Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adlines for Newspaper and Programs THE STORY: “The Sword in the Stone’’ (BV) In olden days, England is without a King until someone appeal's who can pull out a sword buried deep in a stone in a London churchyard. Meanwhile, a 12-yearold boy, being brought up by his foster-father, wanders into the woods and slips into the cottage of Merlin, a wizard who can see into the future, and his owl, Archimedes. Merlin plans to educate the youth to be England’s future king but, while traveling through the forest, the two encounter squirrels, who take a fancy to the boy, a ravenous wolf and, finally. Madam Mim, an evil witch who challenges her rival, Merlin, to a duel in which both change themselves into various animals. A tournament is planned in London and when the boy arrives he accidentally pulls out the sword after every other contender failed. The boy is acclaimed King of England and Merlin becomes his tutor. EXPLOITIPS: As in other Disney all-cartoon features, play up the animals, this time an owl, a wolf, squirrels and fish, to attract the youngsters. For adults, make tieups with bookstores for displays of T. E. White’s King Arthur novels and music shops for the Sherman songs. CATCHLINES: In Days of Old, When Knights Were Bold and Animals Roamed the Enchanted Forest ... Walt Disney Brings Forth Another Picture Brimming With Mirth, Music and Marvelous Music. THE STORY: “Charade” (Univ.) When Audrey Hepburn returns to her Paris home after a French Alps holiday, she finds her home stripped of (ioj furniture and her husband in the morgue, murdered. & ' Cary Grant, whom she met at the resort, offers to help her untangle the mystery. It is apparent that the husband had hidden $250,000 somewhere and his ex-cronies want it, believing that Miss Hepburn knows where it is. Then it becomes apparent, too, that Grant is a member of the gang. One by one members of the gang are murdered and suspicion is pointed at just about everybody. Miss Hepburn, after a chase through the subways, is about to be killed by a heretofore unsuspected man when she is saved by the quick action of Grant. The clue to the missing money is found in the postage stamps of an unmailed letter and it turns out that Grant is anything but a crook. It has a real surprise ending. EXPLOITIPS: Stress the comedy mystery angle. The famous Givenchy designed Miss Hepburn’s wardrobe which should be a plus in attracting the feminine patrons. Emphasize that patrons, after seeing the picture, should not tell their friends about the big surprise ending. CATCHLINES: It Will Keep You Guessing Till the Very End ... A Murder Mystery With a Laugh-a-Minute . . . Romance and Adventure Wrapped Up in a Whirlwind of Comedy. THE STORY: “Johnny Cool” (UA) During World War II, an Italian boy sees his mother killed by Germans and is brought up by a Sicilian guerilla. When the boy grows to manhood as Henry Silva, he is ordered by an American expatriate gangster (Marc Lawrence) to go to New York and wreak vengeance on those who had plotted his downfall. Posing as “Johnny Cool,” Silva manages to either attack or kill the several Americans on Lawrence’s list. In the meantime, Silva picks up a wealthy divorcee (Elizabeth Montgomery), who follows his orders until she realizes what a ruthless man he is. While the law is tracking down “Johnny,” Silva bombs the Hollywood home of Brad Sa|m Dexter with Elizabeth aiding him to plant the explosive, coy The remorseful Elizabeth later tips off “Johnny’s” ^oo' enemies, who take a vicious revenge on the killer as she puts herself in the hands of the police. EXPLOITIPS: Sell this as a gangster film, similar to “Little Caesar,” “Scarface” and others popular some years ago. Henry Silva, a member of Frank Sinatra’s clan, has played in “Sergeants 3” and “Oceans 11” in support of the stars, and Sammy Davis jr. and Joey Bishop play cameo roles while Peter Lawford produced. CATCHLINES: This Cool, Calm Character Is Headline Hot and GunHappy . . . The International Murder Machine — They Couldn’t Turn It Off. THE STORY: “Under the Yum Yum Tree” (Col) Carol