Emil and the Detectives (Disney) (1964)

Mat EM-2K 64 Walt Disney Pr THE LOOT makes these two skrinks (bad guys) forget temporarily that Emil is hot on their trail in Walt Disney’s Technicolor comedy-thriller, ‘‘Emil and the Detectives.” At left is Peter Ehrlich and at right is Heinz Schubert. New Walt Disney Film Story, ‘Emil,’ Ranks with Classics like ‘Tom Sawyer’ When the erudite London Times, oracle for all things literary, put “Tom Sawyer,” “Huckleberry Finn,” “Treasure Island” and “Robinson Crusoe” on its list of the best hundred children’s stories ever published, it was careful not to omit “Emil and the Detectives,” the Erich Kastner novel on which Walt Disney’s feature motion picture is based. In fact, “Emil” sat near the top and, in the thirty-five years since it first appeared in print, it has become an inter national classic. It was first published in Germany in 1929, but since that memorable date it has appeared in twentyseven other languages, and has sold a record 1,500,000 copies all over the world. During the Hitler regime it was confiscated, but quickly returned to its former prominence after World War II. Disney’s movie version of “Emil and the Detectives” is a laughloaded satire on human nature. The popular book has been filmed previously, including versions in German and Japanese. Kastner’s original has also been adapted for the stage in London and Berlin. In 1960, Kastner’s book received the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international tribute given for excellence in children’s books. Slezak’s‘NoGood’ Career Forecast by his Father When Walter Slezak, star of Walt Disney’s “Emil and the Detectives,” turned to motion picture acting for a career, his father predicted that leading a screen actor’s life of “paid idleness” would turn Walter into a “no good.” _And indeed it has. That is, during his illustrious career in Europe, on Broadway, and in Hollywood, he has played some real nefarious characters. A list of some of the roles he has essayed over the years reads like the honor roll at the Black Museum. For Disney, Walter is the Baron, an underworld mastermind who stumbles through a series of comic capers while trying to blast his way into an underground bank vault, proving to be a no-good crook again — and a fine comedian. Bryan Russell, Star Of Disney’s ‘Emil,’ WALTER SLEZAK PLIES GOURMET HOBBY IN WALT DISNEY FILM Walter Slezak, exceptionally talented actor, author and lecturer, is also an epicurean with the good fortune of being able to apply his knowledge of food to the story in Walt Disney’s comedy adventure, “Emil and the Detectives,” in which he stars. Playing the “Baron,” an aristocrat of the underworld, Slezak sits at length in a dank, underground tunnel watching a complaining assistant in crime dig toward a bank vault and untold riches while he dines delicately on caviar and vintage wine. As might be expected, Slezak the gourmet, insisted on following the script to the letter, and spent the two days required to record the sequence consuming three and a half pounds of caviar, and washed it down with his favorite wine. In between takes, Walter told of the fun he has had over the years with his favorite subject. He has collected hundreds of amusing anecdotes about famous people and their eating idiosyncrasies. In fact, he plans to publish this collection along with Slezak-tested recipes for the dishes concerned. In color by Technicolor, “Emil and the Detectives” stars Slezak, Bryan Russell and Roger Mobley and features Cindy Cassell. The picture was directed by Peter Tewksbury for Walt Disney with Peter Herald as associate producer. A J Carothers wrote the screenplay based on Erich Kastner’s famous story. Buena Vista releases. Leads Two ‘Careers’ At Age Eleven In the eleven years of his life, Bryan Russell has successfully launched two careers, one as an actor with a long-term Walt Disney contract and the title role in Disney’s “Emil and the Detectives,” the other as an agent with two clients. Bryan’s acting credits include many top TV shows and a half dozen motion pictures, among which are “Bye Bye Birdie,” and “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm,” but he enjoys his agent’s “commission” more than the fame his acting is beginning to bring to him. Three years ago, when he heard that the part of Dennis the Menace’s girl friend was open, Bryan told the producer about his sister, Jeanne, and she got the role within days. Now Bryan