Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1958)

"The Buccaneer" ScUiKCd4. l^cUcKf O O O Disappointing costumer, despite array of names. Should do well on name values in early runs; word-of -mouth will bog it down. Although the illustrious name of Cecil B. DeAIille is associated with "The Buccaneer" (he supervised and Henry Wilcoxon directed), this Paramount offering is certain to disappoint the great man's fans. Grosses should be good until wordof-mouth takes effect. Compared with DeMille's own productions, this one never gets out of the starting gate. It's a hodgepodge affair that makes a lot of noise, but not much sense or dramatic impact. The Jesse L. Laskey, Jr.-Berenice Mosk dialogue, pitched to a sub-teenage level, manages to slow things down almost every time the cannons begin to roar and passions threaten to blossom forth. Yul Brynner (with moustache and hairpiece) flamboyantly plays Jean Lafitte, Robin Hood type pirate with code of honor, who forbids the plundering of American ships, while Charles Boyer lightly plays ths cynical sidekick. Charlton Heston is effective as Andrew Jackson, while Claire Bloom provides some romantic appeal. Under the direction of Anthony Quinn, only a few of the po:en:ially exciting scenes actually come to life. In VistaVision and technicolor, the film is based on the story of how Lafitte is supposed to have aided General Jackson in defending New Orleans during the War of 1812 and thereby saving the Union. A brief prologue by Mr. DeMille sets the scene and explains Buccaneer Brynner's strategic position on a bayou which controls the "backdoor " to New Orleans. Between raids on non-American ships, Brynner has been courting Governor E. G. Marshall's daughter, refined, ladylike Inger Stevens, and nursing a desire to live respectably. Unfortunately, one of Brynner's mutinous underlings gets out of hand long enough to sink an American ship, the very one carrying the governor's other daughter. Although Brynner realizes this could well ruin his chances of ever becoming respectable, he turns down a Redcoat request for assistance and casts his lot with the Stars and Stripes. Then, despite once being double-crossed by some self-righteous Americans who feel above associating with a pirate, he maintains his faith in this new fangled idea of democracy and reaches Gen. Jackson's lines with men and muskets just in time to help save New Orleans and the Union. In the ensuing victory celebration, it is brought to light that the Buccaneer's men were the ones responsible for the sinking of that American ship and the loss of the governor's daughter. Under these circumstances, what kind of a life, asks Brynner, could a pirate offer the governor's other daughter.' So he must sail off into the horizon with only the decks of his ship to call home. It is here, the film's peppery pirate-girl, Claire Bloom, indicates that the defiance and hate she's been taunting the Buccaneer with all through the picture is really just an expression of her love. Paramount. 121 minutes. Yul Brynner, Charlton Heston, Claire Bloom, Charles Boyer. Supervised by Cecil B. DeMille. Produced by Henry Wilcoxon. Directed by Anthony Quinn. "From The Earth To The Moon" ScUiH€4^ 1^4ltiH^ Q Q Science-fiction entry in Technicolor never comes to life. Best as lower-half dualler in action houses. OK for small-fry. This Benedict Bogeaus production of a Jules Verne's fantasy, "From The Earth To The Moon", rockets about with all sorts of interplanetary Technicolor and gyroscopic gadgets, circa the 1860's. But nothing much helps: the entertainment count-dow n on this one is a dud for almost every reel. Current headlines give this some exploitation value, but the science-fiction cycle seems at an end. Best prospects are in action houses and for small-fry audience. Joseph Gotten is a dedicated man of science living in the Victorian age but dreaming of ages hence, who masterminds something called Power X, a chemical elixir which shoots into orbit a rocket ship. George Sanders is a snide, sinister type and Cotten's commercial competitor, who feels that the latter is out to destroy mankind with his contraption, so off he goes on the rocket's maiden voyage, determined to destroy such blasphemy. Eventually, Power X ignites within the moon's orbit and the big ship explodes. However, Sanders' martyrdom is thrown for an additional jolt when he finds his lovely daughter, Debra Paget, has sneaked aboard to be with sweetheart Don Dubbins, Cotten's young helper. I'nforunately, neither director Byron Haskin nor scripters Robert Blees and James Leicester are able to bring any large stretch of this yarn to life. The dialogue is near parody, characterizations are too, too standard and a chain reaction of unconscious humor pervades beginning and end. Patric Know les, Carl Esmond, Henry Daniell and Melville Cooper lend old-school support as various club members or slide-rule scholars. Photography is frequently the standout. Scenes of planetary travel have a fascination of their own and climax is large, noisy and complete. Warner Bros. 100 minutes. Joseph Cotten. George Sanders. Debra Paget. Produced by Benedict Bogeaus. Directed by Byron Haskin. "Gypsy And The Gentleman" ell-turned British costume melodrama in color. "The Gypsy and the Gentleman " is a better-than-average costume melodrama set during England's Regency era and mounted in Eastman color. It should do adequate business on dual bills. Produced by Maurice Cowan and directed by Joseph Losey, this Rank release offers a full complement of stock adventure characters of the period set in motion through the evil charms and uninhibited actions of a tramp gypsy, provocatively played by Greek actress Melina Mercouri. The weak country gentleman is Keith Mitchell, who is about to marry a rich but plain squire's daughter and thus save his estate which he is slowly but surely gambling and drinking away. But once Mitchell meets up with this scheming gypsy, it's not long before Janet Green's screenplay leads into a few passionate scenes which terminate with a dissolve and the gypsy being carried into the master bedroom, not against her will. From here on in Mitchell becomes a complete slave to his passions — even to the point of imprisoning his own dear sister, June Laverick, until it is too late for her to claim her inheritance and marry the poor, hard-working medical student she lo\es. But Miss Laverick escapes to London where a famous old actress, played by Flora Robson, lends her protection. Meanwhile, Mitchell has had enough of the money-hungry, animal-Iike Miss Mercouri and returns to his senses in time to save his sister from recapture after a climactic chase in which he "heads them off at the bridge. " The gypsy and a sinister cohort get their just deserts and, although Mitchell has lost his fortune and selfrespect, at least he has saved his sister and her inheritance, and most important of all, reunited her with the medical student. Rank. 89 minutes. Melina Mercouri, Keith Mlchell. Flora Robson. Produced by Maurice Cowan. Directed by Joseph Losey. Film BULLETIN December 22, 1958 Page 23