Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1961)

S XH l BIT OR HAS HIS SAY hhh^hABOUT PICTURESDH FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEATURE REVIEWS Time Out for a Big Pat on the Back We don't mind blasting the many poor films we have shown and we sure want to give praise to the wonderful and top money makers we have all put on the screen. Played Disney's "Swiss Family Robinson" after our big competitors to the biggest weekend since taking over the house two years ago. How can they knock the industry and movie theatres when there is an increasing abundance of product of this type? Still, some think a movie house is a naughty place showing naughty films, no matter what is screened. We had one lady ask if "The Ten Commandments" was good for her children to see. RAY BORISKI, AL ZARZANA Galena Theatre, Galena Park, Tex. ALLIED ARTISTS Raymie (AA) — David Ladd, John Agar, Julie Adams. Okay for kids and also family. However, families don't always come, but kids do. Played Thurs., Fri., Sot. Weather: Foggy and cool. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. Tormented (AA) — Richard Carlson, Susan Gordon, Lugene Sanders. Our ticket sales were "tormented." We doubled this with "The Unfaithfuls," also from AA. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Okay. — J. Wilmer Blincoe, Owensboro Drive-In, Owensboro, Ky. Pop. 33.600. COLUMBIA Cry for Happy (Col) — Glenn Ford, Donald O'Connor, Miiko Taka, Miyoshi Umeki. A cute little show, nothing exceptional but good entertainment. We played it too long, though, on first sub-break and had a pretty rough week. Perhaps due to the bad season. Still good film fare. — Ray Boriski, Al Zarzana, Boulevard Theatre, Houston, Tex. Enemy General, The (Col) — Van Johnson, JeanPierre Aumont, Dany Carrel. An absolute waste of * film. Skip it. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Clear and cool. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Home From the Hills (MGM) — Robert Mitchum, Eleanor Parker, George Peppard, George Hamilton. If you can find a better picture than this, tell me about it. Monday night did better than all day Sunday, which I can't understand. The three new young stars in this are wonderful. If you haven't played this, pick it up, for it should do business in any situation. Played Sun. through Wed. — -Larry Thomas for G. J. Thomas, Fayette Theatre, Fayetteville, W. Va. Pop 2,000. Please Don't Eat the Daisies (MGM) — Doris Day, David Niven, Janis Paige. This picture had every kind of competition here you could name, still turned in the second best gross of the year. It was big. The picture wasn't up to expectations, but Doris Day is wonderful. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Pop. 968. PARAMOUNT Five Branded Women (Para) — Van Heflin, Silvana Mangano, Vera Miles. Very disappointing picture with some of the stars very well known completely wasted in minor roles. It drew okay but when people come out and say, "I hated that picture," it's no good for business. Played Tues., Wed. — Paul Fournier, Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard, N. B. Pop. 2,150. Greatest Show on Earth, The (Para), reissue — Chorlton Heston, James Stewart, Cornel Wilde, Betty Hutton. Played Christmas to top boxoffice for the month. One of the all-around greats for a small town. Sure mokes the new product look sick, boxofficewise — and otherwise. Thanks, Paramount. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Pop. 968. Rat Race, The (Para) — Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds, Jock Oakie. Nothing but praise on this wonderful picture, but, as in many cases, failed to draw. Tony and Debbie at their best. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather. — Larry Thomas for G. J. Thomas, Fayette Theatre, Fayettville, W. Va. Pop. 2,000. Tarzon the Magnificent (Pora) — Gordon Scoff, Jock Mahoney, Betto St. John. One of the better Torzan movies. Only lock was Cheeta and a comedy vein. A little too adult in spots. Gave us the biggest kid trade since the idiot box came to our area. And was the top Torzan grosser in post nine yearsl Played Fri., Sat. Weather; Warm to stormy. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Pop. 8.600. 20th CENTURY FOX Crack in the Mirror (20th-Fox) — Orson Welles, Juliette Greco, Bradford Dillman. This feature is even more sordid and disgusting than "Suddenly, Last Summer." People here want to be entertained, not sickened to death. Zanuck's earlier "How Green Was My Valley," "The Snake Pit" and "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" were much better pics than this. No business at all here. Leave it in the can. — -Paul Fournier, Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard, N. B. Pop. 2,150. Esther and the King (20th-Fox) — Joan Collins, Richard Egan, Denis O'Dea. The story was just fair; it was a little slow in places. But of course Fox's 'Scope and color is hard to match. Although it's worth a playdate, our business took a dip. Weather was a continuous rain. Also a band concert and roller skating party hurt business. Played Fri., Sat., Sun. — Harold J. Smith, Wilson Theatre, Wilson, N. Y. Pop. 1,100. From the Terrace (20th-Fox) — Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, lna Balin. Excellent picture which failed to do good business even though Fox cruelly charged us 10 per cent more for rental. Isn't this the exchange that was advocating aid to small exhibitors? How, by increasing their rental? Played Wed. through Sat. — Paul Gamache, Welden Theatre, St. Albans, Vt. Pop. 8,600. High Time (20th-Fox) — Bing Crosby, Fabian, Tuesday Weld. Just right for the small town. Bing does another fine job of acting. The chemistry professor is quite a comedian. Let's see some more of him. Make more of this type, Fox! Played Sun., Mon. — James Hardy, Shoals Theatre, Shoals, Ind. Pop. 1,555. Mosters of the Congo Jungle (20th-Fox) — Documentary. This was okay and doubled with "Key Witness" from MGM we had a swell double bill that showed a small profit. Either one of these will stand on its own feet. