Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 19, 1961)

July 19, 1961 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY THE GUNS OF NAVARONE with Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Irene Papas. (CinemaScope-Eastman Color) Columbia 159 Mins. EXPEDITION INTO ADVENTURE AND DANGER. MASTERFULLY-MADE DRAMA TOUCHED WITH EPIC QUALITIES. SUPERB CAST. OUTSTANDING BOXOFFICE. A desperate mission is visualized with vigor, honesty and superb theatrical flair in the Guns of Navarone. The film is a_ rolling hour-by-hour account of an assignment of six men under the banner of British military intelligence during World War II. The task calls upon the greatest resources of courage and ingenuity, and its success is considered barely possible. Yet the chance has to be taken. The mission is to get to the small Greek island of Navarone, held by the Germans, and blow up two huge guns that threaten an Allied force with disaster. Most important the picture is an honest drama that catches up believable people. Suspense mounts to an explosive climax. The film was shot mostly in the locale depicted with fresh and interesting scenery a consequence. Carl Foreman who produced the Highroad Presentation has shown every concern for production values. The cast is a splendid boxoffice one. The sets are superb in Eastman Color and CinemaScope. The six men sent out are Gregory Peck, a mountaineer; David Niven, an explosives expert; Anthony Quinn, a grim, dedicated Greek resistance fighter; Stanley Baker, an implaccable knife fighter; James Darren, a GreekAmerican lad educated in the school of juvenile crime; and Anthony Quayle, a security officer and head of the mission. Two women figure importantly. They are Greek partisans portrayed by Irene Papas and Gia Scala. The story unfolds to a breathtaking series of adventures as the six run a gauntlet of terrors, spies and encounters with death. A storm at sea shatters their boat. Getting on to the island unseen involves the climbing of a precipitous cliff. Then there are flights, pursuits and a fixed concentration on the objective. J. Lee Thompson’s direction touches brilliance, distilling from scene after scene excitement and beautiful fluidity. The music, composed and conducted by Dimitri Tiomkin, soars grandly and impressively and the photography under the direction of Oswald Morris is first rate. CAST: Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Quayle, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, Darren, James Robertson Justice. CREDITS: Produced and written by Carl Foreman; Directed by J. Lee Thompson; Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean; Director of photography, Oswald! Morris. DIRECTION: Excellent. PHOTOGRAPHY: Brilliant. David Niven, Anthony James Reviews SNOW WHITE AND THE THREE STOOGES with Carol Heiss, The Three Stooges, Edson Stroll. (CinemaScope-DeLuxe Color) 20th Century-Fox 107 Mins. OPULENTLY PRODUCED JOURNEY INTO FARCE AND FAIRY TALE. A SURE PLEASER FOR THE YOUNGSTERS. We have here the visual representation of one of the world’s oldest fairy tales spiced with the modern impish humor of the Three Stooges. Charles Wick produced in lavish style including CinemaScope and DeLuxe color. The wildest liberties are taken with the story, indicating the belief of the producer that the mood conjured up is such that audiences will be completely uncritical. One thing is certain: the children will love it. Carol Heiss is seen as Snow White and Edson Stroll plays Prince Charming. Both are _betrothed in childhood but many things happen to keep them apart. Out of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, script writers Noel Langley and Elwood Ullman have devised this cinema version. Their villainess is none other than Patricia Medina, who becomes the new queen after Snow White’s mother dies and her father remarries. Walter Lang’s direction is capable. Photography is very interesting under the direction of Leon Shamroy. There is a good deal of trick photography, such as the wicked queen travelling about on a broomstick. The music was conducted by Lyn Murray. Carol Heiss and Edson Stroll prove a fine, familiar romantic pair. Miss Heiss also makes sparkling use of an opportunity to show her Olympic skating form. CAST: Carol Heiss, The Three Stooges, Edson Stroll, Patricia Medina, Guy Rolfe, Michael David, Buddy Baer, Edgar Barrier, Peter Coe. CREDITS: Produced by Charles Wick; Directed by Walter Lang; Screenplay by Noel Nangley and Elwood Ullman, based on a story by Charles Wick; Director of photography, Leon Shamroy. DIRECTION: Very Good. PHOTOGRAPHY: Imaginative. THE LADIES MAN with Jerry Lewis, Helen Traubel, Kathleen Freeman, Pat Stanley. Paramount (Technicolor) 106 Mins. FRANTIC ROMP IS MANNA _ FOR LEWIS FANS. MOST LAVISH OF COMIc'S FILMS IS ATTRACTIVELY MOUNTED PRODUCTION OVERRUN WITH LOVELIES AND OFFERING SOMETHING NEW IN STAGING. Those who take kindly to Jerry Lewis