The Exhibitor (1966)

May 11, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 5399 mation and other technical aspects are expertly handled, and the title offers much in the way of exploitation value. It should give a good account of itself. Ad Lines : “Fun And Adventure In Space”; “The New And Thrilling Adventures Of Gul¬ liver, Who Takes To The Hazards of Space.” MGM L MGM (Panavision) (Color) (Filmed abroad) Estimate: Attractive entry has angles and names. Cast: Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, David Niven, Claude Dauphin, Phillipe Noiret, Michel Piccoli, Marcel Dalio, Cecil Parker, Jean Wiener, Daniel Emilfork, Eugene Deck¬ ers, Jacques Duphilo, Tanya Lopert, Catherine Allegret, Peter Ustinov. Produced by Carlo Ponti; directed by Peter Ustinov. Story: Lady Sophia Loren returns to her mansion in the English countryside, where she is greeted by a multitude of famous and highlyplaced persons on the occasion of her 80th birthday. Among these is Cecil Parker, who has been commissioned to write her biography. Later, she gets a chance to reminisce with him, and she recalls how she did the laundry for a pleasure house in Paris in the 1900’s and turned down bids from the proprietor to join the other girls. Just about this time, Paul Newman, who has robbed a bank, takes refuge in the house and drags Loren into bed with him because inspector Claude Dauphin is close on his trail. The inspector leaves under the impression that he is interfering with the pleasures of a cabinet minister. Newman escapes from France, taking Loren with him to Switzerland. They live to¬ gether while Newman pursues his idealistic tendencies to rob the rich to give to the poor. He joins some anarchists planning to execute Prince Peter Ustinov when he arrives in Nice, and not even the news that Loren is to have a baby deters him from his cause. She leaves him, goes to Nice, and meets wealthy British Lord David Niven, who falls in love with her and offers to marry her. The assassination plot fails because Loren has substituted a dud for the real bomb, and Niven gets both of them out of the country on his private train. In Italy, tired of Newman’s constant plotting, Loren accepts Niven’s proposal. A son is born to them in England, and on their seventh anni¬ versary, Newman reappears and persuades Loren to hold a costume party so he can rob the guests. This is foiled by the arrival of Dauphin, still on Newman’s trail. Newman winds up as chauffeur for Niven and Loren and the father of her numerous children. Niven, her husband in name only, soon dies of an incurable illness. The great Lady L was mar¬ ried to Newman all along. X-Ray: The “name” cast gives the impres¬ sion that a lot of fun was found in the filming, and there may be many viewers who will feel the same as they try to follow the incredible story. This is lightness and nonsense all the way, dressed in color and comforted by okay performances and enchanting direction, as well as lavish production values. Audiences with a touch of sophistication may get more chuckles to the running time than will others, biit this could be a matter of opinion. To sum up then, this is a lightweight, gay, and at times uneven comedy that could please many audi¬ ences seeking screen fare that’s a bit on the Lady Comedy 107M. wild side. Peter Ustinov wrote tlie screenplay based on the novel by Romain Gary. The prominence of the top cast members should provide a certain amount of help at the boxoffice. It is a satisfactory entry, but still man¬ ages to miss the entertainment bullseye. Ad Lines : “The Gal No One Could For¬ get”; “ ‘Lady L’ Is Swell And Fun All The Way.” PARAMOUNT The Bellboy (R-6529) Paramount (Reissue) Comedy 72M. Estimate: Mildly amusing Jerry Lewis entry. Cast: Jerry Lewis, Alex Garry, Bob Clay¬ ton, Sonny Sands, Eddie Schaeffer, Herkie Styles, David Landfield, Bill Richmond, Larry Best, and guest stars Milton Berle, Cary Middlecoff. The Novelties, and Joe Levitch. Writ¬ ten, produced, and directed by Jerry Lewis. For complete review, please refer to page 4722, of July 20, 1960. The Last Of The Secret Agents? Comedy 90M. Paramount (Color) Estimate: Generally amusing comedy. Cast: Marty Allen, Steve Rossi, John Wil¬ liams, Nancy Sinatra, Lou Jacobi, Carmen, Theo Marcuse, Connie Sawyer, Ben Lessy, Remo Pisani, Larry Duran, Wilhelm Von Homburg, Aida Fries, Harvey Korman. Pro¬ duced and directed by Norman Abbott; asso¬ ciate producer, Mel Tolkin. Story : Marty Allen and Steve Rossi, a couple of Americans in France getting by do¬ ing odd