Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1957)

6 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, May 9, 1957 National review: — — List Income China Gate Globe Enterprises — 20th-Fox — CinemaScope Hollywood, May 8 Loaded with suspenseful action, impressive sets and clever integration of library footage to create a semblance of authenticity, Samuel Fuller's newest production, which he also wrote and directed, is headed for healthv returns. An Indo-China village, where Vietnamese soldiers and a group of French Foreign Legionaires join to stop the onslaught of Chinese Communists, protecting it as a gateway to all China, becomes the background for a mission to blow up an ammunition dump in enemy territory. This exploit is made possible through the enlistment of Angie Dickinson, who portrays a Eurasian known as Lucky Legs, and who has been popular with the brass on both sides of the skirmish as a good source for bottled cognac. In exchange for a promise that her five-vear-old son would be given a chance to grow up in the United States, Angie agrees to play the foil for a patrol, wading through land mines and sentries in the jungle to reach the target. Fate brings her together again with her husband, Gene Barry, assigned to head the patrol. Barry had walked out on her when their son was born with distinctive Chinese features. Gene's love for Angie, and a convincing argument from Nat "King" Cole, a member of the patrol, overshadows his resentment for the boy. He wins Angie's love again in a plea for forgiveness in front of the rest of the patrol. But in the climax she is killed in a heroic attempt to set off the charge that blows up the ammunition stores. Cole sings the title song twice in the film, and the disc jockeys are already spinning the tune to herald its national release in June. Barry and Miss Dickinson prove themselves capable of more starring roles; and are ably supported by Paul Dubov, Lee Van Cleef and George Givot. The musical background was written by the late Victor Young and extended bv his old friend Max Steiner. Running time, 93 minutes. General classification. Release, in June. Samuel D. Berns Pre -Selling SOPHIA LOREN, Italy's box office bambino, appears on the color cover of the May 6 issue of "Life," and is the ingratiating heroine of a pictorial story in the same issue. Because she is refreshing, genuine straightforward and never upstages anyone, she makes good reading. "Life's" editors have used sufficient space to mention four films. In the order of their release they are "Boy on a Dolphin," "The Pride and the Passion," "Legend of the Lost" and "Desire Under the Elms." Her Hollywood co-workers have responded to her outgoing personality, which is summed up by Peter Lorre's remark, "She is very genuine —and combined with her other attributes, this is very rare." "Designing Woman's" fashions were created by Helen Rose. She has written an article for the May 19 issue of "Parade" in which she related how she designed Grace Kelly's wedding gown. • "Funny Face" was selected as the picture of the month by Ed Miller of "Seventeen." This teen-age publication has instituted a new policy. Each company whose film is selected as a picture of the month will be presented with an attractive plaque. The first one will be presented tomorrow to Jerry Pickman, vice-president of Paramount Pictures in charge of advertising and publicity, for "Funny Face." • Frank Sinatra, star of "The Pride and the Passion," appears on the color cover of the May 14 issue of "Look." Bill Davidson's story starts on location in Spain, with "The Pride" company and has written a personality story of Sinatra which appears in the same issue. • Yul Brynner, star of "The Ten Commandments," is on the front cover of the May issue of "Redbook." Cameron Shipp has written a profile of Yul for this issue titled "Self-made Mystery Man." Shipp says "Yul has told me at least six versions of his birth. I believe everyone of them.' • Louis Berg, "This Week" movie editor, went on location to Tobago, British West Indies, with the "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" company. He told about it in the May 5 issue. Berg's article was titled, "Anyone Can Direct a Movie." John Huston let Berg try to direct Deborah Kerr and Bob Mitchum in the cave scene. • Frank Sinatra, star of Stanley Kramer's "The Pride and the Passion," receives considerable attention in the Pete Martin piece titled "I Called on Bing Crosby," which appears in the May 11 issue of "The Saturday Evening Post." WALTER HAAS Sam Goldwyn (Continued from page 1) photography will start before the end of the year. Goldwyn reported the purchase price of the musical work is a percentage of gross receipts with a down payment of $650,000 that has already been made. Robert Breen, who directed the most recent production of "Porgy and Bess" in New York, has been signed as associate producer ot the Goldwyn film. Approve Drive-In for Suburb in Troy, N. Y. Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, May 8.-The town board of Brunswick, Troy suburb, has voted to permit construction of a 300 car drive-in by Bernard J. Carroll, on a 72 acre plot adjacent to an amusement park grove he has operated for some years. The board's action followed a public meeting, at which Carroll was permitted to outline his plans and other proponents, as well as opponents of the drive-in, were heard. A majority of the taxpayers present favored the project. Carroll must still meet the requirements of the Rensselaer County Health Department before he can begin construction. Detroit Papers List Increase in Ad Rates DETROIT, May 8-The "Detroit Free Press" and the "Detroit News" announce an inorease in advertising rates of 5c per line daily and Sunday effective immediately for noncontractual advertisers, and June 1 for those holding contracts. The June deadline will probably be the effective one for exhibitors, inasmuch as since they cannot plan on space as do other businesses, those advertising on a continuing basis will be deemed in this category. This increase on a combined basis lifts Detroit newspaper advertising to around $3.25 per line. The "Detroit Times," while it' has not as yet increased rates, announced a change of format which will be equivalent. Column width is to be reduced to 11 picas from IIV2. New pages will be 8 column, 2464 lines per page, or 308 lines per column. The "Times" states this was done in the interest of mat shrinkage and clarity of reproduction. Book 'Days' in Minn. MINNEAPOLIS, May 8-The 800seat Alvin Theatre, which has at various times in its long career housed legitimate plays, burlesque and a revival tabernacle, will enter a new phase June 28 when it opens with Mike Todd's "Around the World in 80 Days." ( Continued from page L) per share. Earnings during the first quarter of 1956, before the acquisition of Gera Corp. which took place | as of May 1, 1956, were 11c per 1 share. Provisions for depreciation and similar non-cash charges made against i earnings amounted to approximately 1 $893,000 during the first quarter of I 1956 and $412,000 during the first quarter of 1956. Mrs. Sudekum (Continued from page 1) revocation of a trust agreement under which 2,514 shares of Crescent stock | are owned by her on the basis of the administration by the bank. The complaint states that, as a j result of this agreement two directors of the bank— Howell H. Campbell and G. Frank Cole, Jr., are serv: ing as directors of Crescent. These, j with two other directors of the bank j representing other Crescent stockholders, have a "four out of seven" control of the Crescent board. Says No Interest Is Paid Complainant states that "the First American National Bank has on deposit at any one time from $750,000 to $1,000,000 of Crescent funds" and this is being used without payment of interest. Mrs. Sudekum, in her plea, asserts that the bank has been using its Crescent stock control advantage 1 in handling property and assets to| its advantage, particularly in the matter of constructing for Crescent buildings to be used as branch head-| quarters for the banks. The bank, through its attorneys, has categorically denied all the; charges. Bright Future . ] ( Continued from page1 ) printing, he said, materially lessens the distracting color matching and the jerkiness of the three-strip setup. During the question and answer period, Hazard E. Reeves, president,; said he believes the exclusive contract with Stanley Warner, which is to run through next year, is already in default but there are legal problems to resolve. In answer to another ques-! tion, he said Cinerama, Inc., does not operate their own theatres presently for legal reasons, also, but would like to and intends to do so as soon as possible. Roach and Pathe Labs. Sign ThreeYear Pact j From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, May 8-The sign-, ing of a major film processing contract between Pathe Laboratories and Hal Roach Studios, to run for three years and six months has been announced by both companies. The Roach firm today is one of the lead-: ing producers of television commercials.