The Exhibitor (1959)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 4577 April 22, 1959 REVIEWS The famous pink paper SA VEABLE SECTION in which Experienced Trade Analysts evaluate coming product Published every second week, as a separately bound and easily saveable section of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, this exclusive 24 year old service is both numerically more complete, and Informatively more candid, than any similar trade analysis. Cumulatively numbered by film seasons (September to September), It is recommended that readers consecutively save all REVIEWS sections in a permanent file. The last issue of each August will always contain a complete annual Index to close the season. Combined, the every second week yellow paper SERVISECTION indexes to the past 12 months' product, and the alternating every second week pink paper REVIEWS, represent a unique informative service to theatremen. Please address all Inquiries or suggestions about these two service features to the Editors of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, 246-49 N. Clarion St.. Philadelphia 7. Penna « w w v v J1E ‘ i " 1 inn APRIL 22, 1959 AMERICAN-INT. COLUMBIA Horrors Of The melodrama Black Museum America International (CinemaScope) (Eastman Color) (English-made) Estimate: Well-made horror entry. Cast: Michael Gough, June Cunningham, Graham Curnow, Shirley Ann Field, Geof¬ frey Keen, Gerald Anderson, John Warwick, Beatrice Varley, Austin Trevor. Produced by Herman Cohen; directed by Arthur Crab¬ tree. Story: Psychiatrist and hypnotist Emile Franchel in a prologue discusses the pros and cons of hypnotism prior to the actual story presentation, and he asks the audience to participate in several tests to help soften them for the horrors to come. The story concerns itself with London terrorized by a series of horrible murders which have Scotland Yard baffled. The police are needled by crime writer Michael Gough, who is actually behind the crimes, committing some and delegating others to his assistant, Graham Curnow, under the influence of hypnosis. The two men maintain a private horror museum with a display of murder and tor¬ ture devices rivaling that of Scotland Yard. June Cunningham, secret girl friend of Gough, has a fight with him and is beheaded. Beatrice Varley, proprietress of an antique shop where Gough has bought many of his weapons, guesses that Gough is behind the killings and tries to blackmail him. He kills her as well. When his physician guesses that there must be a connection between the crimes and Gough, he, too, is murdered and his flesh is decomposed in a vat of acid. Curnow has been carrying on a secret ro¬ mance with Shirley Ann Field, and when Gough catches him showing her the museum, he orders Curnow to kill her at a carnival. When he does, the crowd and police pursue him, cornering him atop the ferris wheel. He ties Gough in with the murders before being felled by a police bullet. He lands with his knife atop Gough, killing him as well. The reign of terror is now over. X-Ray: This entry presents horror on a grand scale after a bit of hocus pocus about hypnotism which serves as an introduction to the actual yarn. Some of it is a bit too gruesome for the young or the tender¬ hearted, but for others who like their screen offerings bloody and sensational, this is it. Its effectiveness is heightened all the more by the use of color, which ads considerably to the horror. The story is well presented, with interest well maintained. Direction and production are good. It should go well as either part of the show, exploitation or otherwise. The screenplay is by Aben Kandel and Herman Cohen. Ad Lines: ‘‘A New Thrill In A New Screen Dimension”; “A Shocker That Will Long Be Remembered.” Drama 110m Columbia (Reissue) Estimate: Well-made drama with music should get the business. Cast: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready, Joseph Calleia, Steven Geray, Joe Sawyer, Gerald Mohr, Robert Scott, Ludwig Donath, Don Douglas, Lionel Royce, S. Z. Martel, George J. Lewis, Rosa Rey. Produced by Virginia Van Upp; directed by Charles Vidor. For complete review please refer to page 1905, March 20, 1946. Hey Boy! Hey Girl! MuSsimL Columbia Estimate: Enjoyable romp for pop music fans. Cast: Louis Prima, Keely Smith, James Gregory, Henry Slate, Kim Charney, Barbara Heller, Asa Maynor, Sam Butera and the Wit¬ nesses. Produced by Harry Romm; directed by David Lowell Rich. Story: Keely Smith and