Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Thursday, October 1, 1959 Motion Picture Daily s REVIEW: The Mouse That Roared Highroad — Columbia Exhibitors looking for something "different" in the way of comedies for their patrons will find one to fill the bill in the Highroad production of "The Mouse That Roared." This is one of those off-beat comedies, full of fantastic and funny conceits, that the British have been doing to perfection for years. Previous films in the genre have achieved excellent business in art theatres here, but there is no reason why this one should be restricted to that market. Outside of Jean Seberg ("St. Joan" and "Bonjour Tristesse") there are no cast names widely known in the U.S., it is true. But the story is derived from a serial by Leonard Wibberley which ran in the Saturday Evening Post, and there are other angles for an enterprising showman to promote. Most exploitable of all is the outlandish notion on which the story is based. This is the absurd supposition that a duchy in the French Alps (mythical, of course) should declare war on the powerful United States of America and then proceed to win it with a small band of men! How Roger MacDougall and Stanley Mann work that out in their fanciful script is something to behold— not write about. Many of the episodes, such as the landing of the small army of Grand Fenwick in New York during an air raid practice in which the city is deserted and the belief of the natives that their invaders are from Mars, had a preview audience (at Loew's Orpheum Theatre in Yorkville) choking with laughter. The spectators also derived a lot of merriment from the kidnapping by the Fenwickians of a U.S. Army general, four New York City policemen, a famous scientist, and his daughter and from further complications involving a Q-Bomb (more powerful than the H-Bomb) and the "surrender" of the U.S. at the end. Along the way some satiric swipes are taken at Americans and their foreign policies. The satire is not malicious, however; it is all in the spirit of good, clean fun. Under the direction of Jack Arnold the cast enters into the proceedings with glee, particularly Peter Sellers in triple roles as Grand Fenwick's prime minister, field marshal, and grand duchess (got up hilariously in female attire). Also amusing are MacDonald Parke in a caricature of an American general and William Hartnell as a leader of the Grand Fenwick Army. Miss Seberg plays the daughter of the scientist and becomes romantically involved with Sellers as the field marshal. Picturesque sets and costuming, photographed in bright Eastman Color, are all of a piece in the film, which was produced by Walter Shenson. Running time, 83 minutes. General classification. Release, in November. Richard Gertner Gains in Fight ( Continued from page 1 ) Act and all of the Sunday referendum laws for the purpose of drafting ac[ ceptable revisions for the 1961 Assembly. i "Such a procedure," Keller says, "would also put the Association in j position to have its proposed legis' lation in shape for immediate introduction in both Houses of the Assembly early in the 1961 session rather than waiting six months." | Advising exhibitors not to be dis[ couraged by the failure to secure I action on the bill so far, Keller cites I four reasons for optimism: controver| sial questions are rarely passed on j first introduction; attention has been I drawn to the problem; assurances of j support have been secured from important legislators; and more effec' tive approaches to the problem have been ascertained. Suggestions Solicited In the letter exhibitors are asked for assurance of their cooperation in | pressing the fight. They are also asked for any ideas they have in re | gard to a new name for the Association. Maryland Court ( Continued from page 1 ) copy is "minimal," according to the censor board, which noted that from $15 to $20 is charged for the first print and that it is "scaled down" for additional prints. Adler and Allen Sign To Start 'Lost World' From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Sept 30. Executive producer Buddy Adler and producer Irwin Allen have signed contracts for the immediate start of Allen's multi-million-dollar CinemaScope and color production of "The Lost World" for 20th Century-Fox release. Allen will produce and direct, based on a screenplay currently being written by himself and Charles Bennett, English playwright. Harry McDonald Dead TOBBINGTON, Wyo., Sept. 