The Exhibitor (1964)

5131 February 5, 1964 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR The Dream Maker Musical 87 M. Universal (Color) (English-made) Estimate: Pleasant programmer. Cast: Tommy Steele, Michael Medwin, Angela Douglas, Jean Harvey, Bernard Bresslaw, Walter Hudd, John Tate, Janet Henfrey, Richard Goolden, plus guest appear¬ ances by John Barry, the Clyde Valley Stompers, Russ Conway, Johnny De Little, Carol Deene, Shane Fenton and the Fentones, Dick Kallman, Geoff Love, Marion Ryan, Danny Williams, and the George Mitchell Show. Produced by Norman Williams; di¬ rected by Don Sharp. Story: Tommy Steele is an assistant to Michael Medwin in a British recording com¬ pany, and the latter takes the credit for the former’s discoveries. Steele is continually chided by his secretary and girl friend, Angela Douglas, for letting Medwin get away with this. She is also puzzled by his disappear¬ ances every Sunday afternoon, and a co¬ worker suggests that he may have a wife and kids somewhere. Half of this is true as he visits an orphanage every weekend where he once was an inhabitant. The kids love him and the little goodies he brings them. When their eviction is threatened, he decides to put on a benefit after telling Douglas the truth, and he lines up the willing talent. Their letters of confirmation are lost. The theatre is packed that night, but no talent, so Steele goes out and entertains until Doug¬ las begins to round up the singers and dancers. Medwin, who fired Steele, realizes that they had a potential star under their wing all along, and they try to get him back under much better terms. Everybody’s fu¬ ture looks better with the orphanage saved and Steele and Douglas together. X-Ray: This is a swingin’ programmer fea¬ turing Britain’s younger singers, most of whom are relatively unknown here. The story is pleasant; the acting is fair; the direction and production are okay; and the plot is a slight and familiar one. The whole is dressed in color, and it should do okay as a sup¬ porting feature for the younger set. The screenplay is by Leigh Vance. Ad Lines: “The Swinginest Fun Fest For All The Family”; “It’s Fun All The Way.” Young And Willing Drama 110M. Universal (English-made) Estimate: Interesting drama. Cast: Virginia Maskell, Paul Rogers, Ian McShane, Samantha Eggar, John Hurt, Catherine Woodville, David Sumner, John Standing, Johnny Briggs, Johnny Sekka, Jeremy Brett, Charles Kay, John Barrie. Produced by Betty E. Box; directed by Ralph Thomas. Story: Ian McShane is sent to college by his family at a sacrifice, and he does welli without too much studying. He is good at rugby, having fun and romancing Samantha Eggar, but he and his friends are also a nuisance to the townfolk. He is admired by roommate John Hurt, who appreciates being treated as one of the crowd because of McShane’s influence. At a cocktail party at the home of professor Paul Rogers, McShane sounds off, which intrigues Rogers’ wife, Vir¬ ginia Maskell, who has been having affairs now and again with students in her hus¬ band’s classes. Rogers is aware of the affairs but chooses to ignore them. McShane becomes infatuated with Maskell and asks her to run off with him, but she refuses. There is a scene when Rogers returns after being away for several days. McShane also plans on do¬ ing something spectacular for annual Rag Day to publicize it. The suggestion is made to plant a banner atop the tall University tower. He needs a companion, and the only one willing to go is Hurt. He tries to dissuade him to no avail. They reach the top but getting down is difficult and Hurt falls to his death. Though cleared by the coroner, McShane is dismissed from the university which makes Rogers sad because he was a potential scholastic genius. The future is not at all certain for this confused young man. X-Ray: Off-campus life in a British uni¬ versity town is placed on exhibition here with its problems, loves, carousing, and com¬ plications, and the result is suitable for adult viewing, what with some of the language and situations, in either the art and speciality spots or in some of the regulation playoffs. Performances are quite good with McShane fine as a rebel who can’t find himself. He gets some worthy support from the others around him. The direction and production are competent, with the screenplay by Nicholas Phipps and Mordecai Richler. Ad Lines: “College Students Footloose And Fancy Free”; “He Wanted The Answer To One Question — How Do You Learn To Stop Hurting People?” WARNERS Dead Ringer Drama 115M. Warners Estimate: Interesting drama. Cast: Bette Davis, Karl Malden, Peter Lawford, Philip Carey, Jean Hagen, George Macready, Estelle Win wood, George Chandler, Mario Alcade, Cyril Delevanti, Monika Henreid, Bert Remsen. Directed by Paul Henreid; produced by William H. Wright. Story: After a separation of 18 years, Bette Davis meets her twin sister, also Bette Davis, at the funeral for the latter’s dead husband, who died of a heart attack. It seems that the widow took the dead man away from her sister through a false claim of being preg¬ nant. The unmarried sister owns and op¬ erates a small cocktail lounge. When the latter learns that the