Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1961)

XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY ABOUT PICTURE SI ALLIED ARTISTS Eluebeard's Ten Honeymoons (AA) — George Sanders, Connne Calvet, Jean Kent. Fair picture, but Bluebeard was the only one who made a killing — attendance on this was below average. Played Thurs., Fri. Weather: Good. — B. L. Brown jr., asst, mgr., Arcade Theatre, Sandersville, Ga. Pop. 5,424. COLUMBIA Surprise Package (Col) — Yul Brynner, Mitzi Gaynor, Neel Coward. Poor humor. Might make a good late show, otherwise void. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Cool. — Kenyon Killinger, Orr Theatre, Orrville, Ohio. Pop. 6,464. 13 Ghosts (Cal) — Jo Morrow, Martin Milner, Rosemary DeCamp The nearby big city house, after a big "sell," got everyone on this and I was left Praises Dog Picture "My Dog, Buddy" from Columbia is a real fine family picture, which is what we need more of these days. Played to obove average business both ninhts on a midweek change. JAMES HARDY Shoals Theatre Shoals, Inc*.. holding the bag. A gimmick picture that is rather tare. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Who Was That Lady? (Col) — Tony Curtis, Dean Mart n, Janet Leigh. One of the best comedies we have played in a long time, but failed to out gross even "The Gene Krupa Story." Poorest business we have had in a long time. We ran ten hours on Sunday for $30. Had this set for four days, but only ran three. — Larry Thomas for G. J. Thomas, Fayette Theatre, Fayetteville, W. Va. Pop. 2,000. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Eells Are Ringing (MGM) — Judy Holliday, Dean Mo'l.n, Fred Clark. This is just not for us small tewners. We played this one to the hilt, and it cost us mere than what we got back. Played Wed. to Sat. Weather: Fair. — Harold Bell, Opera House, Coaticook, Que. Pop. 6,382. Girls Town (MGM) — Mamie Van Doren, Paul Anka, Mel Tcrme. Have been staying away from this type of p cture, but this kind puts food on the table, so I played it and it was rough. I'll agree, but there is a moral to it and for its type it's a good show. The teenagers will turn out for these movies, and without them you can close. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold. — Mel Kruse, Pierce Theatre, Pierce, Neb. Pop. 1,250. Journey, The (MGM) — ’Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Jason Robards jr. A good program that gave us the smallest gross of the year. Our cowboys want family and outdoor types — and pictures with a good belly-laugh. Where are they?? Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Cool.— Carl W. Vese-th, Villa Theatre, Malta, Mont. Pop. 1,960. PARAMOUNT Bellboy, The (Para) — Jerry Lewis, Alex Gerry, Bob Claytcn. If your patrons like Jerry Lewis this is okay. Quite different, but still all right. Good business. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cool. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. Five Pennies, The (Para) — Danny Kaye, Louis Armstrong, Barbara Bel Geddes. An oldie that we finally got around to playing. As for the comments, we were told it was Kaye's best and we agree. If there is anyone left who hasn't played it, it's worth a date. Play'd Wed. to Sat. Weather: Cold with snow. — Ham Id Bell, Ooera House, Coaticook, Que. Pop. 6,382. Greatest Show on Earth, The (Para), reissue — • Charlton Heston, Cornel Wilde, James Stewart, Betty Hutton. Even though o rerun, this picture did good bus ness. DeMille certainly made pictures and none is his equal yet. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Rainy and cool. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. Heller in Pink Tights (Para)— Sophia Loren, Anthony Quinn, Margaret O'Brien. It was tough playing against football comp, but I mode it through. I would have done better on the weekend. Played Tues., Tell 'em and Sell 'em ''Conspiracy of Hearts" (Para) brought our best and biggest fan gross. We liked the gross; patrons like the movie. It can be sold — tell them, sell them hard and word of mouth will make "Hearts" a good date. Played Sun., Mon. KEN CHRISTIANSON Roxy Theatre, Woshburn, N. D. Wed., Thurs. Weather: Clear and cool. — Duane Jenkins, Stardust Drive-In, Smithburg, W. Va. Pop. 750. 