Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

Opinions on Current Productions Feature reviews Symbol Q denotes color; CinemoScope; ® Vista Vision; S'' Superscope; ^ Ponovision; £. Regolscope; (£ Techniromo. For story synopsis on each picture, see reverse sioa. How the West Was Won F MGM-Cinerama 165 Minutes Rel. ■Jiis Noii\ iscons Cinerama truly has come into its own with "How the West dis-) Was Won." All cliche adjectives of praise could hardly ^ describe the thrills and pathos that hove been poured into this magnificent production. At its world premiere in London, the picture repeatedly brought applause and cheers from a distinguished audience. So tense were some of the sequences that there were audible exhalations of relief followed by bursts of applause, as the episodes ended. Five sequences ore blended into a single thread of a story, basically that of a pioneer family and its role in the settlement of the American West. Three directors handled individual segments; namely, John Ford, Henry Hathaway and George Marshall. The camera work reaches the highest peaks of cinematic splendor, catching breath-taking rides through rapids, stampeding buffalo, bloody Civil War battles and a wild, runaway train, all in vivid MetroColor. Spencer Tracy is the narrator, bridging the sequences and describing the historical background. To Bernard Smith was assigned the mammoth production chore. The screenjploy was written by James Webb and the music by Alfred Newman. Carroll Baker, Henry Fonda, Karl Malden, Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Robert Preston, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, John Wayne, Richard Widmark. It's Only Money F S"" Paramount (6206) 84 Minutes Rel. Dec. '62 lif Jerry Lewis' clowning and zany antic.s are employed to the t. ^ fullest extent and get strong laugh returns in this Paul Jones production which is designed for family viewing — an idea! attraction for holiday bookings. Lewis is his usual wacky and completely likable self in the role of a TV repair man with ambitions of becoming a private detective and the screenplay by Ralph Axne.ss is packed with kookie gag; and several really bizarre electronic gimmicks, including monstrous mechanical lawnmowers which pursue poor Jerry with uproarious results. This time Jerry wisely concentrates on his comedy portrayal and leaves the direction in the capable hands of Frank Tathlin. Some of the gags are even reminiscent of Harold Lloyd's famous touches, including Jerry in danger of falling from a high building, Jerry being hauled in from the ocean on the line of an angler certain of a big catch, etc. Of the better-l'han-average supporting cast, Zachary Scott supplies the villainy as a lawyer trying to keep Jerry from his rightful million dollar inheritance, Joan O'Brien makes an attractive love interest and Jesse White and Jack V/eston aid in the fun. Only the plump Mae Questel, orignial "voice" for the Betty Boop cartoons, is annoyingly silly as a baby-voiced, amorous matron. Jerry Lewis, Zachary Scott, Joan O'Brien, Jesse White, Mae Questel, Jack Weston, Barbara Pepper, Ted DeCorsia. Young Guns of Texas F 20th-Fox (303) 78 Minutes Rel. Jan. '63 Producer-director Maury Dexter has successfully undertaken a vigorous chore in toplining the second generation of Famous Hollywood names; James Mitchum, Alana Ladd and Jody McCrea, the talented offsprings of Robert Mitchum, Alan Ladd and Joel McCrea. The trio make good their first outing on their ovyn by turning in professional efforts. Also in the spotlight of this low budget western is film newcomer Gary Conway, whose handsome appearance and ruggedness should give him that needed push to the ^ j, top of the leading man list in the near future. Chill Wills , turns in on interesting performance as a frontier preacher — '' the casting being a little off beat for him. In color and CinemaScope, the film has a fresh outdoor appeal that has been taken from the pages of western history with plenty of action, Indians and horses to satisfy the western fans as well as the teenage group. The Henry Cross screenplay is strong and authentic. Exhibitors should get behind this Robert Lippert offering that satisfies the cry for "new faces." Plenty of exploitation and selling can make this a red hot boxoffice property. The names ore familiar, but the faces are "new." Special note is made of this by use of vignettes at the end of the film. James Mitchum, Alana Ladd, Jody McCrea, Chill Wills, Gary Conway, Barbara Mansell, Robert Lowery. Hunza, the Himalayan Shangri-La F Int'l Film Enterprises 60 Minutes Rel. Nov. '62 Producer-director Zygmunt Sulistrowski, whose specialty is filming stories and documentaries in