Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1962)

Continental to Distribute Ten Features Jan.-July NEW YORK— Continental Distributing, which distributed only three features, one English, one German picture English-dubbed and one French-language picture, in the first six months of 1961, will release ten features in the first half of 1962. Only three of the ten, “Rififi for Girls,” ‘‘La Belle Americaine,” and ‘‘Une Vie,’ are French-language pictures with English titles and the latter two will also have Englishdubbed versions. The 1962 releases are: “La Belle Americaine” in January, “A View From the Bridge” in February and “A Taste of Honey,” British picture based on the Broadway stage hit, and “The Impersonator,” a British picture featuring John Crawford and Jane Griffiths, in March. The releases for April are: “Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy,” a compilation of his silent film features, and “Rififi for Girls,” a French film starring Nadja Tiller and Robert Hossein. The May releases will be “Never Let Go,” a British picture starring Peter Sellers and Richard Todd, and “Une Vie,” a French picture starring Maria Schell and Pascale Petit, for which an English-dubbed version titled “A Life,” will also be available. The June releases will be: “Operation Snatch,” a British film starring TerryThomas and George Sanders, and “Hands of Orlac,” a French picture in English, starring Mel Ferrer and Dany Carrel. Continental will distribute “Waltz of the Toreadors,” a Bi-itish picture in color, starring Peter Sellers and Margaret Leighton, in July. MGM Will Distribute Two From Film ways HOLLYWOOD — An agreement has been reached by MGM with Filmways for two new Martin Ransohoff productions, “The Americanization of Emily” and “The Wheeler-Dealers.” Screenplays are being completed with at least one of the films scheduled to go before the cameras later this year. Ransohoff is producer of the KimcoFilmways pictures, “Boys’ Night Out,” starring Kim Novak, James Garner and Tony Randall, made in association with Embassy Pictures. MGM will release this summer. “Emily” is a love story set in England during World War II and is based on the novel by William Bradford Huie. “Dealers” is a new novel with a New York setting. Complete 'Term of TriaT LONDON — Location filming of “Term of Trial,” the Warner Bros, release produced by James Woolf Productions,” was completed the first week in March with a scene aboard a boat crossing the English Channel to Dover. Laurence Olivier, Simone Signoret and Terence Stamp are starred under Peter Glenville’s direction. Named Filmgroup Sales-Ad Head LOS ANGELES — Filmgroup topper Roger Corman appointed Richard Numier as sales and advertising head of the company, with his initial assignment to coordinate sales and ad campaigns on “The Magic Voyage of Sinbad,” set for early spring release. FEATURE REVIEW 'State Fair' 20th Century-Fox By FRANK LEYENDECKER F EVER a musical film deserves the rating of “ideal family entertainment” it is this third picturization of Phil Stong’s novel, the second one to employ Rodgers and Hammerstein’s lilting songs from the team’s only original film score. Colorfully filmed against the backgrounds of the actual Dallas Fair, the picture boasts two top singing stars, Pat Boone and Bobby Darin, both favorites of the teenage set; the welcome return of Alice Faye, 20th-Fox star of the 1940s, to interest the mature moviegoers, and two enchanting newcomers, Ann-Margret, who sings and dances delightfully, and Pamela Tiffin, who recently scored in “One, Two, Three.” As if these exploitable features weren’t enough to insure smash grosses generally, particularly in the family houses or in saturation bookings generally, producer Charles Brackett persuaded Rodgers to compose both the music and lyrics for five new songs, in addition to the wellremembered “That’s for Me,” “It Might As Well Be Spring,” “ It’s a Grand Night for Singing” and the title tune from the 1945 musical, and Nick Castle has added a vivid and exciting dance number for Ann-Margret and a group of boys. Of Rodgers’ new songs, “More Than Just a Friend and “It’s the Little Things in Texas” have the best chance for popularity. If the homespun story, no different from the 1945 