareness of the exceptional product it had. This being a Hollywood story, industry screenings were numerous and a hot ticket among movie personnel eager to see their walk of life dramatized on screen. Wilder wanted authenticity and so used actual names and places. Fictional “Monarch” and “Miracle” studio references were jettisoned in favor of the real thing.

Big names agreed to lend flattering quotes for use in Sunset Boulevard ads. Celebrity endorsement is often suspect. When stars recommend a movie, some benefit generally accrues to them for having done so. Warner players would often rave in print over Warner pictures, one hand washing the other. Endorsement ads for Sunset Boulevard do reveal a few stars that were in bed with Paramount at the time, including Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Fontaine, and Loretta Young. Were they merely greasing wheels, or did they really like Sunset Boulevard? Joan Crawford often endorsed rival studios’ product because she was generous that way. But Humphrey Bogart was nobody’s shill when it came to recommending movies; this is the only time I recall seeing his name attached to an ad blurb. The columnists quoted were in the business of promoting films, so no surprises there, although I wonder if Hedda Hopper’s “Great!” refers to Sunset Boulevard or her performance in it—probably both, and she’s right.

Here was a show that got attention, particularly in the town it dissected so brilliantly. I’ve no doubt that everyone in the industry wanted to see Sunset Boulevard, and most would likely be impressed, if not made a little uneasy by it.

Norma’s fate was/is one that might be visited upon any celebrity. Many a present-day washout plies his/her trade on weekends at far-flung autograph shows. The only difference is most of them don’t have crumbling Hollywood mansions to go home to. Could even Norma have been reduced to peddling her signature for $15 in a hotel ballroom as modern counterparts do today?

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