Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

iday, October 28, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 7 et for Miami in December Special to THE DAILY MIAMI, Oct. 27. — Theatres of is resort city will offer at least four served-seat attractions to visiting urists and residents in December. The long-dark Roosevelt Theatre at iami Beach will be reopened by e Caplan Brothers on Dec. 26 with e southern premiere of "The lamo." "Spartacus" will have its uthern premiere at Wometco's new 53rd Street Theatre on Dec. 15, ixodus" at Florida States' Sheridan heatre on Dec. 21, and "Pepe" at randt's Lincoln Theatre in Decem:r, following the conclusion of the len-Hur" engagement. )ur Reserved-Seat Shows REVIEW: MPAA Board Hkhigan Premiere ){ 'Spartacus' Nov. 3 Special to THE DAILY DETROIT, Oct. 27. The gala ichigan premiere of "Spartacus ' ill take place at the Madison Theae on Nov. 3, for the benefit of the ariety Club's Growth and Delopment Center at the Children's ospital of Michigan. The house will be scaled from $50 $5 and the hope is that over 20,000 will be netted. Full dress is rtional. Governor a Chairman The Hon. G. Mennen Williams, ivernor of the State of Michigan, id the Hon. Louis C. Miriani are jnorary co-chairman. The premiere )mmittee is chaired by Irving Gold;rg. Other representatives of the indusy include Mrs. Thomas W. Byerle, oodrow R. Praught, Carl Shalit and 'illiam M. Wetsman. John F. Pival : station WXYZ and WXYZ-TV repsents radio and tv and the balance ' the committee are representatives : business and social interests. The Center will include a clinic id laboratory for the care and study ' children with deviations from the lual growth and development. This a need now totalling lacking in ie community and which is intended so to lead to research. Aim at $35,000 The sum of $10,000 has already sen earmarked to begin the work id it is anticipated that by the first ' the year another $25,000 will be ised. <ewis Signs Green HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 27. Mort ■reen, television and radio writer, is been retained by Jerry Lewis oductions and Paramount to serve creative assistant in planning and eparation of future motion picture id television film properties on the -wis schedule. Green, who will work closely with 5wis on all writing projects, asmes his new post with the comedian i Monday. A Breath of Scandal Ponti-Girosi — Paramount To capture the spirit of Vienna in its carefree preWorld War I days —the setting of this comedy of manners from a play by Ferenc Molnar— color cameras were dispatched right to the spot. Most of the filming was done in the quaint Austrian city proper with some studio interiors made in Rome. This was a wise decision on the part of producers Carlo Ponti and Marcello Girosi, for the best thing about "A Breath of Scandal" is its vivid creation of milieu. The eyes of the spectator are dazzled with pretty picture-postcard views of such tourist attractions as Belvedere Palace, Prein Castle, Maxim's, the Prater Amusement Park and many others which comprised the playground of Emperor Franz Joseph and his court at the height of its glory in the early part of the century. Almost "as much a treat for the eye are the expensive, splendiferous, and seemingly authentic costumes in which the entire cast has been attired. The story played out before these stunning settings-and more than slightly overwhelmed by them-is a typical bit of fluff from Molnar about the romantic intrigues of the aristocracy of the period. The script by Walter Bernstein comes from the stage play called "Olympia" as adapted by Sidney Howard. Leading performers are Sophia Loren, John Gavin, and Maurice Chevalier with Isabel Jeans and Angela Lansbury in principal support. „ Miss Loren, who has played everything on the screen from a kept woman in modern New York to an entertainer in the Old West, is here cast as an Austro-Hungarian princess, who, although pledged to wed a foreign prince, falls in love with an American businessman (Gavm). Will she do her duty or answer the call of true love? Naturally the latter course is the one she eventually takes. The "scandal" consists of Miss Loren's romantic carryings-on with Gavin, which actually are innocent. After their first meeting they spend the night together at the hunting lodge of the princess and late in the film he forces her to spend a weekend with him there. In both cases some amorous by-play builds up to a climax in which indiscretion is shunned by both. Miss Loren makes a game try at the role with only passing success. Gavin seems stiff and uncomfortable as her American lover. Chevalier exudes charm in his customary fashion