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Cold. — Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Pop. 1,636. Millionairess, The (20th-Fox) — Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Vittorio de Sica. With the cast, director and material available, this one was most disappointing. It definitely lacked punch. Too many lapses between the little fun and action there was. It just looks as if the G. B. Shaw play was a little too much for the film boys to put over. Small situations, lay off! Played Wed. through Sat. Weather: Fine.— Dave S. Klein, Astra Theatre, Kitwe/Nkana, N. Rhodesia, Africa. Pop. 13,000. UNITED ARTISTS Apartment, The (UA) — Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray. Played this before Awards, but it did okay. Guess advance publicity helped. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Clear and cool. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. Facts of Life, The (UA) — Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Ruth Hussey. Bob Hope will always do extra business, and this is a good show. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. — Leo A. Backer, Valley Theatre, Browns Valley, Minn. Pop. 1,117. UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL Portrait in Black (U-l) — Lana Turner, Anthony Quinn, Sandra Dee, John Saxon. This one I enjoyed fully, but the people of the town of Fayetteville didn't seem to appreciate it so much. As is the story most of the time nowadays, I lost my shirt after paying for it. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Cool.— Larry Thomas for G. J. Thomas, Fayette Theatre, Fayetteville, W. Va. Pop. 2,000. Public Pigeon No. 1 (U-l) — 'Red Skelton, Vivian Blaine, Janet Blair. This is an old picture that I picked up from U-l, who is releasing a number of RKO pictures in Canada now and no new pictures ore being released. This is a very good comedy that went over very well here. The folks enjoyed it and I made a little money so I liked it also. — F. L. Murray, Strand Theatre, Spiritwood, Sask. Pop. 500. WARNER BROS. Rio Bravo (WB) — John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson. Played late, late, late and did better than most Warner pictures of the past couple of years, but too much rental. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Warm and rainy. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. Summer Ploce, A (WB) — Richard Egon, Dorothy Malone, Troy Donahue, Sandra Dee. Another example of a good picture played too late. No extra business, but good show for adults. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Clear and cold. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. Wont Get Skinned On This Combo If you play "Hideout in the Sun" you won't have to hide out from the bill collectors. This one, plus "Naked Venus," (both from Howco in this territory) make up a program that would moke a blind man throw away his glasses. J. WILMER BLINCOE Owensboro Drive-In, Owensboro, Ky. Two Women A .R2£°,: War Drama 1.00-1 Embassy Pictures 105 Minutes Rel. June '61 Sophia Loren, after a dozen Hollywood pictures, mostly in glamorous, dressed-up roles, returned to her native Italy to give her finest screen portrayal to date as an earthy peasant girl in World War II. Miss Loren's recent Cannes Film Festival award as "best actress," Vittorio De Sica's fame (this time as director only), and the best-selling novel by Alberto Moravia, will insure strong grosses in the art spots for this Italian-language entry. Later, the picture might play selected key city first runs on the strength of Miss Loren's name. It is Joseph E. Levine's first art house release. An Italian-French co-production, produced by Carlo Ponti (Miss Loren's husband), the screenplay by Cesctre Zavattini has been brilliantly directed by De Sica, who builds interest slowly but steadily until he reaches a truly-startling rape climax, in which Miss Loren reaches histrionic heights. Excellent, too, are Eleonora Brown, as a 13-year-old suddenly shocked into womanhood, and Raf Vallone, in the brief role of a virile Italian. Jean-Paul Belmondo, who attracted attention as the amorous killer in "Breathless," is less effective in the contrasting part of a timid intellectual. The story has Sophia leaving bombed-out Rome with her young daughter and returning to her native southern village, where she meets a young, bespectacled youth who falls in love with her. Fleeing the retreating Germans, Sophia and her daughter are mass-raped in a church by a group of Moroccan soldiers. Sophia's innocent daughter is now a thing of the past. Black-and-white photography is first-rate. Sophia Loren, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Raf Vallone, Eleonora Brown, Renato Salvatori. Stefcmie F Comedy Bakros Int'l 98 Minutes Rel. The anticipated antics of an attractive teenager, no longer a child and not yet quite a woman, provide the setting of this U.F.A. production (German dialog, English titles), based on the Gitta von Getto novel of the same title. Arrival of South American architect Carlos Thompson sets off a tense infatuation for Sabine Sinjen, the leading lady, much to consternation of her two older brothers, Peter Vogel, unsuccessful musician, and Rainei Penkert, far from famous architect. Of course, the happy ending is telegraphed far ahead, and not long after mid-way point, what amounts to easy humor shrivels out to only a light touch. Released by Bakros International. Josef von Baky directed. Carlos Thompson, Sabine Sinjen, Rainer Penkert, Peter Vogel, Mady Rahl. Columbia Film Shortened The running time of Columbia’s “Stop Me Before I Kill” has been shortened from 105 minutes to 93. A review of the feature appeared in Boxoffice for June 12. ‘Majority of One' for New Year's LOS ANGELES — Warner Bros, sales manager Charles Boasberg has announced “A Majority of One” will be the studio’s New Year’s release. The policy of the release has not been decided for the picture, he said. 26 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: June 19, 1961