Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

6 Motion Picture Daily Friday, October 16, 1959 LEADERSHIP The capacity to lead develops naturally in certain people. It is so with some publications. In a publication, leadership develops naturally from Editorial Enterprise plus Journalistic Responsibility. These twin qualities are inherent in the very origin and growth of MOTION PICTURE DAILY. They are basic to the meaning of the phrase — All the News That Is News — in which the cornerstone of MOTION PICTURE DAILY policy is proclaimed in the masthead. They require that MOTION PICTURE DAILY's entire field of interests be constantly observed with knowledge of the business necessary to appreciate the significance to it of event and opinion . . . and that reports of everything newsworthy be verified for fact, and for authentic interpretation of fact. This process produces news — not rumors, not mere reports, but news — all of it that is news ! This isn't doing it the easy way. This way takes nation-wide, even world-wide reportorial resources. It requires editorial acumen, persistence, integrity. To pursue facts resourcefully, appraise them knowledgeably, verify them responsibly — that is MOTION PICTURE DAILY's way. It is imposed on personnel as the source — and the price — of leadership. MOTION PICTURE DAILY ALL THE NEWS THAT IS NEWS CONCISE AND TO THE POINT Tarzan, the Ape Man Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer That hardy perennial Tarzan is portrayed by the twelfth impersonator of the Edgar Rice Burroughs character, Denny Miller, in a new, Technicolor film. Based on the novel "Tarzan, the Ape Man," the story concerns, about equally, Tarzan's first encounter with Jane, and the quest of Jane's father's boat-captain to find the graveyard of the elephants, repository of a fortune in ivory, located in unmapped territory beyond the beyond. After several mishaps, the party finally reaches the legendary lost city. Again they are trapped, baited by hostile tribesman's ropes, to fall in an ingenious circle of fire. Tarzan's faithful ape reaches his master and communicates the danger. Tarzan arrives just in time, followed by a herd of elephants who destroy whatever native's huts aren't already consumed by fire. A dying elephant then takes the three-some to ihe graveyard, and the boat-captain's dream of fabulous wealth comes true. Jane chooses the untainted Garden of Eden, shared with Tarzan. Miller creates the familiar Tarzan image which fans enjoy. As Jane's father, a man weakened by drink and failure, Robert Douglas projects bafflement, while Cesare Danova does a good job as the boat-captain. Joanna Barnes plays Jane. The drums and brass of Shorty Roger's background composition and conducting heightens the rhythm of parts of the safari. Robert Hill wrote the screen version, and Joseph Newman, as director, fully utilizes some excellent African footage in the picture. Running time, 82 minutes. General classification. October release. Jerbold A. Weitzman The Scavengers Lynn-Romero — Hal Roach Hartford, Oct. 15 Vince Edwards and Carol Ohmart are top players in this taut suspenseful, intriguing melodrama shot on location in Hong Kong, Macao and Manila under the Lynn-Romero Productions banner and released stateside by Hal Roach. The competent John Cromwell directed from a story by Edgar Romero, and photographic effects were handled first-rate by Felipe Sacdalan. It figures to provide a rousing 79 minutes of dramatic entertainment. In Hong Kong, ex-smuggler Edwards sees his long-missing wife, Miss Ohmart, on a departing Macao ferry. He's aided in his efforts to locate her by Vic Diaz, an Oriental of unknown origin, and by the time he's found her, he learns, to his dismay, that Miss Ohmart is enslaved by dope addiction and involved in activity not entirely wholesome. It's disclosed that a miss ing three million dollars worth of foreign bonds, belonging to the Chinese National government, is the would-; be target of every light-fingered thief! from Macao to Singapore. Time, ap-j parently, is the only defense against even more thieves coming into the! situation. Murder and mayhem break out in! earnest, the while Miss Ohmart proclaims her devotion for the by-now-L thoroughly-confused Edwards. When hoodlums intent on capturing the!; choice loot find that Miss Ohmart'si much-battered trunk contains treas-| ure, the quest for her and baggage, is on in earnest. At the fadeout, the], doers of dastardly deeds including Miss![ Ohmart are apprehended or killed, and Tamar Benamy, night club dancer, is waiting for a now much-composed Edwards. Running time, 79 minutes. General classification. Release, in October. A.M.W. I The Magician Janus Films Hartford, Oct. 15c Sweden's Ingmar Bergman, fast-f looming as one of the most percept tive, brightest directorial lights of thej? post-World War II international;/ scene, both wrote and directed this! import. Moreover, he has the dis-H tinguished acting presence of Max von" Sydow, who played the knight in|| Bergman's memorable "The Seventh! Seal," as principal performer. As in Bergman's previous, individ-fj ualistic mode of film-making, "The;1! Magician" contains much symbolism;!1 he builds a given situation, providing'; it with substance, morality and dra-| matic ability. In a word, the Bergman touch, quite evident in his ear-l'. lier vehicles, is superlative entertain-" ment for the art theatre patrons o$ all ages. Mid 19th Century is the time, Sweni den the place, and a peripatetic enter-)1 tainment troupe the characters. The aforementioned Max von Sydow man-i ages the troupe and also demon-!' strates animal magnetism, among1 other feats. His wife, Ingrid Thulin, is garbed" is garbed as a spry young lad. By the time this weary conglomera^ tion treks into a remote community, the local authorities send forth word that they wish an immediate performance. It's at this point, perhaps, that the Bergmanian approach to dramatic con-j1 tinuity assumes the anticipated scope and stature; he delves perceptively, via assorted characters, either oncamera or within hailing distance, in-f to the intricate mores of the last century's humans. "The Magician'' evolves as a sociological study of first order. The picture has English suW titles. Running time, 102 minutes. General audience classification. Release, iri> October. A.M.W.