Variety (March 1959)

22 PICTURES Ufi&IETY Wednesday, March 11, 1959 FiEm Reviews ; Continued from page 6 ; Nella Citta L S^crno of some prison systems, and their tendency to foster, rather than cure crime, “L’Ini'ernp” is more than that thanks to a moving and human story told through the main characters of JSgle (Anna Magnani) and Lina (Giulietta Masina). Egle is the vet who corrupts first-timer -Xina, in prison by m'siake, into a wised-up attitude on life and crime. She overdoes her schooling, how¬ ever, and when Lina r. turns to jail a seasoned and calloused pro, deprived of all her previous in¬ nocence and ingeniousness, it’s Egle who is finally shocked to her senses at what she has done. Pic is dominated by Anna Magnani’s personality and performance, prob¬ ably her best to date which per¬ force pales such other excellent performances as that of Giulietta Masina and some others. The Magnani role is made to order for her talents and tempera¬ ment. The : film would be worth seeing even for her performance alone. However, this is a good, well-constructed, s.rongly-worded and colorful item per se, m which the .hand of Renato Castellani is noted. His direction rarely errs. And he has as usual obtained some fine performances from all con¬ cerned in this vastly populated pic. Suso Cecchi D’Amico’s script is also a top contribution in delineat¬ ing the character developments, sketching in backdrop perform- ‘ ances of color and vitality, and in bringing Miss Mari’s book to the screen With hard-hitting, realistic dialogue, much of whkn will un¬ fortunately will'be lc-st in transla¬ tion or on foreign ear?. Except for soundtrack, which was poor on the print seen, techni¬ cal credits reflect Castellani’s care for detail in every sector, to which must be added Giuseppe Amato’s expert personal production super¬ vision. Lensing by Leonida Bar- boni is tops while the musical scoring by Roman Vlad-appropria¬ tely suit moods and action. Hawk. Froeken Anril (Miss April) (SWEDISH-EASTMANCOLOR) Stockho' ‘. March 3. Eurqpa Film production end release. Stars Gunnar Bjoernstrand, Lena Soeder- blom; features Jarl Kulle. Gaby Stenberg, Douglas Eage, Hjordis Pettersson, Meg Westergren. Lena Madsen, Sif Ruud, Bir- gitta Valberg, Per Oscar^son. Written and directed by Goeran Gentelc. Camera, Karl-Erik Alberts; music, Karry Arnold. At Saga, Stockholm. Running time, 97 MINS. Marcus Arwidson .. Gunr.- r Bioernstrand "Miss April'’ . Lena Soederblom. Oswald TSerg .. Jarl Kulle Vera . .Gabv Stenberg Chorus Master . Douglas Hage Mrs. Berg.Hjcerdis ^ettersson Anna . Meg Westergren Siri . Lena Madsen Opera Manager . Olof S~ndborg Mrs. Nilsson . Sif Ruud Sverker Ek, pianist ... Per Oscarsson Miss Holm, secretary . Birgitta Valberg diva is highly amusing. As the famous Oswald Berg, he portrays a really self-conscious singer and a Don Juan in both real life and on the stage. Gaby Stenberg, as the very jealous singer and his girl friend, is also standout. Three newcomers in Swedish films, Lena Soedenblom, Meg Wes- tergren (has been in small parts before) and Lena Madsen show future-promise. Eastmancolor camerawork by Karl-Erik Alberts is outstanding as are the other technical credits. A waltz-melody, sung by Joy Ardon, sounds promising. Winq. Faibles Femmes (Weak Women) (FRENCH—COLOR) Paris, March 3. Marceau release of Paul Graetz pro^ duction. Stars Myle'ne Demongeot, Pas- cale Petit, Jacqueline Sassard, Alain Lelon; features Pierre MonHy, Noel Roquever. Andre Lugue, Somone Renant. Directed bv Michel Boisrond. Screenplay, Annette Wademant: camera (Eastman- ■qolor), Robert Le Febvre; editor, Made¬ leine Gug. At Biarritz, Paris. Running time, 100 MINS. Sabine... Mylene Demongeot Agathe ... Pascale Petit Helene ..-... Jacqueline Sassard Julien . Alain Delon Edouard .. Noel Roquevert Father . Andre Luget Marguerite . Somone Renant Andre . Pierre Mondy It is April 1, soring is just arriv¬ ing and the world is beginning to look more friendly. The mailman stands in front of two mail-boxes with a letter addressed to “Master of the House” and the street num¬ ber.- Nothing more. He can take a chance by putting the letter in one of the two boxes, and he does just that. And that’s how t H e manager of a great bank a few minutes later is reading a passionate love letter from someone who cal T s herself Miss April. He is Gunnar Bjoern¬ strand, one of Swed* n’t top char¬ acter players. Actuary, the letter was sent by Lena Soederblom, a young girl in the Opera Ballet, and intended for the Ooera’s tenor, Jarl Kulle, with whom she is se¬ cretly in love. Bjoernstrand, too old for such things as romance, can’t forget the letter and when by some strange reason, he meets the girl *vho sent it, things start to haon-m. The bank manager happers to look for the girl a_t the Roy§l Opera, and he is forced to try to sing, immediately he is “discovered.” TMc starts a double life, being the distinguished bank manager at daytime and the promising new hooe at the Opera at nights. The climax is reached during a gala performance at the opera with the bank manager sing¬ ing the lead in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” This may have a chance in the world market since,,it has speed and singing. Since neither Bjoernstrand nor Kulle are opera singers, their voices obviously were brilliantly dubbed in. An unusual scene has Bjoernstrand and Kulle, in their cabriolets driving into town, both singing the Toreador Aria from “Carmen.” It is one of the films highlights^ Bioernstrand, as the bank man¬ ager who falls in love with the ballet dancer ard opera music, is a new high in his actin'* career. The role Kulle’s has as a big tenor - 1 injuries. Peppy filmcomedy deals with a Don Juanesque young man. Three girls he is stringing along try to murder him. It all backfires, of course, but not before a flock of amusing episodes. Looks a good local bet, with strong entertain¬ ment and exploitation facets for foreign art houses. It is the kind of comedy with appeal that makes it a promising bet for general, play¬ off. It seems worth dubbing for the Yank mart. Director Michel Boisrond, who made the Brigitte Bardot starrer “Une Parisienne,” has managed to skirt the cynical to make th ? s a fluffy, amusing entry. Though it lacks the irony to give it a sophis¬ ticated sting, this has large amounts of Gallic insouciance and i impertinence, plus a slick quality! which Americans should appre¬ ciate. Three teenage females, a newly married girl, her more flirtatious sidekick and a convent-bred friend, find that a handsome, reckless young man is courting all three though he is engaged. The scorned beauties all dream of killing him and concoct a plan which misfires but lands them in prison while the chastened Don Juan marries the convent-bread girl. The young leads are all fresh and full of guile, being well aided by the oldsters. Though lightweight fare, it has enough froth and risi¬ bility, especially when the three girls have a fight with the boy, to make this interesting fare for some Yank spots. Technical credits are good as are the top production aspects by Paul Graetz. Mylene Demongeot has the pout¬ ing charm necessary for the head instigator of the crime while Pas¬ cale Petit and Jacqueline Sassard are also eyefuls. Alain Delond has the looks, if not the smoothness in playing as yet, for the would-be victim role. Mosk. Larry Lambert, 70, Up For Sentence; Pirated Religious Pictures A self-styled film salesman ana distributor was convicted of using the mails to defraud following a trial last week before N. Y. Fed¬ eral Judgfe Richard H. Levet. In¬ dicted on 16 counts, Laurence A. Lambert was found guilty on 12. It was charged that he sold and rented certain religious films to ministers and church groups when actually he held no rights to the 'pictures. Lambert assertedly represented that he had distribution rights to “Golgotha,” a French-made re¬ ligious film, under a March 3, 1950 agreement with Variety Film Dis¬ tributors. However, Samuel Waag- enaar, the owner of the picture, denied that the Lambert held any rights. His indictment on mail fraud charges came in 1952. The 70-year-old defendant went to Canada in 1952 but returned to the U.S. in 1957 and surrendered for trial. Indictment was based on the charge that Lambert had mailed letters to prospective cus¬ tomers throughout the U.S. falsely representing he owned rights to “Golgotha.” Judge Levet set March 12 for sentencing. Lambert faces a maxi¬ mum of five years and a $1,000 fine on each count Inside Stuff-Pictures Even the sack dress can't detract from the “indestructible shape” of Marilyn Monroe, Polish readers learn from first issue of America Illustrated going into that Iron Curtain country. To prove it, the Polish-language mag put out by U.S. Information Agency carries a picture of Marilyn in a pear-shaped affair. Idea of article was that only the most intrepid and shapely of American worn* en have dared to don the chemise, trapeze or the sack. Premiere Polish issue of the monthly , (mag of same name has been sent to Russia since October, 1956) is loaded with show biz pieces. As the result of a $200,000 hotel fire in Manchester, Jan. 31, in which three men perished, Rep. Laurence M. Pickett of Keene says that he will introduce a bill in the New Hampshire Legislature calling for more stringent safety regulations for hotels, convalescent homes, theatres and other places of public assembly. Eight of the chariots used in the race sequence of Metro’s “Ben- Hur” have arrived by ship from Rome. They will be employed in connection with the exploitation of the film. The chariots, built in Italy, are equipped