Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

Opinions on Current Productions Feature reviews Symbol © denotes color; © CinemaScope; ® VistaVision; © Technirama; © other anamorphic processes. For story synopsis on each picture, see reverse side. Soldier in the Rain Comedy-Drama Allied Artists (6401) 87 Minutes Rel. Nov. ’63 The teaming of Jackie Gleason, rotund film and TV st” ■ comic, and Steve McQueen, currently riding high in popularity because of his portrayal in “The Great Escape,” is a modern-day Army camp story, should insure strong boxoffice for this Blake Edwards production. Tuesday Weld supplies the feminine appeal and the soft melodic music by Henry Mancini, two-time Academy Award winner, is another selling asset. Produced by Martin Jurow, from a screenplay by Edwards and Maurice Richman, the film is primarily a succession of sight gags and slapstick situations stemming from McQueen’s delight at leaving the Army and Gleason’s insistence on remaining in service because of his fear of the outside world. Although hilarity is uppermost, McQueen has two poignant scenes and Gleason contributes a sentimental moment or two before his death, which is not shown. Some of the comic highlights are a nonsensical golf match between the two and a pin-up camera session with McQueen photographing young Tony Bill, in the guise of a semi-nude blonde. Director Ralph Nelson keeps the action at a fast pace throughout. Although there’s no romantic element to satisfy women patrons, the rugged appeal of McQueen will draw most of the ladies. Jackie Gleason, Steve McQueen, Tony Bill, Tuesday Weld, Tom Poston, Ed Nelson, John Hubbard. Fun in Acapulco Cm“y “ ***• Paramount (6305) 97 Minutes Rel. Nov. ’63 Producer Hal Wallis, who knows the sure-fire formula IC®„ c for an Elvis Presley film, again has colorful backgrounds filmed in exquisite Technicolor, an attractive supporting cast and a lightweight, yet serviceable, story packed with songs to attract and please the star’s teenage fans. Ursula Andress, who scored in “Dr. No,” is a voluptuous dish; the Mexican actress, Elsa Cardenas, is another visual asset and the veteran Paul Lukas has a good character bit. But it is the 11 songs, all delivered in Elvis’ familiar style, that give the picture a fine lilt, particularly “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here,” “Bossa Nova Baby” and the title tune, which show great hit possibilities. In his 13th feature (his sixth for Wallis), Elvis now displays a casual acting style, but it is as a singer that he really shines. Next in importance to Elvis in the slight plot is eight-year-old Larry Domasin, who winningly plays a shoeshine Mexican boy who manages the star’s singing career. Alejandro Rey, Argentine actor, displays his diving ability, but doubles are used for Presley in the dangerous dives from the Acapulco rocks. The backgrounds, including lush swimming pools and motels, should increase tourist trade to Mexico. Richard Thorpe directed capably. Paul Nathan is associate producer. Elvis Presley, Ursula Andress, Elsa Cardenas, Paul Lukas, Larry Domasin, Alejandro Rey, Teri Hope. The Wastrel ™i°i Drama Medallion Pictures 84 Minutes Rel. Nov. ’63 Van Heflin, star of a score of Hollywood films, who is currently starring on Broadway in “A Case of Libel,” the dramatization of Louis Nizer’s “My Life in Court,” is the chief selling angle of this drama made in Italy in English in 1961 by Michael Cacoyannis, the Greek director who made “Electra,” which was an art house hit earlier in 1963. Although Heflin does his usual capable acting job in an unsympathetic role, Cacoyannis and the author, Frederick Wakemann, who did the screenplay from his novel, are unable to make the turgid d for plot interesting to the spectator, especially as more than rod half the footage takes place as Heflin and his young son are struggling to keep afloat and alive in the ocean at night. A sudden squall, the boy’s cramps and numbness, loss of their flimsy raft and other dangers that take place are almost as harrowing to the audience as it is to those on the screen. Ellie Lambetti, the Greek actress who plays Heflin’s wife, and Franco Fabrizi, as a roving-eyed playboy, appear only in the opening scene and in the various flashbacks but both contribute satisfactory performances. Produced by Angelo Ferrara for Lux-Tiberia. Van Heflin, Ellie Lambetti, Franco Fabrizi, Michael Stellman, Fosco Giachetti, Alix Talton, Paul Muller. Journey Into Nowhere £££ Planet Film Distributors — SR 