20th CENTURY-FOX Let's Make Love (20th-Fox) — Marilyn Monroe, Yves Montand, Tony Randall. Played this at three of our houses. One of the poorest we've ever played — and Yves Montand's acting and singing was nothing less than sick. Monroe didn't have the appeal on this one and even the menfolk stayed away. — -Ray Boriski and Albert Zarzana, Al-Ray, Venus, Galena theatres, Houston, Tex. Let's Moke Love (20th-Fox) — Marilyn Monroe, Yves Montand, Tony Randall. Fell to a new Sun.-Tues. low. But really it's not a bad picture. However, it's not as good as it's built up to be. MM just didn't hold them in this one. Had a good number of walkouts. — -Victor R. Weber, Center Theatre, Kensett, Ark. Pop. 1,000. North to Alaska (20th-Fox) — John Wayne, Fabian, Ca-pucine. Very good. Did well. The type of picture anyone would enjoy. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Cold. — Kenyon Killinger, Orr Theatre, Orrville, Ohio. Pop. 6,464. Wind Cannot Read, The (20th-Fox) — Dirk Bogarde, Yoko Tani, John Fraser Just got through playing "The 39 Steps" (20th-Fox) which was British also and it did okay. But "Wind" beat it at the boxoffice. In my opinion it's a good movie and my patrons backed me up. Fox has some very good pictures like this, which you can buy right. Played Wed., Thurs. — ’Victor R. Weber, Center Theatre, Kensett, Ark. Pop. 1,000. Young Jesse James (20th-Fox) — Ray Stricklyn, Willard Parker, Merry Anders. Poorly produced, enacted and directed hunk of junk from Associated Producers. The ending has no meaning nor moral to it. In beautiful TV black and white. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Cold. — ’Paul Fournier, Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard, N. B. Pop. 2,150. UNITED ARTISTS Apartment, The (UA) — Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray. A week prior to our playdate UA informed us the rental would be increased 40 per cent or they would pull it. Since it was too late to change programs, we were at their mercy. Yes, it failed miserably at the boxoffice and we were the goat. It's just a cheap black and white picture. — Carl P. Anderka, Rainbow Theatre, Castroville, Tex. Pop. 1,500. Elmer Gantry (UA) — Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Dean Jagger. Very good picture. Play up the religious angle. Will do very good business. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Cold but fair.— Wayne Holland, Villa Heights Theatre, Statesville, N. C. Pop. 22,000. On the Beach (UA) — Gregory Peck, A va Gardner, Fred Astaire. We sure didn't do any good with this one, but we played it awfully late and the cream had been skimmed off the gross when we got it. We were closed all summer, and the late date hurt, I know. Maybe it is old enough for a date now. It seems sometimes the later the better. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Nice. — -Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Pop. 1,636. un;versal-international Brides of Dracula, The (U-l) — Peter Cushing, Yvonne Monlaur, David Peel. One of the best of series, due to color. Should do okay for horror fans. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Rainy. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. College Confidential (U-l) — Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Mamie Van Doren. Not as good as was expected. Would advise playing it midweek. I made a mistake playing it on weekend. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Snow and cold. — James Hardy, Shoals Theatre, Shoals, Ind. Pop. 1,555. Egg and I, The (U-l) reissue — Fred MacMurray, Claudette Colbert, Marjorie Main. Too bad this had to be sold to TV! A theatre can play a M a and Pa Kettle picture and always do business. This is about the fourth time I've played this one. It's one of the few family pictures that still draws the family. Also gave away three turkeys for Christmas, that helped too. Played Fri., Sat., Sun. Weather: Good. — Mel Kruse, Pierce Theatre, Pierce, Neb. Pop. 1,250. Portrait in Black (U-l) — ’Lana Turner, Anthony Quinn, Sandra Dee, John Saxon. A very entertaining picture, but the weather was so miserable, people just would not come out. Terms much too high for cur subsequent dates. Played Sat., Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold and rain. — Carl P. Anderka, Rainbow Theatre, Castroville, Tex. Pop. 1,500. WARNER BROS. Dark at the Top of the Stairs, The (WB) — Robert Preston, Dorothy McGuire, Eve