Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

Opinions on Current Productions Feature reviews Symbol © denotes color; © CinemoScope; ® VlitoVislon; ® Techniromo; ® other onomorphic processes. For story synopsis on each picture, see reverse side. Take Her, She's Mine 20th-Fox (323) 98 Minutes Rel. Nov. ’63 The first of the 20th-Fox productions to be made after , . the studio resumed operations under the new Zanuck ,rs' c regime early in 1963. this picturization of the Broadway rs' 1 stage hit has sure-fire audience appeal and strong marquee value, headed by the perennial James Stewart and Sandra Dee, the teenage favorite who is one of today’s top ten female stars, according to the annual Boxoffice poll. Produced and directed by Henry Koster, from a screenplay by Nunnally Johnson, the story goes far afield (to Paris) from the original American college locale, but it is always fast-moving, and packed with hilarious situations stemming from a worried father’s attempts to straighten out his college-student daughter’s romantic misadventures. Stewart losing his Daniel Boone costume at a Paris ball and being accidentally caught in a raid on a Paris house of ill-repute are among the laugh highlights. Stewart gives his usual natural portrayal and Miss Dee looks enchanting and does well as his amazing progeny. But it is two foreigners, Robert Morley, as a blustering Britisher in Paris, and the handsome young Frenchman, Philippe Forquet, who will score most heavily with audiences. The Travilla costumes and bright De Luxe Color photography are other assets. James Stewart, Sandra Dee, Audrey Meadows, Robert Morley, Philippe Forquet, John McGiver, Monica Moran. Stolen Hours T United Artists (6323) 97 Minutes Rel. Oct. ’63 juila. The so-called “woman’s picture,” in which the woes of 3.C. 8 a long-suffering heroine bring tears to the eyes of s feminine patrons, has been in short supply in recent years so there should be a ready market for this poignant emotional drama. With Susan Hayward giving a beautifully restrained portrayal of a woman with only a few months to live — a role which won accolades and boxoffice success for Bette Davis in 1939 when she did the same part in “Dark Victory” — this Denis Holt production for Mirisch-Barbican is sure-fire audience fare which even most men will enjoy. A fine new screenplay by Jessamyn West avoids the maudlin cliches so that the heroine is courageous yet entirely believable and director Daniel Petrie has guided the plot toward its moving, inevitably tragic conclusion. Striking Eastman Color shots of fashionable Ascot and the rocky Cornwall coast will enchant patrons while the music by Mort Lindsey and the star’s striking Fabiani wardrobe are other plus values. Michael Craig, Britain’s handsome comedy star, is fine in his romantic doctor role and Diane Baker is sweet and sympathetic as the star’s sister. The rugged Edward Judd also stands out. Stuart Millar and Lawrence Turman, both Americans, are the executive producers. Susan Hayward, Michael Craig, Diane Baker, Edward Judd, Paul Rogers, Jerry Desmonde, Gwen Nelson. The Castilian Adventure^rama Warner Bros (352) 129 Minutes Rel. Sept. ’63 Magnificently filmed in Panacolor, which gives softness and beauty to the rocky mountains and arid plains of the Spanish provinces and realism to the spectacular and bloody battles, this Sidney W. Pink production will attract the action devotees and the youngsters. As in its New York neighborhood bookings, the “Valley of the Swords” subtitle might be given ad and marquee prominence in place of “The Castilian," which suggests historical drama only. For average audiences, the epic — ; tale of a legendary Spanish hero is over-long, laden with intrigue and religious significance and lacking in humor or sympathy for its poker-faced hero. While two Latin stars, Spartacus Santony and Teresa Velasquez, make a handsome, if somewhat dull, romantic pair, it is America’s Cesar Romero whose hearty warmth registers most strongly and he and Broderick Crawford, as a bombastic ruler, add marquee value. The handsome Italian Alida Valli is wasted in a few brief scenes. Javier Seto directed the Cinemagic of Spain coproduction. Cesar Romero, Frankie Avalon, Broderick Crawford, Alida Valli Spartacus Santony, Teresa Velasquez. The Incredible Journey ££ “y'*-"' Buena Vista (145) 80 Minutes