Variety (July 1963)

Wednesday; yo aly 3, 1963: Berlin Festival Films Continued: from: page 6 Delay im Marlenbers | military brass, is obliged to let the Russians have their ‘way. — One of the unusual features. of Rugsians | the production is that th e are not made the heavies wually are in such subjects. Admilttedily, they put on a show of. halt the and reasonably,. knowing they | ve some right on their side: And there is also a. forceful .outman. ever. not take full advantage of.’ the subject matter, and fails: to. build. ; up either a. claustrophobric : atmos-} 5, phere or adequate suspense. The}. ‘yerbal duels between the train | : commander, Sean Flynn, ‘and the Russians 4 Jack the necessary. drama sive character, thus diverting much sympathy. from. his. role.. Flynn, however, makes a convincing show| le Coureel. is colorless as. the nurse while Joseph Yadin (an Jaraeli) makes. alively Russian ontleer. Hans Joachim Schmiede is a typically pathetic refugee. Tech-|. aical credits. are average, and there is a tuneful song ‘over™ the eredit. Myro,” oo ne (The Reunion) © UFALIAN) © Bertin, July: 2. Galates production ‘and release. Stars Walter : Chiari. by Damiano Screen Eaborators,. Ribulei, Ugo. Liberatore: camera. Alesgandro D‘Eva: music, Roberto: Nicolosi. At Berlin Film Fest. Running. _time,. 106. MI Cesare 2... ecw ee wee, Walter Chiart! -Alberte ... ..-.. Francisco: Rabal Carla wee ccccces Sree wens. Leticia Roman Serzie aac nccgeecaceca rdo. Garrone La Occ dec eeeee Dominique Boshero NANG. cc cic ce ecw ence eene o. Guerrini ‘Toro out ebeereneacceee -Gastone Moschin iio. 9s cane --Siicqueling Pierreatx omer ee av etee oe oo *.Paul. Guers A tragi-comedy, revealing ® -per| eeptive understanding of human behavior, “The.Reunion” is distinguished by a fine stellar porformance by Walter: Chiari which. gives the picture its real character and quality. Film. has strong b.o possibilities which could. ‘be hypoed. py tightening of. a. few everdrawn sequences. . Having its world. ‘preem. as the the reactions of five. men, all of ‘whom were youthful. friends,. who plan a night out on the town. :All: have done well, with the exeeption. -ef one whoa has a job ini..a picture. theatre. But he was the one whe ‘was always the life’ and -soulof that. he still has a way of charm‘ing Women, even total strangers, ever the telephone. What. starts out as a high spirit ed spree with girls picned up on. gradua impercep| Heman y t. umar As mainly: fas-f side, film is. not. ‘always technically.) | firstrate.. ‘Also; it could have shown { more: footwork: of.-Garrincha. The ‘| commentary . :.+ Berlin. Fest) bordered sometimes on | the p silly. oe 7 the way, tibly but inevitably develops into a disaster, Walter has his fill of trouble: hé’s married, but has a mistress-on the side, and. ; _the latter has decided to. accept an} offer: of marriage. to give their child a name and « home. As the | Nikos night goes on, they move from one’ escapade to another,. ending . with a 8 brutal beating up of. Chiari after | 3 been. cold-shouldered: by a formes flame. . The film is at. its best: ‘wien ‘the story is pursuing a gay and: light-.