30.Funeral services have been held here for Harry McDonald, a 40-year veteran of the industry, who resigned from the old Pathe Corp. 30 years ago to enter the exhibition field. He was operator of theatres here and in the Nebraska towns of Crawford and Mitchell. He is survived by his wife, Ruby. Brackett to New York HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 30. Producer Charles Brackett has left here by plane for two days of huddles with 20th Century-Fox advertising and distribution toppers in New York on exploitation and ad campaigns for his upcoming "Journey to the Center of the Earth," which is being prepared for Thanksgiving release. Fox to Beam Premiere Of 'Best' to 50 States The Oct. 8 benefit world premiere of 20th Century-Fox's "The Best of Everything," at the Paramount, will mark the first time an account of such an event will be beamed to all 50 states of the nation. NBC's "Monitor" will be on hand to describe the festivities to their listeners across the continental United States as well as to Alaska and Hawaii. Other national radio coverage will be handled by Fred Robbins for the Mutual Network International television coverage of the opening, being sponsored by New York City's Hudson Celebration, is being handled by Fox Movietonews, which is photographing highlights of the evening for syndication to TV news shows in the U. S., England, Canada, Mexico and Australia. Also providing coverage on a world-wide basis will be the Armed Forces Radio Service and the English, French, Spanish and Japanese desks of the Voice of America. Awan Named ( Continued from page 1 ) special plans in those areas for the Spyros P. Skouras sales drive, currently underway throughout the nation. Awan, who has worked in various capacities throughout the entertainment industry since 1923, came to 20th in 1953 working closely with exploitation director Rodney Bush In 1958, Awan took over the ad-pub reins in the Cleveland-Detroit area. Revise 16mm Booklet ROCHESTER, N. Y., Sept. 30. The Eastman Kodak Co. has issued an extensively revised edition of its 11-page publication on the handling, repair and storage of 16mm films. Contents include the causes of damage to 16mm film; general suggestions to promote long film life; cleaning and lubricating; splicing; and storage. Copies may be obtained free ol charge. Spyros S. Skouras, president of Skouras Theatres, has been elected to the board of trustees of Long Island University. □ Harry S. Buxbaum, Paramount branch manager in Cleveland for the past 10 years, has resigned, effective Oct. 19, to take the post of branch manager for Universal, succeeding Norman Weitman, who recently was named district manager for Lopert Films. □ Rodney Bush, director of exploitation for 20th Century-Fox, on Oct. 28 will deliver an address at the publicity session of the convention of Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio at the Deshler-Hilton Hotel, Columbus. □ Murray Lenekoff has announced the following managerial changes in the in-town circuit of Loew's Theatres: Harold Graff moves from the Orpheum, Manhattan, to Loew's Metropolitan, Brooklyn; Charles Burns goes from the Commodore to the Orpheum; Abe Levy, currently at the Coney Island, takes over the reins at Loew's Commodore, Manhattan, while Robert Starrett moves from Loew's Bay Ridge to the Coney Island. □ Sam Davis has closed his Onteora Theatre in Fleischmanns, N. Y., for the winter, which he will spend in Florida in the Coral Gables realty field. He will reopen the theatre in the Spring. □ Kay Porter, exhibitor of Perry, Fla., has been named mayor of that community at a special meeting of the City Council following the resignation of Mayor Willard Carmichael. □ J. H. "Cy" Dillon, former manager of the Charlotte exchange of Republic Pictures, has joined the staff of National Screen Service there, replacing the late Charles Gregory. Until recently Dillon was a salesman for television films covering the Carolinas. 'Last Angry Man' (Continued from page 1) Beth-El Hospital was announced by Morris O. Strausberg, chairman of the benefit committee for the NewMothers' and Children's Pavillion at the hospital. Serving as co-chairman on this committee arc Arthur Greenstein and Dr. William Levine Fla. Meet Postponed JACKSONVILLE, Sept. 3().-The annual convention of M. P. Exhibitors of Florida, which was to haw been held here Oct. 4-6, has been postponed to Dec. 6-8. It will be at the Robert Mever Hotel here.