Rel. Nov. ’63 A heart-warming, appealing and fascinating adventure film about three domestic animals who travel 250 miles across Canada, this is one of the best of Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures and ideal entertainment for the entire family, particularly the kiddies and the millions of cat and dog lovers. In this case, the Disney name will be the magic selling point for the human cast is composed of Emile Genest, who was in two previous Disney films, polite, and other French -Canadian actors lacking in name Cont value. The true and “incredible” stars are Tao, a remarkable Siamese cat; Luath, a Labrador retriever, and Bodger, an old bull terrier, who encounter a stalking lynx, an attacking bear and a quill-throwing porcupine during their journey — all of these animals being seen against the Canadian outdoors beautifully photographed in Technicolor. The screenplay by co-producer John Algar is based on the book by Sheila Burnford and the film is narrated by Rex Allen, one-time Republic cowboy star. Directed by Fletcher Markle. Another fine example of Walt Disney’s wholesome entertainment, this is Parents’ Magazine family medal winner for November. Emile Genest, John Drainie, Sandra Scott, Tommy Tweed, Syme Jago, Bodger, the terrier, Toa, the cat. The Gun Hawk ^ w7" Allied Artists (6306) 92 Minutes Rel. Sept. ’63 As today’s westerns go, this Bern-Field production produced by Richard Bernstein has all the ingredients to attract lovers of this type of fare, including two stars, Rory Calhoun and Rod Cameron, who have recently increased their marquee value by starring in TV series. Other assets are soft Eastman Color photography; Rod Lauren, a youngster with teenage appeal, and a screenplay by Joe Heims which has riding and shooting action, plus a bitter-sweet ending in which an outlaw gives his life to reform a devil-may-care younger man. Calhoun, who has headlined in TV’s “The Texans,” gives a strong and convincing portrayal of a middle-aged outlaw, yet he is virile enough to make the romantic interlude with Ruta Lee seem entirely credible. And Cameron, Republic star of a decade ago, who has since starred in TV’s “State Trooper” series, is good as the sheriff who also takes an interest in the juvenile gun-slinger, the part well played by the personable young Lauren. Another veteran of old Warner films who has recently been on TV, John Litel, turns up as a kindly old drunk. Edward Ludwig directed — | with a good feel for the west and Edward Critchfield is listed as executive producer. Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Ruta Lee, Rod Lauren, Robert J. Wilke, John Litel, Morgan Woodward. The Helliire Club "“i* Embassy 93 Minutes Rel. Sept. 63 Typical Douglas Fairbanks acrobatics and swordplay against an 18th Century English setting, this Robert S. Baker-Monte Berman production will delight the youngsters and action fans in the neighborhood spots. Jimmy Sangster, who did the screenplay with Leon Griffiths from his own story, and Baker and Berman, who directed as well as produced, permit the super-heroics of the hero, Keith Michell, to take on a tongue-in-cheek quality, which makes the film more palatable for regular audiences. Two of the British players, the handsome Michell and the beautiful Adrienne Corri, are currently starring on the Broadway stage in David Merrick’s “The Rehearsal," while Peter Cushing is familiar through his “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” portrayals for Hammer Films. As costume drama, dealing with an infamous society which indulges in undercover orgies, the picture starts off with a thrilling chase in the prolog, but the story proper has too many improbable settos in which Michell outrides dozens of pursuers and vanquishes a R u score of swordsmen — just as the great Fairbanks once Halstf did. Miss Corri, as a high-born lady, shares the romantic chores with Kai Fischer, as a rather-sluttish circus performer. Keith Michell, Adrienne Corri, Peter Arne, Kai Fischer, Peter Cashing, Bill Owen, Martin Stephens. The review* on these pages may be filed for future reference in any of the following ways: (1) in ony standard three-ring loose-leaf binder; (2) individually, by company, in any standard 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. 2772 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Oct. 21, 1963 2771