jobs, accidentally come into possession of a note for which many die. This brings them into forcible contact with John Williams, head of an organization dedicated to recovering stolen works of art taken by a ring headed by Theo Marcuse. Their job is to locate the hid¬ ing places of the masterpieces. Allen and Rossi are given a trick umbrella with all kinds of defensive and offensive girrimicks to assist them. They eventually show up at a cafe owned by Lou Jacobi, who doesn’t approve of his daugh¬ ter, Nancy Sinatra, being in love with Rossi. They get a job with a band supplying dance music to a party in Marcuse’s house, and they do locate the hiding place of the art treasures. It opens via a special gizmo carried by Mar¬ cuse. They discover a plot to steal the Venus de Milo and are instructed to stay with Mar¬ cuse. They succeed in fouling up the plot and helping the police round up some of the gang members. They next concentrate on stealing the device to open the vault in Marcuse’s house. With Williams and Sinatra, they enter and are trapped by Marcuse and his men. They overcome the evil ones, and Rossi mar¬ ries Sinatra. Everyone believes that the art treasures of the world are safe until someone is seen stealing the Statue of Liberty from its resting place. X-!^y: “The Last of The Secret Agents?” is not the funniest film ever made. Still, there will be many people who take to the nonsensi¬ cal entry with its spoof plot and slapstick. The team of Allen and Rossi has grown in popular¬ ity, and this, plus some selling angles, personal appearances, etc., should bring about some good returns come theatre unveiling time. A sneak preview audience was moderately amused by the lightweight story, average per¬ formances, and okay direction and production. The entire proceedings are entirely in and for fun, and much of its objective is accomplished for youngsters, families, ete. Several musical numbers are heard during the unreeling. The screenplay is by Mel Tolkin, based on a story by Norman Abbott and Tolkin. Ad Lines: “The Hottest New Comedy Team In The Funniest New Spy Film”; “Chase Your Blues Away Helped By The Non¬ sensical Fun of Allen And Rossi.” The Psychopath Paramount (Technicolor) (Techniscope) (Filmed abroad) Melodrama 83M. Estimate: Fairly interesting thriller. Cast: Patrick Wymark, Margaret Johnston, John Standing, Alexander Knox, Judy Huxtable, Don Borisenko, Colin Gordon, Thorley Walters. Produced by Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky; directed by Freddie Francis. Story: Four men who gather regularly to play their musical instruments together are murdered one by one, with a doll made in their likeness left at the scene of each crime. After the death of the first, the doll is traced to Margaret Johnston, whose husband was a German arrested by the Allied High Commis¬ sion. He later committed suicide. Her entire home is populated by dolls with whom she holds all kinds of conversations. Inspector Pat¬ rick Wymark questions her, but she denies all knowledge of the doll. Her son, John Stand¬ ing, a night watchman, remonstrates over the questioning of Johnston, an invalid in a wheel chair. Another of the foursome, Alexander Knox, objects to his daughter, Judy Huxtable, becoming serious with American medical stu¬ dent Don Borisenko. Knox is found dead of poisoning. After all four are dead, Wymark learns that they were all part of the group who sent Johnston’s husband to jail on false charges. It is obvious that Johnston has been behind the deaths engineered by her son, who is also a victim, being turned into a huge doll. Huxtable helps Wymark clear up the mess. X-Ray: Here is an okay psychological sus¬ pense thriller that should provide a number of chills for audiences who go for this type of film fare. There’s enough happenings, mystery, etc., to keep adult audiences occupied until the revealing end. Adequate performances and serviceable direction and production are in order, with color making the blood seem gorier and the events more horrific. It should do okay as part of the show. The screenplay is by Rob¬ ert Bloch. Ad Lines: ror”; “Four path’.” “A Chilling Experience In TerMurders Follow ‘The Psycho Visit To A Small Planet (R-6528) Paramount (Reissue) Estimate: Amusing Jerry Lewis comedy. Cast: Jerry Lewis, Joan Blackman, Earl Holliman, Fred Clark, Lee Patrick, Gale Gor¬ don, Ellen Corby, Jerome Cowan, John Wil¬ liams, Barbara Lawson. Produced by Hal Wal¬ lis; directed by Norman Taurog. For complete review, please refer to page 4674, of Feb. 3, 1960.