Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1962)

I I Opinions on Current Productions Feature reviews Symbol © denotes color; © CinemoScope; ® VistoVision; © Superscope; ® Ponovision; Regolscope; ® Techniroma. For story synopsis on each picture, see reverse side. Victim A Ss-i Drama Pathe-America 100 Minutes Rel. Feb. 'G2 .ails Only the British filmmakers, in this instance producer " I h isco^s Michael Relph and director Basil Dearden, who made the | v memorable "Sapphire," would have had the courage and daring to tackle the controversial theme of blackmail of people who are "different," in other words, homosexual. The subject is handled with delicacy and the film is absorbing and suspenseful, instead of shocking, and the acting by Dirk Bogarde, well known to Americans, and some of England's best players, is first-rate. This is a sure bet for the art houses and can also play most key city first-runs even though it is strictly adult fare. It received a "separate classification" from the Catholic Legion of Decency and has not been given a Production Code seal. The story by Janet Green and John McCormick, who also wrote "Sapphire," captures the interest from the opening shot and has many touching moments, as well as false clues to keep the spectator guessing as to the identity of the blackmailers. Although it presents a problem with a plea for tolerance, it is first and foremost entertainment. Bogarde gives an outstanding dramatic portrayal of a married attorney and Sylvia Syms is excellent as his knowing wife, as are Peter McEnery, as the youthful offender, and Dennis Price. It's an Allied Film Makers' production. Dirk Bogarde, Sylvia Syms, Dennis Price, Donald Churchill, Peter McEnery, John Barrie, Norman Bird. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse F 2.55-1 f£D " © MGM (209) 153 Minutes Rel. Unquestionably one of the most beautiful pictures ever made, this ambitious MGM undertaking emerges as an absorbing photoplay with strong emotional content. The dedication and sincerity of all concerned with the production, before and behind the cameras, come through in every scene. Greatest credit must go to producer Julian Blaustein and two-time Academy Award-winning director Vincente Minnelli for their taste, judgment and high calibre knowledge of the various techniques required, with a special bow to cinema 3t® tographer Milton Krasner, who makes impressive and fasci h' noting use of all the virtues of CinemaScope and Metrocolor. Top histrionic honors go to Glenn Ford, Ingrid Thulin and Lee J. Cobb, all of whom project strongly, ably abetted by Karl Boehm, Paul Lukas and Charles Boyer. The Robert ArdreyJohn Gay screenplay, based on Vicente Blasco Ibanez' classic novel, justifies the opulent, exciting presentation, localed for the most part in Paris and the French countryside. Special credit goes to Tony Duquette for creating the figures of the Four Horsemen and to MGM technicians for the lighting and drive given them in their sequences. Girls at Sea A “j c";“' __ Seven Arts Associated 81 Minutes Rel. Feb. '62 ST Pure escapist entertainment, superbly delineated by a fine -’v British cast, this should rate high indeed on the art theatre routings and, moreover, should provide reasonably satisfying grosses in the general-situations. The "names," as such, aren't particularly well-known to the mass U.S. audience, but the very intriguing nature of the satirical content ought to go a long way in building the necessary word-of-mouth. Some handsome Technicolor is employed to convey the hilarity of the moment, producers Vaughan N. Dean and Gilbert Gunn (latter doubling as director) admirably intent in pointing up the inevitable misinterpretations attendant to a roguish ship's officer, Ronald Shiner, attempting to woo every pretty gal in port, while his painfully shy captain, Guy Rolfe, can't bring himself to romantic attachments of any degree. Matters start perking up considerably when Rolfe's executives toss an engagement party for Richard Coleman and Mary Steele, the occasion bringing not a few unanticipated circumstances, including sudden presence of Admiral Michael Hordern. The blushes are evident and the confusion rampant, the T. J. Morrison screenplay reaching sometimes superlative levels of satirical impact. Guy Rolfe, Ronald Shiner, Alan White, Michael Hordern, Anne Kimbell, Nadine