75 Minutes Rel. Dec. ’63 This essentially three-character dramatic study, sharply defined, is to be recommended for suspense fans. The production threesome — executive producer Michael Deeley, producer Bruce Yorke and director Denis Scullyconcentrated, and rightly so, on the climactic moments in the life of a man who finds his true romance at the wrong time and in the wrong place. It’s assumed that Tony Wright, indebted for a huge gambling syndicate sum, and Sonja Ziemann, an artist going blind, may well fall in love, but their star-crossed encounter is hastened cion, to a tragic denouement through machinations of gang6, Sc land hireling Helmud Schmid, latter meticulously, menacingly, moodfully gearing a death trap for the desperate duo. The British import, a states-rights release, is to be commended for trim, taut, topical impact, moving seemingly effortlessly to the final fadeout, Wright tearfully holding his dead sweetheart’s body in his arms. The Scully directorial prowess is sure and swift, certain to catch the discerning critics’ accolade and applause. Miss Ziemann is a most appealing heroine, while Wright is alternately panic-stricken and purposeful. Schmid makes a swaggering, arrogant goon. Vaclac Vich’s photographic efforts are first-rate. This can be sold as sleeper entertainment, particularly in the larger, more cosmopolitan centers. Sonja Ziemann, Tony Wright, Helmud Schmid. The Ship of Condemned Women Melodrama Globe Pictures-States Rights 83 Minutes Rel. Nov. ’63 This Excelsa production, briskly directed by Raffaello Matarazzo, teams Kerima, Ettore Manni, May Britt, Tania Weber and Eduardo Ciannelli in a yarn certain to be welcomed by the action-and-adventure crowds, particularly in the larger metropolitan centers. It is the tried-and-true tale of lusty women cut off from normal civilian life, caged on the high seas, bound from their native land for the colonies and certain death, climaxed by the inevitable rebellion against arrogant authority and ensuing events that spell out happiness of sorts for the principals, in this instance Manni and May Britt. Of necessity, perhaps, the more discriminating shouldn’t be urged to view this; there are loose threads in logic, tedious patterns in dramatic denouement. Acting-wise, there are conventionally concocted delineations, highlighted by Tania Weber’s bristling woman-of-wrong out to gain her ends despite obstacles that might easily dissuade less-determined feminine folk. Manni and Miss Britt are an appealing romantic $5.0l duo, and Luigi Tosi has some forceful moments as Blvd ship’s captain mindful of his power. Long-time character actor Eduardo Ciannelli is cast in a featured role. Kerima, Ettore Manni, May Britt, Tania Weber, Eduardo Ciannelli, Luigi Tosi. Twice a Man SE Film-Makers’ Co-operative 60 Minutes Rel. Dec. ’63 Triple-threat Gregory J. Markopoulos, responsible for producing, directing and photographing this admittedly experimental American feature film against New York background has, uniquely enough, employed no dialog. He has teamed Paul Klib, Albert Torgersen, Olympia Dukakis and Violet Roditi in a modernized version of Greek legendary lore, concerned, in the main, with the lives, limitations and leanings of Hippolytus, Phaedra and Aesculapius, and where the avant-garde motion picture, be it American or foreign, has gained some audience appeal, this latest effort may well encourage attendance. Markopoulos has proposed a new narrative form through the fusion of the classic montage technique with a more abstract system, the system involving use of brief, fleeting film phrases which evoke thought-images. Each film phrase is composed of certain select frames that are similar to the harmonic relationships among themselves; in classic montage technique there is a constant reference to the continuing shot; in the Markopoulos abstract system, there is a complex of differing frames. The ambitious — filmmaker is to be commended for diligence and some daring; he has, wisely enough, denied himself the luxury of prolonged patterns, preferring to relate his frame-ofevents and episodes in the guise of questing. Paul Klib, Albert Torgersen, Olympia Dukakis, Violet Roditi. The reviews on these pages may be filed for future reference in any of the following ways: (1) in any standard three-ring loose-leaf binder; (2) individually, by company, in any stan dard 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. 2782 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Nov. 25, 1963 2781