Tied Tight To The Movie Habit

Record Crowds Go Boom For Boom Town (1940)

I just adore holdover ads like this. They so reflect the joy of success at exhibiting. You've got a hit --- crow it out! Human impulse is always to go and look at what everyone else is looking at. Why be the wallflower who hasn't seen Boom Town? "Oh Boy!" says the Wilkes-Barre crowd with a rope around an all-star cast. This could be seen coming. The Comerford knew way ahead that Boom Townwould be held over --- and over. MGM set terms on that assumption, and they were high. Boom Town was notorious that year for what Leo demanded. Well, take Gable, Tracy, Colbert, and Lamarr or leave them, said the Lion. Boom Town theme was close to distribution philosophy, being of corporate meat-eaters on never-ending prowl for profits. Who says movies were the voice of directors? This one was shout of parent company Leow's Inc. Their rope was around all of showgoers in lush year that was 1940.

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