The Exhibitor (1960)

4778 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 21, I960 lead. The screenplay is by Jesse L. Lasky, Jr., and Pat Silver based on a story by Sam¬ uel Newman. There’s even a song, “Eni Menie Geni.” Tips On Bidding: Okay program rates. Ad Lines: “Fxm For The Family”; “There Never Was A Genii Like This”; UNITED ARTISTS Exodus Melodrama 213m. UA (Filmed in Israel) (Technicolor) (Super-Panavision 70) (Preminger) Estimate: High rating. Cast: Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Richardson, Peter Lawford, Lee J. Cobb, Sal Mineo, John Derek, Hugh Griffith, Gregory RatofE, Felix Aylmer, David Opatoshu, Jill Haworth, Marius Goring, Alexan¬ dra Stewart, Michael Wager, Martin Benson. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger. Story: In 1047, Eva Marie Saint, an American nurse, arrives on Cj^rus to see the British commander. General Ralph Rich¬ ardson, to learn the details surrounding the death of her husband, a magazine photogra¬ pher who was killed covering action with the general. She finds that the island has been turned into a vast prison camp packed with Jewish refugees bound for Palestine, who were intercepted by the British navy. Seeing a need to take her mind off her own prob¬ lems, he suggests that she help out at the refugee camp where there is a need for medi¬ cal personnel. She is driven there by Major Peter Lawford, Richardson’s antiJewish aide. Meanwhile, Paul Newman, a leader in the Jewish underground in Palestine, arrives secretly to try to get as many refugees as possible off Cyprus in defiance of the British blockade. Saint becomes friendly with yoimg Jill Haworth for whom she feels im¬ mediate affection. Newman is able to get a battered old freighter fitted for the trip to Palestine. Disguised as a British officer, he is able to commandeer trucks and supplies and load the vessel which is named “Exodus.” When the ship’s path is blocked by British destroyers, the Jews vow to blow themselves up if boarded. They also go on a hunger strike, preferring death to imprisonment again. Eventually, world opinion permits the ship to sail with Saint on board to look after the ill. In Palestine, it’s evident that there are different factions who believe that differences should be settled in varying ways, with some seeking legal and peaceful solutions and others advocating force. Sal Mineo, youngster who survived the concentration camps and friend of Haworth, joins the Irgun, which be¬ lieves force is the answer. Tension mounts as the United Nations moves closer to a deci¬ sion on Palestine, and Saint and Newman get to know each other better. Saint hopes to take Haworth back to America and even¬ tually adopt her. Newman tries to dissuade his uncle, David Opatoshu, from using the Irgim to carry out further acts of terrorism, but he is turned down. Haworth eventually locates her father, driven mad by his con¬ centration camp experiences, but he doesn’t recognize her. The Irgun blows up British headquarters at one of the /hotels, and Opa¬ toshu and others are caught and condemned to die. Newman joins with the Irgun to plan a prison break which Mineo helps engineer. Opatoshu is fatally wounded and Newman is seriously hit. Saint, in love with him, nurses him back to health. The UN finally votes partition, and the Arab attacks mount with the British refusing to interfere. Arab leader John Derek, a friend of Newman’s, refuses to join in the attacks and is himself killed, Haworth is brutally killed by sneaking Arabs. She and Derek are buried together, and the battle to win the peace goes on. X-Ray: Another best seller comes to the large screen, and its impact is a mighty one. It should leave a deep impression on viewers with its dramatic import, its plea for tolerance towards fellow-man, its action and intrigue, its romance, its emotional highlights, its gratifying authenticity of locale and atmos¬ phere, its fine performances, and its capable direction and production, it is not the great¬ est picture ever made, but it is among the more impressive turned out. Some viewers may object to the length, some may protest deviation from the novel, and some may com¬ ment on cast selection, but that's their pre¬ rogative. At any rate, the best seller sales were impressive indeed, and the boxoffice results on the film should be ^ually impres¬ sive in practically all situations. This one can probably prove a winner with the road¬ show routine in many situations, with heavy advances reported in those houses where the film has already been booked. The use of color adds considerably to the entry. The screenplay is by Dalton Trumbo based on the novel by Leon Uris. Tips On isidding: Higher rates. Ad Lines: “The Fascinating Story Of A People”; “An Unusual Screen Experience.” FOREIGN Belles And Ballets 92m. Excelsior (Eastman Color) (French-made) Estimate: BaUet entry tor the art spots. Cast: Maurice Bejart, Michele Seigneuret, and featuring the stars of the B^et De L'Etoile of Paris. Directed and pmduced by Louis Cuny. Story: Ballet students are seen at a re¬ hearsal studio in Paris where thel go through a number of dances entitled “Recreation,” “The