Spellbound trailer (24/Aug/1945)

The following is a transcript of a document dated 24/Aug/1945 and details suggestions from Paul MacNamara to Alfred Hitchcock about the trailer for "Spellbound".

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Transcript

                      VANGUARD FILMS, INC.
                     CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA

                   Inter-Office Communication


TO       MR. HITCHCOCK                        DATE  August 24, 1945

FROM     PAUL MacNAMARA

SUBJECT  SPELLBOUND TRAILER


         The trailer on "Spellbound," seems to me, could be much more
         ingenious.

         I have talked to Selznick regarding the idea of making a new
         one and making it about you.

         He agrees and thinks it would be a good idea.

         Roughly, my idea was that you would discuss on the screen in
         lecture fashion the fact that everyone is a potential murder-
         er, etc., etc.

         There might be direct questions that you would ask the aud-
         ience -- "do you know that the person next to you might be a
         potential murderer" -- "do you know that in your own mind you,
         too, might be a murderer," etc., etc.

         Other emotions might be touched on in which audience partici-
         pation would be included (including some laughs), "some of you
         are holding hands," etc., etc.

         However, no clips of the picture would be used except in which
         your voice would be the sound and your explanation as to why
         it was handled that way would be that every bit of the picture
         "Spellbound" was so important to the plot that it was decided
         not to show to audiences anywhere any part of the picture in a
         piece-meal state. (The use of the clips in this fashion, how-
         ever, would show the stars).

         Perhaps the thing should be presented as a short rather than
         as a trailer.

         Undoubtedly, Dr. Romm might be able to provide us with some
         questions that would be helpful in the preparation of a
         script.

         In any case, I think that there is a basically good idea here
         and with the proper development we might be able to work out a
         sensational advance salesman for the picture "Spellbound."

         What do you think?

                                                   PM

         PM:eh