is working on his mother’s show business career. A former concert pianist, Mrs. Russell has been concentrating on raising her two talented children. Nevertheless, she made her film debut in the Disney comedy, thanks to Bryan’s suggestion that his pretty mother take the place of an ailing extra. Needless to say, Mrs. Russell was thrilled even with a walk-on part, so she gave her agent-son his first commission, a huge whipped cream cake. The reward was devoured by Bryan and the seven other growing children in the cast so rapidly that Mrs. Russell good naturedly promised to keep the “commissions” coming. In color by Technicolor, “Emil and the Detectives” stars Walter Slezak, Bryan and Roger Mobley and features Cindy Cassell. The picture was directed by Peter Tewksbury for Walt Disney with Peter Herald as associate producer. A J Carothers wrote the screenplay based on Erich Kastner’s famous story. Buena Vista releases. Mat EM-2J HIGH-LARIOUS fun is created by Emil, played by Bryan Russell (with arm over railing) and a band of self-appointed detectives in Walt Disney’s Technicolor comedy-thriller, “Emil and the Detectives.” Mat EM-2H THE “DETECTIVES” are hot on the trail of a basket of bank loot in Walt Disney's Technicolor comedy-adventure, ‘‘Emil and the Detectives.’’ Trying to make their getaway are Walter Slezak and Peter Ehrlich. ‘Emil and the Detectives’ Is Family Film Fare Filled with Funny Surprises Prepared Review Family movie buffs who like their film fare on the highly original and suspenseful side — and who doesn’t? — have something of a surprise to look forward to in the way of excitement now that Walt Disney’s comedy adventure, ‘Emil and the Detectives” has begun its run at the 00... Theatre. The picture, in color by Technicolor, stars Walter Slezak and youngsters Bryan Russell, Roger Mobley and Cindy Cassell, and is based on the famous Erich Kastner story that has fascinated readers all over the world for close to forty years. This, incidentally, is the second Kastner novel that Disney has adapted to the wide screen. Three years ago he based his smash hit, “The Parent Trap,” on another of the author’s works. All the wonderful ingredients that made the earlier attraction such a hit have been incorporated into this one. The picture was filmed in West Berlin where the story takes place, and is the first of a non-political nature to be made in that city since World War II. Its background provides the necessary atmosphere for Emil’s exploits as he chases about the area, like a boyish James Bond, trying to locate the crook that lifted him of a large sum of money. In his travels he stumbles upon a more sinister plot that involves a trio of notorious and most-wanted masterminds of the Berlin underworld who are out to raid a bank. Emil links up with a brash street urchin, Gustav, who offers _the services of his band of young detectives to help him. Unable to convince the police of the planned robbery, the children set to work to trap the thieves, and in doing so get involved in a series of almost unbelievable cliff-hanger adventures. As the Baron, the leader of the daring bank hoist, veteran stage and screen star Walter Slezak delivers another polished performance that is both threatening and comical. Handsome young Disney contractee, Bryan Russell, gives a winning portrayal in the title role, and Roger Mobley is fine as the head kid detective. Cindy Cassell, a pretty 14year-old newcomer to pictures, is perfect in the part of a stalwart school reporter who shadows Emil and his pals in search of a scoop. A couple of German comics, Heinz Schubert and Peter Ehrlich, prove ideal buffoon sidekicks to Slezak. Making up the well cast detective staff, in their movie bows, are Brian Richardson, David Petrychka, Robert Swann and identical twins Ron and Rick Johnson. Effective performances are turned in by Ann Noland, as an_interferring teenager, attractive Eva-Ingeborg Scholz as Emil’s mother, and Elsa Wagner as a worried grandmother. Peter Tewksbury, internationally known as a highly effective director, is no less so in this instance, working with the screenplay by A J Carothers, a veteran Disney scenarist. Gunther Senftleben’s photography deftly captures the changing moods of the atmospheric adventure, and the sound track’s melodic score, contributed by Heinz Schreiter, greatly enhances the action. Peter Herald was associate producer for Disney. Buena Vista releases. 964 Walt Disney Productions