Lynley and Dean Jones, serious-minded fellowstudents who plan marriage, decide to share an apartment, without sleeping together, to find out if they are psychologically suited to each other. Carol learns that her aunt, Edie Adams, is vacating her apartment and immediately rents it from Jack Lemmon, the landlord who has a key to each apartment, and makes a practice of trying to seduce each of his many women tenants. Not realizing that Jones is sharing Carol’s apartment, Lemmon bursts in and learns that his amorous plans for his new tenant are useless. Lemmon then tries other tactics, such as wearing out Jones by exercise, but he wj.\’ never wins out with Carol. Later, Edie, who is ac,'ugh customed to Lemmon’s predatory antics, arrives in time to save her niece. Finally, Carol and Jones decide to elope, Edie takes up with a fellow-professor and Lemmon is left alone — until a new girl rents the apartment. EXPLOITIPS: Make a play on the catchy title, which is familiar through the stage play, which also toured the U.S. and was a hit in summer stock. Jack Lemmon is currently starring in another comedy hit, “Irma La Douce,” while Edie Adams and Imogene Coca are popular TV stars. CATCHLINES: Here Comes Jack Lemmon and His Yum Yum Girls With a “Yes Yes” on Their Lips ... He Had a Pass Key to Every Room in His Own Private Sin-Den. THE STORY: “Stark Fear” (Ellis) Beverly Garland, a woman hungering for affection, finds herself chained to a hate-warped husband, Skip Homeier. Her sense of loyalty and duty, however, won’t let her abandon him, even when he disappears in a jealous rage when she has taken a job. Her search for Homeier leads to the latter’s home town, where he attacks her anew for inquiring into his past. To forget anguish, Beverly busies herself in a job, falls in love with boss Kenneth Tobey, the romance reaching its peak during a business weekend at a resort. Neither Beverly nor Tobey, however, want to see the love become a shoddy affair. Increasingly now, Beverly realizes that Homeier was never emotionally prepared for marriage and his delight in watching a home-town crony humiliate and abuse her convinces her that the guilt is his, not hers. Beverly joins Tobey for a happy future in Mexico. EXPLOITIPS: Remembering careers of childhood stars, such as Skip Homeier, can well serve as basis of much-read local columnists’ daily outpourings. Bulk of players — Homeier, ia>( et al — have appeared extensively on TV. Get local psy/Trans chologists to comment on ramifications of this case. wRLr CATCHLINES: It’s a Shocker! A New Kind of Suspense As You Follow the Psycho Into a New Dimension of Horror! . . . “I Ain’t Gonna Hurt You Baby.” THE STORY: “Cry of Battle” (AA) James MacArthur, son of a wealthy plantation owner, narrowly escapes death on Dec. 8, 1941, and is hidden in the hills by Filipino patriots, although the task of defense seems futile when everything in the Pacific, west of Hawaii, is controlled by Japan. Van Heflin, crew member of a sunken ship, offers to protect him, hoping for reward. MacArthur is repulsed by Heflin’s coldblooded outlook, loathing him when he learns of his bestial attack on a young girl, but fleeing with him to another stronghold when he realizes both of them will be held responsible. In their adventures, he learns to be grateful to the older man for saving his life, but hates the philosophy that rules him. Rita Moreno transfers her affections to Heflin when the Filipino bandit she is following is killed, but later switches to MacArthur who is deeply in love with her. MacArthur is forced to kill Heflin, then joins the Filipino guerillas who never give up hope that help will come. EXPLOITIPS: Use lobby display of World War II souvenir material, helmets, guns with bayonets, etc. Local museum can <000 help here. If a jeep is available for sound car, drive Wen through town with drivers in helmets and army gear. CATCHLINES: See What They Did While They Waited for MacArthur to Return . . . Their Motto Was “Fight to Win and Grab a Dame!” . . . They Lived by the Laws of War. BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Oct. 7, 1963