Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1961)

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploits; Adlines for Newspapers and Programs TKE STORY: "The Colossus oi Rhodes" (MGM) Greek Captain Rory Calhoun is among the guests attending the unveiling of the Colossus of Rhodes, a bronze statue 60 yards high which straddles the harbor entrance to the Port of Rhodes. During the ceremony an attempt is made to Sds, assassinate the king of Rhodes, whose prime minister is v/orking with the Phoenicians to kill the king and take over himself. Caihoun tries to escape, but can't leave the harbor because Phoenician slaves are being brought in and kept in hiding for the day when the king dies. Rory learns the Phoenician soldiers are to enter Rhodes, so he and h's patriots get inside the Colossus and save the Island by releasing molten lead from the statue on anyone who attempts to enter Rhodes through the harbor. EXPLOITIPS; Tout Rory Calhoun in all ads. Decorate lobby with flag 3 from Greece and Italy, and with travel posters from foreign countries. Request cooperation of travel agencies in displaying stills along with Greek posters and lore. CATCHLINES: What Was the Colossus of Rhodes? . . . Rory Calhoun Stars in This Exciting, Terrifying Adventure Story of the Third Century. THE STORY: "Lover Come Back" (U-I) Rock Hudson, who runs the Madison Avenue ad agency owned by Tony Randall, an ineffectual man of wealth, uses toi. "unethical" methods to secure a floor wax account from a i » is ' rivcil account executive, Doris Day. After making false ^ promises to Edie Adams, a sexy chorus girl who helped him entertain the floor wax magnate. Rock is forced to shoot TV commercials for a non-existent product, VIP. Hearing of this, Doris is determined to steal the VIP account and she mistakes Rock for the chemist he hired to hastily invent the nonexistent product. Doris wines, dines and makes love to Rock who pretends to be the woman-shy scientist. When she finally learns that Rock is actually her rival agency executive Doris is frantic — for VIP has finally been invented as a candy with an alcohol content. The new product gets everyone tight and Rock and Doris married. Doris has the marriage annulled but, nine months later, the two ore reunited in the maternity ward. EXPLOITIPS: Following the success of the Rock Hudson-Doris Day “Pillow Talk" a year ago, play this up as a comedy successor to that hit with Tony Randall again in support. Record shops will cooperate on Doris Day's hit albums. CATCHLINES: It's Rock and Doris in Another “Pillow Talk" Romantic Mixup — With Tony Randall on the Sidelines . . . Enemies in the Business World — but Lovers in the Bedroom. THE STORY: "The Outsider" (U-I) Ira Hamilton Hayes {Tony Curtis), a shy young Pima Indian in Arizona, enlists in the Marines in World War II. After a rugged training period, during which he is often dragged to bars by his buddies, although Indians are not allowed to drink, he is in Iwo Jima when combat photographers call on him to help raise the American flag, which became one of history's greatest war photos. Hayes and the other two survivors out of the original six Marines ore sent by Washington to help stimulate a war bond drive. But the resultant hero worship frightens the inarticulate Indian and he resorts to drink and almost disgraces himself before the public. At the war's end, Hayes returns to Arizona where he pri, tries to help his people get the water they need. But drink f spite finally brings disgrace again, his people turn against him and he dies alone on a lonely mountain top. EXPLOITIPS: Stress Tony Curtis and his remarkable portrayal of Ira Hayes by making lobby frames with contrasting photos of Curtis from "Sportacus," "Operation Petticoat" and other U-I starring roles. Marine recruiting offices will cooperate with posters of the Iwo Jima flag-raising. CATCHLINES: A Reluctant War Hero Who Was Unable to Cope With National Fame . . . Tony Curtis in His Greatest Acting Role — That of Ira Hamilton Hayes, the Marine Hero of the Iwo Jima Flag-Raising. THE STORY: "Hey, Let's Twist" (Para) Joey Dee and Teddy Randazzo ore the teenage sons of Dino di Luca, an Italian restaurant owner who is putting them through college so they can be a teacher and a lawyer, respectively. But the boys have a small bond that plays at various college dances and they decide they want to become entertainers. When they break the news to Papa, he suffers a mild stroke and, while he is recuperating, Joey and Teddy persuade their dance-mad friends to drop in to the restaurant — and it becomes a Twist palace. Zohra Lampert, a society columnist, drops in, takes a liking to Teddy and soon has Hope Hampton and other society folk making the place, re,m named the Peppermint Lounge, world famous. Zohra per a our suades Teddy to redecorate the place and install a cover \ 'erent Trade drops off but, when Zohra tires of Teddy, he returns to college for his lawyer's degree. But Joey gets the old Twist crowd to return and business booms again. EXPLOITIPS: V/ith the Twist dance craze at its height, stress that this picture stars Joey Dee and The Storliters, who made the Peppermint Lounge, scene of most of the film, the Temple of Twist. Music shops will display albums. CATCHLINES: Entirely Filmed in New York With the Stars, the Music and the Personalities Who Made the Peppermint Lounge World Famous . . . Joey Dee and The Storliters, the Headline Makers at New York's 'Temple of Twist. THE STORY: "The Two Little Bears" (20th-Fox) The two small sons of grade school principal Eddie Albert follow some instructions given them by a gypsy and are able to turn themselves into teddy bears. As such, they create havoc and concern in town by running away from home and school to play in the woods with a mother bear who adopts them. Mo one, of course, believes the boys' wild story until Eddie begins to think it could be true. When the kids arrive, as bears, at a hunting lodge they are captured by forest rangers and driven to the forest to live. Meanwhile, Eddie has revealed his belief in his sons' tale and is carted off to a psychiatrist. At film's end, however, the boys prove to everyone that they can change into bears; their father is released, and all problems are solved when the kids lose interest in being bears in favor of new football uniforms. EXPLOITIPS: Tout Brenda Lee, requesting music store and disc jockey cooperation in displaying her records and playing "Honey Bear," tune from the film. Create special matinees for the moppet trade; offer a teddy bear prize to the first three kiddies buying tickets. CATCHLINES: 1 Were They Two Little Bears ... Or Two Little Boys? Not Even Their Parents Really Knew . . . Brenda Lee and Jimmy Boyd Teamed as Teenage Sweethearts in This Rollicking Comedy. THE STORY: "The Continental Twist" (Keelou Prod.) Louis Prima and his jazz band are trying to make a go of Prima's nightclub, but find it a tough problem with owners of an art gallery above the club complaining about the lotid music and a gang of teenagers coming in every night to sit glumly at the tables. Prima and girl friend June Wilkinson find that the art dealers are paying the kids to take up the tables each night in hopes it will run the club out of business. Prima, in turn, buys off the young people to stay away, and things go smoothly until Louis discovers the art dealers are crooks and is blamed for fighting with them. Ultimately, he is able to prove to June and everyone concerned that he is on the level, and with the help of the town mayor regains his nightclub. It becomes a huge success, aided by the new Twist dance craze. EXPLOITIPS: Hold a Twist dance contest at local high school, giving free tickets to winners. Give free Twist dance lessons to first two couples buying tickets to the show. Ask disc jockeys to co^lli playing Prima's music, with plugs for the film. ^ CATCHLINES: See Louis Prima, Sam Butera and The Witnesses do the Continental Twist . . . The Hottest Twist of Them All! BOXOFTICE BookinGuide :: Dec. 25, 1961