| « rae & a Bay g ‘than: 2,000 years: has . made little change -in. the pattern’. of. sexual ‘behaviour. of: the. -Ahuman: male. or. female, according to. this Greek} © picture which’ based on .an ancient “hearted course, ‘but. the more serious incidents dovetailed into the “general. ‘theme;:. There is one diverting scene when. a blonde pickup: is stretched out] Morizontally .. on a billiards table, and ene of the: men tees. off.a shot. from her bres; and another, ‘when fi alk ape driving along x highway, | and a' handsome negress puts her | hand out of the window of a parallel car to flick the ash from. her cigaret, only to have. it caressed by another of the high-spirited ‘gang. “Aside from ‘Chitaris dominating there is also. first | rate’ ‘work from ‘the other members of the cast. Leticia Roman is appealing as one of. the. ‘warmly: ‘girls 5 wee, y night out. for. fun ends | » to F >) we me ne Jose Ferrer, . ‘a news. riding on the train, who. de-| clares. he has little sympathy. for'|. the r as it -was the Germans | who started the whole unhappy| — business, though he later. relents | . when: the lad -has.to‘be. “handed | Unfortunately, the direction:dees| 24, h.The Prdirector also. has . ‘made. ‘Ferrer an unnecessarily agres play, Damlarit; script eol-.. ‘Vittoriano Petrilli, Enrico | as. the} Ters affluent member of the. group, | oo | Poulos... time, a “MINS. are credibly: | Boschero ist an. attractive s specimen of .female . ‘sensuousness | while | Jacqueline Pierreux, gives .a force ful display of embittered. “woman= jpood:.. Francis co. Rabal, :Ricardo |they| Garrone, Mino. Guerrini. and ‘Gas-1 ton Moschin are the other men-on} thie | spree, and “Offer: lively: and || foree and call out the troops to} he Coo. the train, but they behave | i= | directed his. own. /sereenplay; and}: “has. shown a -keen’ ‘appreciation. for. ' clearcut.; “eradits are up ta pars characterization. ) Myro: ' : (King, Queen and: Slave) . (INDIAN). ‘Berlin, July. 2. Guru Dutt -Films’ (Bombay) prediction. release. Stars’: Meena Kumari, Guru Rehman, Waheda Rehman... .Di-: rected by Abrar. Alvi.. Based on: ‘novel by Bimal Mitra;.cadmera, V.° K. Murthy;. music, Hemant .-Kumar.: At Berlin Film Fest. Running. time, 12e MINS. ” Thig: Indian* entry at the Berlin festival is a strange, .uneasy. mixture of moods and’ styles, which | -just..don’t. blend inta. a complete whole. It: starts off as a disarming ly ‘naive comedy; played with charm {and -good humor. _Then, suddenly. -it. changes: to heavy and ponderous: melodrama. This is extremély ‘over Jong, too,: at two hours of running time, so it ean ‘only. have very 7 “slight. artie chances in the West. “The.-period -is: the’ ‘turn of the ‘19th Century. There isan under current ‘ofunrest as ‘the peasants | Jose: their land, and the: British | } troops roam ‘through the: city looting the shops inthe local: market. But that aspect is hardly developed. |. ‘For the first ‘part, the emphasis: is |.{ on. a@. young. country bumpkin who}. ‘Tecomes to. the big . city, ‘locates ‘a ‘De| friend whoworks in the “big man-| sion,”. géts a jolt and is soon -ro-. Mantically. entangled. with. his .em-|~| ployer’s daughter, -but: is ‘too shy and «fumbling “to make | Touch : headway;. Running parallel with’ that. theme [ds the. despair of. the. lady . of ther. jmanor who cannot prevail” ‘upon ‘| her. husband. to. stay home. at night, as he seems to. prefer orgies. with dancing. girls and plenty of booze.. In a.desperate bid -to: held her] “man, she agrees ‘to take a. drink| with.him, and. acts. like she is. ‘making theultimate sacrifice. In} ‘no time at.‘all; she’s acquired. a ‘taste .for. the. hard. ‘stuff,. becomes | a’ confirmed. alcoholic: and. drinks: away. the family’: fortune, while, ironically, her ‘husband has become +a teetataller. Inevitably, she comes z ‘toa tragic: end: | official Italian selection for ‘the | Berlin festival, the pic. portrays: The Naive: styleof: ‘the.earlier ‘part proves “most. ‘appealing, and had -it ‘kept’ on -that note, ‘the pic might. have .been more “palatable. ‘But the transition ‘to melier. throws. ‘it _off-key,though not, apparently, for. local audiences.: In.. India, ‘it is Fated among the ‘top ~10° filnis‘ af] ‘the last 50 .years. : the party. when they. were young|: er. And the others soon discover.) Production ‘is mounted on an ’ambitious.