Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1963)

I Opinions on Current Productions /}[ATUR[ RCVICm Symbol © denotes color; © CinemoScope; ® VistoVision; ® Techniromo; © Other anomorphic processes. For story synopsis on each picture, see reverse side. The Birds Ratio: Horror Drama 1.85-1 © Dr. No Ratio: Adventure Drama 1.85-1 © Universal (6307) 120 Minutes Rel. May ’63 Alfred Hitchcock, that master of cinematic horror and suspense and the only living director whose name has strong marquee draw, now brings forth a fantastic thriller which has rarely been equaled for sheer terror and frightening realism. Aided by the great buildup, including Life’s story and cover and Universal’s fine promotion, the picture is a sure-fire blockbuster which should equal Hitchcock’s memorable “Psycho” of 1960. Based on Daphne Du Maurier’s story, with a screenplay by Evan Hunter, the film opens on an intriguing romantic premise with several lighter touches and then builds steadily and forcefully towards a shuddery climax that will leave many patrons gasping and shaken. While the ending may be too sudden and inconclusive, the overall effect is so tremendous that word-of-mouth should start boxoffice lines forming wherever this plays. As always, Hitchcock’s camera closeups and stunning special effects are unexcelled and the use of Technicolor makes the birds’ attacks that leave humans bleeding extraordinarily effective. The players are excellent, notably Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, whose character portrayal is of Academy Award calibre, and Suzanne Pleshette. — United Artists (6307) 111 Minutes Rel. May ’63 n 350/ A murder-mystery adventure with a science -fiction ”5 ° angle, plus oodles of sex appeal, the first Ian Fleming novel to reach the screen has its ready-made audience of paperback readers to insure strong boxoffice. As produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli and directed by Terence Young in a delightfully tongue-incheek style, the picture is often as unbelievable as a Superman comic-strip, but is always fast-moving and thoroughly entertaining. Sean Connery, the ruggedly handsome British actor who is currently getting a big U.S. buildup from United Artists, is well cast as Secret Service operative James Bond and his popularity with the ladies should increase with each new Fleming film. For the males, the lovely Ursula Andress is a blonde eyeful, especially in her bikini, and Zena Marshall and other beauties also become momentarily entangled with Connery. And the fantastic escapes, fistic encounters and gunplay in the screenplay by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood and Berkley Mather will thrill the action fans and the youngsters. Joseph Wiseman is effective as the inscrutable villain, Dr. No, and Jack Lord plays an American C.I.A. agent. In Technicolor. Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Tippi Hedren, Charles McGraw, Veronica Cartwright. Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Ford, Bernard Lee, Zena Marshall, Anthony Dawson. The Balcony Ratio: 1.85-1 Fantasy-Drama Battle Beyond the Sun Ratio: Science-Fiction 1.85-1 © © Continental Rel. April ’63 American Int’l (716) 75 Minutes Rel. Feb. ’63 Jean Genet’s controversial and shocking play laid in a big city brothel, which was an off-Broadway success in 1960-61, has been turned into a modest-budget, considerably toned-down picture which will be acclaimed by avant-garde enthusiasts just as it will prove baffling to the majority of regular moviegoers. Because of the picture’s theme, the startlingly frank dialog and general eroticism, theatres must advertise “no children under 16 years of age will be admitted regardless of whether accompanied by an adult.” Despite Shelley Winters’ marquee draw, this is strictly for the art spots, although a few downtown key city houses may play up the bordello background for male passersby. As directed by Joseph Strick, who also produced with Ben Maddow, there is never any sense of reality in either the makeshift studio sets or the montage of applauding thousands (taken from newsreel shots) as a police chief gives a speech filled with nonsensical jargon. Peter Falk deserves credit for playing this scene with a straight face and he and Lee Grant, as an office assistant who longs to return to her brothel job, give effective performances. Miss Winters is less convincing as Madame Irma. Shelley Winters, Peter Falk, Lee Grant, Kent Smith, Ruby Dee, Jeff Corey, Joyce Jameson, Peter