pregnancy claim was just a trick, she decides to kill the widow and take her place as a wealthy and re¬ spected matron. She disregards an indirect proposal of marriage made her by police ser¬ geant Karl Malden. She lures her sister to her apartment, writes a suicide note claiming business troubles as the cause for the decision to take her life, and then kills her. She changes clothing with her and eases into the other’s life. The staff is a little puzzled by certain changes, but she is more or less convincing. She can’t convince Peter Lawford, an unprincipled lover of her sister, and he threatens to take away her entire fortune. She gives him a few jewels to keep him quiet which he tries to pawn. This alerts police, who search his room and find arsenic. A quarrel between Lawford and Davis re¬ sults in Davis’ dog killing Lawford. By now the police are interested in the death of the husband, and his body shows traces of arsenic. Davis is arrested on suspicion of murder. She at first tells Malden who she really is, but he scoffs at her. She keeps her identity secret to the end and goes to the gas chamber. X-Ray: There are many moments of high interest in this entry dealing with double identity, and it permits Bette Davis to be on screen almost continuously. She is con¬ vincing as usual. The others in the cast are efficient, as are the direction and production, and the end result is a drama that should do okay as part of the show. The screenplay by Albert Beich and Oscar Millard is based on a story by Rian James, and it does run a bit long. Since this is Davis’ first since “What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?” it would seem logical to advise all Bette Davis fans of this fact in forcible fashion. Tip On Bidding: Higher program rates. Ad Lines: “The Murder Mystery With An Ironic Twist That Will Prove A Real Sur¬ prise”; “Murder Will Out And In The Odd¬ est Of Ways.” The Incredible Mr. Limpet Comedy 99 M. Warners (Technicolor) Estimate: Good fun film. Cast: Don Knotts, Carole Cook, Jack West¬ on, Andrew Duggan, Larry Keating, Charles Meredith, Oscar Beregi, Elizabeth MacRae, Paul Frees. Produced by John C. Rose; di¬ rected by Arthur Lubin. Story: Admiral Andrew Duggan and Lt. Jack Weston have been ordered to reopen top secret files in pursuit of a man needed by Naval scientists for communications ex¬ periments with fish. The files show that back in 1941, Don Knotts was working as a book¬ keeper, having been rejected by the armed forces for poor eyesight. His one big love in life are his fish, which brings on much nagging by wife Carole Cook. This is cli¬ maxed when her former beau, sailor Jack Weston, comes visiting. They go to Coney Island where Knotts becomes so absorbed with fish and his wish to become one that he falls in. He miraculously becomes a fish with eye glasses. After becoming accustomed to the change, he finds that he can make a unique noise which saves him from some of the bigger monsters of the deep. He makes friends with a small crab and is attracted to a female fish, who reciprocates his feel¬ ings and wants to go to the spawning grounds with him. He still thinks of himself as mar¬ ried and asks her to wait. She disappears and his searching brings him to a German sub. He tips off Duggan on a destroyer, ad¬ vising where the depth bombs are to go, and this results in file killing of the sub. He becomes the Navy’s secret weapon with Weston appointed as liaison. The Germans try to destroy the secret weapon to no avail, and despite complications, Knotts continues to lead the U. S. to victory in the Atlantic. Knotts sees Cook once again when she brings him a new pair of glasses. Knotts goes off with his lady fish. Twenty years later, they find him, promote and decorate him, and en¬ list his aid in the newest experiment. X-Ray: There’s lots of fun to be found in this tale of people and fishes and the part each played in World War II. Some cute situations, dialogue, and musical numbers are in evidence throughout. The special effects and animation techniques add to the effec¬ tiveness of the entry, which should please young and old alike. Interest is held on high throughout, and the cast, direction, and pro¬ duction values all deserve praise for a job well done, as the cooperative Navy Department might say. The screenplay is by Jameson Brewer and John C. Rose, based on the novel by Theodore Pratt. Songs heard in¬ clude “I Wish I Were A Fish,” “Deep Rap¬ ture,” “Be Careful How You Wish,” and “The Mr. Limpet March.” It should make up as a welcome part of any show. Tip On Bidding: Higher program rates. Ad Lines: “The Funniest Finniest Film Ever”; “A Comedy About America’s Really Top Secret Weapon of World War H. Don’t Tell The Enemy.” MISCELLANEOUS Point Of Order Point Films Documentary 97M. Estimate: Documentary based on ArmyMcCarthy hearings has limited appeal. Credits: Produced by Emile De Antonio and Daniel Talbot; editor is Robert Duncan; editorial consultants are David T. Bazelon and Richard Rovere! associate producer is Eliot Pratt. Contents: Back in 1954 (April thru June), the U. S. Army accused Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and his chief counsel, Roy M. ( Continued on page 5132)