~ scale, with : several. Javish. ‘sets and @ ‘wide range of attractive costumes, ..The:. two main femme roles are played. ‘by. striking-look ing. actresses, andthe: male’ leads. “Men: Unusual score cinating. ' . Myro.. Young Aphrodites an (GREECE) : ‘ Berlin, July: 2. “Minos” -‘Kondouros production. Helen Prokopiov.,. : Snikse. ped) Vasu Va 8. an Gievanul | * me: ' ¢: Berlin: ra ‘Fen. ‘Apparently. the. passing of ‘more myth and is set in the year 200 B.C. A Gull, slow but exploitable yal married’ woman (whosehusband| isaway fishing) anda 10-year old -}boy meets "a 22-year old Passion ite natural. purstescourse, theugh im the case of the | until they apy the. elder couple. in the. act. . Exploitation comes via the sein 7? re Other | : ‘| time, 82. (MIN Sabib,. Bibi: aur Ghulam . itself “a Is ‘divided into, two paris and. uti-||; people there. rected: -Carneire. ‘time, ad MINS. ‘Cruzeiros... ‘Garrinchais a. ‘simple but: “colorful, likeable. fellow: who has re-. mained” ‘modest despite. all ‘the-| Fin. and; . Anzervos “Studios. (Athens) release of a. George Zervos -and . Features.| .* Takis ‘Emmanouel, mo, ‘Kleopatra Rota, Vangelis. Joanides. .. Di-Screriplay, Kostas: : Saale camera. “Running 7 : Paleo; eThere’s not. much fa-the-way ef “Merced & plet, and: what. little. story there is: at a leisurely and men-| otonouspace. A shepherd meets a sters they. appear to. ‘be groping} ) audiences. may. ¥esent! the. continti ous --upper.. ‘exposure by. a mere ‘| child in what, is after. all, a.com-|° . mercial pic with little . art preten=s.| sions. According ‘to-.a press. hand-out, the east is. composed of non-. ‘pros, ‘Their performances will do| 1 little to upset their amateur status, Technical: credits are. adequate. ae Myro. Leven En Beod Of Met ; ‘Land. . (Life and Death a Flinders) (BELG. Emile Degelin (Brussels) production. DE rected by: Degelin. Screenplay. _Degelin, ‘ based on ‘original. stories by Karel van de: Woestijne : and.. Stijn “Streuvels; camera, |. Paul Defru, IMrk -Reelofs; music, Jos Mertens. At spore Film: Fest. Runnig. This ‘Belgian ‘production . calls | ‘documentary’ feature. It} lizes: exceptional’ amateur players. -The first part (based. on novelette ‘by Woestijne). concerns a dying. -farmer,. the second ‘one (based on} | story: by’ Streuvels) has to do ‘with a young worker. who's forced to marry an ugly. girl . because the latter has a child: with him. ‘While ‘the first episode appears | ‘overly * slow, often’ not .exaetly tasteful and ‘either fish nor. fowl, | ‘the second: one. -Teveals Emile De gelin’s: directorial. talents in. several ‘situations.. He seems to have ‘well | caught. the feel of life-in the Fle-{ imish ‘country. and the nature of. the | There is some impressive: genu-| neness: about. this. part. Film, how} ever, will -have a. tough time ob taining many dates. : It’s teo much of an ‘offbeater for. any situation. “This ean be registered as an interesting effort: of writer-producer+ director. Emil Deselin... : Hans... Garrineha— ‘Allegria “De Povo (Garrincha—Here Of the People) (BRAZIL) | Berlin, J uly 2.: -Luiz Carlos: Barreto. production. : Dif Camerz, Mario d At. rerio. ‘Film Feat. _ Runniag : "Joanquim Pedro: that won the: 1958 ‘and. 4962 ‘War, Cups, ‘primarily is an item for. t ‘soccer fan. But itmay also please} other segments: for it. gives an in|} teresting insight into: Latin Ameri ‘can sports ‘enthusiasm. Taking into account that there are.millions. of football: fans all -over: the -world;. film. may. qualify” for ‘some special | situations, possibly if -cut. dewn also. for dualprograms. ; Pie tes ‘how. Gatrincha: climbed up from .a poor. factory worker to ‘a football (soccer). ‘professional: and. ‘star of his: team, ‘Botafogo, ‘with a monthly -‘income of. half a million: “The .