The Exhibitor (1955)

BUENA VISTA Davy Crockett, King Outdoor Of The Wild Frontier *95!^ (Technicolor) Estimate: Headed for higher returns. Cast: Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Basil Ruysdael, Hans Conreid, William Bakewell, Kenneth Tobey, Pat Hogan, Helene Stanley, Nick Cravat, Don Megowan, Mike Mazurki, Jeff Thompson, Henry Joy¬ ner, Benjamin Hombuckle, Hal Young¬ blood. Produced by Bill Walsh; directed by Norman Foster. Story: In 1813 hostility between the Indians and the white settlers in the south erupts into warfare, and General Basil Ruysdael (Andrew Jackson) and his troops try to quell the Indians. Among the volunteers is Fess Parker (Davy Crockett), who with his friend and fellow scout, Buddy Ebsen, assists the soldiers in finding and fighting the Indians led by chief Pat Hogan. The latter and many of his chiefs escape, and a lengthy hit-andrun battle follows. Parker and Ebsen track him down, but Ebsen is captured. As he is about to be tortured and killed, Parker challenges Hogan to a hand-to-hand battle and wins. Instead of taking the Indian’s life, he offers friendship and a chance to make an honorable peace. They go home, but the wanderlust hits Parker and he and Ebsen file for land further west in territory dominated by local bully Mike Mazurki. Parker takes on the title of magistrate, beating Mazurki in a fight. He receives word that his wife, Helene Stan¬ ley, has died. He is drafted into politics. Ruysdael, aiming for the presidency, en¬ dorses Parker for Congressman and they both win. Parker is lured away on a cross-country tour whereupon opponents try to push through a bill to deprive Indians of certain rights. He rushes back in time to defeat it. Through with Wash¬ ington, he and Ebsen join the fight Texas is waging for her freedom from Mexico. They are joined at the Alamo by gambler Hans Conreid and Indian Nick Cravat. As all are killed around him when a charge overwhelms the small force, Parker is last seen fighting off a horde of enemy soldiers. X-Ray: Despite the fact that the vari¬ ous episodes have been seen on television not once but twice, this should do highly attractive business not only with the youngsters, but with much of the adult population in many situations. Davy Crockett has captured American imagi¬ nations as have few heroes in such a short period of time, and this is evidenced by The original Pink Section evaluations of features and shorts Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Inc., Publishing office: 246-248 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York: 229 West 42nd Street, New York City, West Coast Representative: Paul Manning, 9628 Cresta Drive, Los Angeles 35, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; P. J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Albert Erlick, editor; Max Cades, business manager; George Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel Konecoff, New York bureau editor. SECTION TWO VOL. 54 • No. 5 JUNE 1, 1955 the tremendous sales of records and other associated items. The story is an inter¬ esting one that moves at a good pace. Parker and Ebsen make a fine team. Were it not for the furor and hullabaloo surrounding the Davy Crockett character, this might be an ordinary frontiersman vs. Indian action entry, but in view of the public reaction, much weightier con¬ sideration must be given and exhibitors would be wise to use all promotional aspects. There are immense possibilities for extra revenue in lobby and stand sales of related items. Two songs, “The Ballad Of Davy Crockett” and “Farewell,” are heard. The screen play is by Tom Blackburn. Ad Lines: “Rough . . . Tough . . . Battlin’ . . . Fightin’ . . . Shootin’. He’s ‘Davy Crockett, King Of The Wild Fron¬ tier’ “He Would Fight A Fierce Bear, A Savage Indian Or A Murderous Crook At The Drop Of A Hat”; “One Of The Greatest Fighters The Wild West Has Ever Seen.” MGM Love Me Or Leave Me Biographical Drama With Music 122m. (52 7) (CinemaScope) (Eastman Color) Estimate: High rating musical should hit the better money. Cast: Doris Day, James Cagney, Cam¬ eron Mitchell, Robert Keith, Tom Tully, Harry Bellaver, Richard Gaines, Peter Leeds, Claude Stroud, Audrey Young, John Harding. Directed by Charles Vidor; produced by Joe Pasternak. Story: Doris Day as Ruth Etting re¬ fuses to let a customer get fresh in a dime-a-dance hall and is fired. James Cagney, small-time Chicago racketeer of the 1920’s, offers to introduce her around. She knows his motives but agrees to per¬ mit him to get her a job. She is hired as a dancer but her real desire is to sing, and Cagney hires pianist Cameron Mitchell to coach her and make special arrangements. She goes far and Mitchell finds he is falling for her but is unable to break the hold Cagney has on her. Her debut is im¬ pressive and her climb up the ladder is assured, at which point Cagney is im¬ pressed and really becomes an active manager. His dictatorial attitude and man¬ ner cause nothing but dislike. With Rob¬ ert Keith to help, she goes into the Ziegfeld Follies. Mitchell refuses to string along. She is a hit, but Cagney incensed at being thrown out of the theatre when he tries to horn in backstage, breaks her contract and gets her out. Day can no longer fight Cagney when he insists on her becoming his wife. She gets bigger although the old enthusiasm is no longer there. She is signed to make a film and is reunited in Hollywood with Mitchell. They try to minimize their feelings, but Cag¬ ney knows. He tries to open a lavish night club and when Day asks for a divorce in the midst of everything else, he shoots Cameron. He is bailed out of jail in time FIRST in the entire trade press • • • MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR . . . both in The Pink Reviews as available, and in the alternating yellow Check-Up, . . . now lists, for your booking and playing knowledge, all pertinent data on the new techniques. Included h such data are: 1. ARE PRINTS AVAILABLE IN STEREOPHONIC SOUND? 2. WHICH SCREEN ASPECT RATIOS ARE AVAILABLE ON EACH PICTURE? 3. ON WHICH 3-D PICTURES ARE 2-D PRINTS AVAILABLE? 4. IS IT CINEMASCOPE . . . VISTAVISION . . . SUPERSCOPE . . . etc.? 5. ARE THERE ANY OTHER MECHANICAL PLUS-VALUES TO HELP THE GROSS? *AS USUALI The most useful and "theatre-wise” services will always come from the theatreman's mort serviceable weekly! 3969