Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, December 16, 160 Jan. 'Esquire7 Recounts The Joe Levine Story Joseph E. Levine, Embassy Pictures president, is the subject of a three-page article by Gay Talese, with full page color illustration, in the January issue of Esquire. The article emphasizes Levine's showmanship and his ability to sense popular film ingredients. "Levine has never lost his Midas touch with the masses," it remarks. "Mr. Levine is the masses. What he likes, millions of people like." REVIEW: Herod The Great Allied Artists Davis Urges {Continued from page 1) opinion between him and exhibitor leaders. Earlier this month the Cinematograph Exhibitors Ass'n. expressed the "unqualified opposition" of exhibitors to toll-tv in a report of its views on die subject requested by the government's Pilkington committee. Davis today called the exhibitor stand a "head-in-the-sand" policy. "It is no good," he said, "for the industry to say it is going to fight toll-television if the Pilkington committee sanctions it as to the publicbenefit." He then urged exhibitors to get on the bandwagon. Sees Policy Paying Off Turning to other matters, Davis said the Rank Organization is continuing to enjoy prosperity after years of a "digging-in" policy. He pointed to the success of several British pictures in the last six months and said they contributed to the Group's good results. Last year, he reminded the audience, there were nine British films in the top twelve grossers in the United Kingdom for the year. This year, he added, Rank's "Doctor in Love" is the top-grossing British film. Davis then reiterated his complaint against excessive violence and brutality in films and deplored the trend toward "three-hour epics." These factors are responsible for driving people—and especially women— from the cinema, he said. Decries Filmed Sadism He added that he was not against "X" certificate films as adult entertainment. Horror films can make good melodramas, he observed, but it is the more sadistic type of picture that is keeping the customers away. "Results prove the need for clean, wholesome entertainment," he said. Objectionable Films ( Continued from page 1 ) Hollywood is to continue producing them and we are to continue booking them." How the ticket buyers can be persuaded to patronize in greater force the "unobjectionable" films is the crux of the problem, exhibitors state. Producers and distributors cite figures detailing the extensive advertising campaigns they conduct, on a na Hoixywood, Dec. 15 Edmund Purdom as King Herod and the glamorous Sylvia Lopez as Queen Miriam will capture audience interest with their emotionally involved Biblical roles in this heavily dialogued Italian import. Purdom and Miss Lopez are apparently the only ones in the cast who speak English for this completely dubbed-inEnglish film. Others who register importantly in Samuel Schneider's presentation are Alberto Lupo in the role of Aaron, Herod's trusted aide, and his sweetheart, the voluptuous Sandra Milo as Sarah. The film, produced by Gian Paolo Bigazzi for W. Tourjansky, is spectacular in concept with obvious expensive production values invested in lavish settings and colorful costumes, unusually eye-appealing in Eastman color and the wide screen of "Totalscope." Under Arnaldo Genoino's direction, Herod, King of Judea, is depicted more the jealous husband of a beautiful queen than a man seeking to protect his reign, after his forces are defeated in an alliance with the rebellious Roman general Antonius at the battle of Actium. The screenplay by Damiano Damiani, Federico Zardi, Fernando Cerchio and W. Tourjansky, which was based on a story by Damiani and Tullio Pinelli, has Herod instructing Aaron to guard Miriam while he attempts to find favor from the loyal Roman Oetavius in order to continue his reign. He makes Aaron promise to kill his wife if he should die in his purpose with Oetavius. Miriam's mother, despising Herod, arranges to spread the rumor that Herod is dead. Aaron, showing compassion for the queen and her infant son, tells her of Herod's instruction, but decides to run off with her and the boy and protect them until the boy can take over the throne. Herod returns in time to prevent Miriam's mother from placing Miriam's brother on the throne. He is furious when led to believe Aaron has run off with the queen to nurture his own love for her. He sees to it that Miriam is sentenced by the high court to be stoned to death when he learns of her payment to a guard to help Aaron escape from a torture chamber. The news that a male child born in Bethlehem is being hailed as King drives him mad. He kills another of his sons for having misled him about Miriam, and collapses during a lightning storm which