Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1961)

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adi ines for Newspaper and Programs THE STORY: "The Parent Trap" (BV) Hayley Mills, daughter of wealthy Maureen O'Hara, meets a girl at summer camp who looks amazingly like her. She turns out to be her twin sister (also Hayley Mills), who had been sent to live with her father, Brian Keith, in California after the parents were divorced. At first, the girls dislike ,us ( each other but later they get together and plan to get their '•ama-7 parents together again. To do this, the girls switch places without either parent being aware of the change. In California, Maureen's daughter learns that Brian is planning to marry Joanna Barnes, a beautiful gold-digger, so she telephones her sister and tells her she must bring Maureen out to halt matters. When the girls reveal their true identities to the parents, Maureen aids in the plot and they expose Joanna in her true light. Maureen and Brian then resolve their marital difficulties and head for the altar again. EXPLOITIPS: In addition to the magic of the Walt Disney title, stress Hayley Mills and her recent special Academy Award for best juvenile performance" of 1960. Other selling names are Maureen O’Hara, singing on the screen for the first time, Charlie Ruggles. Una Merkel and the title song, warbled by Tommy Sands and Annette, teenage favorites. CATCHLINES: Hayley Mills Plays a Double-Role in a Double-Barreled Comedy Hit . . . Honorary Academy Award Winner in Her Latest Walt Disney Comedy About Match-Making Teenagers. THE STORY: "The Minotaur" (UA) When Princess Phaedre (Rosanna Schiaffino) learns that she has a twin sister with equal rights to the throne of ancient Crete, she sends her lover, Alberto Lupo, to kill the girl (also Rosanna Schiaffino) but he is thwarted by Theseus (Bob Mathias), who takes the girl to the palace of his father. Theseus pretends to be in love with Phaedre but he eventually escapes her and falls wounded into the sea, where he is nursed back to health by Amphitrite, the sea goddess, who loves him. In the meantime, Theseus' palace has been sacked and Phaedre has taken her twin sister prisoner and plans to sacrifice her to the Minotaur, which is regularly fed virgins. When Phaedre accidentally falls into a pit of wolves, Theseus enters the Labyrinth and finds the sister before the Minotaur attacks her. Theseus slays the Minotaur and then . Impi outlaws human sacrifice forever. vtis, EXPLOITIPS: Sell Bob Mathias as the Olympics champion who won six decathlon awards. Invite local athletes who have competed for Olympics or for high school competitions to the first showing. A huge cutout of a horned beast's head, breathing smoke, crtop the marquee will attract passersby. CATCHLINES: The Raging Spectacle of an Age That Worshipped a Savage Beast . . . The Monster That Rocked a Lost Civilization . . . The Wild Beast of Crete — the Most Horrifying Creature of All the Ages. THE STORY: "The Gambler Wore a Gun" (UA) Professional gambler James Davis, through the mails, buys a ranch and travels out to the site only to learn that the seller has been murdered before the deed could be recorded. The late rancher's children, Don Dorrell and Merry Anders, knowing nothing of the sale, look to newly arrived Davis for help. He becomes a dealer in a town saloon, discovering that a rustling gang has been using the ranch as a storage site for stolen cattle. Dorrell is murdered and the rustlers try to pin suspicion on Davis. Mark Allen, the town marshal, is firmly convinced of Davis' innocence, and working with him, traps the rustlers, regaining rightful ownership of the ranch. Davis marries Merry. EXPLOITIPS: Send an aide on rented horse, through downtown city streets, carrying appropriate banner on cowboy clothes. Set up displays of stills of Merry Anders in beauty salons and the like. CATCHLINES: t f ano A Stranger From Out of the West — and Killers! . . . Rustlers Pit Brains Against Gun-Toting Gambler! . . . Jim Davis Back in a Fast-Shooting, Fast-Moving Action Western' THE STORY: "Romanoff and Juliet" (U-I) Concordia is such a little country that fellow members of the United Nations don't know where it is. In, an important debate, Ustinov, its president, withholds its vote and both Russia and the United States want to woo him to their sides. a Back in his own country, Sandra Dee, daughter of the U. S. V.P ambassador, and John Gavin, son of the Russian ambassador, meet and fall in love. That's bad for all concerned except the lovers. Then comes a series of diplomatic intrigues in which Ustinov plays both sides against the middle and comes out the winner. The parents of the romantic couple are opposed to the marriage for political reasons, but Ustinov arranges the wedding in his own way and, when it is all over, the opposing parents are reconciled to the situation and decide to bury the hatchet and become good friends. EXPLOITIPS: Cash in on Ustinov as an Academy Award winner. Display photos of the United Nations building with captions pointing out that "This Is Where It All Started — the Amazing Romance of Romanoff and Juliet." Dress the doorman in a Russiantype uniform, with suitable title identification, prior to opening. CATCHLINES: He Was Red — She Was Red, White and Blue, But Love Won Out . . . See What Happens When a Russian Romeo Meets an American Juliet . . . All Is Fair in Love and Cold War . . . There's Coexistence in Caviar and Hot Dogs. THE STORY: "Angel Baby" (AA) Youthful George Hamilton is establishing considerable of a reputation for himself as an evangelist and healer. His revivalist activities are carried on in the Deep South. Here he meets and restores the speech of Salome Jens, a sinful, backwoods lass who has been a mute since childhood. She gets religion in a big way and, following a stint with Hamilton's show, starts out on her own. Hamilton lusts for her, but he is married — in name only — to Mercedes McCambridge, a fanatical evangelist. Salome's show is a great success until it is revealed that a crooked business manager has faked the cures with which she is credited. Mercedes is killed in resultant riots and George is left free to honestly CD pursue his love for Salome. •kman EXpLOITIPS: Announce a revival meeting to be held with George Hamilton as the evangelist, giving theatre information, date, etc. Decorate theatre with banners heralding the meetings, to run for length of film booking. For added attraction to theatre, erect a tent entrance to lobby, copying revival meeting tents. CATCHLINES: Was She Angel or Devil? ... A Rip-Roarin' Tale of Revival Meetings in the Deep South . . . Married to One Woman, He Lusted for Another. THE STORY: "Mad Dog Coll" (Col) Young Vincent Coll is savagely beaten by his sadistic father and grows up into a vicious young hoodlum (John Chandler) with a neighborhood gang which commits petty robberies and tries to pick up girls. Coll is attracted to Brooke Hayward, who at first is fascinated, then repelled by his cruelty toward her. Later, Coll acquires a new girl friend, a burlesque stripper (Kay Doubleday) and he begins to challenge Dutch Schultz as ruler of the speakeasy rackets. Schultz mistakenly kills one of Coil's pals and the gangster retaliates with a gun battle in which two innocent children are killed. With the police and Schultz after Coll, he and his last remaining cohort, Jerry Orbach, are forced to hide out. Orbach, in love with Brooke, finally is enraged by Coil's cruelty and he tells the police where the gangster will make a telephone call. The police lay a trap in the drug store and gun Coll down. EXPLOITIPS: Play up the title and sell the picture as successor to "A1 Capone," "The Life and Death of Legs Diamond" and other gangster films. A cutout of an overcoated figure with a machine gun atop the marquee will get attention. The Colpix recording of the title tune should be played through a loud speaker from the lobby. c CATCHLINES: Maniac With a Machine Gun . . . The True Story of the Mad Killer Who Terrorized New York in the Roaring Twenties. Vr BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May 15, 1961