The Exhibitor (1959)

October 7, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 4643 go away with him, but after he has gone, she breaks away and flees toward the village. The Reverend Mother, Isobel Elsom, finds her missing, and the pedestal where a statue of the Virgin stood is now empty. Baker finds the French have sacked the town but is saved by gypsies, Katina Paxinou and Walter Slezak, and their sons, Vittorio Gassman and Carlos Rivas. The youths both fall in love with her. She chooses Gassman, who is be¬ trayed by his brother to the French guards, who kill him on his wedding day. In turn, Paxinou shoots Rivas, and Baker leaves with Slezak. They go to Madrid, where Baker becomes a cafe singer and the beloved of bullfighter Gustavo Rojo and of aging aristo¬ crat Dennis King. Rojo is killed in the ring, and Baker leaves King, heartbroken and dy¬ ing. She becomes reunited with Moore in Brussels, but turns him down, saying “Every¬ thing I love dies in my hands.” He tells her he had returned to the convent looking for her, that the statue of the Madonna had dis¬ appeared, and that drought and disaster had come to Miraflores. As his regiment marches off, Baker for the first time since abandoning the convent, goes to church to pray for his safety and her forgiveness. She then returns to Miraflores, goes to the chapel, sees the empty pedestal of the Virgin and falls pros¬ trate with grief. When she arises from her prayers, she sees the Virgin of Miraflores again standing on the pedestal. The rains come, the drought is broken, and the chapel is filled with thankful voices. X-Ray: There seems to be something for everyone in this tale of a woman torn by love for a man and love for religion and how she finally finds herself. There is ex¬ citement and unusual interest much of the I time in the story that starts in a convent and then wanders throughout Europe until the stirring climax. The play on which the film is based has been seen by millions the world over, and it seems logical that the audience awaiting it could be large indeed. A capable cast makes the most of the roles and the off-beat situations. Direction and production are of quality calibre and the use of Technicolor enhances the overall effort. Carroll Baker carries the lead role well enough, and there is fine support forthcoming from the others around her. A better cam¬ paign can mean better results here. The screenplay is by Frank Butler, based on the play by Karl Vollmoeller. Tip On Bidding: Higher rates. Ad Lines: “The Most Famous International Stage Spectacle Of Modern Times Now On The Screen”; “Colorful, Exciting, As Moving As Any Spectacle In Motion Picture History.” FOREIGN The 400 Blows Drama 98m. Zenith International (French-made) (English titles) Estimate: Off-beat entry for art spots. Cast: Jean-Pierre Leaud, Patrick Auffay, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy, Guy Decomble. Produced and directed by Francois Truffaut. Story: Jean-Pierre Leaud, 12, has a habit of getting into trouble at school, while at home he is merely tolerated by his mother, Claire Maurier, who is a tramp, and his father, Albert Remy, who loses himself in business to overcome a lack of love. Leaud runs away from home, depending on petty thefts to keep him going, and these finally culminate in his stealing a typewriter from the office of his father. He is caught trying to return it. Arrested and jailed, his parents inform the authorities that they can no long¬ er cope with him and urge that he be sent to an institution. Eventually, he escapes and heads for the sea, but once there, the realiza THE SERVISECTION is the only service of its kind giving full coverage listing, and reviews of all features and shorts in the domestic market. tion comes about that he must return or perish. X-Ray: The world of the small and the young is truly a terrifying or wonderful place, depending on the outlook and the cir¬ cumstances. In this particular case, it’s big and frightening, made even more so by hav¬ ing no one to turn to. The story of this youngster in trouble is off-beat yet interest¬ ing, and is aided by good performances, direction, and production. Attendees of art and specialty spots may clasp this to their bosoms. The screenplay is by Francois Truf¬ faut and Marcel Moussy. Ad Lines: “A Child Of The World Against The World”; “He Had No One To Turn To In All His Hours of Need.” Holiday Island C°ioS7 Brandon (F rench-Italian-made) (English titles) (Eastman Color) Estimate: Spicy, colorful, important Cast: Peppino De Filipo, Myriam Bru, Susanne Cramer, Isabelle Corey, Nadia Gray, Vittorio De Sica, Raf Mattioli. Directed by Mario Camerini. Story: The camera dwells on Ischia Island, a small resort off of Naples. Vittorio De Sica is overjoyed at the news that his wife is to have a child after years of trying. Four young men fired from their jobs by De Sica pool their money to have a holiday. When they spot their former boss, they de¬ cide to get even by casting doubt as to the real father of the baby. Peppino De Filipo is a lawyer defending a girl accused of in¬ decent exposure. One of the quartet falls in love with an attractive nurse, while the others concentrate on earning some money when their funds are lost to them. A French couple take on Raf Mattioli as a guide, with the youngster falling madly in love