musical or the 1933 comedy versions, both made by 20th-Fox, will be somewhat too-familiar to the older film fans, it will be new to the younger patrons and all will find it wholesome and pleasing, if essentially unexciting. However, the mincemeat judging scene is still a highspot of hilarity, the hog championship sequence gets plenty of laughs while the racing car climax, in which entrants try to pass each other by nudging each other off the track has the required thrills. The two romantic STATE FAIR 20th Century-Fox In CinemaScope and De Luxe Color Ratio: 2.55-1 Running time: 118 minutes CREDITS Produced by Charles Brackett. Directed by Jose Ferrer. Screenplay by Richard Breen. Adaptation by Oscar Hammerstein II, Sonya Levien and Paul Green. From the novel by Philip Stong. Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Music supervised and conducted by Alfred Newman. Associate, Ken Darby. Choreography by Nick Castle. Director of photogrophy, William C. Mellor, A.S.C. Art direction, Jack Martin Smith and Walter M. Simonds. Set decorations, Walter M. Scott and Lou Hafley. Assistant director. Ad Schaumer. Costumes designed by Marjorie Best. Film editor, David Bretherron. THE CAST Wayne Pot Boone Jerry Dundee Bobby Darin Margie Pamela Tiffin Emily Ann-Morgret Abel Frake Tom Ewell Melissa Frake Alice Faye Hipplewaite Wally Cox Harry David Brandon Doc Cramer Clem Harvey Betty Jeon Linda Henrich Red Hoerter Edward "Tap" Conutt Squat Judge Robert Foulk Pat Boone and Ann-Margret gleam over a photo in this happy scene. plots remain as before, with one ending unhappily and the other resulting in a surprise clinch. The cast is exceptionally well-chosen and director Jose Ferrer gets a standout performance from Pat Boone, who handles his songs superbly, of course, but also unbends enough to take part in some passionate love scenes, a contrast to the restrained lovemaking of his earlier pictures. Darin is suitably cast as a boastful drifter who has a sentimental change-of-heart after he meets the unsophisticated farm girl, a role charmingly played by Pamela Tiffin. But it is Ann-Margret, previously seen only as the colorless ingenue of “Pocketful of Miracles,” who exhibits a flashing personality which will have the patrons talking about her and watching for her next appearance. This girl is the best of the industry’s “new faces.” Of the older, more familiar performers, Miss Faye’s first screen appearance since “Fallen Angel” in 1945 shows her to be a still attractive matron who sings well and gives a pleasing performance while Tom Ewell also does nicely as the understanding husband and father who coddles his prize hog, Blue Boy. Wally Cox is amusing as the bespectacled mincemeat judge. The other roles are little more than bits. Cinemascope and De Luxe Color enhance the fine photography by William C. Mellor, A.S.C. , particularly of the rides and midway excitement at the Fair. At State Fair time in Texas, Tom Ewell, prosperous farmer, is preparing his hog, Blue Boy, for the championship while his wife, Alice Faye, is testing her mincemeat, hoping to win the prize, and their children, Pat Boone and Pamela Tiffin, are saying goodbye to their romances who won’t be able to join them at the Fair. When the family arrives at the Dallas Fair grounds, Pamela goes out and meets a boastful young driver, Bobby Darin, who makes her realize how dull her farmer fiance is while Pat becomes enamored of a dancing showgirl, Ann-Margret. On the final day of the Fair, Alice’s mincemeat wins top prize because she and Tom had each secretly spiked it with brandy. Tom’s Blue Boy gets the championship but Pat, who enters the sports car race, loses out in this and his budding romance with Ann-Margret after the latter realizes they are from different worlds. Pamela is disconsolate when Bobby gets a big city job, but he returns in time to ask her to go with him as his wife. First with Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor in 1933, then with Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain, Dick Haymes and Rodgers and Hammerstein music in 1945, now in a new CinemaScope-De Luxe Color song-anddance version — “State Fair” is a threetime winner with the public and at the boxoffice. BOXOFFICE :: March 19, 1962 17