and his frenetic antics will unquestionably derive a world of satisfaction from the latest of his screen forays. The harum-scarum comic does not spare himself to please his fans. To say he throws himself into his role of a womanhating young man inveigled into taking a job as houseboy in that unlikeliest of places for a guy allergic to dames, a_ boardinghouse inhabited by a flock of lovely man-loving gals, is to put it mildly. The Ladies Man has the earmarks of a dough grabber, perhaps more so than any other of the Lewis pictures, for besides a stiff dose of the brand of comedy that has come to be associated with the Lewis name the picture has an overabundance of production values, strong visual appeal, a tricky set that strikes a new note in film making and feminine pulchritude without stint. CAST: Jerry Lewis, Helen Traubel, Pai Stanley, Kathleen Freeman, Hope Holiday, Lynn Ross, Buddy Lester, George Raft, Harry James and his’ band, Gretchen Houser, Lillian Briggs, Mary La Roche, Madlyn Rhue. CREDITS: Produced by Jerry Lewis; Directed by Jerry Lewis; Written by Jerry Lewis and Bill Richmond; Associate Producer, Ernest D. Glucksman; Director of photography, W. Wallace Kelley. DIRECTION; Good. PHOTOGRAPHY: Excellent. (Reviews from The Film Daily, NY) Paramount's ‘It's Murder’ Henry Hathaway has been signed by Paramount to produce It’s Murder. Exclusive Pact For Ferrer Jose Ferrer has been signed to an exclusive contract as writer, director and producer by 20th Century-Fox. NEW TV STATION, 11 SATS OK'D Television, a creeping blight to the Canadian cinema field since 1953, continues its growth into what have been less accessible areas. In its fiscal year ended March 31 the Board of Broadcast Governors recommended applications for TV stations in Edmonton, Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa, Prince George, Pembroke, Antingonish, NS and Riviere du Loup, PQ. During the year the BBG okayed applications for satellite stations in Keremeos, Lumby and Salmon Arms, BC; Banff, Coronation and Pivot, Alta.; Carlyle Lake, Val Marie, North Battleford and Eastend, Sask.; Fox River, Harrison Brook, Mont Blanc, Mont Laurier, Mont Tremblant, Chicoutimi and Roberval, PQ; and Edmun ston, NB. The BBG’s latest announcement reveals approval of a new station for Grande Prairie, Alta. and reservation of approval on applications for Quebec City and Dryden, Ont. Okays went to satellites for Parry Sound, Ont., Port Alfred, PQ, Peace River, Alta., and Ashcroft, Chase, Lillooet, Merritt, Clinton (2) and Mount Timothy (2), all in BC. A Sioux Lookout, Ont. application drew a reservation. The satellites will service areas from which theatres in large communities drew patrons, ai Page 5 Short Throws (Continued from Page 1) are any indication, it was stated by Andrew Rouse, general chairman. The tourney will take place on Thurs., Aug. 24, 1961 at the Tam O’Shanter Golf Club, Toronto, which can accommodate 700 to 800 in its dining room and has bowling and swimming facilities for nongolfers. Those planning to attend are advised to contact George Altman, ticket chairman, immediately at EM. 3-2909. CANADIAN idea supported in principal by the domestic Motion Picture Industry Council but which defied efforts to activate it may come to life in the USA. An American Film Institute for the purpose of arousing interest in films was placed before the Independent Film Importers of America by Colin Young at a special meeting in New York last week. N. A. Taylor first presented his proposal for a Canadian Film Institute about five years ago. TELEMETER is running a Summer Festival of Music, a series of films offering on successive Sundays Kiss Me Kate, The Bells Are Ringing, Brigadoon, Kismet, The Pajama Game and Pal Joey. It’s part of its summer Theatre in the Home. The original sound track music from the musicals is available free to subscribers on a separate channel. CHRIS HOLMES, manager of the Odeon Roxy, Newmarket, picked 100 names and addresses of people living within 15 miles of the theatre from the phone book, and wrote them a free invitation to attend any of the films on an enclosed July booking sheet. The letter pointed up the difference between seeing movies on TV and in theatres. 20th-Fox' ‘The Inspector’ Hugh Griffith, Academy Award winner for his role in Ben-Hur, has been signed by Mark Robson for an important role in his 20thFox production, The Inspector. OUR BUSINESS (Continued from Page 3) patrons with a variety of tastes. But in smaller towns there is a problem. There are some kinds of films which just do not fit into the programming. They “fall between the raindrops,” so to speak. They may be very good entertainment indeed but because of lack of the right stars, unusual or off-beat story content or for other reasons they may appeal to only a very small segment of the population of these places. Thus we face another of the many problems continually arising in our business.