Belle and Her Feather Scarf,” based on the music of Rossini; “Symphony For a Lonely Man,” with the music of P. Schaeffer and P. Henry; “Hats,” with the music of Aaron Copland; “The Stranger,” using the music of Villa-Lobos; and “Lovers of the River Seine,” with the music of Guy Lafarge. X-Ray: Many of the numbers and sequences feature fresh and delightful material, and for those who enjoy this form of entertainment, the film offers an entertaining session. The dancers are attractive for the most part and graceful, and the choreography is well done. Production values are good and are enhanced by the use of color and colorful scenes and settings. It should do okay in the art spots, being a bit different in the ballet department. Ad Lines: “A Refreshing And Strictly Mod¬ em Film On Ballet”; “The Girls Are Beautiful And The Ballet Is Refreshing”. The Big Deal On Madonna Street Comedy 91m. United Motion Picture Organization (Italian-made) (English titles) Estimate: Highly entertaining comedy im¬ port. Cast: Vittorio Gassman, Renato Salvatori, Rossana Rory, Carla Gravina, Claudia Cardinale, Catlo Pisacane, Tiberio Murgia, Memmo Carotenuto, Marcello Mastroianni, Toto. Directed by Mario Monicelli; produced by Franco Cristaldi-Lux Films, Rome. Story: Vittorio Gassman learns the location of a pawn shop that seems a cinch for bur¬ glarizing, and he gathers together fellow con¬ spirators who are as short on experience as he is. They rent some tools from master bur¬ glar Toto, who also gives them instructions. In order to gain entry to the premises adja¬ cent, Gassman has to romance a maid, and he falls in love with her. The big night finally arrives, and after a series of mishaps they start to break through the wall that is sup¬ posed to take them into the pawnshop. In¬ stead, they wind up in the kitchen. They give up and settle for whatever food is avail¬ able in the refrigerator. In the morning. each goes his sepsirate way determined not to repeat the fiasco. X-Ray: This starts out on a serious note and gradually builds to situations of high humour and fun. Art house audiences should get a bang out of the on screen proceed¬ ings, the good performances, and the capable direction and production. It’s a pleasant change from the heavier fare that has been the general rule from abroad. The film holds a number of awards from abroad. Ad Lanes: “An Adventure In Comic Sus¬ pense”; “Fun For AU”; “The Big Deal That Is Big Fun.” The Devil’s Commandment melodra^ 7oM. RCIP (French-Italian-made) (Dubbed in English) Estimate: Horror meUer passes time. Cast: Gianna Marie Canale, Carlo D’¬ Angelo, Dario Michaelis, Wandisa Guida, Charles Fawcett, Renato Tontini, Antoine Balpetre, Paul Muller, Barbara London, A1 Lewis, Btert Goldstein, Larry Boston, Barbara Wohl, Ronny and Joy Holiday. Produced by Ermanno Donati and Luigi Carpentieri; directed >by Richard Ferda. Story: The Devil’s commandment is evi¬ dently “go ahead and kill.” Paris is gripped by terror when a killer murders beautiful young girls by strangulation. When found, their bodies are bloodless. The police in¬ spector and a yoimg journalist are unable to come up with clues which would lead to the murderer. However, when the journalist’s sweetheart is kidnapped he follows to an ancient castle occupied by Duchess Gianna Marie Canale. After a lot of monkey business involving a crazy old scientist, etc., it turns out that, Canale has to have young blood to keep her from turning into a hideous old woman, which she is. X-Ray: This cinematic excursion in horror is well enough made emd enacted, but it is pretty tinbelievable and the preponderance of dark photography is no help. The dub¬ bing job is not of the best. This is not of art house Ccdibre and will only serve as filler on the lower half of exploitation houses. Ad Lines: “The Mad Scientist Who Used Beautiful Girls As His Victims”; “You Will Be Shocked When You Learn The Secret Of ‘The Devil’s Commandment’.” The Shorts Parade THREE REEL CINEMASCOPE COLOR NOVELTY JAPAN. Buena Vista. 28m. Another in the “People and Places” series in Technicolor and Cinemascope this depicts the Japanese in every phase of their family and social life, showing a race in transition from ancient glories and mysterious isolation to modem statehood in the family of nations. EXCEL¬ LENT. NOVELTY PULL MY DAISY. 27m. D’Antonio. Strictly for art, specialty spots this is one of the first genuine beatnik experimental shorts. It may mean something to some people; but for the average moviegoer it is a real nothing. Photo¬ graphy is fair; silently shot acting is terrible; and off-screen commentary is incomprehensi¬ ble. As far as we could figure out, a man and his wife and their beatnik friends sit around at a so-called party and expound so-called philosophies and alleged poetry and play some chords of way out jazz music on several instruments in their crummy East Side fiat, while the camera wanders as does every¬ thing else. Finish has husband and wife having a fight, with the husband, who is a railroad brakeman in working hours, going off with his beatnik friends into the night. Sorry, we just didn’t understand it. This is a