Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adlines for Newspaper and Programs THE STORY: “Stolen Hours” (UA) Susan Hayward, a wealthy American playgirl, leaves a party at her English mansion to drive to meet her sister, Diane Baker, arriving from America. En route to the tl0 airport, Susan has an attack of vertigo which results in (Color, a near-collision. Meanwhile, Edward Judd, her current W lover, arranges for Michael Craig, a physician friend, to meet Susan and find out the nature of her illness. Craig persuades her to have a brain operation, which is apparently successful, although he is unable to tell her that she will have a recurrence of the illness and has less than a year to live. She and Michael fall in love, and although she learns the truth, he persuades her to marry him and share his rural practice in the Cornish village where he was born. She has a few happy months with Craig, far from her former artificial London existence, before she dies. EXPLOITIPS: To attract women patrons, stress Susan Hayward, her lavish costumes and the story by Jessamyn West, which many will recall as Bette Davis’ great hit, “Dark Victory.” Mention that Michael Craig starred in “Doctor in Love,” “Sapphire” and other British films. CATCHLINES: The Story of a Woman Who Snatched a Few Happy Hours With the Man She Loved . . . Her Shimmering Gowns and Glittering Jewels Hid a Tormenting Terror Locked in Her Heart. THE STORY: “Take Her, She’s Mine” (20th-Fox) James Stewart, a respected lawyer in a small town, is called before his local school board to explain the news headlines telling of his flamboyant escapades in Paris. *cified In flashback, Stewart shows that they all stemmed from l0)t . the time his daughter, Sandra Dee, was dismissed from an American college for her protest march against banned books, in which a French artist, Philippe Forquet, joins in. Later, Sandra receives a scholarship from a French art college, which Stewart learns was arranged by Forquet. When Sandra is photographed posing in a French magazine, Stewart flies over to Paris, where, while trying to help his daughter in her romance with Forquet, he is arrested, loses his costume at an art ball and gets into other embarrassing scrapes before he decides to permit Sandra to marry Forquet. EXPLOITIPS: For the mature moviegoers, Stewart, a star for 30 years and 64 films, will be the selling name, but do not overlook Robert Morley, a favorite with the art house set. Sandra Dee, one of the top ten feminine stars, is popular through her “Tammy” films. Stress that the play ran on Broadway for a year with Alan Carney starred, and then toured the key cities with Tom Ewell. CATCHLINES: There Comes a Time in Every Father’s Life When His Baby Becomes a Babe . . . James Stewart as the Papa Who Was a Square to His Daughter. THE STORY: “The Incredible Journey” (BV) Emile Genest, a Canadian writer, offers to house the three domestic pets belonging to professor John Drainie when the latter is forced to go to a distant place for a teaching assignment. When Genest leaves on a hunting trip, the three animals, a Siamese cat and a retriever and an old bull terrier, become restive and set out by themselves over unknown terrain for their faraway home. The three encounter many adventures, the old dog becomes tired and hungry until fed by a hermit; the cat is nearly drowned when the dogs cross a liver but is nursed back to health by a little Finnish girl and the retriever is wounded by a porcupine’s sharp quills. Meanwhile, when Genest returns from his hunting trip, the animals •>«» are given up for lost. As Genest is telling the tragic news ut,'r to Drainie and his family, the dogs and the cat turn up n,(> for a happy reunion. EXPLOITIPS: Stress the Walt Disney name and the “True-Life Adventure” angle. Make up handbills or throwaways with pictures of the two dogs and the Siamese cat for distribution to all pet-loving patrons or from pet shops. CATCHLINES: The True-Life Tale of Three Animals Who Traveled Alone Across 250 Miles . . . Three Four-Footed Heroes, a Bull Terrier, a Siamese Cat and a Labrador