List No. 092

11 RULES FOR BOX-OFFICE APPEAL

Preston Sturges

1941

In 1940, American film-maker and “father of the screwball comedy” Preston Sturges made his directorial debut with The Great McGinty, a political satire that was warmly received by critics. The film was also enjoyed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and particularly its screenplay, written by Sturges, which was later awarded an Oscar. For the next few years, he continued to produce his best work. In 1941, just as his star was rising, Sturges drew up a list: “eleven rules for box-office appeal”.

1. A pretty girl is better than an ugly one.
2. A leg is better than an arm.
3. A bedroom is better than a living room.
4. An arrival is better than a departure.
5. A birth is better than a death.
6. A chase is better than a chat.
7. A dog is better than a landscape.
8. A kitten is better than a dog.
9. A baby is better than a kitten.
10. A kiss is better than a baby.
11. A pratfall is better than anything.