Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1959)

p Motion Picture Daily Friday, July 10, 19 National Pre-Selling «npHE HORSE SOLDIERS," John Ford's Civil War equestrian epic based on the famous Union Cavalry raid by Colonel Grierson, is reviewed in the June 29 issue of "Life." This new U.A. film tells the story of the siege of Vicksburg. Grierson cut off the railroad supplying the city, then continued on across the 300 miles of rebel territory to Union-held Baton Rouge. The raid, said General Grant, "shortened the Civil War by a year and tested out the tactics which Sherman later used with success in his march to the sea." • "The Nun's Story," the true-life story of a Belgian girl who became a nursing nun and then left the order during World War II, is reviewed in the July issue of "Redbook" by Florence Somers. In her opinion "Audrey Hepburn has her most challenging role and she plays it beautifully. In her supporting cast are some of the world's finest actors." • "Say One For Me," starring Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds and Robert Wagner, was advertised in the June issue of "McCall's." • U.A. has set an advertising campaign with "Seventeen" involving a series of 12 half-page ads spotlighting the company's top productions. Among the releases to be featured in the series are "The Horse Soldiers," "A Hole in the Head," "The Devil's Disciple," "The Wonderful Country," "Take a Giant Step," "Odds Against Tomorrow," "Happy Anniversary" and "Solomon and Sheba." A recent survey conducted by the magazine showed that 85 per cent of "Seventeen" readers go to movies monthly, and 75 per cent attend them each week. The survey also disclosed that four out of five of its readers recommend pictures to their friends. • One of the film epics of 1959 is sure to be "Ben-Hur," which MGM has completed in Italy. Nostalgic movie fans recall when Ramon Novarro starred in this classic back in the twenties. He has written an article for the June 21 issue of "Parade," giving timely advice to star Charlton Heston and the rest of the current "Ben-Hur" cast. • Striking page ads on "John Paul Jones," "This Earth Is Mine," and "Hercules" appear in the July 7 issue of "Look." • "The Restless Years," the U.I. film starring John Saxon, is mentioned prominently in an ad for Halo that appeared in the June 28 issue of "This Week." • "The Nun's Story" received "Parent's Magazine's" special merit award for July. WALTER HAAS Holiday for Lovers . — CONTINUED FROM PAGE I comedy into the hearty laugh class. And, very much on the plus side, it's welcome back to the screen for attractive Jane W\man, who portrays Webb's loving and understanding wife and mother of the two collegeage girls, Jill St. John and Carol Lynle}'. Gary Crosby and newcomer Nico Minardos are two more names for the marquee which should be especiall\ attractive to the vounger set. Paul Henreid's role as Latin America's most respected architect, and father of Minardos, an excitable young painter, whom Webb regards as a "Brazilian Beatnik," adds considerable charm to the picture. If there's any room left on the marquee, Nestor Amaral and his Orchestra and Jose Greco, the incomparable Spanish dancer, deserve a spot for their entertaining contributions, which are so well uitegrated into the film narrative. The teamwork of producer David Weisbart and director Henry Levin is in evidence throughout, ejffecting a well-knit, top-level production, most appealing to the eye, the ear and the funnvbone. Luther Davis' screenplay, based on the play by Ronald Alexander, is loaded with sparkling dialogue, made even brighter by Levin's direction and Webb's sense of comedy. The fun stems initially' from Webb's determination to fly with iMiss Wyman and his youngest daughter, Miss Lvnley, to Brazil to checkmate an apparent romance which he erroneously beHeves is being carried on between Henreid and his elder daughter. Miss St. John, while she is on a student tour of Latin America. Webb and family are surprised when the\' learn that Jill's interest lies in Minardos, Henreid's adopted son, whom she decides to marry after an extremely brief acquaintance. Henreid expresses interest in Jill's ability as a sculptress and adds more fuel to Webb's fiery reaction by offering her a scholarship which would require that she settle in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Webb gets a double dose of daughter difiiculty when Carol becomes starry-eyed with the attention tossed at her by lovestarved G.I.s at a U.S. missile base in Brazil, where their plane is forced to land for refueling. Gary Crosby is one of the G.Ls and he finds himself "de-stiiped" for his mad inaneuvers in following her to win her affection. Crosby, broke