Arden, Angela Lansbury. A very fine movie; there is award acting in this one. Good color, a few scenes could have been left out for the small towns, but I'd say this should be played. You won't find many this good today, and Warner's were fair about film rental too. Did average. Played Sun , Mon. Weather: Cold. — Mel Kruse, Pierce Theatre, Pierce, Neb. Pop. 1,250. Guns of the Timberlond (WB) — Alan Ladd, Jeanne FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEATURE REVIEWS The Love Game A C0"11^ Films-Around-the-World 85 Minutes Rel. Jan. '61 Described as the first "New Wave French Comedy," this Claude Chabrol production is an antic farce dealing with free love among the younger set, specifically an. irresponsible bachelor, his girl friend who wants a child and their serious-minded friend who offers the girl marriage. While some of the bedroom scenes have obviously been scissored, they are still revealing enough to limit this to adult audiences only. Philippe de Broca, who directed and collaborated on the screenplay with Daniel Boulanger, shows a flair for madcap comedy and he gets an appropriately flighty performance from Jean-Pierre Cassel as the lazy, flighty young artist who communes with nature, picks flowers and strenuously avoids wedlock. Genevieve Cluny is a perfect foil as the more-serious blonde heroine and Jecm-Louis Maury is made to seem dull and conventional as the third member of the triangle, a real estate man with marriage on his mind. A marathon dance session in a Bohemian night club is a comic highlight of this cuite and joyful film which won the Silver Bear award as "Best Comedy of I960" at the 1960 Berlin Film Festival. Jean-Pierre Cassel, Genevieve Cluny, Jean-Louis Maury, Claude Cerval. Crain, Gilbert Roland, Frankie Avalon. It had good color and a cast that couldn't be beat, but the price was not right. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold and clear. Duane Jenkins, Stardust Drive-In, Smithburg, W. Va. Pop. 750. Ocean's 11 (WB) — Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Angie Dickinson. This has a plot that is a delightful surprise. The few that saw it had nothing but fine comments. Bad weather and exorbitant terms are killing off the little fellow fast. Played Sat., Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold. — Carl P. Anderka, Rainbow Theatre, Castroville, Tex. Pop. 1,500. Sergeant Rutledge (WB) — Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Woody Strode. Good picture, played just before Christmas — hence no business. — Mel Danner, Circle Theatre, Waynoka, Okla. Pop. 2,018. Summer Place, A (WB) — -Richard Egan, Dorothy McGuire, Troy Donahue, Sandra Dee. It was good, with a good cast. Played Sun. and Mon. with a full lot. Weather: Warm and clear. — Duane Jenkins, S'tardust Drive-In, Smithburg, W. Va. Pop. 750. Westbound (WB) — 'Randolph Scott, Virginia Mayo, Karen Steele. Too short, but a fair action picture. For some reason or other, teenagers came and made it near average here. A little comedy relief would have helped in this. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Pop. 968. MISCELLANEOUS Second Chance (Realart-RKO), reissue. — Kent Taylor, Louise Currie, Dennis Hoey. Originally a 20thFox release, -this is an excellent action picture. Try these 'RKO reissues and you won't be sorry. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. — G. J. Thomas, Fayette Theatre, Fayetteville, W. Va. Pop. 2,000. (Editor's note: This picture has bten released to TV in some areas.) Sword and the Dragon (Valiant) — All-Russian cast. Very poor. Patrons couldn't follow, though dubbed in English. Good color, but that's all. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cool. — Kenyon Killinger, Orr The atre, Orrville, Ohio. Pop. 6,464. He Wants to Know Why Fine Picture Flops We won't forget "High Time" (20th-Fox) for two reasons. It's as good as anything we played in '60 if not better, and we played all the big ones. We have one evening to go, and if the attendance does not pick up, it will hold the record for the smallest turnout. For all you exhibitors who have been asking for on honest-togoodness all around picture, this is it, and if you turn out like we did you will also wonder why. HAROLD BELL Opera House, Coaticook, Que. 10 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide Feb. 13, 1961