as the father of Miss Loren, and Miss Jeans is amusing as her decorum-conscious mother. Michael Curtiz directed. The exquisite cinematography was by Mario Montuori and the elegant wardrobe design by George Hoyningen-Huene. Running time, 98 minutes. Release, in Novmber. b Richard Gertner ( Continued from page 1 ) novel title, "The Internes." The arbitration committee found in September that there was no conflict in the titles, and Columbia appealed to the MPAA board. The latter, after hearing arguments yesterday by Paul Lazarus, Jr., for Columbia, and Charles Flicker for U.A., upheld the arbitration committee. It was pointed out that under procedural rules in title cases, the governing consideration is not the meaning or definition of key words, but the similarity of such words. It was stated, by way of example, that if this were not the case the titles "Spartacus" and "The Gladiators" would have been in conflict, but are not considered to be. Johnston Reports Eric Johnston, MPAA president, reported to the board on his recent meeting in Hollywood with the Screen Producers Guild, which is seeking representation for its members on the boards of both MPAA and the Association of M.P. Producers. Johnston reportedly has offered SPG places for four of its representatives on the boards of the two organizations. No action was taken or called for by yesterday's meeting and it is not known whether it will be on agenda for the next MPA board meeting, now set for next Thursday. No Action on Industry Drive The proposal of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations for a united industry attack on a variety of major industry problems did not come up at yesterday's meeting. Also, no official report was made on results of the industry-sponsored move to collect Presidential campaign contributions from industry employes nationwide, but interim information was made available to interested directors and will be released by MPAA today. Three Seek Membership Col. Meetings To Aid Hospital Week On SAG Directorate From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 27. Three independent candidates have filed for election to the board of directors of the Screen Actors Guild, it was disclosed last night when ballots were mailed to the organization's more than 14,000 members. Eighteen candidates were nominated by the organization's nominating committee for 18 positions open on guild board. Thus 21 are viewing 18 offices. George Chandler, incumbent president of the Guild, is unopposed for another one-year term. Also unopposed are following non-incumbents: Dana Andrews, nominated for first vice-president; James Garner, second vice-president; John Litel, third vicepresident; Ann Doran, recording secretary; Frank Faylen, treasurer. Results of the election will be announced at die guild's Hollywood general membership meeting at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Nov. 21. (Continued from page 1) lustrated with film, tape recordings and display material, are up-to-date replicas of the London showmanship meetings held last summer by Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., Columbia's executive in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation. Purpose of these special provincial presentations is to tell exhibitors of Columbia's showmanship plans on three films: "Song Without End, the Story of Franz Liszt," "Pepe," and "The Guns of Navarone." The presentations will be held in Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Cardiff. Kenneth N. Hargreaves, managing director of Columbia Pictures Corporation Ltd., will visit Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow, while E. J. Bryson, Columbia sales manager, will be present in Birmingham and Cardiff. Alan Tucker, director of publicity, and Patrick M. Williamson, advertising manager, will introduce the presentation. United Hospital Fund of New York will observe Hospital Week in member Theatres of the Metroplitan Theatre Association Oct. 30-Nov. 6. Last year Mrs. Dave Garroway, chairman of Hospital Week reported coin box collections in lobbies of MPTA Theatres amounted to $12,000. The money goes to 82 of New York's voluntary, non-profit hospitals. Parker, Ebsen Partners HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 27. Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen have announced the formation of their own company to produce frontier motion pictures in which both will appear. Two Join SPG HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 27. Irwin Allen and John Sturges are the two latest producers to join the membership roster of the Screen Producers Guild. This brings SPG's total membership to 181.