The Exhibitor (1966)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 5479 December 14, 1966 ( but she is taken a prisoner and he is recap¬ tured. He is told that he must return soon to reveal the address of his headquarters or she will be killed. Outside, he is followed and prevented from using a phone. He eludes a trap loaded with explosives which is detonated, making von Sydow’s men think that he is dead, which permits him to return to Guinness. Police are sent to arrest von Sydow, his men, and to gather in records and equipment. After the raid, when he learns that there was no trace of Berger, he goes to her school, and finds that she is well, claiming to have been I released unharmed to teach the youngsters of Germany. He leaves after bidding her fare¬ well. X-Ray: Suspense and drama dog the foot¬ steps of secret agent George Segal. His method of operation is a bit different from the numer¬ ous other secret agents on the market these days in that he uses less of the flamboyant and more of the deductive to aid his work. Still, there is some action and quite a bit of move¬ ment in and around the Berlin of today. The fact that the tale was based on a recent book that sold well will, of course, prove helpful at the boxoffice. A campaign of sorts will also I prove valuable in this regard. The acting is generally good, and the direction and produc¬ tion values are efficient. The use of mobile cameras gives audiences a chance to view modern-day Berlin and some of its inhabitants, and the effort is aided by color. The screen¬ play is by Harold Pinter, based on a novel by Adam Hall. Ad Lines: “A Thrilling Tale Of Suspense In The Berlin of Today”; “Today’s Headlines Create a Thriller Of Unusual Proportions.” UNITED ARTISTS After The Fox Comedy 103M. (Panavision) (Color by DeLuxe) (Filmed abroad) Estimate: Uneven comedy has many fun angles. Cast: Peter Sellers, Victor Mature, Britt Ekland, Martin Balsam, Akim Tamiroff, Paolo Stoppa, Tino Buazzelli, Mac Ronay, Lidia Brazzi, Lando Buzzanca, Maria Grazia Buccella, Maurice Denham. Produced by John Bryan; directed by Vittorio de Sica. Story: When a large gold bullion robbery takes place in Cairo, the international police know that there are few people who can handle its disposition in Italy. One of these is Peter Sellers, known as The Fox, but since he is in jail, they are not too concerned about him. He is able to offer his friends and relations little luxuries and isn’t interested in getting out to become involved in the gold caper. However, he does break out when he hears that his kid sister, Britt Ekland, is on the streets. He is successful despite precautions and finds that his sister indeed is flirting on the street, but only playing a part in a movie. He breaks it up and takes her home despite her objections. Sellers makes contact with Akim Tamiroff, mastermind behind the robbery, and his girl front, Maria Grazia Buccella, and he agrees to bring in the gold for a split. He finds that Ekland is on the loose again in a gang of ador¬ ing teenage fans surrounding aging movie star Victor Mature. This gives him an idea that he can implement his plan to land the gold by posing as a director shooting an off-beat film on the shores of a seaside town. The bars of gold can be landed as part of the plot. He hoodwinks the police chief into cooperating as well as Mature, who sees this as a chance for a comeback despite objections by manager Martin Balsam. The gold arrives eventually as the cameras grind. Tamiroff runs off with the truck with Sellers in pursuit. He in turn is pursued by the Rome and international police. All are caught, and since Sellers is caught in the act on his own film, he admits all and is sentenced to another jail term. He promises to get out again, perhaps this time to pursue a career as a film director. X-Ray: Talented Peter Sellers, once again, gets a change to demonstrate his flair for the comedic as he rushes through a variety of roles earmarked for fun. The story is light in weight, serving as a slight frame which permits Sellers to swing into action. Sometimes it’s frantic and quick on the move; other times, it’s much ado about very little. Some audiences will appreciate both Sellers and the story more than others. An active campaign can help boost grosses. The cast is broadly efficient, and direc¬ tion and production are capable. Victor Ma¬ ture steals considerable footage as an aging star. Neil Simon, a playwright with an impres¬ sive record, wrote this, his first screenplay. The use of color helps, and it can go in either the art spots or in regulation outlets. Ad Lines: “Watch Your Girl . . . The Fox Is Loose”; “Guard Your Gold . . . The Fox Is Loose”; “Hold Your Funny-Bone . . . The Fox Is Loose.” FOREIGN The Brides of Fu Manchu Melodrama 94M. Seven Arts (Color) (Filmed aboard) Estimate : Exploitable meller. Cast: Christopher Lee, Douglas Wilner, Marie Versini, Tsai Chin, Henrich Wilhelm Drache, Howard Marion Crawford, Harald Leipnitz, Rupert Davis. Directed by Don Sharp; a Llallam Production. Story: At the secret headquarters of Christopher Lee (Fu Manchu), there is not only a large quantity of electrical equipment with which he hopes to conquer the world, but also a dozen girl captives. Each is a mem¬ ber of the family of some powerful political or industrial figure, who are forced to collaborate or see the captives die. H® needs the final as¬ sistance of the father of Marie Versini to com¬ plete his plan, but several attempts to kidnap her are foiled by her fiance, Heinrich Wil¬ helm Drache, a young scientist. The kidnap¬ pings, meanwhile, have drawn the attention of Lee’s unyielding antagonist, assistant commis¬ sioner at Scotland Yard Douglas Wilner and his colleague, Howard Marion Crawford. Versini is eventually abducted, after which her father is summoned. Drache impersonates her father. Wilner, meanwhile, pinpoints his loca¬ tion and arrives on the scene to get help from a French fort. They start on proceedings to rescue the girls and capture Lee. Drache es¬ capes with the aid of an Arab servant and shows Wilner the location of a secret entrance. Meanwhile, in England, the British Broadcast¬ ing Company uses its equipment to jasm an explosive ray calculated to destroy a promi¬ nent British landmark. Wilner arrives, rescues the girls, and realizing that the installation will be blown-up, departs the scene as the equip¬ ment is overloaded, resulting in a tremendous explosion. Lee and his daughter escape through a secret passage, and it’s inevitable that the world will hear from him again. X-Ray: Actually, the title is a misnomer and should have conceivably been called “The Hostages of Fu Manchu,” for that is what a dozen beautiful captives are in a plot wherein he uses them to force cooperation from families in his goal to conquer the world. The story proceeds at a fairly interesting pace; the acting is adequate; and the production and direction are capable. It should show up well enough as part of the show with a bit of extra exploiting providing a plus factor at the boxoffice. The use of color helps. The screenplay is by Peter Welbeck, based on the stories by Sax Rohmer. Ad Lines: “The Fabulous Fu Manchu Strikes Again”; “One Of The Great Villains Of The World In A New Plot To Conquer The World.” ITS THIS EASY: fill in data below . . . attach cash, check or money order in the desired amount . .... and send this stub to— MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, Philadelphia 7, Pa. Please check V ONE YEAR SO Ismt TWO YEARS U, ,0 TOO Isms THREE YEARS AA 150 Isms j*5*00 Fsrtign — $5.00 per yr. Theatre or Firm Mailing Address City . _ _ _ State _ If copies are to be addressed to an individual, please state: Individual’s Name. .Title. There is no other service as complete , as accurate, or as accessible as the REVIEWS at which you are looking • TO HAVE IT SERVE YOU REGULARLY, BECOME A REGULAR SUBSCRIBER TO MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR