Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1963)

Opinions on Current Productions Feature reviews Symbol © denotes color; © CinemaScope; ® VistoVision; ® Technirama; © Other anamorphic processes. For story synopsis on each picture, see reverse side. The Thrill of It All Ratio: Comedy 1.85-1 © Universal (6316) 108 Minutes Rel. Aug. ’63 Mix “Pillow Talk,” “Lover Come Back” and “That Toucn of Mink” into one concoction and you will have “The Thrill of It All” ingredients with the same big money potential. And it has the same Doris Day in it, too, as a safety valve. And for additional star power there are Arlene Francis, James Garner and that old-time favorite, Zasu Pitts. The story tells of a doctor and nis frugal wife and how their careers coilide when the wife suddenly becomes an $80,000-a-year TV saleswoman for a soap product. Her duties necessarily require her to bs away from home and family, thereby causing a rift in the otherwise tranquil household. It’s a laugh fest from beginning to end and the comedy range goes from subtle humor to broad slapstick. Miss Day is the wife. Garner the doctor husband and Arlene Francis is a tycoon’s wife who finds herself pregnant after many years of marriage. A highlight is Garner’s delivery of the baby in the back seat of a Rolls Royce. Ross Hunter, who is noted for this type of gay comedy, produced, with Norman Jewison directing from a screenplay by Carl Reiner. Martin Melcher was the coproducer. Miss Day has a glamor wardrobe designed by Jean Louis, a plus for the feminine patrons. The film looks like a can’t-miss moneymaker. Doris Day, James Garner, Arlene Francis, Edward Andrews, Reginald Owen, Zasu Pitts, Elliott Reid. A Gathering of Eagles Universal (6313) 115 Minutes Rel. July ’63 Ratio: 1.85-1 Air Drama © Rock Hudson, one of the industry’s top boxoffice favorites, wisely alternates madcap comedies like “Lover Come Back” with strong action dramas like this Sy Bartlett production dealing with the Strategic Air Command, an exciting tale but also one with strong human facets. With Rod Taylor, currently starring in “The Birds,” and Barry Sullivan for added marquee strength plus a well-integrated love story, this should be one of the year’s blockbusters. Delbert Mann, who directed, . achieved great authenticity by securing cooperation from \ the U.S. Air Force and SAC and filming takeoffs and -h I surprise alerts on actual air fields. Although this is the SAC in peace instead of battle action, Robert Pirosh’s screenplay has many suspenseful scenes, but is more concerned with the pressures on a new wing commander and his base and missile squadron deputies. Interest never lags during the almost two-hours running time. Hudson proves equally adept in both his dramatic and comedy portrayals and, of course, his romantic moments with the British Mary Peach, the lovely b:onde who plays his wife, are outstanding. Eastman Color is another asset. Jason and the Argonauts ™s_i Fa©asy Columbia (722) 104 Minutes Rel. June ’63 the"' \ The special effects created by Ray Harryhausen for ) Dul/ this spectacular fantasy produced in Spain by Charles H. Schneer are so amazing and realistic that they will fascinate audiences far more than the legendary tale of Jason and the Golden Fleece, which is similar to those in the Italian-made spectacles. However, the picture, which has been lavishly produced and beautifully photographed by Wilkie Cooper in Eastman Color is certain to exert a strong adventure appeal to the youngsters and most male patrons. Because of its lacx of marquee pull, it seems pest suited to saturation bookings, particularly during the summer period. The screenplay by Jan Read and Beverly Ci oss is a completely fanciful one which opens as Zeus and Hera, King and Queen of the Gods, look down on Earth as Jason, the infant son of the murdered King of Tnessaly, grows to manhood and goes to claim his kingdom. His fantastic adventures include the destruction of a colossal bronze god by Jason, the frightening attack by flying harpies, a huge Triton who holds bacx an avalanche descending on Jason’s ship and a sevenneaaea Hyara that guards the Golden Fleece. Directed by Don Chaffey. Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Niall MacGinnis, Gary Raymond, Jack Gwillim, Laurence Naismith. Call Me Bwana c""i’ United Artists (6314) 103 Minutes Rel. June ’63 Bob Hope, after his brief excursion into sophisticated comedy, is back in his top stride in a fantastic, hokumfilled farce, the type which his legion of fans best enjoy. A satire combining moon capsules and adventures in darkest Africa, the film was produced in Britain by Harry Saltzmann and Albert R. Broccoli, given an Eastman Color gloss, some authentic wild animal footage and the bosomy Anita Ekberg and pert Edie Adams of TV fame to share the feminine appeal and marquee strength. — . And to intrigue the sports enthusiasts, golf champion '> Arnold Palmer pops up at the Makuta Club in Africa to vef indulge in some clowning and trick shots with Bob. The star is at his best in this broad comedy portrayal of a world famous author and explorer, who is actually a complete fraud who has been cribbing all his African exploits from his late uncle’s diaries. The screenplay by Nate Monaster and Johanna Harwood is designed to permit the inclusion of typical Bob Hope slapstick and the star’s double-takes and running gags, most of them hilarious. Miss Ekberg is quite a dish as the foreign agent who tries to outwit and then falls in love with Hope, while Miss Adams also does well. Rock Hudson, Rod Taylor, Mary Peach, Barry Sullivan, Henry Silva, Robert Lansing, Kevin McCarthy. The Girl Hunters Ratio: Crime Drama 2.35-1 ® Colorama Features 103 Minutes Rel. June ’63 Mickey Spillane, the celebrated author of the Mike Hammer detective novels which are synonymous with sex-and-violence and invariably sell millions of paperbacks, now turns actor to portray the tough, two-fisted Hammer in this Robert Fellows production which can be exploited to do strong business, especially in the action spots. As directed by Roy Rowland, from a screenplay by Spillane, Fellows and Rowland, the picture starts off with a jolt, as the drunken Hammer is beaten senseless by a police captain, and continues with more fistic encounters, shootings, a strangling and even a touch of sadism — just what the Spillane devotees expect. The sex angle is splendidly taken care of by Shirley Eaton, the British beauty who has played in many of the “Carry On” comedy series, who will gamer wolf whistles when revealing her bikini-clad charms. She’s a genuine Marilyn Monroe type. Filmed in England for the most part but with several American names for the marquee, in addition to Spillane. They include Lloyd Nolan, in the madeto-order role of an American secret agent, and Hy Gardner, N.Y. Herald-Tribune syndicated columnist, who has little difficulty playing himself. The music composed by Phil Green has a jazzy staccato rhythm. Mickey Spillane, Lloyd Nolan, Shirley Eaton, Hy Gardner, Scott Peters, Charles Farrell, Kim Tracy. Bob Hope, Anita Ekberg, Edie Adams, Lionel Jeffries, Arnold Palmer, Percy Herbert, Paul Carpenter. 3ns, At 1 The Garbage Man Ratio: Comedy-Satire 1.85-1 Color in Part Cinema Distributors of America 86 Minutes Rel. June ’63 With bold, imaginative strokes. Mobile, Ala. -based Cinema Distributors of America’s M. A. Ripps, an exhibitor before turning to production, depicts the world of the “little men” in our midst — the sometimes pitiful, sometimes-to-be-envied guys with little ambition and even less “drive” to move ever-purposefully ahead in the arena of business. While Ripps is listed as executive producer, his touches — boxoffice ingredients were pronouncedly contained in “Poor White Trash” and “Macumba Love” — are evident throughout, and where previous CDA efforts have chalked up staggeringly high grosses, this certainly shouldn’t disappoint. It has a winning personality in Toney Naylor as the muchpushed-about “little man,” and “Miss” Baby Bailey, a talkative horse (Shades of CBS-TV’s popular “Mr. Ed”!) serves up some different touches. And, when Naylor (he’s the Hector of this tale of woe and eventual triumph) dreams of better days and developments, producer Robert Steuer and director Eric Sayers, who also wrote the Nev shooting script, use Eastman Color. Venita Beautrice is °ead' a beauteous gal, contributing vividly to the hectic-paced proceedings. Toney Naylor, Joseph Lincoln, Venita Beautrice, and “Miss” Baby Bailey. 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 standard 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, postage paid. 2738 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: June 10, 1963 2737