Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

"The Yellow Canary" SuMkcm IZatin? O O Plus Crisp suspense yarn has exploitable elements, including a startling "switch" role by Pat Boone. Will gross well where sold. 20th Century-Fox has a splendid little thriller in this blackand-white CinemaScope film, and given the right promotional push it will pull in above-average grosses in all markets. First, the crisp screenplay by Rod Serling has plenty of suspense and this is fully amplified by the tight, imaginative direction by TV's Buzz Kulik. Secondly, it presents Pat Boone in a startling histrionic turn-about, as an arrogant, selfish singing idol whose successful world explodes into a nightmare after his infant son is kidnapped. Boone carries off the role with surprising believeability. Further, "Canary" offers good performances from the entire cast, a "hip" score by Kenyon Hopkins and effective sets and Los Angeles location backgrounds. Barbara Eden portrays Boone's wife, about to divorce him because he's become a number one heel. Steve Forrest is a sadistic ex-cop turned bodyguard for Boone, Jack Klugman is the policeman Boone reluctantly calls in, Steve Harris is Boone's alcoholic valet and boyhood friend, and Jeff Corey is the owner of a beachside inn. Boone bankrupts himself by gathering together the $200,000 ransom, then goes to a deserted beach for the payoff. The kidnapper fails to show up. Harris now admits that he's been embezzling from Boone (for gambling). The next day he's found murdered. Harris takes Boone to Corey's inn to get a lead on a "hot money man." Arriving at the latter's room, they find him murdered. Additional complications brings Boone to the realization that Forrest is the kidnapper, and also a manical killer. Working on a hunch, Boone and Miss Eden go to Corey's inn, Boone climbs through a back window, finds his son safe, and returns him to Miss Eden. The ending sees Boone, his leg injured after jumping from the roof, holding a gun on Harris. The latter, convinced Boone is a spineless canary, rushes him. Boone shoots and kills Forrest and emerges a wiser man from the harrowing experience. 20th Century-Fox. 93 minutes. Pat Boone, Barbara Eden Steve Forrest, Jack Klugman. Produced by Maury Dexter. Directed by Buzz Kulik. "Fiasco in Milan" 3u4UtC44 &<Zti*t$ O O Plus Another amusing Italian import involving ''Madonna Street" gang of bumbling thieves. Good arty, class entry. That bumbling gang from "Big Deal on Madonna Street" is back again, this time participating in a "fool-proof" multimillion lire robbery of the soccer pool for the championship match in Milan. Directed along farcical lines, with the accent on sight gags and mugging, by Nanni Loy ("The Four Days of Naples"), this sub-titled Italian-French co-production should score well at art houses. It can also be booked as a supporting dualler in class situations. Vittorio Gassman is back as the delightful ex-prize fighter who can't stay on the right side of the law. Others involved: Renato Salvatori, a handsome Roman engaged to lovely Claudia Cardinale; Tiberio Murgia, Miss Cardinale's puritan brother; Carlo Pisacane, an old man who indulges his enormous appetite by eating well in good restaurants and then going to jail because he can't pay the bill. A sexy addition is blonde strip-teaser Vicky Ludovisi, who cons the pool's accountant (Gianni Bonagura) into faking the hold-up. Gassman, impressed with Milanese sharpy Riccardo Garrone, talks his friends into doing the job. Alibis are readied and the gang travels to Milan. Gassman takes over after Garrone is arrested for picking a pocket. After a number of hilarious bungles, the inept hold-up comes off. All but Gassman return to Rome with the money (in a suitcase), and Gassman, after hiding in a garbage disposal, finds safety with Miss Ludovisi, who has fallen for him. Gassman and Miss Ludovisi split up, Miss Cardinale threatens to turn the gang over to the police, and the checkroom ticket for the suitcase ends up with Pisacane, who suddenly disappears. The old man is found dying in a hospital from acute indigestion. Scared and unable to agree on what to do with the money, the gang leaves the suitcase on a park bench and phone the police. Relaxed at last, Gassman is arrested for crossing against the lights. Avion-Trans-Universe Pictures. 104 minutes. Vittorio Gassman, Claudia Cardinale. Produced by Franco Cristaldi. Directed by Nanni Loy. "Paranoiac" Grisly, gory Hammer melodrama for horror fans. Lack of color will limit it to dual bills in ballyhoo market. This latest Hammer hair-raiser about a family of mad hatters is an exploitable dual-bill attraction for the action-ballyhoo market. A Universal release, it has its share of bizarre, grotesque, gory shockers, but the absence of color will limit its boxoffice potential. Although Jimmy Sangster's screenplay lacks originality and the performances are routine, director Freddie Francis (former photographer making his debut) keeps up a t gooseflesh crawling, guess-what's-going-to-happen-next atmosphere, enhanced by some excellent black-and-white photography. Involved in the grisly happenings: Janette Scott, a young girl suposedly on the verge of insanity as a result of her little brother's death eight years before; Oliver Reed, her callous, whiskey-loving brother, also possibly insane; Sheila Burrell, their possibly sinister aunt; Alexander Davion, a stranger who appears claiming to be the dead brother; Sheila Burrell, Miss Scott's French nurse and Reed's mistress. The complicated script I finds Davion saving Miss Scott after she makes a suicide leap off the top of a cliff and Miss Scott accepting Davion as her brother, although the others are skeptical. Events now move into high gear: Reed tries to kill Miss Scott via a car accident; » Miss Scott discovers Reed in the chapel playing the organ late at night, a figure in a hideous mask standing beside him; the figure attacking Miss Scott and revealed as Miss Burrell; Reed, holding himself responsible for his little brother"s death, now | embarking on a completely insane rampage; Davion, only be 1 cause Miss Scott has fallen in love with him, admitting that 1 J he's an imposter, working with the family solicitor to steal Miss Scott's fortune. The conclusion finds Davion uncovering the dead body of the young brother, murdered by Reed; Miss Scott 1 I saving Davion from death in the blazing chapel; Reed rushing | into the chapel, clutching the skeleton of his brother and dying in the inferno. Universal. 80 minutes. Janette Scott, Oliver Reed. Produced by Anthony Hinds. , Directed by Freddie Francis. BULLETIN reviews have one aim: to give honest judgment of entertainment merit — and boxoffice value Page 18 Film BULLETIN April 15, 1943