The Exhibitor (1966)

The Trade Paper Read by Choice— Kot by Chance Founded in 1918. Published weekly except first issue in January and first issue in September by Jay Emonuel Publications, Incorporated. General offices at 317 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107. Publishing office at 10 McGovern Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17604. New York field office: 1600 Broadway, Suite 604, New York 10019, West Coast field office: William M. Schary, 818 S. Curson Ave., Los Angeles, Calif., 90036, London Bureau: Jock MacGregor, 16 Leinster Mews, London, W. 2, England. Jay Emanuel, publisher and gen. mgr.: Albert Erlick, editor; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel Konecoff, New York editor; Albert J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Cades, business manager. Subscriptions: $2 per year (50 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada and Pan-American countries, $5 per year (50 issues). Special rates for two and three years on application. Single copy 25#. Second class postage paid at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Ad¬ dress all official communications to the Philadelphia offices. Telephone: Area Code 2l5, WAInut 2-1860. CHANGING ADDRESS? Please send old and new address. If possible include address portion of old mailing wrapper. Volume 75 • No, 26 August 3, 1966 Our 48th Year THE LOOK AHEAD Twentieth Century-Fox is a film company with a unique problem. The fact that it’s the kind of problem any company would gladly tackle makes it no less challenging. Currently playing in hard ticket situations and creating as much excitement and boxoffice action as it did more than a year ago is the industry’s all-time entertainment champion, “THE SOUND OF MUSIC.” The name of the game is pictures, and there are those who would say it has to be a downhill run after the fabulous success of “MUSIC.” Don’t tell that to the men in charge of 20th-Fox’s destiny. While earning the right to glory in past triumphs, their eyes are on the future. Let’s join them in this look ahead. Frankly, we like what we see, and we think exhibitors will like what 20thFox will be pro\'iding for theatre screens everywhere in the months ahead. Nothing changes so often and with less warning than the public’s entertainment tastes. More than one bloody industryite who was caught in the switch can attest to the truth of that state¬ ment. The company with fixed ideas is in the same boat as the individual with fixed ideas. The \v’orld (or the customers) soon pass him by. The only stamp on 20th-Fox’s lineup of product, current and forthcoming, is the stamp of quality. In all other respects, variety of topic and theme is the key factor. Consider the 20th-Fox features now in production or ready for the world’s theatres. Joining “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” in the hard ticket field is “THE BLUE MAX,” starring George Pejjpard, Ursula Andress, and James Mason. Critically acclaimed in its initial dates, the film combines spectacular aerial action and high adventure with dramatic personal conflicts. The result is a colorful film that can be appreciated by a wide audience on many difl’erent levels. “MODESTY BLAISE” is dedicated to the latest entertain¬ ment craze, “high camp,” described in the exuberant Fox cam¬ paign as “Op-Pop-Bop.” Monica Vitti, Terence Stamp, and Dirk Bogarde cavort in an internationally flavored adventure designed to hit today’s young adults \vhere they live. Shifting to the sojihisticated, with the emphasis still on comedy, Fo.x is presenting .-\udrey Hepburn, Peter O’Toole, and Charles Boyer in William Wyler’s “HOW TO STEAL A MILLION,” deftly mixing romance and art for maximum entertainment im¬ pact. We often hear reference to the chemistry of a successful film, and the combination of Hepburn and O’Toole seems des¬ tined to strike the kind of sjjarks that could cause a real conflagra¬ tion at the boxoffice. After a highly successful roadshow career, “THOSE M.4GNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES” is play¬ ing off conventional engagements. Here’s a ])roven laugh-getter that will brighten any marquee. Movies are not made for laughs alone, of course. Also, as a wise man once observed, the more things change, the more they remain the same. Proof of that particular jjudding is the strong bow of 20th-Fox’s new “SI AGECO.\CH.” Here is western ad\enture jiresented by a power-packed cast. It took courage to re¬ make this western classic, and initial results indicate that a whole new audience will make that gamble jjay off in a big way. In this issue, we are taking a close-up view at 20th-Fox’s future. When it comes to the special treatment and top properties that i make for successful roadshows, 20th-Fox has already made history. : The team is not resting on past laurels, however. Coming in the fall is “THE BIBLE,” Dino DeLaurentiis’ massive production, directed with strength and sensitivity by John Huston. On a can¬ vas so big only the motion picture medium could do it justice is j painted this greatest of all stories. Genesis from the Creation to i the saga of Abraham. Here is a film for the ages, destined to be i experienced and enjoyed for years to come. “FANTASTIC VOYAGE” is another feature that has gen o I erated tremendous excitement long before its first showing. It’ s an imaginative, totally different entertainment experience. j Paul Newman, one of the screen’s hottest performers, heads 1 west again in “HOMBRE.” Newman seems to sparkle in films with one word titles beginning with “H.” Consider “HUSTLER,” “HUD” and “HARPER.” Fox is betting that lightning will strike again via “HOMBRE.” With the release of “WAY, WAY OUT,” it’s laugh-time again with the screen’s favorite clown, Jerry Lewis. Which brings us to Christmas, and the release of another 20thFox roadshow, “THE SAND PEBBLES.” Here is a fabulous best seller, an adventure tale that cried for filming. Fox has provided the property with all the color and scope that 70mm cameras, exotic locations, and star-power can furnish. At the helm is producer-director Robert Wise, who gave the \vorld entertain¬ ment marvels like the Academy Award winning “SOUND OF MUSIC” and “WEST SIDE STORY.” Combine these exciting features with others on the tvay and you have the story of a film company on the move. Headed for theatres in the fall are “BATMAN,” already dubbed the “Mary ^ Poppins of Camp,” and the great western classic, “SMOKY.” Currently in production are “IN LIKE FLINT,” which pro¬ ducer Saul David (“VON RYAN’S EXPRESS” and the upcom¬ ing “FANTASTIC VOYAGE”) and director Gordon Douglas 1 are now shooting on location in Jamaica, and \vhich marks the return of James Coburn in a role more exciting than the one he created in “OUR MAN FLINT”; the Stanley Donen pro¬ duction of “TWO FOR THE ROAD,” which brings together for the first time the potent star combination of Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney; the Doris Day starrer “CAPRICE,” which co-stars Richard Harris and which producers Aaron Rosenberg and Martin Melcher arc now shooting under Frank Tashlin’s direction; and the major roadshow attraction “DOCTOR DOLITTLE,” topcasted by Rex Harrison. Samantha Eggar, and Anthony Newlcy, with screenplay and songs written by Leslie (“Stop The World, I Want To Get Off”) Bricusse. This APJAC Production is being produced by Arthur P. Jacobs in ToddAO and DeLuxe Color and directed by Richard Fleischer. Yes, the Fox team, led by Darryl F. Zanuck, Seymour Poe, i Richard Zanuck, and all the men in sales and advertising have ( earned the right to enjoy past triumphs. But their eyes are on the future, and we are happy to join them in “THE LOOK 'i AHEAD.”