Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

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'"5. X HI B I TOR HAS HIS SAY """ABOUT PICTURES AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL Battle Beyond the Sun (AIF) — Edd Perry, Aria Powell. Indescribably bad and almost totally unplayable. This is a Russian science-fiction film dubbed in English. Don’t be fooled by its exploitable title and the names of the actors, Edd Perry and Aria Powell. These actors are obviously the voices of the Russian actors in the film. This is a perfect example of how the American public is being fooled and most of all, the exhibitor. I do not blame American International; I blame Filmgroup for delivering the year's worst pile of garbage film. AIP must have been taken for suckers, too!! Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot — Paul Fournier, Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard, N. B. BUENA VISTA In Search of the Castaways (BV) — Maurice Chevalier, Hayley Mills, George Sanders. As usual, Disney is up to standard for family trade and this was no exception. Bigger situations playing ahead of me hurt bad, though. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather : Hot. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. COLUMBIA Mothra (Col) — Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Emi Itoh. Here is a fantastic foreign production, rather off-beat and, hence, did better business than expected. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Good. — Mel Danner, Circle Theatre, Waynoka, Okla. Pop. 2,018. Pirates of Blood River (Col) — Kerwin Mathews, Glenn Corbett, Christopher Lee. We played this one with a repeat on “Delicate Delinquent” and expected above average business. We only did slightly better than normal and still don’t understand. Usually programs of this type go over here. Played Thur., Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot. — Larry Thomas, Fayette Theatre, Fayetteville, W. Va. Pop. 2,000. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER All Fall Down (MGM) — Eva Marie Saint, Warren Beatty, Karl Malden, Angela Lansbury. Not so hot for me. Maybe it is okay on a double bill. I play only a single bill. — John M. Bailey, Opera House, Miltonvale, Kas. Pop. 911. Billy Rose’s Jumbo (MGM) — Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante, Martha Raye. Many people thought this was a kid 'Hud Good Adult Drama ; A Bow to Paramount “Hud” is a very good adult drama, and Paul Newman gets better every time. Good to see Patricia Neal again. She has been absent from the screen too long. Brandon de Wilde turns in a good job of acting, also. Did average both nights. Well done, Paramount! JAMES HARDY Crescent Theatre Jasonville, Ind. Right Kind of Picture Pleases Customers Light and airy and full of fun, “40 Pounds of Trouble” did a good job for me. I like to see the customers leave with smiles on their faces. It makes me feel that there is a future in this business after all. All we need are the right kinds of pictures — the kinds they want to see, not those that some producer thinks they should see. Tony Curtis did a fine job with the little girl who almost stole the picture away from the rest of the cast, all of whom were good. ORAL LEDBETTER Howard Theatre Monon, Ind. picture. In this town not too many know about Billy Rose and Jumbo. We worked hard trying to correct this impression and succeeded in getting a fair gross out of a picture that should have done a big business. I think the title hurt our adult business. Played Sun. through Wed. Weather: Good. — Frank Patterson, Mansfield Theatre, Mansfield, La. Pop. 6,000. PARAMOUNT Forever My Love (Para) — Romy Schneider, Karl Boehm, Magda Schneider. Good color and scenery, but about 34 minutes were cut out. What is in the previews isn’t in the feature. Disappointed persons who had seen the trailer. Played Wed., Thurs., Fri. Weather: Warm. — John W. Johnson, State Theatre, Caspian, Mich. Pop. 1,600. Who’s Got the Action? (Para)— Dean Martin, Lana Turner, Eddie Albert. More action at the boxoffice than in the picture. Dean Martin is a draw here. Sex, comedy and Dino made this above average here. But for entertainment have seen better. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N.D. Pop. 968. 20th CENTURY-FOX Thirty Years of Fun (20th-Fox) — Yes, I know . . . old as the hills and half the actors in the picture are deceased, but again the people have a chance to laugh and have fun and forget about the bills they owe at the finance company. That is really why they come to our theatres isn’t it . . . to be entertained? I was surprised to find that half my trade on this one was adult. They like to laugh, too, and the concession business was good. This one will make you remember when you were a kid and you went to the theatre to be entertained— not to procure a lesson on sex or how to drink whisky better than Joe. Played Thur., Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot. — Oral Ledbetter, Howard Theatre, Monon, Ind. UNITED ARTISTS Love Is a Ball (UA) — Glenn Ford, Hope Lange, Charles Boyer. This was too talky and not quite funny enough to be classified as a comedy. It has some oeautilul scenery and beautiful color. My small Monday night crowd seemed to enjoy it better than the way below average Sunday night crowd. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Warm. — James Hardy, Crescent Theatre, Jasonville, Ind. Pop. 2,500. Taras Bulba (UA) — Tony Curtis, Yul Brynner, Christine Kaufmann. An excel tre lent picture with one of the best musical scores I have heard in quite sometime. It did below average business though. Played Sun., thru Wed. Weather: Very Hot. — Larry Thomas, Fayette Theatre, Fayetteville, West Va. Pop. 2,000. Two for the Seesaw (UA) — Robert Mitchum, Shirley MacLaine, Edmon Ryan. This was one of the worst flops ever shown here. Should have closed and headed for a good fishing spot. Played Sun., Mon. — Leonard J. Leise, Roxy Theatre, Randolph, Neb. Pop. 1,029. UNIVERSAL Mystery Submarine (Univ) — Edward Judd, James Robertson Justice, Robert Fleming. One of those talky British pictures that left many bored and some trying to understand some of the dialog. Ran with “Who’s Got the Action?” It was in color and you could understand them. All in all a very weak program. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Good. — Frank Patterson, Mansfield Theatre, Mansfield, La. Pop. 6,000. No Man Is an Island (Univ) — Jeffrey Hunter, Marshall Thompson, Barbara Perez. A true war picture in color that was really entertaining. Did real well at the boxoffice. A tip from local exhibitor said xn “It’s boxoffice.” It sure is — teens — pop ■» eye set — adults all enjoyed it. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Pop. 968. WARNER BROS. Days of Wine and Roses (WB) — Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford. A picture that everybody should see. Superb acting. A very good show of this kind. — John M. Bailey, Opera House, Miltonvale, Kas. Pop. 911. Giant (WB-reissue) — Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean. Fourth time I have played this and still a big grosser, with some extra advertising. Liz helped a lot, but the fact that it is a fine picture was the biggest factor at the boxoffice. Played Sun., Wed. Weather: Good. — Paul Wood, Escambia Drive-In Theatre, Century, Fla. Pop. 1,500. Story of the Count of Monte Cristo, The (WB) — Louis Jourdan, Yvonne Furneaux, Pierre Mondy. This is the all time dog! Don’t touch it! Had more walk-outs in this one than all others in the past year combined. Many patrons remarked on this one. All bad! Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair.— Bill Curran, Ramona Theatre, Kremmling, Colo. Pop. 900. MISCELLANEOUS i Playgirl After Dark (Topaz) — Jayne Mansfield, Leo Genn, Karl Boehm. Best midweek I’ve had all summer. Jayne Mansfield singing “sexy” and showing her “bosom” got the curious in. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Hot. — Teri-y Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. 4 — 164 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Oct. 14, 1963