Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1959)

"Pillow Talk" gW«*4 "g<xtu? ©GO plus Topflight comedy-romance sure to rank with top boxoffice attractions of the season. Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter head cast. Plush C ScopeTechnicolor production. Universal-International has fluffed up a bouncy, CinemaScope-Technicolor comedy designed to keep audiences laughing and exhibitors happy from beginning to end. Stuffed with h combination of sure-fire ingredients like the socko marquee power of lovely Doris Day and handsome Rock Hudson; the droll antics of Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter; a number of eye-catching sets, gorgeous gowns and several possible jukebox winners, this Ross Hunter-Martin Melcher production will delight the adults everywhere, especially in the metropolitan markets. It is certain to be one of the season's top boxoffice attractions. Although there is a lot of joshing about sex, it's clean fun and shouldn't offend anyone. Word of mouth will pick profits up in all areas. Miss Day is engaging as an interior decorator with telephone problems and Hudson is handsomely adequate as the playboy song writer who shares her party line. Randall as a millionaire with three ex-wives and a steady analyst, and Miss Ritter as a maid who suffers from hangoveritis turn in polished performances. Under Michael Gordon's sprightly direction, the Day-Hudson complications move merrily and, occasionally, hilariously. The Stanley Shapiro-Maurice Richlin script has Miss Day and Hunter sharing a party line telephone. Although they have never met, they have exchanged words over Hudson's hogging the phone to gab with his many girl friends. When his long-time buddy Randall divulges he's in love with Hudson's phone mate, the latter becomes intrigued, calls to apologize for his selfishness and is turned down when he asks for a date. They meet accidentally and Hudson poses as a shy, chivalrous Texan. A well-plotted campaign by Rock finally wins her over. However, Randall gets wind of what is going on, but before he can expose his friend for the rat he is, Miss Day finds out for herself. Hudson, now in love, takes maid Ritter's advice and hires Miss Day to redecorate his apartment. The result is a nightmare of hilarity. Infuriated, he storms into her apartment and drags her — nightie, blanket and all — back to the scene of the crime. Naturally, all ends well. Universal-International. 105 minutes. Rock Hudson. Doris Day. Tony Randall. Thelma Ritter. Produced by Ross Hunter and Martin Melcher. Directed by Michael Gordon. "The Crimson Kimono" Sututet* 'Rati*? O O Good exploitation angles in over-plotted murder meller with Japanese-American romance. OK dualler for action and drive-in markets, if sold. There are some good exploitation angles for the exhibitor in this murder melodrama, which eventually evolves into a Japanese-American romance. Columbia's showmen can be counted on to make the most of the promotion aspects, giving the Samuel Fuller production a better-than-ever chance as an attraction for action houses and drive-ins. Fuller, also responsible for the screenplay and direction, unfortunately seems to have been unable to make up his mind where his focal point should be. He starts off with an exciting opener, a Skid Row stripper being shot down on a Los Angeles boulevard, but his story then switches to a tri-cornered relationship between a pair of detectives and a girl. One of the detectives is an American-born Japanese, reluctant to assert his love for the girl, first because he knows how his war-time buddy feels towards her, and secondly because he is Japanese. Fuller's script concentrates too long on the racial theme without taking full advantage of its potentially good subject matter. Cast, headed by newcomers Victoria Shaw, Glenn Corbett and James Shigeta, is effective, particularly Shigeta as the AmericanJapanese detective guilty of only the prejudices he wants to see. Corbett is adequate as a cynical, world traveler, while Miss Shaw's portrayal of a pretty artist responsible for the portrait of the dead girl, and in love with Shigeta, is believable. Story concerns the attempt of Corbett and Shigeta to track down the killer of stripper Sugar Torch. Their search carries them to the campus of U.C.L.A. where Miss Shaw appears, and through the "Little Tokyo" section of the city. As the love interest flares, there are judo fights in a pool room, an unsuccessful attempt on Miss Shaw's life, and a colorful Nisei Week Festival. The killer is eventually unvailed and Shigeta gets Miss Shaw. Columbia. 82 minutes. Victoria Shaw, Glenn Corbett, James Shiqeta. Produced and Directed by Samuel Fuller. "Subway in the Sky" Mild melodrama about drugs and murder. Van Johnson, Hildegarde Neff head cast. Fair action market entry. Filmed at England's Shepperton Studios, this is a rather lukewarm melodrama about drugs and murder runs long on dialogue and short on suspense. However, the theme makes it acceptable dual bill fare for the action market, with Van Johnson and Hildegarde Neff furnishing mild marquee power. Muriel Box's direction is slow-paced and Jack Andrew's script, adapted from a play by Ian Main, follows a familiar route. Johnson, as an American major on the run, struggles valiantly with his part, but there's not much he can do with the banal dialogue. Miss Neff, as a divorced cabaret singer who hides Johnson, renders a sympathetic performance. The supporting roles are well handed by Albert Lieven, Miss Neff's lawyer who has designs on marrying her; Cec Linder, a cynical American MP captain on Johnson's trail; Katherine Kath, Johnson's unstable French wife, and Vivian Matelon, Johnson's sinister step-son. The plot finds Johnson, a doctor stationed with NATO forces in West Germany, wanted on charges of black marketeering drugs. Strongest evidence against him is a large sum of money discovered in Miss Kath's bank account. He deserts to her Berlin apartment in hopes she will be able to clear him but discovers she has left and subleased the apartment to Miss Neff. The sultry singer believes his story and thwarts Linder and Lieven at every turn. But when Lieven informs her that Johnson is also wanted for murder, she begins to have doubts. Miss Kath returns to the apartment in search of her safe deposit key and is murdered by Matelon, the true culprit. Johnson is discovered with the body and placed under arrest. Matelon, still hiding in the apartment, tries to kill Miss Neff but she manages to knock him out. The last scene has Johnson and Miss Neff driving off in Lieven's Mercedes convertible. United Artists. 85 minutes Van Johnson, Hildegarde Neff. Produced by John Temple-Smith and Patrick Filmer-Sankey. Directed by Muriel Box. TOPS o o Q GOOD O O AVERAGE " O POORj [More REVIEWS on Page 14] Film BULLETIN September 14, 1959 Page 13