Priest James Greg¬ ory convince Louis Prima to play a benefit for their church to send kids off to summer camp. Prima is attracted to Smith and meets her young brother, Kim Charney. Smith joins his band as vocalist and is an immediate success. She and Prima are in love, but Charney is terribly jealous, missing his sister’s attention. Prima, assisted by the members of his band, wins the youngster’s approval by accompany¬ ing him on gruelling hikes and taking an in¬ terest in natural history. Prima undertakes to raise money to provide the underprivileged kids with a permanent camp and is success¬ ful. He and Smith are wed. X-Ray: The story serves simply as a con¬ venient peg on which to hang a string of enjoyable musical numbers. Prima and Smith are far removed from rock ’n’ roll as we know it, and the difference is a fortunate one. Among the hottest night club personalities in the land, they put their musical talents to work with equal appeal on the screen. The musical numbers are well-staged and wellperformed, and the Prima-Smith duo should prove an attraction with appeal to a larger segment of the population than the usual lowbudget offering aimed at the teen market. The tunes have been published as sheet music and are available on long-playing records to pro¬ vide another valuable promotional assist. Ex¬ hibitors should tie up with music stores and local disc jockeys, winning wide play for the listenable score. Written by Raphael Hayes and James West. Tip on Bidding: Fair program rates. Ad Lines: “Applaud The Nation’s Top SongAnd-Fun Team In The Screen’s Top Musical Delight”; “Louis And Keely In Their First Starring Roles ... A Musical Treat For All The Family.” It Happened to Jane Comedy 98m. Columbia (Eastman Color) Estimate: Highly entertaining comedy. Cast: Doris Day, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Steve Forrest, Teddy Rooney, Russ Brown, Walter Greaza, Parker Fennelly, Mary Wickes, Philip Coolidge, Casey Adams, John Cecil Holm, Gina Gillespie, Dick Crockett. Executive producer, Martin Melcher; produced and directed by Richard Quine. Story: Pretty widow Doris Day supports her two children by gathering and selling lobsters. The negligence of the railroad owned by hard-boiled Ernie Kovacs causes a ship¬ ment to die. Determined to fight for her rights, Day sues and wins. Kovacs, angered, appeals to higher courts whereupon Day “attaches” the train that runs through her town. She is lionized by the press and be¬ comes a national hero. She appears on TV shows and receives a proposal from handsome reporter Steve Forrest, much to the chagrin of long-time admirer, faithful but unexciting Jack Lemmon. Kovacs, switching tactics, makes her a present of the train but cuts off all service to her town, turning the towns¬ people against Day. She and Lemmon decide to use the train to make a lobster shipment. Vindictive Kovacs, forced to give them a routing, sends the old train on the most roundabout way possible. Public resentment grows against Kovacs and even his aides be¬ gin to desert. Realizing the value of public relations, Kovacs switches character and helps them deliver the lobster. Day realizes Lem¬ mon is the guy for her and all ends happily. X-Ray: This is a highly entertaining family comedy that should delight customers, in all age groups. Kovacs, playing the meanest man in the world is an absolute delight, and Day and Lemmon supply their usual skillfully Lighthearted portrayals. The story is treated much in the nature of a fairy tale with one happily improbable scene following another. Even the lobsters have personality. Those groups crying for more family-type enter¬ tainment should find this a perfect answer. Aided by good name draw and a seeming return of public acceptance to comedy, this should find a happy audience. There are a couple of songs. The screenplay is by Norman Katkov. Tip on Bidding: Better rates. Ad Lines: “The Happiest Gal In The World Vs. The Meanest Man In The World”; “A Battle Guaranteed To Be The Year’s Top Laugh Riot”. The Young Land Western 89m. Columbia (Technicolor) Estimate: New faces spark western. Cast: Pat Wayne, Yvonne Craig, Dennis Hopper, Dan CyHerlihy, Roberto de la Madrid, Cliff Ketchum, Ken Curtis, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzales, Edward Sweeney, Miguel Camacho. A C. V. Whitney Presentation; produced by Patrick Ford; directed by Ted Tetzlaff. Story: In 1848, California, recently acquired by the U.S. from Mexico, is a haven for dan