The Exhibitor (1964)

aration for release. The program marked the return of the company to indus¬ try leadership as a source of supply of major motion pictures to the exhibitors of the world. The qualitative and quantita¬ tive production schedule was produced under the supervision of Richard D. Zanuck, vice-president in charge of production, with headquarters in Hollywood, and Elmo Williams, Eu¬ ropean production head. The roadshow films, all shot in Todd-AO and DeLuxe Color, represent the first time a company ever has produced three such attractions within the same year. They also wall mark the first time a company will release three such attrac¬ tions during a one-year period. The first of these, “The Sound of Music,” based on Rodgers & Hanunerstein’s smash Broadway hit, will have its world premiere March 2 at the Rivoli Theatre, with 51 additional openings set around the country prior to the Easter holidays. Produced and directed by Robert Wise, Academy Award winner for “West Side Story,” the musical stars Julie Andrews, probably the most important personality to reach Hollywood in a decade, and Christopher Plummer. Much of the film was shot on location in Salzburg, Austria. The second roadshow will be “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines: Or, How I Flew From London To Paris In 25 Hours And 11 Minutes.” Scheduled to premiere in the early summer, this comedy of pioneer aviation boasts an all-star international cast including Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Alberto Sordi, Robert Morley, Gert Frobe, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Terry-Thomas, Irina Demick, Yujiro Ishihara, Flora Robson, Sam Wanamaker, and Red Skelton. Ken Annakin directed and Stan Margulies produced, with Annakin and Jack Davies responsible for the screenplay. The third of the roadshow trio is “The Agony And The Ecstasy,” based on Irving Stone’s fabulous best-seller on the life of the world’s greatest artist, Michelangelo. Two of the screen’s top male box office draws, Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison, co-star in the intimate spectacle, which will be released in the fall. Sir Carol Reed directed from Philip Dunne’s screenplay. Among the other major releases for the year are the fol¬ lowing: “The Pleasure Seekers,” CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, with an outstanding cast of young stars— Ann-Margret, Tony Franciosa, Carol Lynley, Gardner McKay, Pamela Tiffin, and newcomer Andre Lawrence. Jean Negulesco directed and David Weisbart produced on location in Spain. “Dear Brigitte,” CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, a screw¬ ball family comedy starring James Stewart, Glynis Johns, Fabian, Ed Wynn, Cindy Carol, and Billy Mumy. Based on "MORITURI" the novel, “Erasmus with Freckles,” it was produced and directed by Henry Koster and written by Hal Kanter. “Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte,” a Grand Guignol thriller with an outstanding cast including Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Mary Astor, Victor Buono, and Cecil Kellaway. Robert Aldrich produced and directed in the genre of his “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” “Rapture,” a truly beautiful offbeat love story set in France and starring Patricia Gozzi, the sensational youngster of “Sun¬ days and Cybele,” Dean Stockwell, and Melvyn Douglas. The CinemaScope production, filmed in Brittany by director John Guillermin, is based on the novel, “Rapture in My Rags,” by Phyllis Hastings. “A High Wind In Jamaica,” CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, based on the classic novel by Richard Hughes. The adventure-comedy-drama stars Anthony Quinn, a contender for the 1964 Academy Awards by virtue of his virtuoso per¬ formance in the highly-acclaimed “Zorba the Greek.” Also featured are James Coburn and Lila Kedrova, another “Zorba” alumnus. “Up from the Beach,” CinemaScope, a war epic that takes place immediately following the D-Day invasion in World War II, with Cliff Robertson, Irina Demick, Red Buttons, Francoise Rosay, Marius Goring, Slim Pickens, and James Robertson Justice. Robert Parrish directed the screen version of George Barr’s novel, “Epitaph for an Enemy.” “Von Ryan’s Express,” DeLuxe Color, based on the current best-seller by David Westheimer. Filmed on location through¬ out Italy, the high adventure drama stars Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard and introduces Italian beauty Raffaella Carra to American audiences. Mark Robson directed and Saul David produced. “Morituri” is a suspense thriller set on board a German ship during World War II, with two top stars, Marlon Brando and Yul Brynner, and Janet Margolin, the lovely herione of "'David and Lisa." The noted German director and actor Bernhard Wicki makes his American directorial bow with this film, which Aaron Rosenberg produced. “The Reward,” CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, marks the first picture directed by Serge Bourguignon since his award¬ winning “Sundays and Cybele,” and also his first American film. The outdoor drama, filmed in Death Valley, stars Sweden’s top actor, Max Von Sydow, who will have made his American debut in “The Greatest Story Ever Told” prior to the release of the film. Also in the cast are Yvette Mimieux, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., and Gilbert Roland. Aaron Rosenberg produced and Bourguignon also wrote the screenplay. “Fantastic Voyage,” CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, will undoubtedly be the most unusual science-fiction picture ever made. The project is so top secret that all visitors are barred from the set and no scripts are being shown to the press. Stephen Boyd stars in the thriller which Richard Fleischer is directing and Saul David is producing. “Do Not Disturb,” CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, is a romantic comedy starring the nation’s number one female box office star, Doris Day, and Rod Taylor. Aaron Rosenberg and Martin Melcher are co-producing, with Ralph Levy di¬ recting this scheduled Christmas release. Darryl F. Zanuck, president of 20th Century-Fox, recently pointed out that while 1964’s production program was the company’s greatest, the same incredible pace would be main¬ tained, if not exceeded, in 1965 when at least 23 major properties will be produced. He said that 13 films in the two-year period were on the company’s overseas production schedule, which constitutes “the most extensive foreign pro¬ duction program ever undertaken by an American company.” Zanuck added, however, that the determining factor in the selection of locations will be the geographic settings, as it 56 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 30, 1964