Brocco. Dime With a Halo Ratio: Comedy Drama 1.85-1 Once again, a doff of the chapeau to the special effects boys; the competency of imaginative workers behind the scenes is superlatively demonstrated in this Thomas Colchart produced-and-directed attraction, flimed in a process labeled Vista-Scope-Color, and teaming Edd Perry, Aria Powell and Andy Stewart. If anything, this Filmgroup presentation proves anew that a modestbud geted motion picture doesn’t necessarily require “known” names to insure boxoffice success. The very appeal of aforementioned special effects, performing in the -,olitr course of a manned exploration of the skies and the fiery red canals of the distant planet Mars, should be enough, certainly, to provoke mass market response. Acting values, sufficient within the atmosphere, are predictably overshadowed by the photography itself, and the Colchart forces have wisely concentrated camera crews on the vastness that is Outer Space. “Night Tide,” AIP-Filmgroup release, is being double-billed with this in some areas. Since exploration of space is very much in the news, cooperative editors should be apprised of “Battle Beyond the Sun” content and urged to provide an assist. And a newspaper classified ad might well ponder the question, “Is there life on Mars?” Edd Perry, Aria Powell, Andy Stewart, Bruce Hunter A Face in the Rain Ratio: War Drama 1.85-1 MGM (318) 94 Minutes Rel. Feb. ’63 “Dime With a Halo” features five appealing youngsters in a story exhibitors can exploit as “something different.” There’s the unusual background of Tiajuana and its race track, for one thing. The theme is unusual — five urchins seek the help of a Christ-child statue when their priest tells them to make Christ a partner in their lives. The story line is different, also, as the boys take a dime from the church box, buy what proves to be a winning race ticket and have many difficulties collecting their money. Boris Sagal, making his theatrical film debut, gave sensitive direction to the Laslo Vadnay-Hans Wilhelm story and production, which further is enhanced by the photography of Philip Lathrop. Many patrons will welcome this comedy coproduced by Anthony Barr and Pat B. Rooney as a pleasing change of pace from the usual screen fare. Manuel Padilla, pint-sized moppet, and his young friends perform well, and are ably supported by Barbara Luna and Paul Langton. However, it should be noted that . several sequences show strippers in their pristine glory, 'e|' ) taking the film out of the strictly family category. ■1 Embassy 81 Minutes Rel. March ’63 A realistic, moderately suspenseful drama of Nazi activities in Occupied Italy in World War II, this must rely almost entirely on the name value of Rory Calhoun to attract audiences. It will satisfy as a supporting dualer in the majority of situations, but that’s about all. Produced in Italy by John Calley for Embassy-FilmwaysCalvic, the story by Hugo Butler and Jean Rouverol was originally conceived as a pilot film for a TV series and later expanded into a feature picture. After a somber opening with a rocky seacoast where Calhoun is writing to a woman who had aided him during World War n, the scene flashes back to the terror and tragedy he had inflicted on her and her young son while he was working for the Underground. The early scenes are somewhat confusing, but the latter part of the film is one long terror-filled chase and culminates with the tragic shooting of the Italian heroine by the Gestapo officer who loves her. Calhoun turns in a good acting job and Marina Berti, capable Italian actress, is effective, but the outsou.ni standing portrayal is that of Niall McGinnis, the Irish s, s/ actor, who gives a remarkably convincing performance as a bullnecked Nazi officer. Directed by Irvin Kershner. Barbara Luna, Roger Mobley, Rafael Lopez, Paul Langton, Manuel Padilla, Larry Domasin. Rory Calhoun, Marina Berti, Niall McGinnis, Massimo Giuliani, Peter Zander. The reviews on these pages may be filed for future reference in any of the following ways: (1) in any standard three-ring loose-leaf binder; (2) individually, by company, in any stan dard 3x5 card index file; or (3) in the BOXOFFICE PICTURE GUIDE three-ring, pocket-size binder. The latter, including a year's supply of booking and daily business record sheets, may be obtained from Associated Publications, 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo., for $1.00, postrw»«% paid. 2718 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: April 1, 1963 2717