besieges the palace after he has ordered the 'destruction of all newly-born males in the kingdom. Running time, 93 minutes. Release in December. Samuel D. Berns FORTHCOMING RELEASES ABBREVIATIONS: AA, Allied Artists; AIP, American International Pictures; BV, Buena Vista; Col, Columbia; MGM, MetroGoldwyn-Mayer; Par, Paramount; 20-Fox, 20th Century-FoxUA, United Artists; Uni, Universal; WB, Warner Bros.; c, co/or'cs, CmemaScope; te, Technirama; w, VistaVision; rs, iReaafscope. ► DECEMBER AA— HEROD THE GREAT, c: Edmund Purdom, Sylvia Lopez BV— SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, c: Dorothy McGuire, John Mills COL-THE THREE WORLDS OF GULLIVER, c: Kerwin Mathews, Jo Morrow COL— JAZZ BOAT, cs: Anthony Newley, Anne Aubrey COL— PLEASE TURN OVER: Ted Ray, Jean Kent MGM WHERE THE BOYS ARE, cs, c: George Hamilton, Dolores Hart MGM— CIMARRON, c, cs: Glenn Ford, Maria Schell PAR— THE WORLD OF SUSIE WONG, c: William Holden, Nancy Kwan PAR— CINDERFELLA, c: Jerry Lewis, Judith Anderson 20-FOX— ESTHER AND THE KING, c, cs: Joan Collins, Richard Egan 20-FOX— THE WIZARD OF BAGDAD, c, cs: Dick Shawn, Diane Baker 20-FOX— LEGIONS OF THE NILE, c, cs: Linda Cristal, Ettore Martni UA— EXODUS, c, Panavision 70: Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint (special dates) UA— FACTS OF LIFE: Bob Hope, Lucille Ball UNI-THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ADAM AND EVE: Mickey Rooney, Mamie van Doren WB— THE SUNDOWNERS, c: Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum ► JANUARY AA— LOOK IN ANY WINDOW: Paul Anka, Ruth Roman AIP— PORTRAIT OF A SINNER: Nadja Tiller, Tony Britton COL— SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST, c: Richard Greene, Peter Cushirg COL— THE WACKIEST SHIP IN THE ARMY, c: Jack Lemmon, Ricky Nelson COL— HAND IN HAND: John Gregson, Dame Sybil Thorndike MGM— THE VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED: George Sanders, Barbara Shelley PAR— BLUEPRINT FOR ROBBERY: Jay Barney, J. Pat O'Malley 20-FOX— FLAMING STAR, c, cs: Elvis Presley 20-FOX— THE MARRIAGE GO ROUND, cs, c: Susan Hayward, James Mason 20-FOX — THE LITTLE SHEPHERD OF KINGDOM COME, cs, c: Jimmy Rogers UA— THE SUMMER OF THE SEVENTEENTH DOLL: Anne Baxter, Ernest Borgnine UA— FIVE GUNS TO TOMBSTONE: James Brown, John Wilder UNI— THE GRASS IS GREENER, c: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr WB— A FEVER IN THE BLOOD: Efrem Zimbalist, Angie Dickinson FEBRUARY AIP— THE HAND: Derek Bond, Ronald Lee Hunt AIP— BLACK SUNDAY: Barbara Steele, John Richardson BV— ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIONS, c: feature cartoon COL— A RAISIN IN THE SUN: Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil COL— UNDERWORLD, U.S.A.: Cliff Robertson, Dolores Dorn MGM— GO NAKED IN THE WORLD, c, cs: Gina Lollobrigida, Anthony Franciosa MGM— THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES, c: Rory Calhoun, Lea Mossari MGM— GORGO, c: William Trovers, William Sylvester PAR— THE SAVAGE INNOCENTS, c: Anthony Quinn, Yoko Tani 20-FOX— THE MILLIONAIRESS, cs, c: Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers 20-FOX— SANCTUARY, cs: Lee Remick, Yves Montand 20-FOX— THE CANADIANS, c, cs: Robert Ryan 20-FOX— SNIPER RIDGE, cs: UA— A MATTER OF CONVICTION: Burt Lancaster, Shelley Winters UA— WARLORD OF CRETE: Bob Mathias, Rosanna Schiafino UA— BURMA PATROL: Ron Foster, Miki Taka UNI— THE GREAT IMPOSTOR: Tony Curtis, Edmond O'Brien UNI— THE SHAKEDOWN: Terrence Morgan, Hazel Court WB— GOLD OF THE SEVEN SAINTS, c, cs: Clint Walker, Roger Moore tional level, for films of sound moral tone. It is conceded these are not as easy to sell as "the sensational." Whether the local "sell" on "good" pictures always packs enough punch, under present conditions, is a matter of opinion. Fox, Tri-State Service Suit Settled in Phila. Special to THE DAILY PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 15 The suit instituted by 20th Century-Fox against Sanford Gottlieb and his TriState Theatre Service in Municipal Court, was settled for an undisclosed amount out of court. The action sought to recover $538 from Gottlieb for unpaid film rentals due from the closed Grand in nearby Bristol, Pa. It was claimed that the film buying service obligated itself for product bought by signing exhibition contracts for the theatre. New Secretary * (Continued from page 1 ) nedy, took an active role last year pressing for the extension of minimu wage coverage and an increase in tl pay floor sought by both unions ar the President-elect. Goldberg's designation is thougl certain to arouse some opposition the Senate. It is generally believed unlike5 that any concerted effort will 1 made, however, to defeat the nom nation after it is sent to the Senal by the President.