Retriever . . . A Story of Courage and Loyalty Filmed in the Wilds of Canada. THE STORY: “The Castilian” (WB) Three hundred fifty years before the Crusades, Spartacus Santony, a young Castilian nobleman, comes out of self-imposed exile to lead his people in a series of daring raids, first against the Navarrese troops, ruled by the fierce king (Broderick Crawford) and, after the latter’s death, against the Moors. Accompanied by his nigged companion, Cesar Romero, Santony meets and falls in love with Teresa Velasquez, the Infanta of Navarre, and later they encounter two patron saints, who come to earth in human form and whose wise counsel influences Santony and his enemy, the young king of Navarre. The two rulers combine their Christian armies and vanquish ■ the huge forces of the Moors. . / EXPLOITIPS: This being a tale of ancient Castile and its rulers and enemies, U.S. audiences should be sold on the picture’s epic qualities. However, greater stress should be put on Frankie Avalon, the teenage singing favorite, and on Cesar Romero and Broderick Crawford, veteran Hollywood players. In Spanish-speaking neighborhoods, Spartacus Santony and Teresa Velasquez are popular film favorites. CATCHLINES: The Mighty Adventures in the Valley of the Swords . . . I Will Strike the Infidels While They Revel in Their Sinful Pleasures ! . . . The Thrilling Tale of the Earliest Hero in Castilian History. THE STORY: “The Hellfire Club” (Embassy) In 18th Century England, young Martin Stephens blunders into an orgy conducted by his father, leader of the infamous “Hellfire Club.” When his father beats the boy, his mother leaves home with him. After she is killed in a coach accident, the boy is brought up by David Lodge, who joins a traveling circus. Fifteen years later, Keith Michell is a circus acrobat while his cousin, Peter Arne, has usurped the boy’s rightful estates. Michell, searching for proof of his inheritance, takes a job as groom for Arne, where the latter’s fiancee, Adrienne Corri, is attracted to him and manages to learn his true identity. Arne, who is carrying on the “Hellfire Club” orgies, has Michell thrown in jail on a false murder charge. But, Michell is rescued by his circus friends, and, disguised as a foppish nobleman, manages to set matters right and regain his estates. EXPLOITIPS: For the action fans, stress the title, which suggests skullduggery, and the fighting and swordplay. Keith Michell, who starred on Broadway in “Irma La Douce,” and Adrienne Corri, who first attracted attention in Rank’s “The River,” are currently starring in David ., u. Merrick’s “The Rehearsal” on Broadway. <« in CATCHLINES: Vsylv* One Fighting Man Against the Evil Crew Who Conduct the Infamous “Hellfire Club,” the Scandal of 18th Century England. THE STORY: “The Gun Hawk” (AA) Rory Calhoun, an outlaw who returns to his home town, aids Rod Lauren, a devil-may-care young gunslinger, in a fight with two killers, who later kill John Litel, the town drunk. Calhoun tells the sheriff, Rod Cameron, that he intends to stalk the killers. Calhoun does this, against Cameron’s advice, so the latter is forced to pursue the outlaw. Followed by Lauren, Calhoun gets to Sanctuary, an outlaw’s hideout, where Cameron is not welcome. Calhoun, wounded by a stray bullet, refuses to die in bed so he tricks Lauren into a shoot-out. Lauren’s bullet kills Calhoun and the younger man is forced to leave Sanctuary, which allows no killings among its outlaws. Lauren then is captured by the waiting Cameron, who intends to give the boy a chance to redeem himself. EXPLOITIPS: Interest the TV devotees by stressing that Rory Calhoun has starred in “The Texans” and other series while Rod Cameron starred in “State Trooper,” another TV series. Cameron was also star of many Republic adventure films. Rod Lauren is a singer of rock ’n roll numbers for the teenage set. L • CATCHLINES: The Story of the Town Where Outlaws Find Sanctuary . . . Rory Calhoun and Rod Cameron, Favorites of Westerns on TV, Return to the Old West on the Big Theatre Screen. BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Oct. 21, 1963