* soccer | idolization. ° Amusing thing about -his* life is |. |-that fate has pulled his leg seven -times. “‘when.:. it gave. ‘him. (who: “wants ‘so badly. a son) . seven. daughters. to ‘date. ‘There are some excellent... -_ shots whieh — show -Garrincha in action.. -and, “In --all,. the fascinating sports. atmosphere. is ‘welt ‘caught, . On the negative (in * German ‘at. the ~ Hans, © La Verraza 7 (Phe Roof. -Garden) / ls.” Berlin, June 25. “Internacional ° .Films. . | release. of a. ‘German: Szolem_ produc tion. Stars .Graciela Borg ‘Leonardo. Favio.. . Directed”. by... "Leopoldo Torre Nilsson. : Séreenplay, Beatriz . Guido; camera, Ignacio. Souto:: editor, J. M.. |. music, Jorge Lopez.. Ruiz. At Berlin. Film, Fest. ‘Running time. 88 MINS. Claudia ; . Graciela Borges we . a fae cede . ‘0 ee Favio. LY; Ci ro eerece @eqecen as ce pez. ey | Alberts. . wopeee oe . we . *. Hector. . Peliegriné | Valeria. 7.0 eo Cee me ee. t BB ae cece ac cecens | Norberto Suarez | Horacie. ....:. eeconi Leporace | Pablo: wanda wons seas enieees Luis ‘Walmo ef. ‘She wes pageseue ~ Oeete Ea Guille -. Leta mete we as eee Oscar halierc: ‘Belfta tees Ke peewee badenee =e. oe esiee ‘Belita “Leopoldo _ ‘Torre: Nilsson, one: “ot | ‘Argentirie’s. best known directors, takes a long. and perceptive ‘look | fat “youth jn: revolt—a ainst.con-[ vention, authority parental ‘eontral. It is; in fata ‘ kind of | “dolce vita”. treatment “of | the smart young’ set .of Buenos Aires. ‘While | =] ing _ picture eas A ae) Gori tar <5 2 OT wee “artist. ‘Buenos | aires) |. ‘it. does not: make a wholly. Satisfy-|. 5 it has Several: intri which should give ut fair ‘arty ‘his natural’ “athletic. prowess, is chances overseas. The roof garden in which. vir: tually the. entire ‘story. is played: out.is at: the top ofa fashionable} B. A. apartment house, complete |. with swimming | ‘pool. A dozen or} ‘SOteenagers, all in bathing suits; have shut themselves. off from the. ‘outside: world and their. -only : contaet with their families.is through |! the grandchild of the caretaker, a | precocious. girl who runs errands tand delivers messages.:.Each time| ‘the adults attempt to ‘break into| | the youngster’s: privacy, they threa-. ten to toss the child over the roof-} ‘tops, and one such. warning to the ‘elders: almost ends in disaster. « The ‘teenagers spend most of | their time cavorting in the pool; a swilling whisky,. pairing off and making ° love, but their. rebellion ‘seems to. have little: point... It is more in. the nature ofan. escapade: in which high-spirited: youth is -de termined to have its fling and defy |. | the conventions, rathér ‘than making a stand.on.any stated. principle. ‘The characters are: ‘mainly casually drawn, but Torre Nilsson’s perceptive direction keeps..them in focus and gives: the. story some {meaning.. The. youthful rebellion | comes to its inévitable end one/ ‘dawn. And there is.a neat touch | of symbolism in: the final sequences: —some months after the spree—as} ‘the ‘little girl, now Iame from the escapade, plays in the empty pool, | with the auturan leavés, dropping | | east . "young ‘perform with’s an. appropeiate display of high ‘spirits, and there are some ‘interesting cameos, notably from, af priest. who appeals to the rebellious | ‘youth from. a helicopter hovering | over the roof garden. The two! ‘principal roles are plaved in lively | ‘style by" Graciela Borges: and} Leonardo Favio. Belita is. suitably | precocious: as: the child while the} {priest is effectively. portrayed. by | ‘Fernando Vegal... ‘As in-all Torre ENilsson’s Pix, technical: standards }. are eltay. 