The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE SERVISECTION 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, 8141 Blackburn Avenue, Los Angeles 48, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; P. J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Albert Erlick, editor; Max Cades, business manager; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel Konecoff, New York editor. SECTION TWO i a kii i a n v n i n r — y voL.57.No.li JANUARY 9, 1957 ALLIED ARTISTS The Cruel Tower Melodrama (5629) 88m. Estimate: Okay thriller for lower half. Cast: John Ericson, Mari Blanchard, Charles McGraw, Steve Brodie, Peter Whitney, Alan Hale, Rico Alamiz, Diana Darrin, Barbara Bell Wright, Carol Kelly, Tim Ryan. Produced by Lindsley Par¬ sons; associate producer, John M. Bur¬ rows; directed by Lew Landers. Story: John Ericson is thrown off a freight after being robbed by vagrants and is found unconscious by itinerant steeplejacks Peter Whitney, Steve Brodie, and Charles McGraw. They take him to their trailer camp, where he is nursed back to health by McGraw’s girl, Mari Blanchard. Although he has a fear of high places, Ericson joins them in their work on high towers. He also falls in love with Blanchard. They try to keep it a secret from McGraw, who is drinking heavily. McGraw taunts Blanchard about her past, abuses Ericson over his fear. Barroom brawls become frequent, but when a rival steeplejack gang tries to sabotage their work, they are driven off with the men again rallying to McGraw. Finally, McGraw contrives a so-called “accident” on Brodie, whom he has been led to believe has been secretly seeing his estranged wife. Later, McGraw taunts Ericson about his being scared and sneers at his friendship with Blanchard while they are high on the tower. In attempting to push Ericson off the tower, the liquorsodden McGraw loses his balance and falls to his death. Ericson and Blanchard start life together anew. X-Ray: This down to earth meller of the work and drab life of steeplejacks can boast good direction. It has been played with power and conviction by practically the entire cast. Screenplay by Warren Douglas, based on novel by William B. Hartley, is also a taut job. The picture should find its niche without any trouble as a programmer or on the lower half. This bears a Legion of Decency “B” rat¬ ing. Ad Lines: “The Towering Thrills Of The Men And Women Who Take A Chance — On Anything”; “The Savage Peak Of Man-Woman Fury”; “The Kid Had Never Climbed So High — So The Babe Showed Him The Way — Step By Step.” BUENA VISTA Cinderella Cartoon (Disney) ^4m‘ (Technicolor) Estimate: Reissue is topnotch Disney. Credits: Directed by Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi; production supervision by Ben Sharpsteen; produced by Walt Disney. X-Ray: This reissue was first reviewed in The Servisection in December, 1949, at which time it was released through RKO. It was said at that time: “The old Disney is back again in fine shape with an entry that will enthrall young and old alike and with a huge, ready-made audience waiting for this cartoon version of the old fairy tale. It unfolds in delight¬ ful fashion with just the proper touches and a number of hit tunes, in addition to introducing several new cartoon char¬ acters. The color and special effects are in the proper vein, and, all in all, this should represent a hefty return' at the boxoffice. It is all-cartoon. Among tunes heard are: “Cinderella,” “So This Is Love,” “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Cinderella Work Song,” “The Magic Song,” and “Sing Sweet Nightin¬ gale.” Ad Lines: “A Joy For Young And Old Alike”; “Disney At His Best”; “Another All-Cartoon Hit From The Disney Stu¬ dios.” COLUMBIA Wicked As They Come Melodrama (132) 94m. (Made in England) Estimate: Fair meller for the program. Cast: Arlene Dahl, Phil Carey, Herbert Marshall, Michael Goodliffe, David Kossoff, Marvin Kane, Sidney James, Gilbert Winfield, Patrick Allen, Ralph Truman, Faith Brook, Alastair Hunter, Larry Cross, Jacques Frunius. Produced by Maxwell Setton; directed and screenplay by Ken Hughes. Story: Poor but beautiful Arlene Dahl manages to win a fixed beauty contest, winning a trip to Europe. She meets ad¬ vertising executive Phil Carey, who is attracted by her charms but repelled by her obviousness, ruthlessness and desires to get ahead. London photographer Michael Goodliffe falls for Dahl, and she takes advantage of the situation by run¬ ning up bills he can’t afford to pay and then running out on him. She gets a job in the office of Carey’s boss, Herbert Marshall, who also falls for her. She is prepared to steal Marshall from his wife when she learns that the business is ac¬ tually controlled by his father-in-law, Ralph Truman, an elderly widower. She maneuvers Truman into marrying her. Now rich, but still dissatisfied, Dahl real¬ izes she loves Carey. Mistaking Truman for a prowler, she kills him. Carey learns that Dahl’s emotional tangle stems from the fact that she was raped as a teenager and has subconsciously been wreaking vengeance on all men since. She is con¬ victed of murder and sentenced to hang as no one believes the story of the prowler. Carey discovers that the prowler was actually Goodliffe and convinces him to testify. Dahl’s sentence is commuted, but neither she nor Carey is certain what the future holds. X-Ray: Arlene Dahl is quite a lovely femme-fatale, although some of the situ¬ ations in this drama of the evil woman stretch credibility. A capable cast gets the most out of the material, but a too de¬ liberate pace tends to slow down pro¬ ceedings. It is satisfactory program fare, with certain elements of mystery and suspense. Production is slick, but the result is vaguely reminiscent of the vamp who ruined men on the screen years ago. It’s a bit hard to believe even so lovely a marksman as Dahl could so consistently hit the bullseye with every man in sight. The bears a Legion of Decency “B” rat¬ ing. Tip On Bidding: Fair program rates. Ad Lines: “For Every Man Who Be¬ trayed Her, A Hundred Men Had To Pay”; “What She Wanted Out Of Life, She Got Out Of Men”; “The Story Of A Bad Girl . . . And The Men Who Made Her That Way.” MGM Edge Of The City (714) I,5J" Estimate: Off-beat drama has much merit and many angles. Cast: John Cassavetes, Sidhey Poitier, Jack Warden, Kathleen Maguire, Ruby Dee, Robert Simon, Ruth White, William A. Lee, Val Avery, John Kellogg. Di¬ rected by Martin Ritt; produced by David Susskind. Story: John Cassavetes, deserter from the Army, turns up in a waterfront rail¬ road yard and gets a job through Jack Warden, using a phony name and agree¬ ing to give gang boss Warden a cut of his pay every week. Another gang leader, Negro Sidney Poitier, takes a liking to him and offers advice and friendship. Cassavetes thinks constantly of home, a father who was rough on him, and a lov¬ ing mother. Poitier helps him find a room and gets permission for him to transfer to his work crew. He even promotes a friendship and romance between Cassa¬ vetes and Kathleen Maguire. Their friend¬ ship is resented by Warden, who picks a fight with Cassavetes. He is actually gun¬ ning for Poitier and the latter obliges him. They fight with loading hooks and Warden kills the Negro. The police in¬ vestigate but get nowhere because of fear of Warden. Cassavetes, too, is afraid and thinks of returning home to his parents, who forgive him his past and want him home. A visit to Poitier’s wife, Ruby Dee, shows him he is doing wrong by running away. He sends for the police before go¬ ing into battle with Warden, who he is determined will pay for Poitier’s murder. He is also prepared to straighten out his own life, with Maguire waiting for him. X-Ray: An analysis of this dramatic entry will show that it can play and play well in many situations, while in others exhibitors may have to avoid showing this off-beat film. For instance, in the south an exhibitor will have to think twice about booking the feature that shows white and Negro living as friends, visiting with each other, etc. Elsewhere, 4273