ESCAPE IF YOU CAN

Original British 12 1/4 inch x 9 3/8 inch 8 Page illustrated Campaign Book for the 1951 Edgar Ulmer Pickpocket Crime Comedy ESCAPE IF YOU CAN (ST. BENNY THE DIP), from a story by George Auerbach and starring Dick Haymes, Nina Foch, Roland Young, Lionel Stander, Freddie Bartholomew and Oscar Karlweis.

A gang of con artists disguise themselves as clerics in order to pull off a job, but soon find that even pretending to be religious people is having an effect on them.

Cover art by Dudley Pout.

Born into a Kent farming community in 1908, Dudley Pout’s film poster career began with the East Kent Poster Service in Kent, who supplied hand painted film star portraits and foyer displays for local cinemas. Two years later he was offered a job managing the Stoll art studios in Chatham producing posters, foyer displays and press advertising. Joining the Metropolitan Police Reserve during the war he was approached by United Artists’ publicity manager who introduced him to Michael Balcon. Then in off duty hours he designed posters and publicity for The Goose Steps Out, The Foreman Went to France, Went the Day Well?, The Black Sheep of Whitehall and many more. “Before any ideas of drawing were put to paper, I would attend a private viewing of the film with the publicity manager of the company concerned. We would discuss what the best selling point of the film would be to feature on the posters. Correct billing was very important. The star or stars were placed above the title and the supporting cast were set below. Credits varied in size in relation to the importance and popularity of the star and were so much per cent of the title size…”

”Next came the question of how many colours were to be used, two, three or four. Every extra colour raised the cost of printing. After producing what is called a ‘finished rough’ and having it approved, the artwork was then completed. The lettering of titles, stars and credits was all done by hand.”

After the war Pout moved into the publishing world and produced illustrations in the Eagle and Girl.

The campaign book is in very good condition with 2 punch holes at the left edge.