The Exhibitor (1964)

will justify the great expectations MGM has for it. All of us at MGM are convinced that “The Yellow RollsRoyce” will be in contention for boxoffice champion of the year honors in 1965. It has a magnificent cast that includes double Academy Award-winner Ingrid Bergman, Rex Har¬ rison, Shirley MacLaine, George C. Scott, Jeanne Moreau, Alain Delon (who is presently completing his first Americanmade film for MGM, “Once a Thief”) and Omar Sharif (who was nominated for an Oscar for his outstanding performance in “Lawrence of Arabia” and is going to portray the title role in “Dr. Zhivago”), as well as Art Carney, Edmund Purdom, and Joyce Grenfell. The photography— it was filmed in East¬ man Color and Panavision— is superb and ranks with the best I have ever seen, and the film’s brilliant musical score features a song, “Domani,” which I predict will be one of the big hit tunes of the year. Exhibitors with whom I have talked are eagerly awaiting the playing of “Yellow Rolls-Royce." The press coverage has been exceptionally wide and forecasts a ready-made audi¬ ence. We are equally convinced that once this film is shown, the word-of-mouth recommendations that will be generated will provide boxoffice sustaining power greater than that of “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” Another film we viewed in London was “Operation Cross¬ bow,” produced by Carlo Ponti and directed by Michael Anderson, the director of “Around the World in 80 Days” and other outstanding films. “Operation Crossbow,” which stars Sophia Loren, George Peppard, Trevor Howard, John Mills, and Tom Courtenay, has the same kind of appeal as “The Guns of Navarone.” It is difficult to describe in words the degree of excitement that this dynamic film will instill in viewers, but I know that all who see it will agree that it is as exciting as any film made in many years and will prove to be an outstanding success at the boxoffice. We also had the pleasure while overseas to see “Young Cassidy,” which stars Rod Taylor and Maggie Smith, the dno that gave such a wonderful performance in “The V.I.P.s ,” and Julie Christie, a striking young actress who exudes sex and is currently one of the most talked-about newcomers, both here and abroad. (In fact, it was her extraordinary per¬ formance in “Young Cassidy” that convinced MGM that she was the girl to play “Lara,” the romantic interest of the title hero in “Dr. Zhivago.”) “Young Cassidy,” which is based on the early life of late, famed Irish playwright Sean O’Casey, is a brawling, lusty, exciting love story which should please all types of audiences. In addition to the three fine films described above, MGM’s exceptional line-up of forthcoming releases includes: “The Sandpiper,” directed by Vincente Minnelli and pro¬ duced by Martin Ransohoff, stars Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Eva Marie Saint. The newspapers have given tremendous space to this film, and at present there seems to be more of the right kind of publicity about Miss Taylor and Burton than ever before. The script is wonderful, one of the best I have ever read, and there is no doubt that it will be one of the top boxoffice attractions of next summer. “Girl Happy,” our next Elvis Presley film, will be our Easter release. I think it is an exceptionally entertaining film, filled with lots of beautiful girls and songs which are bound to be hits. “Clarence, The Cross-Eyed Lion,” an Ivan Tors producticn, will be another Easter release. A comedy about a cock¬ eyed lion, it is one of the fine family-type films for which Tors, producer of “Flipper,” is noted. “Joy In The Morning,” is an interesting story adapted from a novel by Betty Smith, who wrote the famous best-seller, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” This sensitive film stars Richard Chamberlain and Yvette Mimieux, a magnetic team with just the right amount of boxoffice chemistry, as two young newly¬ weds. “36 Hours,” a Perlberg-Seaton production, has been selected by Radio City Music Hall as its first attraction of 1965. It has the flavor and suspense of the type of films that were formerly made by Alfred Hitchcock. Scheduled for February release, it stars James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, and Rod Taylor. I could go on and on and tell you about many other films, but it would take pages and pages. As the trade papers have widely reported, Mr. O’Brien has announced that we are planning our production slate two years in advance, and the films that are now before the cameras or will soon roll, fea¬ ture such stars as Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, David Niven, Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret, Tuesday Weld, Patricia Neal, Glenn Ford, Elke Sommer, Rita Hayworth, Doris Day, Sid¬ ney Poitier, Margaret Rutherford, and many others of equal boxoffice magnitude. We also have purchased many important books and plays, all of which will have outstanding casts, with top producers, directors and writers. This is our 40th anniversary, and we at MGM take pride in the belief that “Life Begins at Forty.” Paramount IIIIIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII By CHARLES BOASBERG | 1965 is here, bringing with it the greatest line-up of pic¬ tures in Paramount’s history! Under the leadership of its president, George Weltner, Paramount Pictures is embarked on its most ambitious pro¬ duction and distribution program ever. At latest count, our studio calendar lists over 60 pictures in various stages of completion, production, or distribution, and there are many more in the offing. In view of all this activity, 1965 promises to be a banner year for Paramount and its customers. We have some of our "IN HARM'S WAY" biggest productions geared for release, backed by the type of all-out merchandising and marketing campaigns that have won plaudits for Paramount throughout the industry. I’m ( Continued on Page 54 ) 50 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 30, 1964