The Exhibitor (1959)

4606 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR July 15, 1959 The Return Of The Fly Meeod"8a“ 20 th -Fox (Cinem'aScope) Estimate: Exploitable horror entry. Cast: Vincent Price, Brett Halsey, David Frankham, John Sutton, Dan Seymour, Dan¬ ielle De Mezt, Florence Strom, Janine Grandel, Richard Flato, Pat O’Hara, Barry Ber¬ nard, Jack Daly, Michael Mark, Francisco Villalobas, Joan Cotton. Produced by Bernard Glasser; directed from his screenplay by Ed¬ ward L. Bernds. Story: Brett Halsey, son of the original scientist who became the fly during transmu¬ tation experiments, determines to carry on his father’s experiments following the death of his mother. His uncle, Vincent Price, op¬ poses the plan, but finally gives in. Halsey is assisted by David Frankham, actually a foreign agent who plans to steal the secret of transmitting matter. Frankham overcomes Halsey in the laboratory and transforms him into the same part-fly monster as his father. The Fly breaks out, finds Frankham and his accomplices in crime, and puts an end to them. Price, trying to avert the same disaster that overtook the boy’s father, manages to capture the fly that bears Halsey’s head. Placed back in the machine, Halsey is re¬ constructed as a full human being. X-Ray: Like all too many successfull hor¬ ror entries, the original is far better than the sequel. Depending on exactly the same horror elements for shock, and lacking color that added much to the first presentation, this is never more than a fair horror subject. It also lacks the sustained story interest of the first “Fly.” It’s still exploitable fare, how¬ ever, and the cast led by Price is an able one. Houses that do well with horror packages should like this one, too. Tip On Bidding: Program rates. Ad Lines: “Out Of The World Of Atomic Mutation It Rises . . . With The Dread Curse Of The Father Upon It”; “The Most Monstrous Creation Of All . . . The Son Of The Fly.” The Son Of Robin Hood Melodrama (921) 20th-Fox 8lM' (CinemaScope) (Color by DeLuxe) (English-made) Estimate: Fair entry for kiddies and pro¬ gram. Cast: David Hedison, June Laverick, David Farrar, Marius Goring, Philip Friend, Delphi Lawrence, George Colouris, George Woodbridge, Noel Hood. Produced and directed by George Sherman. Story: Ten years following the death of Robin Hood, the Boy Prince of England is threatened by usurper Duke David Farrar. Regent Marius Goring appeals to the men of Sherwood Forest for help only to be told that Robin Hood is dead and that his former asso¬ ciates are awaiting the arrival of a son to take over. The meeting is interrupted by the arrival of Farrar and his men, who take Goring captive. The Hood heir turns out to be a daughter, June Laverick. She arrives at about the same time as does David Hedi¬ son, brother of the Regent who has just returned from the Crusades. The former close friends persuade Laverick to let Hedison pose as Robin Hood’s son, figuring correctly that a man could rally the fighting forces more effectively. Hedison and Laverick, posing as allies, get into Farrar’s castle to learn what they can and to smooth the way when it comes time for the attack. At showdown time, Hedison and Farrar battle it out until Farrar is killed. Hedison and Laverick are sure to see more of each other. X-Ray: Since the name of Robin Hood seems sure to attract the younger set, this entry is probably best suited for the pro¬ gram when the small fry can get at it. The yam is of average interest and the cast, direction, and production are okay. CinemaScope and color give the viewer a bit more value. George George wrote the screenplay with George Slavin. Ad Lines: “A New Outlaw King of Sher¬ wood Forest”; “New Heights Of Adventure.” UNITED ARTISTS The Rabbit Trap UA Drama 72m. (Hecht, Hill, Lancaster) Estimate: Programmer has interest. Cast: Ernest Borgnine, David Brian, Beth¬ el Leslie, Kevin Corcoran, June Blair, Jean¬ ette Nolan, Russell Collins, Christopher Dark, Don Rickies. Produced by Harry Kleiner; directed by Philip Leacock. Story: Ernest Borgnine is a draftsman with a loving wife, Bethel Leslie, and an eightyear-old son, Kevin Corcoran. He is a steady employee of a construction firm headed by aggressive, bull-headed David Brian, who has by-passed him for promotion a number of times. Borgnine finally gets off on a vacation that in the past has been skipped because of the pressure of business. The first day at the mountain lake, he and Corcoran go off in the woods to set a rabbit trap. That night he is summoned back by Brian, and they don’t have time to seek out the rabbit trap. He knows he is being practical by re¬ turning despite urging from Leslie to stay. The next morning he tries to explain to Brian about the rabbit trap and how he should go back, but Brian brushes him off. Corcoran tries to return to the lake alone by bus, but he is turned back by the bus driver. When Borgnine persists with Brian, the latter gives him a promotion and a raise, hoping that he will forget about the rabbit trap and the balance of his vacation. Leslie is happy, fig¬ uring that they can now afford to have an¬ other child and possibly buy a home. When they learn what Corcoran has