Bedtime Story (Universal Pictures) (1964)

billing Universal Presents MARLON BRANDO DAVID NIVEN SHIRLEY JONES in “BEDTIME STORY” In EASTMAN COLOR with ARAM STEPHAN DODY GOODMAN MARIE WINDSOR NORMAN ALDEN HENRY SLATE Written by STANLEY SHAPIRO and PAUL HENNING Directed by RALPH LEVY Produced by STANLEY SHAPIRO Executive Producer ROBERT ARTHUR A LANKERSHIM-PENNEBAKER PRODUCTION A UNIVERSAL PICTURE the cast Fred Bentson. MARLON BRANDO Lawrence Jamison DAVID NIVEN Janet Walker... SHIRLEY JONES Fanny Eubank. DODY GOODMAN Monsieur Andre. ARAM STEPHAN Col. Williams...... PARLEY BAER Mrs. Sutton... MARIE WINDSOR Mrs. Trumble...... REBECCA SAND Miss Harrington FRANCES ROBINSON Sditlepohes see HENRY SLATE Duties NORMAN ALDEN Anna Kroeger SUSANNE CRAMER Prnedan ee CYNTHIA LYNN Hil daaes 22 eee IZLE TAURINS Gin BSS FRANCINE YORK the staff Director of Photography, Clifford Stine, A.S.C.; Art Directors, Alexander Golitzen and Robert Clatworthy; Set Decorations, Oliver Emert; Sound, Waldon O. Watson and Corson Jowett; Film Editor, Milton Carruth; Gowns Designed by Jean Louis; Jewels by Cartier; Music, Hans J. Slater; Music Supervision, Joseph Gershenson; Hair Stylist, Larry Germain: Make-up, Bud Westmore: Unit Production Manager, Kenneth L. Grossman: Assistant Director, Joseph E. Kemmy. the story (Not for Publication) Corporal Fred Bentson (MARLON BRANDO) and Lawrence Jamison (DAVID NIVEN) are two of a kind; women are irresistably attracted to them. Each man is dedicated to the happiness of pursuit. Each, with only an occasional twinge of conscience, permits his conquests to make love offerings. Preferably cash. But jewels will suffice—if of sufficient value. In fairness to the men, none of their women has ever felt short-changed, or suffered reflective pangs of regret. Each man, to begin with, moves within his own orbit; Freddy, still in the Army, in a little German village, and Lawrence, in more elegant circumstances, from his chateau on the French Riviera. The succession of assorted females who succumb to their wiles is endless. In further defense of our Gala 1ifig let it be said they are unqualifi¢dly democratic; contest. Furthermore she has no _ willing to ope their o»---— tirely without 5 en of all natior Early ‘benei dy’s amorous Frieda (CYN" curvaceous fra ger (SUSAND burgermeister spring; Hilda ( a Teutonic od. (FRANCINE J eyeful. Lawrence’s ¢ brace such we!) . endowed desire ton (MARIE Fanny of Oma) MAN). Inevitably t confidence art rence, the sage Dody Goodman fetchingly displays a portion of the $2,500,000 worth of genuine jewels furnished by Cartier of New York for the Universal romantic comedy in color, ‘‘Bedtime Story.” (Still No. 1934—P. 34) instinctively senses there can be only one king of the mountain. He immediately formulates plans to oust Freddy, enlisting the aid of a confederate, Monsieur Andre (ARAM STEPHAN), police inspector. But Freddy is not without private wiles. Learning that Lawrence frequently parades as a deposed prince, Freddy—by now ingeniously discharged from the service — pretends, in a temporary truce with Lawrence, to be the prince’s half-wit younger brother, Ruprecht. Complete with royal dress uniform he moves in at Lawrence’s chateau. Making the best of an awkward impasse, Lawrence contrives to use Freddy to frighten off females who hope to march him to the altar. When Mrs. Trumble (REBECCA SAND), oil heiress, reveals marital hopes, Lawrence takes her to his dungeon-like basement. Finding Freddy crouched on a window-sill, muttering nonsensical gibberish, she beats a hasty retreat. When Lawrence’s next “victim,’ Miss Harrington (FRANCES ROBINSON), virtually has him haltered, Freddy puts on an act of having to be spoon fed, and—when crossed— of snarling like a ferocious jungle beast. By the time Janet Walker (SHIRLEY JONES), American soap queen, hoves into view, Freddy and Lawrence agree to use her as a test case. The first man to extract $25,000 from her wins; the other blows town. Freddy scores first points when he appears in a wheelchair, pretending to be the victim of an emotional trauma which has deprived him of use of his legs. Janet is deeply sympathetic. She accepts his story that only one man can help him, an eminent (non-existent) psychiatrist, whose fee is $25,000. She promises to get him the money. Lawrence, learning of Freddy’s scheme, pretends to be the psychiatrist. He informs Janet the constructive therapy for Freddy would include paying the money directly to him. Meanwhile he loses no opportunity to romance Janet on his own. Lawrence later is shocked to discover that Janet is not, as he had assumed, the heiress-daughter of the owner of the American Soap Company, but simply and— purely—winner of a soap queen thinks she © Pokes Fun At Self (Current) Marlon Brando was the first to poke fun at himself. On the set of his current Universal romantic comedy, ‘‘Bed-~time Story,’ in which his costars are David Niven and Shirley Jones, a friend introduced him to a female visitor. The friend explained that the visitor was a mute, but could read lips. “Yes,”’ said the star, “but can she read mumbling ?” “Bedtime Story,” in color, is now on view at the Theatre. Brando Poses Enigma For Neighbors By Daily Lawn Mowing (Current) Marlon Brando’s neighbors have finally found the answer to a minor enigma. Daily, for weeks, they had seen the star cutting his lawn, riding astride a power mower equipped with bicycle seat. Since the lawn area is a comparatively small expanse his puzzled neighbors didn’t know what to think, except that perhaps he had the fastest growing grass anywhere around. Turns out he was only getting ready for one of his pivotal sequences in his current Universal film, ‘““Bedtime Story,” now showINO Cab NG aaa Gee es Theatre. A key scene in the romantic comedy, in which his co-stars are David Niven and Shirley Jones, has him trapped on a runaway mower. And before going into the episoce the star simply wanted to make sure he was completely familiar with operation of the contraption. The power mower is only one of the many modes of transportation Brando uses in the hilarious comedy. He also handles a wheelchair, drives a beautiful foreign car and rides on an European express train through the beautiful French countryside. Marie Windsor portrays one of the wealthy dowagers who forces her attentions—and her wealth—on David Niven in the sophisticated Universal comedy in color, “Bedtime Story.” Co-starring with Niven are Marlon Brando and Shirley Jones. (Still No. 1934—P. 35) March Of Progress Hits Idyllic Island ose favorite ‘Tahiti, says is beginning n the onceost. turned from iti prior to on his curitic comedy ‘y,” in which | Niven and at Papeete markets, a aree movie ‘rs and icehe more rees, he says, nd the un‘teryear. ow on view atre. Pretending to be David Niven’s half-wit brother, Marlon Brando stages a pyrotechnical display of temperament in a calculated gesture to dissuade Rebecca Sand from her plans to marry Niven, in Universal’s frothy romantic comedy in color, ‘Bedtime Story.” (Still No. 1934—52 ) Brando Navigates Turns In Wheelchair (Current) Marlon Brando has discovered —to his own considerable astonishment—that he has lost none of his old prowess at piloting a wheelchair. He originally had to learn to handle one of the conveyances in 1950 when he played the part of a paraplegic in his initial film assignment. Recently —for the first time since—he was back briefly in such a chair for his current stint, with David Niven and Shirley Jones, in Universal's color comedy, ‘“Bedtime Story,’’ now on view at the Be RES RNa ea Theatre. On his initial spin around the sound stage he discovered he still retained the ability to navigate turns on only two wheels, negotiating corners at practically a 45degree angle. “One miss,’”’ Niven told him, “and you'll wind up in one of those for real.” Potentate Moves In; Troupe Moves Out (Advance) A reigning Middle East potentate was responsible for a sudden shift in headquarters of Universal’s location unit on the French Riviera for “Bedtime Story” starring Marlon Brando, David Niven and Shirley Jones. The troupe was originally booked for the luxurious Negresco Hotel at Nice, but their quarters were pre-empted when King Ibn Saud made an appearance on the scene with an official entourage of more than 40 persons, including wives and concubines. The Universal film unit hastily esstablished a new working base at Cannes, some 12 miles distant. “Bedtime Story,” in color, opens Theatre. Devoted Dog Shares Star's King-Size Bed (Advance) Marlon Brando says it’s a good thing he happens to have a kingsize bed. Since his recent return to Hollywood after an absence of more than a month his pet St. Bernard, Toto, has refused to let him out of his sight. And at night, reports Brando, now starring with David Niven and Shirley Jones in Universal’s romantic comedy, “Bedtime Story,” the animal insists on stretching out at his side. Still a pup, the huge dog already weighs more than 150 pounds and probably will add at least another 25 when fully grown. “Bedtime Story, in color, opens Theatre. Tables Turned For Film Lothario Niven (Current) Debonair David Niven, whose celluloid love making frequently has him kissing a fair lady’s hand, has the tables turned in his current co-starring role with Marlon Brando and Shirley Jones, in Universal’s “Bedtime Story,’ now screening in color at the.................. Theatre. In his portrayal of a'confidence artist who adroitly contrives to have wealthy women reward him with costly jewels for his romantic attentions, he parades as a makebelieve prince. One of his many admirers, Marie Windsor, seen as a visiting American, is so overwhelmed at being in the presence of royalty she sinks to her knees and bestows a reverential kiss upon his hand. “Something I don’t think I'll ever get used to,” said Niven. Pretending to be a famous psychiatrist, David Niven informs a sorely disappointed Marlon Brando that holding lovely Shirley Jones in his arms might prove disastrously traumatic, considering his condition, in Universal’s romantic frolic in color, “Bedtime Story.” (Still No. 1934——87 )