7 Myre ~ Film Reviews| ‘Warzan’s Three -Challensges Fage, so; ‘too, have the characters of fiction who. populated those | ‘Even the once: pristine real estate. of. Tarzan,. darkest Africa, is now ‘Known ‘more. for its politieal up-. heavals. than ‘its. primevatl; ‘splendors. In an effort, then,. . to. prevent | Tarzan fromm’ becoming a ludicrous: anachronism in a. world looking te’ ‘Space. geography for its “new mysteries. and exotic characters: of:| fantasy, producer ‘Sy “Weintraub. and: his creative. unit. have -grad| ually converted. the Edgar ‘Rice Burroughs character’ from | the | simple ape man toa globetrotting troublesheoter, a kind of one-man Peace Corps in loin cloth. But,' in | thus broadening the scope, they: | have stripped the character of | | much . of its distinguishing identity. ‘In “‘Tarzan’s ‘Three Challenges,” he. has been transplanted. to. Thai-land;:.Filmed there in its entirety, ‘it is, by modern story and produc-. tion standards, ° probably .oneof | the best. installments in the 44-. year-old, .34-chapter-old_ screen. series, and, thanks. to the inevit‘able. moppet support, very. likely. will~show .a boxoffice profit. Yet ‘the new Tarzan Jacks the’ imagina-| tion-stimulating | avalities ‘that: made this series'.so successful. “Much of. the romance has gone out of. the marriage: between character land: ‘audience. The series. may be.|‘ = hanging: on. the thread of. tradition, {living on borrowed time. : Today’s. 4 Tarzan is.a:man without ‘a country. and.-with: only a. shred of. his for~ | ‘Mer personality. In this Berne Giler-Robert Day screenplay, directed. skillfully by the latter, Tarzan. (Jock. Mahoney). Is summoned to. Thailand to escort ‘a young ‘spiritual heir from: -a monastery to. his” rightful throne at the head of an. ancient. land. To. protect his charge, ‘Tarzan must ‘ward off the challenge of the ‘brother (Woody Strode) of the -@ying ruler, whom: he. ‘defeats in ‘an impressive two-man. meee Fment of strength and Some interesting socio-political f‘ramifications of the power strugegte |: ‘between Strode, who represents |: ‘the radical younger faction: of ‘the. tribe, and the young heir-apparent,. who. ‘Tepresents. tradition,.are. touched upon: but eventually sub| merged by. the. requirements of | physical action. Fox the ‘purists. and the. kiddies, there. ae “iat jn m0 em jungle or arzair £0 ee | Dragon” able to: rmake-a gymnasium out. of the junglein: the «best. Tarzan: tradition. ‘Strode is a most impres ‘sive figure-as the antagonist, and: -also ‘briefly enacts the role of the: “dying: chieftain. -. Ricki Der does capably asthe ‘young ruler. and. Tsurwuk o: Kobayashi. -contributes ‘the right note of ‘concerr. ‘as. his ‘devoted nursemaid. . The production is: ‘notable. ‘for a ‘smattering of. culture. ‘In. addition | to this ethnic. flavoring, there are: ‘also: impressive action sequences,. -” among. ‘them a roaring forest fire, — Ted ‘Scaife’ 's ._photography ‘is’. ex pert, as is: Fred Burnley’s’ editing. . “| Among -other. outstanding staff ef forts, Joseph. Horovitz’s." music plays: a vital role in the production: with its exotic strains:and explanatory | emphasis of. key. ‘dramatic points. . Pube. ~TradingEven = ‘Continued from page: 3 — -also: import ‘Russ product. And. as far’ as the actual. trading with the Russians: is ‘concerned, Shore: says “they're easier ‘to‘deal with than. any other country.” This. is largeJy because the machinery is al ady established to trade via the cultural exchange route, terms for: which have existed “status quo since their _ Patablishment in. ‘1958; The way Ht works is that an. nim-.