The Exhibitor (1966)

October 19, 1 966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR REVIEWS The famous pink paper SAVEABLE 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, 317 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, Penna. 19107. SECTION TWO Vo|. 76, No. 10 October 19, 1966 ALLIED ARTISTS Oh, Those Most Secret Agents (6605) Allied Artists Comedy 96M. (A Mega Film) (Italian-made) (Dubbed in English) (Eastman Color) Estimate: Fair comedy for the duallers. Cast: Franco Franchi, Ciccio Ingrassia, In¬ grid Schoeller, Arnoldo Tieri, Annie Gorassini, Carla Calo, Poldo Bendenti. Produced by Jacopo Comin; directed by Lucio Fulci. Story: Bungling burglars Franco and Ciccio are pressed into service as secret agents by an espionage agent of a foreign country, who de¬ pends considerably upon an inept computor. The adventures of the two as Russian and Chinese spies chase them all over the Riviera for a secret formula which has been imbedded in the denture of Ciccio are many. Finally, Ciccio develops a toothache, and to obtain relief, goes to a dentist who turns out to be one of the spies. X-Ray: One of the boys, Ciccio, is an in¬ veterate mugger. The slapstick situations they find themselves in are funny in spots, but nothing is very new. The dubbing is not a good job, and considerable of the business is of the old burlesque type. There are a few beautiful girls, bikini clad and otherwise un¬ dressed, but for the most part this is pretty inadequate stuff and too slow for its length. The color is satisfactory. It may get by with the none too particular as part of the double bill in program situations. Ad Lines: “You’ve Met Other Spies, But You’ve Never Seen Anyone Like These Screw¬ ball Guys”; “The Spies Who Stayed Out In The Sun — Too Long!” BUENA VISTA Follow Me Boys comedy drama (188) Buena Vista (Technicolor) Estimate: Fine family entertainment. Cast: Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles, Lil¬ lian Gish, Charles Ruggles, Elliott Reid, Kurt Russell, Luana Patten, Ken Murray, Donald May, Sean McClory, Steve Franken, Parley Baer, William Reynolds, Craig Hill. Pro¬ duced by Winston Hibler; directed by Norman Tokar; a Walt Disney Presentation. Story: Years, ago, when jazz bands worked one night stands from town to town, one such group was led by Ken Murray traveling on a ramshackle bus and just about making ends meet. In the group was saxophone player Fred MacMurray, studying law and wondering about settling down, getting married, and raising a family. When the bus stops in the small town of Hickory, and he spots both a help wanted sign and attractive bank employee Vera Miles, he decides to put his roots down there. He goes to work in the general store owned by Charlie Ruggles, but it takes time to get to know Miles and date her away from bank vice-president Elliott Reid. When he learns that she is about to suggest forming a Boy Scout troop in the town to help the young¬ sters, he makes the same suggestion and soon finds himself named leader. Both he and the boys learn together, and Miles marries him. They find later than she can not have children, and he takes even greater pains with his troop of youngsters. They wind up adopting one boy when he loses his father. Through the years, MacMurray helps many youngsters who go their many ways both in war and peace. His adopted son, Donald May, now a doctor, re¬ turns from the war with a wife, Luana Patten, a nurse, and they set up a practice in town. MacMurray has inherited the store from Rug¬ gles and has long given up on becoming a lawyer. He has a heart attack which brings about his retirement from the activities he loves so much. He is honored with a special day at which all of “his boys” show up, in¬ cluding the governor of his state, to pay tribute to him. X-Ray: Warm-hearted and enjoyable is this touching story of an ordinary man who makes a life for himself in a typical small town. His experiences affect all around him, young and old alike, and there are generous amounts of comedy, adventure, romance, and drama pres¬ ent to provide entertaining highlights for one and all. Exhibitors should be proud to offer this attraction as a holiday or regular release. With the proper attention, his customers should not only attend in impressive numbers, but they should also offer thanks as well for an inspiring story that concentrates on helping youngsters while providing entertainment. The acting is good, and the direction and produc¬ tion are high in quality. It’s a natural for color. The screenplay is by Louis Pelletier, based on the book, “God and My Country,” by MacKinlay Kantor. Ad Lines: “The Heart-Warming Story Of A Man And A Town Full Of Youngsters”; “Fun For All The Family.” DO SAVE . . . pink REVIEWS They provide a permanent evaluation of all features as caught by our skilled reviewers. Pages are cumulatively numbered. COLUMBIA Dead Heat On A Merry-Co-Round (67013) Columbia (Eastman Color) Drama 104M. Estimate: Well-made, intriguing story. Cast: James Coburn, Camilla Sparv, Aldo Ray, Nina Wayne, Robert Webber, Rose Marie, Todd Armstrong, Marian Moses, Mi¬ chael Strong, Severn Darden, James Westerfield, Philip E. Pine. Produced by Carter DeHaven; written and directed by Bernard Girard. Story: Convict James Coburn charms prison psychologist Marian Moses into using her influence to get him a parole after he arranges to buy plans from a fellow inmate to rob a California bank. He has to raise money to complete the deal so he leaves Moses to get a job as a shoe salesman. He charms maid Nina Wayne and then robs her wealthy em¬ ployer. In another city, he gets a job as an exterminator and gains entry into another wealthy home where Camilla Sparv is a sec¬ retary. He charms her into marrying him and going on to Los Angeles ahead of him while he commits yet another robbery and enlists the aid of electrical expert Severn Darden. With the proceeds of the robberies, he pays off for the plans and then does some serious plan¬ ning with Darden, Aldo Ray, and Michael Strong to pull off a robbery of the bank at the Los Angeles airport. He takes advantage of the confusion that will be caused by the visit of the Russian premier and the resulting security operations. The robbery comes off as planned, with Sparv an unwitting accomplice. After Coburn’s disappearance, Sparv inherits seven million dollars in the will of her former employer. She unsuccessfully tries to locate Coburn. Meanwhile, he and his associates escape on a plane bound for Mexico and free¬ dom, and he merely shrugs off the news of Sparv’s inheritance. X-Ray: Studio propaganda categorizes the film as follows: “There once was a bankrobber Kotch; Whose game was a pleasure to watch; He heisted for kicks; And he kidded the chicks; More fun than a barrel of Scotch.” While this reviewer may not quite go that far, he will agree that it offers fun, suspense, adventure-packed thrills, etc., along with ex¬ pert performances, good direction, and able production. Dressed in impressive color and some unusual surrounds, the film sets the proper mood of lightness and mystery at the leisurely start, and then moves into a highpowered, tension-packed climax that should have audiences biting finger nails. It’s a bit on the different side in a number of respects,