The Exhibitor (1966)

May 25, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 5405 REVIEWS The famous pink paper SAVE ABLE SECTION in which Experienced Trade Analysts evaluate coming product Published every second week, as a separately bound and easily saveable section of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, this exclusive 29-year*old service is both numerically more complete and informatively more candid, than any similar analysis. Cumulatively numbered by film seasons (September to September). It is recommended that readers consecutively save all REVIEWS section in a permanent file. The last issue of each August will always contain a complete annual exhibit to close the season. Combined the every second week, yellow paper SERVISECTION indexes to the past 12 months' product, and the alternating every second week pink paper REVIEWS, represent a unique informative service to theatremen. Please address all Inquiries or suggestions about these two service features to the Editors of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, 2^17 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, Penna. 19107. SECTION TWO Vol. 75, No. 16 May 25, 1966 AMERICAN-INT. COLUMBIA Sands Of Beersheba Drama 90M. American International ( Landau/Unger) (Filmed in Israel) Estimate: Good adventure entry with a topical twist. Cast: Diane Baker, David Opatoshu, Tom Bell, Paul Stassino, Didi Ramati, Theodore Marcuse, Wolfe Barzell. Written, directed, and produced by Alexander Ramati. Story: A group of Arab terrorists led by Paul Stassino plans to attack an Arab village and mete out punishment to those who have been cooperative with the Israelis, as well as secure food and ammunition. They also plan on blowing up an Israeli bus. (Duly David Opatoshu in the village, Stassino’s father, op¬ poses the intruders, believing that peace should be tried between Israelis and Arabs rather than force. Stassino is not to be dissuaded from killing and has the local policeman' shot. Meanwhile, American Diane Baker arrives in Beersheba and meets Tom Bell, best friend of her fiance, who was killed in the Palestine War and buried nearby. Bell works for a pot¬ ash fertilizer plant taking the supplies to bor¬ der settlements and carrying much needed ammunition. He takes his leave of her to carry the needed bullets and explosives because of an impending Egyptian invasion and dis¬ covers that her jeep escort has hit the mine intended for the bus. The driver is badly wounded. They take him to Opatoshu’s town seeking medical help, but none will offer assistance except Opatoshu and his daughter. The driver dies. Meanwhile, Stassino has been told about the truck and returns, laying siege to his father’s home. Bell is wounded, and the old man holds off his son and a few sur¬ vivors until Opatoshu’s friends finally come to his aid. Stassino is killed, which brings a mea¬ sure of peace to the area for the moment. X-Ray: Simply and relatively inexpensively made, this import offers drama and action in generous measure, along with a story that is easily understood and appreciated for its touches of compassion. Performances are quite good, as are direction and production values, and it can play in either regulation or art spots where its topical nature can be ap¬ preciated. Ad Lines : “An Exciting Drama Of Israelis vs Arabs”; “A Boy And Girl Thrown Together By An Undeclared War.” DO SAVE . . . pink REVIEWS They provide a permanent evaluation of all features as caught by our skilled reviewers. Pages are cumulatively numbered. Lost Command Columbia (Panavision) (Color) (Filmed abroad) Melodrama 129M. Estimate: Interesting action entry. Cast: Anthony Quinn, Alain Delon, George Segal, Michele Morgan, Maurice Ronet, Claudia Cardinale, Gregoire Aslan, Jean Servais, Maurice Sarfati, Jean-Claude Bercq, Syl Lament, Jacques Marin, Jean Paul Moulinot. Directed and produced by Mark Robson. Story: Lt. Col. Anthony Quinn battles with his force of French paratroopers in Indo-China until they are overcome and taken prisoner. With him are Captain Alain Delon, Captain Maurice Ronet, and Arab Lieutenant George Segal. Quinn is not above breaking rules and disobeying orders for the benefit of his men, which doesn’t endear him to his superior offi¬ cers. Upon being freed from the prison camp, Segal returns to his family in Algiers while Quinn’s unit is disbanded. In France, Quinn visits Michele Morgan, widow of one of his officers, and they fall in love. She uses her in¬ fluence to get him another command of a para¬ chute regiment which is to be sent to quell troubles in Algeria. Quinn promises to return as a General and marry Morgan. All his for¬ mer officers return to him except Segal, who has become a leader of the terrorists. His sister, Claudia Cardinale, also helps. Quinn and his raw force do the best they can to reduce the terror, and there are casualties on both sides. Quinn tries tracking down Segal but fails to catch him in several traps. Delon becomes friendly with Cardinale. He’s unaware that she is using him to bring in detonators which are being planted in a number of places around the country to demoralize the opposition. Quinn learns that there are huge stores of am¬ munition hidden by the rebels, who plan to disperse them to all areas of the country. When Delon is appraised of Cardinale’s part in the uprising, he forces her to reveal the hiding place of Segal and the ammunition. Mean¬ while, Quinn’s unothodox efforts have raised a stir in Paris, and he is ordered to return home and answer charges. He decides to cap¬ ture the arms first. An attack on a mountain stronghold wipes out much of the terrorist force and the ammunition, and also resjults in the death of Segal. Delon can’t stomach Quinn’s methods, and they quarrel, with Delon leaving as General Quinn and his fellow offi¬ cers and soldiers are decorated. Morgan waits with the spectators. X-Ray: A group of French paratroopers and especially their tough, rough commander, Anthony Quinn, are followed by the color cameras as they battle enemy forces and intrigue in Indo-China and Algieria. Actual battle scenes are quite impressive with the use of a helicopter bringing the technique right up to date. Not only are the problems of pres¬ ent day politics and uprisings brought to the fore, but the more personal ones of the cast members receive treatment that adds to the overall interest. There’s enough action, drama, etc., to hold audience interest pretty much on high throughout, and direction and produc¬ tion are good. The screenplay is by Nelson Gidding based on the novel, “The Centurians,” by Jean Larteguy, which has become an inter¬ national bestseller. The number of copies sold throughout the world is estimated at four million. Ad Lines: “French Paratroopers In Ac¬ tion”; “A Fast-Moving Action Adventure Based On History’s Headlines.” CONTINENTAL Dr. Who And The Daleks Melodrama 85M. Continental (Technicolor) (Techniscope) (English-made) Estimate: Well made import could trigger popular series. Cast: Peter Cushing, Roy Castle, Jennie Linden, Roberta Tovey, Barrie Ingham, Geof¬ frey Toone, Mark Petersen, John Brown, Mi¬ chael Coles, Yvonne Antrobus. Produced by Milton Subotsky and Max. J. Rosenberg; di¬ rected by Gordon Flemyng; script ■ from the BBC-TV serial of the same name by Terry Nation. Story: Scientist Peter Cushing, with the aid of his two lovely granddaughters, Jennie Lin¬ den and little Roberta Tovey, constructs a time machine dubbed Tardis, which is acci¬ dently activated by visitor Roy Castle. The four are transported in time and space to an¬ other planet inhabited by the survivors of a nuclear war. The survivors are divided into two groups; the Daleks, a mutated and de¬ formed species which lives in the confines of mobile metal units which protect them from the planet’s residual radiation, and the Thais, an agrarian race of humans whose possession of a radiation cure enables them to survive outside of the Daleks’ city. The earthlings are taken captive by the Daleks, who conspire to get the Thais’ drug, without which the earth visitors will die. The Thais are tricked into entering the Dalek’s city, where they are at¬ tacked and their leader is killed. Cushing con¬ vinces them that they must put aside their peaceful ways and overcome the Daleks before they are destroyed by another radiation bomb.