but in love with Carol, puts in for a 30-day leave due him, and traces her to Peru, where Webb has taken his family to see a bullfight and to attempt to discourage his daughters' suitors. Minardos and Henreid make their wav to Peru as well. Webb goes on a drinking spree after telling his daughter Jill she can do whatever she wants with regard to marrying Minardos, and hurts her deeply by offering no blessing for her choice. But he' comes to his senses, and in a hilarious drunk scene is mistaken for one of a group of celebrating bullfighters returning to Spain and taken aboard a plane, which later deposits him in Trinidad. Then Webb realizes his folly in trying to run his daughters' fives, and happily blesses their romantic impulses. Wally Brown and Henny Backus contribute to one of the film's funniest situations, in causing the Webb family and themselves to disrobe for suspicious customs inspectors. Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote the title song for the film. This film should have wide family and teenage appeal, and both of those patronage elements should be sought. They will find this delightful entertainment, and most important, thev are fikelv to tell their friends. Running time, 103 minutes. General classification. Release in August 1959. ^ ' Samuel D. Berns 'Room' Grosses $14,488 Mrs. Hepburn Dies Continental Distributing, Inc., has reported that its "Room at the Top" grossed $14,488 in the first seven days of its engagement at the Studio Theatre, Philadelphia. The week included the July 4th weekend. $40,362 for 'Soldiers' United Artists' "The Horse Soldiers" grossed $40, .362 for its second week at the Astor Theatre here, the company has reported. The Mirisch Co. production is being held for a third week. BOSTON, July 9— Funeral services were held at the First Baptist Church, Ariington, Mass., for Mrs. Rose Hepburn, wife of William Hepburn, Paramount booker. The deceased is also survived by a daughter, Joyce, and two children by a previous marriage. Columbia Branch Moves MILWAUKEE, July 9-The Columbia Pictures exchange here has been moved to the Warner Building, 212 W. Wisconsin Avenue. 'Paperbacks (Continued from page 1 outlets, including drug, variety ai. department stores, book shops, supe markets, and of course, newsstanc feature these books, always in pron nent positions, often in whole sho windows. In most instances, loci distributors of paperback books cl their utmost to plant as many "resi the book— see the movie" tieups ;i possible, for they know that th publicity attending most of the nr; tion pictures involved cannot beaten. Toronto Case Cited The article explains how an e:; hibitor can cash in on book tieup: One of the best promotions reportei recently was that executed by Victd Nowe, manager of the Odeon-Cari ton, Toronto, for "Rally 'Round tl: Flag, Boys," which was based oi the comic novel by Max Shuknai Contacting the Sinnott News Con pany and the Curtis Circulation Con pany, which distributed the Bantai Book movie edition, Nowe receive advertising space on 26 city-wdde de livery trucks and window display in 15 of the larger bookstores i Toronto, all at virtually no cost t the theatre! The majority of local distributor of paperback books keep in regula contact with area exhibitors, advij ing them of coming movie edition and supplying them with displa cards and any other promotion e material that may be available. L addition, as Nowe foimd out, mos distributors are more than anxious t^ display colorful posters on thei delivery trucks, especially during th' period when a book-based movie i scheduled to hit town. Distributor will also send copies of movie-book to reviewers on newspapers, maga zines, radio and television, and th< book trade press. Help on book tie ups can be obtained from the pub lishers themselves, as well. Pocke Books, for example, has a completf listing of its current and coming movie editions, specifying what typt of promotional material is or will be available for each. Says Popularity Increases It is further pointed out that the more popular the original book, the larger will be the paperback press run. Robert Travers' "Anatomy of a Murder," as a hardcover book, wa; the Number One best seller through most of 1958. In April of this year, Dell Publishing Company released the paperback edition, with a print-' ing of 1,900,000 copies. The article includes a list of motion pictures which have paperback tieups with major publishers. Some are current, others are awaiting release or still in production. Marcus Adds Another i k MILWAUKEE, July 9-Ben Mali cus' newest addition to his circuit i^Bthe North Star Drive-in Theatre, L**' Crosse, Wise. The Marcus circuij now totals 40 units.