locales rarely included in mass tourist expeditions, went to Hunza, nestled in an isolated comer of the Himalayan mountains, for a documentary record of people whose lives are relatively uncomplicated, age spans easily going over the 100 mark, amid an atmosphere of little fear, hatred and jealousy. Abbreviated running time itself mitigates against slotting this International Film Enterprises release as a single feature; a showopoti' rnan would do well to book a companion attraction — "Marizinia," also within the sphere and scope of quasi-documentary treatment — from same distributor. The Renee Taylor script is informative, with little frills that can irritatingly creep into the best-intentioned yarn. Mr. Taylor's book on the same subject has been a best seller for some time in the U.S. and created considerable interest overseas. Eastman Color tones capture a mood and manner of living well beyond the accepted pattern in the U.S., a factor of inestimable selling value, particularly in the larger metropolitan centers. Sulistrowski's skill in editing is reflected in the compactness and completeness of the subject matter, of prime interest, for example, to secondary schools and college classes. Documentary produced, directed by Zygmunt Sulistrowski. Mr. Arkadin A Tssa '0^^ Filmorsa-Talbot 99 Minutes Rel. Nov. '62 This surrealist saga of a powerfully rich man who hires a shady young American to dig into the tycoon's own past all over the globe will be immediately likened by the more discriminating of both critics and viewers fraternities to RKO's "Citizen Kane," and, equally probable, setting off not a little controversial commentary about the story's central character. For the more intelligent adult mind, the Filmorsa production has been shot on extensive locations — France, Germany, Greece, Spain and Mexico — with such acknowledged “names" as Greece's Katina Poxinou, England's Michael Redgrave, Germany's Peter Van Eyck cdnd. Hollywood-andContinent's Akim Tomiroff in cameo, stints os Witnesses brought into camera play as the investigator (Robert Arden) continues his arduous trek. Welles, again demonstrating his multi-faceted talents, os leading man-director-writer, strides away with the lion's share of acting honors; his mellifluous voice conveys the impending doom so vital to the shooting script. Paola Mori, now Mrs. Welles, serves some forceful moments as the man-of-wealth's daughter. 'The Filmorsa \ production, presented by Daniel Talbot, has taken some (fTj | ' seven years to reach U.S. release status, a significant factor •'= in determining exploitation activity on the local level. Orson Welles, Michael Redgrave, Patricia Medina, Akim Tamiroff, Mischa Auer, Paola Mori, Robert Arden. Mariania A Int'l Film Ent. 80 Minutes Rel. Nov. '62 Introducing the European discovery Gina Albert, as provocatively alluring as anything emanating from the Continent in many a top boxoffice season, this Zygmunt Sulistrowski attraction (he not only attended to producing, directing and writing, but also delineated one of the three major roles, no small feat for anyone, certainly!) is novel enough and unique enough to command extended playing time, particularly in the action-adventure situations of the larger, metropolitan centers. For boxoffice as“urance, on an admittedly limited scale, he has British-American thespian John Sutton (the other male in many romantic triangles of Hollywood vintage), and he has filmed this adventure drama — a gal on the run from superstitious natives, later to encounter explosive emotional qualities in the vast remoteness of the Amazon jungle — in vivid Eastman Color, many of his locales never captured on film before. Sulistrowski, who specializes in filming stories in primitive areas, was trained at England's famed Pinewood Studios, and has conveyed an Slit atmosphere of incisiveness and impact despite the acknowl'ss, IT edged conventionality of his story pattern; his film's at its best when the camera strikingly, effectively concentrates on fast-moving action as well as the female form. John Sutton, Zygmunt Sulistrowski, Gina Albert, Celeneh Costa, Eugenio Carlos. The reviews on these pages may be filed for future referonee in any of the following ways; (1) in any standard three-ring loose-leaf binder; (2) IndivIduoDy, by company, in any standard 3x5 card index file; or (3) in the BOXOFFICE PICTURE GUIDE three-ring, pocket-size binder. The lattar, including a year's supply of booking and doily business record sheets, may be obtained from Associated Pnbfications, 825 Von Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo., for $1.00, postage paid. 2686 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide Nov. 26, 1962 2685