done, their elation quickly leaves them. The next morn¬ ing, Borgnine informs Brian that he is taking the rest of his vacation and let the rabbit out of the trap. Brian informs him he is fired but the three return to the vacation spot and find the rabbit trap empty. X-Ray: An off-beat story staffed by cap¬ able people is to be found here. The tale of a steady employee who is taken for granted and whose job becomes more important than some of his family relations holds interest for the most part, and can probably go as part of the program or in the art and special¬ ty spots. The acting is good, and so are the direction and production. The screenplay is by J. P. Miller. Tip On Bidding: Program price. Ad Lines: “Caught In A Trap Of Cir¬ cumstance”; “He Told His Boss Where To Go — And Felt Good About It.” UNIVERSAL The Mummy Melodrama (5923) 88M U-I (Technicolor) (English-made) Estimate: Highly exploitable horror item. Cast: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Yvonne Furneaux, Eddie Byrne, Felix Ayl¬ mer, Raymond Huntley, George Pastell, John Stuart, Harold Goodwin, Dennis Shaw. Pro¬ duced by Michael Carreras; directed by Terence Fisher. Story: At the turn of the century, three English archaeologists, Felix Aylmer, his son Peter Cushing, and Aylmer’s brother, Ray¬ mond Huntley, search for the 4,000-year-old tomb of Princess Yvonne Furneaux, a high priestess, among the ruins in Eygpt. They ignore the warnings of mysterious Egyptian George Pastell, who forecasts grave conse¬ quences should they violate her tomb. Ayl¬ mer is shocked into madness while left alone briefly in the tomb. The party returns to England followed by Pastell and mummy Christopher Lee. The latter was a guard in the tomb of the princess having been buried alive with her body, and he was brough4 back to life at the tomb’s opening. Pastell’! mission is to destroy the invaders of the tomb using the power of Lee. Aylmer is killed, as is Huntley, while the police find it hard to believe Cushing’s story. Lee is about to kill Cushing when the startling resemblance of his wife to the dead princess 1 stops him. He carries her off instead after eliminating Pastell. The police and Cushing follow him through the swamn until they get a chance to riddle him with bullets and he sinks in the oozing swampland. X-Ray: Plugging, promoting, and exploit¬ ing will make a big difference in the re¬ turns from this entry. If advantage is taken . of the title and other aspects of the film, then it could give a good account of itself as part of the program. The story grows more and more interesting as time passes until a fast-moving climax is reached. The cast, direction, and production are okay. The use of Technicolor proves an asset. Jimmy Sangster wrote the screenplay. Tip On Bidding: Program rates. Ad Lines: “The Shriek of the Century”; “Its Evil Look Brings Madness; Its Evil Spell Enslaves; Its Evil Touch Kills!” FOREIGN Call Girls Melodrama 100m. President Films (German-made) (Dubbed in English) Estimates: Exploitable, but sordid, import for specialty houses. Cast: Claus Holm, Igmar Zeisberg, Kai Fischer. Directed by Arthur Maria Rabenalt. Story: Claus Holm leaves her home after an unhappy love affair and looks up a friend in Copenhagen. She has left Germany with¬ out papers and is in Denmark illegally. Ac¬ tually, the sumptuous store where her friend works is a cover for a vicious call girl racket, and Holm is forced into that life by threats of exposure to the authorities. She manages to fall in love with an honorable young man but is in constant fear of his finding out her real activities. They are to be married when the house is raided and Holm identi¬ fied as one of the call girls. All ends well as her fiance realizes he loves her regardless < of her past. X-Ray: This import tells a sordid tale, but is carefully made and not likely to offend adult audiences. Specialty spots could find it an exploitable title. Acting, direction, and production are quite satisfactory. The tale is a bit old-fashioned, that of the really good girl forced into a sordid life and reclaimed by the love of a good man. Ad Lines: “The Scandalous Story That Rocked The International Fashion World”; § “An Intimate Glimpse Into The Lives Of Girls Trapped In The Machinery Of Vice And Easy Money.” Elephant Gun Melodrama 84m. Lopert Films (Eastman Color) (English-made) (Filmed in Africa) Estimate: Okay action, meller for program. Cast: Belinda Lee, Michael Craig, Patrick McGoohan, Anne Gaylor, Eric Pohlmann, Pamela Stirling. Produced by Jack Stafford; directed by Ken Annakin. Story: Chief African game warden Patrick McGoohan has been corresponding with Belinda Lee in England for several years, and though they’ve never met, she agrees to come to Africa to marry him when her j mother dies. His brother, Michael Craig, also a warden, is against the marriage, convinced that he could never fall in love by mail. McGoohan has to go off to track an elephant herd that has wandered away, and Craig is forced to meet Lee. Gradually, they are drawn to each other as they await the ar¬ rival of McGoohan. Eighteen-year-old Anne Gaylor, daughter of a rancher who has been paying the natives to poach forbidden game