with the wife. She is attracted to him as well but the husband is ever watchful. A lawyer is concerned over a missing youngster who dived for some coins beneath the propellers of the ship and whom he never saw come to the surface. Everything works out hap¬ pily, with the boys confessing all to De Sica. He is so relieved that he rehires them. The lawyer finds the boy and gives him a lot of money in relief. The only one who suffers at the conclusion is the guide, who sees his love head for home. X-Ray: The colorful scenery as seen here is truly a thing of beauty, and add to this the comedy aspects of the entry, the good performances, and fine direction, as well as the large number of talents involved, and you have an entry that could be most pleas¬ antly received in the art and specialty houses. Interest is well maintained. Ad Lines: “A Thing Of Beauty And Fun To Behold”; “You’ll Have The Time Of Your Life On ‘Holiday Island’.” Paris Hotel Comedy 90m. Films Around The World (French -made) (English titles) (Eastman Color) Estimate: Cute comedy import. Cast: Charles Boyer, Francoise Amoul, Roberto Risso, Michele Philippe, Tilda Thamer, Julien Carette, Raymond Bussieres, Louis Seigner, Dary Cowl. Produced by Michel Safra; directed by Henri Vemeuil. Story: Manicurist Francoise Arnoul at the Paris Hotel is resigned to spend Christmas alone until she meets Roberto Risso, a hand¬ some young mechanic who poses as a guest while taking a car to the garage. She ac¬ cepts a lift and poses as the daughter of wealthy guest Charles Boyer, whose wife is away visiting mother. Boyer goes along with the gag when Risso wants to date her, even lending her some of his wife’s expensive finery. Risso uses the customer’s car again, and this time the police are alerted that it was stolen. Boyer is arrested in it as the couple leave him, and he has a rough night explaining to the police. Arnoul and Risso admit to being in love, but their relation¬ ship is almost upset until their real identi¬ ties are straightened out with Boyer’s aid. A wedding seems in order as Boyer’s wife notifies him she is returning before he can have any fun of his own. X-Ray: Cute and generally amusing is this lightweight entry for the art houses. The settings and events are Parisien, and as such have a special attraction all their own. Char¬ les Boyer is of course known the world over, and this may be of help in the selling. The cast performs well, and direction and production are capable. The entry as a whole is generally entertaining. The original screen¬ play is by Charles Spaak and Henri Verneuil. Ad Lines: “It’s Naughty But Nice”; “A Man’s Room And Anything Can Happen In ‘Paris Hotel’.” Sans Famille Drama 100m. U. M. P. O. (French-Italian-made) (English titles) (Color) Estimate: Fair film for art spots. Cast: Pierre Brasseur, Gino Cervi, Bernard Blier, Raymond Bussieres, Paulette Dubost, Joel Flateau, Jacques Moulieres, Maurice Teynac. Produced by Leon Canal; directed by Andre Michel. Story: Maurice Teynac arranges with thief Pierre Brasseur to kidnap and kill his baby nephew, Joel Flateau, so he can inherit a sizeable fortune. Brasseur, however, senses the possibility of blackmail, and instead boards the child with a family in the coun¬ try. At seven, he is sold to a wandering en¬ tertainer, Gino Cervi, who plans to use him in his traveling animal act. The two have difficulty adjusting to each other but even¬ tually become close. Brasseur tries to locate the boy while Cervi, who is old and tired, dies. The lad falls in with another youngster, and together they make their way to London. Brasseur tries to convince the lad he is his real father. The boy is eventually reunited with his real mother, and Teynac and Brasseur are arrested. X-Ray: There is a little bit of everything in this import, including a male version of Shirley Temple, French style, in the person of Joel Flateau. The lad gets a chance to shed tears, dance, and sing a bit. Some of the scenery is quite impressive in color. As for the story, interest is well enough main¬ tained, the cast is average, and direction and production are okay. Ad Lines: “The Story With A Heart;” “This Will Tug At Your Heart Strings . . . Warm And Wonderful.” Wild Strawberries Drama 90m. Janus (Swedish made) (English titles) Estimate: Artistic masterpiece for art houses. Cast: Victor Sjostrom, Bibi Andersson, Julian Kindahl, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Bjomstrand. Produced by Allan Ekelund; written and directed by Ingemar Bergman. Story: Elderly Victor Sjostrom is on his way to his old university to be honored for 50 years of medical practice. This impending recognition, coupled with a recurring dream of death, sets him to reappraising his life. Various outside factors contribute to this reappraisal, including his daughter-in-law’s acknowledgment of a marital crisis for which the old man is partly to blame and' an en¬ counter with three mixed-up but likeable teen-age hitch-hikers. Sjostrom’s interior vi¬ sion causes a self-examination which brings him to realize the havoc wrought by him as he forgot, as he achieved worldly success, that no man can isolate himself and live by and for himself alone. X-Ray: This effort of Ingemar Bergman, idol of the intelligentsia among cinema goers, is at one and the same time an artistic ( Continued on page 4644)