Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1959)

6 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, April 15. Sunday Movies (Continued from page 1) present local option law under which communities are allowed by the state to approve or disapprove Sunday movies has been drafted and the exhibitors hope to interest enough state legislators in their case to insure its passage before adjournment next month. The fight against Sunday movies in many small communities in Pennsylvania has been carried alone up until now by John Broumas, head of the Transamerica circuit, which operates theatres in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. In June, 1956, Broumas initiated a test case in his State Line Drive-in theatre, State Line, Pa., by running a feature and a newsreel which were being shown simultaneously on television in the area. The manager of the theatre was anested and fined $50. Broumas appealed the case, lost in the Pennsylvania courts, and carried it to the Supreme Court on the freedom of expression issue. Last week the Supreme Court refused to hear the case. At that point Broumas appealed to fellow exhibitors for help, and Harry Hendel, head of Allied of Western Pennsylvania pledged that group's support. The legislative strategy meeting scheduled for next week was the result. About 100 theatres in Pennsylvania are affected by the Sunday movie ban. Last Train from Gun Hill CONTINUED FROM PAGE I James Poe, whose work is a model of simplicity and economy in telling a story on film. And Sturges has directed it that way, cleanly and quickly, alwavs with an eye on the goal. It starts with a brutal crime— the wanton rape and murder of a lovely Indian girl by two drunken men. And then it introduces a marshal who is the husband of the dead woman and sets him off on his mission of vengeance to track down those who perpetrated the foul deed. Nothing that happens after that is irrelevant to the main story. Mo side issues bar the way; no extraneous characters are introduced. Everything that occurs contributes to the excitement of the search and the steady accumulation of suspense. And the story abounds in sudden surprises, that are logical as well as shock-filled. One of the murderers turns out to be the son of the marshal's erstwhile best friend who is now a powerful cattle baron who virtually runs the town of Gun Hill. Arriving one morning the marshal eventually traps the son and prepares to take him back to justice on the last train leaving town that night. But the father has other ideas; he corners the marshal in a hotel room in which he is holding the son handcuffed to a bed. There is a gun fight, and then somebody starts to burn down the hotel. Finally comes the showdown with the outcome in doubt to the very end. Poe has subordinated his characters to plot, but the former are well played in large and colorful strokes by the able cast. Douglas is a grimjawed and relentless marshal, and Quinn a tough opponent as his former friend. Holliman is weak and contemptible as the son of Quinn, and Brian Hutton is equally revolting as the other murderer. Miss Jones is fascinating as the unconventional dance-hall girl who plays an important part in the denouement of the story. "Gun Hill" is one whiz of a western show. Running time, 94 minutes. General classification. Release, in July. Richard Gertner THE BIG ONES... are in LIFE UNITED ARTISTS THE BIG COUNTRY with Burl Ives, 1958 Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor. In LIFE'S September 29, 1958 issue LIFE THE BIG ONE IN MOVIE SELLING 1 'Nurse' in London Tops For ABC Circuit Theatre From. THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, April 14.-The Peter Rogers' production "Carry On Nurse" for Anglo Amalgamated Distributors has broken every record of any picture, either British or American, in its London general release, D. J. Goodlatte, managing director of the Associated British Cinemas said today. The previous record was set by "The Dam Busters," he said, and "Nurse" has beat it by seven per cent. Johnston to Seek (Continued from page I) the government assures the convertibility of earnings from distributing films, books, and other information media in certain foreign countries. Johnston will ask a House Appropriations Subcommittee to approve enough money for an expanded program, including guaranties of film distribution in more than tire four countries now covered— Poland, Turkey, Vietnam and Yugoslavia. Re-Title Bogeaus Film HOLLYWOOD, April 14. "Jet Over the Atlantic" is new title for Benedict Bogeaus' "High over the Atlantic," which rolls April 27 in Mexico City. The Giantscope production, written by Robert Blees and I. H. Cooper, will be directed by Byron Haskin, PEDPLI Ed Heiber, formerly branch ager for Universal in Philadc and more recently with the Ran ganization there, has joined Productions in that city. □ . Lou Silverstein, manager of th Wilshire Theatre, has been shift the Fox Beverly, replacing Tallman, who has been transfer! the Fox West Coast home office ing department. □ Lee W. Wentz, manager of f Portal, North Hollywood, will over the La Reina Theatre, Shi Oaks, with Dick Mason being ferred to the booking departmen ing to the El Portal will be W Lohman, of the Imperial Tl: Long Beach, with Forrest checking into the Imperial. □ Seymour Poe has been name* ducers representative for Unitei ists' "A Hole in the Head," as liaison between UA and Capra, who headed production Sincap film. Mirisch Program ( Continued from page 1 ) company's present "Some L' Hot" and the completed "The ! Soldiers." The new films in order of the duction schedule are: July, Proving Flight"; August, Squadron"; September, "The ment"; October, "Two for tbi saw"; November December, ■ Love Possessed"; January, Fel 1960, "Battle." Other feature projects now ii beginning stages include a novj subsequent screenplay by Leor , author of "Exodus," and O'Hara's novel, "A Rage to Lh Supplementing the feature gram, Mirisch will enter tel' production with a filmed "Wichita Town," starring Joe Crea, to be made in associatioi NBC. Plan 'King Must D In Todd-AO for Fo From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, April 14. King Must Die," novel by Ma nault, based on a legend in mythology, will be filmed in To by Samuel G. Engel Productioi for 20th Century-Fox release announced today by executiv ducer Buddy Adler. Engel has assigned Henry K< direct. Starting date on the mu lar production has been set for with location filming to take p Greece, Crete and Mexico.