Boxoffice (Mar 5, 1955)

Aollywood Kefort By IVAN SPEAR Production for March Starts With 26; Same Number Launched in February The ides of March brought with them no visible indications that the film capital's production moguls either individually or collectively have as yet decided to step up their picture-making pace. As the month began, a survey of both major and independent productional blue prints revealed a total of 26 features earmarked for launching during the perlod—equal in number to the lineup projected for February. Displaying the most dazzling burst of speed was MGM, which listed four starters—all of them, parenthetically, being given CinemaScope and color treatment. Sharing place position, with three each, are Allied Artists, Columbia and 20th Century-Fox, while Paramount, Republic, Universal-International and Warner Bros. each planned to start a pair. The count, by studios: ALLIED ARTISTS “The Body Snatchers.” This mystery drama is based on a@ Collier’s magazine serial by Jack Finney. Stars not set. Producer, Walter Wanger. Director, Don Siegel. “Doing Time.” Another chapter in the venerable saga of the Bowery Boys. Stars Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall. Producer, Ben Schwalb. Director not set. “Women’s Reformatory.” A melodrama of femmes in stir. Stars not set. Producer, William F. Broidy. Director, Edward Cahn. COLUMBIA “The Gilded Rooster.” From the novel by Richard Emory Roberts, to be filmed in CinemaScope and Technicolor, this is the story of an uninhibited army scout during the era of the Indian wars. Stars Victor Mature. Producer, William Fadiman. Director, Anthony Mann. “The Houston Story.” An action drama of the Texas oil fields, this will be filmed partly Taradash-Blaustein Unit In Deal With Columbia In a quick shuffle, a commitment whereby the Phoenix Corp., recently organized independent formed by scrivener Daniel Taradash and producer Julian Blaustein was to have released its contemplated lineup through Warners was called off and the Taradash-Blaustein unit instead inked a four-picture deal with Columbia. The outfit will headquarter at Columbia, where Taradash will script and direct two of the properties, the first of which will be announced soon, Meantime Warners studio spokesmen disclosed that negotiations were near finalization whereby Jack Wrather, owner of the radio-TV veteran, “The Lone Ranger,” will produce a theatrical film version thereof for Warners distribution. 20 on location in the Lone Star state. Stars not set. Producer, Sam Katzman. Director, William Castle. “The Queen Bee.” Adapted from a novel by Edna Lee, this deals with a seductive, socially prominent woman in present-day Atlanta, whose rapaciousness eventually leads to her own destruction. Stars Joan Crawford, Barry Sullivan, Brian Keith. Producer, Jerry Wald. Director, Ranald MacDougall. INDEPENDENT “Guys and Dolls.” A musical comedy, this is taken from the stage success by Abe Burrows, based upon characters created by Damon Runyon. Cast toppers include Marlon Brando portraying Sky Masterson, the gambler; Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit, proprietor of a floating crap game; and Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine as the dolls involved. Producer Samuel Goldwyn. Director, Joseph L. Mankiewicz. “Hell’s Horizon.” A drama of the U. S. air force in Korea. Stars Marla English, Larry Pennell. Producers, Tom Gries and Wray Davis (Gravis Productions). Director, Tom Gries. LIPPERT “Charge of the Rurales.” This story of Mexican mounted police in the 1890s is being lensed on location in Mexico and Guatemala in Ansco Colo. Stars Dane Clark, Marta Roth, James Craig. Producer, Robert L. Lippert jr. Director, Louis King. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER “Bar Sinister.” Adapted from the dog story by Richard Harding Davis, this is being lensed in CinemaScope and color. Stars Jeff Richards, Jarma Lewis, Dean Jagger. Producer, Henry Berman. Director, Herman Hoffman. “Bhowani Junction.” To be shot on location in Pakistan, in CinemaScope and color, this is based on the John Masters novel about a British-Indian railway community during the last days of British rule. Stars Ava Gardner, Stewart Granger, William Travers. Producer, Pandro S. Berman. Director, George Cukor. “I'll Cry Tomorrow.” The biography of Lillian Roth, musical comedy and nightclub singer, who fought her way back to success after succumbing to the evils of alcoholism. Stars Susan Hayward. Producer, Lawrence Weingarten. Director, Charles Walters. In CinemaScope and color. “Quentin Durward.” Intrigue and romance in 15th century-France highlight this adaptation of the historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, dealing with the warlike feud between that nation’s King Louis XI and Duke Charles. It is being photographed in England, in CinemaScope and color. Stars Robert Taylor, Robert Morley, Duncan Lamont, Producer, Pandro S. Berman. Director, Richard Thorpe. —_ UA Closes Two-Film Deal With Hayworth-Haymes Adding still further to its already sizable stockpile of product commitments with independent filmmakers, United Artists has closed a two-picture deal with the newly formed Crystal Bay Productions, organized by Rita Hayworth and her actor-singer husband Dick Haymes. Under terms of the deal UA will finance both features, which will star Miss Hayworth and are to be produced by Haymes. Titles of the two properties haven't been announced. The Hayworth-Haymes commitment with UA will become effective when the actress has fulfilled a two-picture obligation to Columbia. PARAMOUNT “Anything Goes.’ In Technicolor and VistaVision, this is a screen version of the Broadway musical hit by Cole Porter and incorporates the entire score of that stage success, Stars Bing Crosby, Jeanmaire, Donald O’Connor, Mitzi Gaynor. Producer, Robert Emmett Dolan. Director, Robert Lewis. “The Ten Commandments.” After extensive location shooting in Egypt, studio lensing will begin on this high-budgeted Biblical spectacle, in which Charlton Heston, as Moses, leads the exodus of his people from slavery into the Promised Land. Stars Heston, Cornel Wilde, Anne Baxter, Yvonne De Carlo, Edward G. Robinson, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Yul Brynner, Vincent Price, John Derek, Debra Paget. Producer-director, Cecil B. DeMille. In Technicolor and VistaVision. RKO RADIO “The Boy and the Bull.” A romantic drama about matadors and the bull ring, this will be lensed on location in Mexico in CinemaScope and Technicolor. Stars Michel Ray. Producers, King Bros. Productions. Director, Irving Rapper. REPUBLIC “The Texas Legionnaires.” In which frontier hero Jim Bowie plays his final and greatest role in the fall of the Alamo, when he and a band of Texas and Tennessee volunteers sacrifice their lives to free Texas from Mexican rule. Stars Sterling Hayden, as Bowie; Anna Marie Alberghetti, Richard Carlson. Producer-director, Frank Lloyd. In Trucolor. “Lay That Rifle Down.” This hillbilly comedy with music will be photographed in Trucolor. Stars Judy Canova. Producer, Sidney Picker. Director, Charles Lamont. ' 20th CENTURY-FOX “The Left Hand of God.” An American flier, forced down in Communist China, escapes disguised as a priest in this film version of the novel by William E. Barrett. Stars Humphrey Bogart, Gene Tierney, Agnes Moorehead. Producer, Buddy Adler. Director, Edward Dmytryk. In CinemaScope and color. “Seven Cities of Gold.” The story of Father Junipero Serra, who founded California’s missions in the days of Spanish occupation. Stars Richard Egan, Michael Rennie, Rita Moreno. Producers, Robert Webb and Barbara McLean. Director, Robert Webb. In CinemaScope and color. “The Tall Men.” This frontier galloper deals with the blazing of the Bozeman Trail. Stars Clark Gable, Jane Russell, Cameron BOXOFFICE :: March 5; 1955 Rear