The Exhibitor (1960)

Aw » Kirk Douglas and his slave-army battle the Romans in "Spartacus," the $12,000,000 Bryna Production starring Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, and John Gavin. Walston, Virginia Grey, Anna May Wong with Richard Basehart and Dennis Kohler give this picture produced by Ross Hunter and directed by Michael Gordon exciting elements for the U-I successful “Pre-Sell” campaigning. These three pictures, ready for release, and nearing completion are apart from more than 25 productions detailed by Rackmil at the Sales Executives Conference. The first of the 25 -odd has just gone into production at Universal. It is “Midnight Lace,” the Ross Hunter Production for U-I Arwin. It stars Doris Day, Rex Harrison, Myrna Loy and John Gavin with Himter and Martin Melcher producing and David Miller directing. To fol¬ low is “Day of the Gun,” a tentative title subject to change. This is a Bryna Produc Names Make News At Busy U-I “Names make news and also box office success,” Universal-International proclaimed in its recent eight page advertising insert appearing in the industry’s trade publica¬ tions, listing 16 new productions and three others to be released after Easter, during the summer, and in the fall. Under any circumstances, the listing of 16 new productions with top box office names would be good news to the exhibitors of the world. Coming at a time when there is a deep concern about a steady flow of product, the Universal announcement is most pro¬ pitious in view of the Company’s perform¬ ance during the past year. It has seen it deliver a succession of box office hits start¬ ing with “The Perfect Furlough,” and follow¬ ing through with “Imitation of Life,” “This Earth Is Mine,” and “Pillow Talk.” And U-I has already started 1960 with “Operation Pet¬ ticoat,” which is on its way to becoming the biggest grossing picture in the history of the Company. Universal has stressed repeatedly during the past year that actual munbers of pic¬ tures are not important but rather the amount of playing time they can successful¬ ly command at the nation’s theatres and the theatres of the world. The mere listing of 19 pictures by Uni¬ versal in a trade advertisement while sig¬ nificant for a Company that has stressed quality rather than quantity during the past year, is not the full story. The full story can only be told by the “insiders” at Universal who have heard the Company’s dynamic president Milton R. Rackmil, outline at least 25 new productions in various stages of prep¬ aration and production. These will not nec¬ essarily go into production during the calen¬ dar year 1960 but they provide stirring evidence of Universal’s determination to stay on top with a steady flow of impressive box office films. Rackmil recently told the Company’s stock¬ holders that Universcd will put fifteen im¬ portant box office films into production dur¬ ing the next six months. This statement was based on actual commitments Universal now has with the personalities involved with starting dates being fixed. Beyond the six months period, additional projects which are set bring the nnmber to more than 25. During the final sessions of Universal’s week-long Sales Executive Conference in New York last January, Rackmil outlined a schedule of pictures planned ahead with some of the industry’s biggest names starting in properties devised for blockbusters boxoffice results. “What Is Coming From Universal?” The answer for every exhibitor to read follows. The exhibitor already knows that “The Snow Queen” was released around Easter, backed by the same type of “pre-sold” campaign which has characterized the Company’s succession of hits of the past year. This will be followed by “Portrait In Black” during the early part of the summer. In September, the industry will see the World Premiere of “Spartacus,” the most ambitious and costly film production ever made in Hollywood (“Ben Hur” and “The Ten Commandments” were not produced in Hollywood), and one which is destined to have a tremendous impact upon motion pic¬ ture patrons throughout the world. This Bryna Production in Technirama, more than a year in actual shooting, is scheduled for fall release in selected road show engagements which are now being set. The picture stars Kirk Douglcis, Laurance Olivier, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov and John Gavin, all names that should make news. Names also make news in the cast of “Por¬ trait in Black”. Lana Turner, Anthony Quinn, Sandra Dee, John Saxon, Lloyd Nolan, Ray tion starring Rock Hudson and Kirk Doug¬ las, which is to be shot in Mexico with Eugene Frenke and Edward Lewis produc¬ ing and Robert Aldrich directing. There are still two feminine names to be added to this cast. Almost at the same time in London, pro¬ duction will start on the new Grandon Pro¬ duction “The Grass Is Greener,” starring John Gavin and Sandra Dee I Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum i and Jean Simmons with Stanley Donen pro | ducing and directing. Also set to start in a I few weeks are “Romanoff and Juliet,” in | which Peter Ustinov will star with Sandra I Dee and John Gavin and which he will I produce and direct in Italy. “The Great Im 1 poster,” which will star Tony Curtis with t Robert Arthur producing and Robert Mulli i gan directing, is also set to start within i the next month, giving Universal five pic¬ tures in production during the coming weeks. Liam O’Brien is putting the finishing touches j on the script of “The Great Imposter” based ^ on the Life Magazine story and the best J selling book. Left to right are Rock Hudson, Deborah Kerr, Marlon Brando, Susan Hayward, and Robert Mitchum. 24 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR April 27, I960 4