Tallier, Fabia Drake, Mary Steele. The Bashlul Elephant F Allied Artists (6201) 82 Minutes Rel. March '62 A delightfully concocted conglomeration of childhood entertainment facets, this McGowan International Productions release, filmed in Austria and dubbed for the American market, should be of firm appeal to the family audience in any given situation. The leading little lady, Molly Mack, who undertakes the wearisome trek across the Cold War Border (Hungary into Austria) in quest of people who can adopt her and subsequently meets up with a circus, is a most ^ charming tyke, one readily identifiable with her age element '1 !L anywhere, and, provided sufficient exploitation assist, can be built into a marquee name of decided impact and importance. Not to be overlooked, either, are Valle, an elephant, and Jeffrey, a dog, both superbly trained, both of inestimable importance in selling the picture on a local, community level. On the adult level, Kai Fischer and Helmut Schmid, as circus performers, give a good account of themselves, and some of the lesser-known post-21 thespians provide brisk-'paced assist. For what it's worth, Buddy Baer, who will be recalled by the over-30 age patrons, has a featured role. The AA presentation was written, produced and directed by Darrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. Glenn Ford, Ingrid Thulin, Charles Boyer, Lee J. Cobb, Paul Henreid, Paul Lukas, Yvette Mimieux, Karl Boehm. The Prisoner of the Iron Mask F 2.35-1 Adve^ture |ama American Int'l (701) 80 Minutes Rel. Jan. '62 A routine period adventure tale, produced in Italy with unfamiliar players whose voices have been dubbed into English, this Francesco Thellung production in color will satisfy the action-minded youngsters aind male patrons. Being completely without marquee names, it is best suited to the supporting spot in neighborhood houses. The sole selling angle is the title, the story being loosely based on the famous Alexander Dumas classic which was filmed by Douglas Fairbanks in 1929 at the start of the talkie era and again in 1939 starring Louis Hayward. As directed by Francesco De Feo, the picture is filled with chases, swordplay and skulduggery, all taking place against beautiful pictorial backgrounds. The romantic element is not too interesting, especially as portrayed by Wandisa Guida, a blonde who displays little animation. But the two actors playing the male leads (they are not identified as to their roles in the screen credits) are both well cast and make rugged heroic types expected in this type of fare. The climax, in which the prisoner is able to remove the iron mask and see light again, is dramatically effective, especially as the mask is then put on the villainous count. The color enhances the background and period costumes. Michel Lemoine, Wandisa Guida, Andrea Bosic, Jany Clair, Giovanni Materassi. Molly Mack, Helmut Schmid, Kai Fischer, Buddy Baer, Valle (the elephant), Jeffrey (the dog). 7th Commandment A ££.•; Crown Int'l. 82 Minutes Rel. Dec. '61 Using a most unsavory story theme — illicit love and evangelism — producer-director Irvin Berwick could have salvaged this particular effort through greater acting values and tighter direction. As it shapes up, however, it'll have to go into the action houses in the metropolitan centers and be slotted as supporting fare across the hinterland. The Berwick-Jack Kevan script demands of viewers a high degree of liberty, since it moves, sometimes with little logic, from one sequence to another. Speeding up the action however, would have brought greater credibility. Jonathan Kidd is the chapturned-evangelist with a continuing yen for his old gal friend, Lynn Statten, the latter demurely carrying on with lover John Harmon. Matters are resolved, inevitably, through murder and a convenient heart attack for the wronging Kidd. Harmon, by the way, is about the best-known player on the premises, although his name conceivably will mean little to the general run of patronage. Miss Statten conveys an animalTr. istic appeal that should be hailed indeed by the action t Ser advocates. The yarn definitely is not for the Saturday kiddie trade. Jonathan Kidd, Lynn Statten, Frank Arvidson, John Harmon. 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, postage paid. 2606 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Feb. 19, 1962 2605 I