--! porter pays $60,000 for a standard ratio film or. $67,000 for .a ‘wide screen. pic and Russians pay’ the Same. It’s an even exehange. This keeps the dollar balance stable. Fand the ‘flow. even. Although it .is also: possible to deal outside the* . framework ° of” the cultural -ex-. change ‘setup, neither side is anx--. ious to do. so. In the ease of. his importation. of “Tyan,” the Russians ‘got. : “Richard: ‘HER’, and “There Was. a’ Crooked Man,” ** both UA films, rat the’ appropriate price per pic. ..f Shore first had: te. buy them from | UA, of course. . Considering: the price paid, sotie | Russ releases. garner okay rentals. _‘-t for their importers. In 1958 Shore. as Continned from: pase c7——-+ This documentary | on Garrineha, | idolized. Brazilian football player, . right winger of the Brazilian teams | 7 ‘imported. a spectacle exploitation | item called” “The. Sword and the which 3 bus : $600,000,: he estimates. ‘to. Remember” should hit over $180,000. . The ..majors ‘have had. ‘some too, but. haven’t dene too ~ ! welt’ ‘primarily because they are ‘Tess -fiexible than the indies. Among the Russ film handled by. Inajors have been “Cranes. Are . Flying,” . “Othello; ” ‘Flows the Don.’’. Shore also notes that ‘some majors have: “a ‘certain. reluctance” :to déal. with the :-Rus: -sians’ because of fear of: stock holders’ beefing and ‘other. factors. ‘which ‘he. considers foolish: Do-It-Yourself! . “reluctance :: of Inajors to” handle -distribution,he: must. deal with indie distribs of. whoni_ he “says, “Give: ’em .a hit: and: they’ re all heroes, but. give. ’em .a_ marginal: ‘picture. ‘and it dies:in the. vaults’. Instead,. he -declares, “I’d:rather distribute ‘myself in 200 theatres ‘and get. the money. directly than get.a. ‘distributor. fo ‘get. me 2,000 theatrés and gives. me ‘trouble.’” Accordingly, he has ‘no. distrib for ‘“Jvan”: but. made the’ deal for the Murray -Hillwith Rugoff: himself, . “No distrib would ‘do as well as I‘ did because he’s::téo . efraid. for his. other ‘pietures to: press -for .strong terms.” On July 4° (ironically) he flies ing. of their. seven-hour | epic filmigation of “War anid Peace.” Among the points’ in the discussions will be the trimming of the’ film: to three-and-a-half hours for U.— S. ‘screening and the bringing of U.S," ‘and British. actors to Moscow: to. dub an -Englishlanguage . version. ‘Says Shore of. the: international ‘film. biz, “everybody has a country. : these days. Joe. Levine ‘has Italy °* ‘and France,’ Continental : has. Eng-_ land, UA has: Greece. I. might ‘as. well: have a Part of «. someplace. too.” Braid for Harold Roth: ‘Harold Roth, general sales: man-ager. of Samuel. Bronston Distribu-: ‘tions, the. past. week was elected. Fa yicepresident of. the: organization.. In ancther move’ Murray M.. _ ‘Kaplan. has’ joined the company ~‘in an..exee ‘sales capacity . under. Roth. Kaplan i is'a former v.p.-gener sales manager of Medallion Pic-__ tures . ang prior. to” this. was , with : ‘about. “Ballad . of a ‘Soldier™ grassed about $300,-.:.. £000 just in art house. “A.Summer. . “Fate of a. -Man,”.’ “Swan. Lake” -and. “Quiet: ' Shore: notes that, because of the: to: Russia. to dicker for the import.