with hydraulic brakes and other modern devices. They’ll be displayed at theatres showing “Ben-Hur.” LITTON, WESTREX PAPA, EQUALS $1.48 SHARE Hollywood, March 10. Litton Industries, parent com¬ pany of Westrex Corp. (theatre sound equipment), racked up net earnings of $2,724,000, equal to $1.48 per share on common stock, for last six-month period. Figure reps. an increase of 50.61 % over last year’s comparable take of $1,- 802,000, or $1.08 per share. Sales of $56,941,000 a 43^ boost over corresponding six months a year ago, were reached by com¬ pany. EXHIB BATES HARVEY SEEKS REGULATORY JOB Columbia, S.C., March 10. A South Carolina theatre owner aspires to be chief of the state’s insurance regulatory agency. The joo, noon to be .open, pays $11,000 a year. Banjs Harvey of Clover, S. C., a iheatre operator there since 1915 and presently a member of the Statf* Legislature, has said he is contemplating a candidacy for the post, which will be filled by the Legislature. Govt. Official Defends Silent Mood Music Man Back; He’s ‘Smuggled’ Into Ambassador Philadelphia, March 10. The oldtime silent movie pianist is coming back to the Ambassador Theatre, West Philly Art house. The management had a hassle with Musicians Union local before get¬ ting clearance for Nat Bader, of Washington, to work in this juris¬ diction. He will plav for two Charlie Chaplin silents — “The Kid” and “Shoulder Arms.” Bader, who. was a success in the chain’s Washington theatre, will also be at the ivories for “Phan¬ tom of the Opera” and “The Cab¬ inet of Dr. Caligari,” which fol¬ low. Outfit is operated by Classic Films Inc. Robert B. Fisher is president. FORM MILLER PICS FOR EXPLOIT-TYPE Hollywood, March 10. Miller Consolidated Pictures has been formed to produce and dis¬ tribute a program of exploitation U-.’ . r..i ! Pbf- J° hn Miller, prexy of Omecc Venice rest tnOlCeSj Films, heads new firm, of which Michael Miller is exec vp and Ed Erwin sales vp. Plans call for production of be¬ tween 12 and 24 films this year, with outside features also to be handled for release. Company will operate through states rights exchanges. First two releases will be Omecc’s “A Date With Death” and “The Hideous Sun Demon,” a Clark-King production. Patron Sues Interstate San Antonio, March 10. Mr. and Mrs. Sylvan G. Unger- leider have filed suit for $221,580 against the Interstate Theatre Cir¬ cuit Inc., for injuries allegedly suffered by Mrs. Ungerleider at the Majestic Theatre Jan. 18, 19§7. The bill of complaint, filed in 131st District Court, alleges that woman was hit on the head by a light bulb and has suffered dam¬ ages to the brain and loss of speech. The complaint, charging negligence on the part of the thea¬ tre chain, also states that Mrs. Ungerleider has been unable to continue to work with her husband Rome, March 3.4 Ah Italian parliamentary inter¬ rogation regarding the quality and efficiency of the Venice Film Fes¬ tival’s selection committee • was answered here by Undersecretary for Entertainment Egidio Ariosto, who defended the fest’s system. According to Ariosto, who ex¬ plained that while the government aided and supervised the fall pic event, Venice was in no way to be considered a “government event” (someone had claimed this), the Selection Committee for ap Italian fest should be an all-Italian one, rather than an international group. Besides, he said, the committee itself has the annual collaboration of crix and experts in all countries, who are invited to send in sug-1 gestions for entries, thus making the system truly international. | Pointing to the 1958 festival, Ari¬ osto noted that under this system, some 500 features were taken into consideration from all countries, and that 112 were actually screened in order to reach the final entry total of 14. Further answering critics of the 1958 selection group, the Italo of¬ ficial pointed out that a survey of news clippings from all sources has indicated that of the 14 Venice finalists last year, at least 12 were felt by all to be worthy of being shown. Brooks Into Exhibition Philadelphia, March 10. Bernard P. Brooks, assistant zone manager for Stanley Warner Theatres in the Philadelphia and Washington area, has resigned his post to enter theatre exhibition for himself in the northern New Jer¬ sey area. Before joining the Stanley or¬ ganization three years ago, Brooks was a member of the executive staff of Fabian Theatres.and chief film buyer. ‘Pacific’s’ Dayton 8-Months Run Dayton, March 10. Eight-month run of Magna’s “South Pacific” will be ended at the New .. McCook Theatre on March 18. On March 20 Walt Dis¬ ney’s “Sleeping Beauty” will fol- _.low. business as a result of the f" Animation feature will be shown on a continuous performance basis. Fire Deprives Bennington Of Its Only Film Theatre Bennington, Vt., March 10. General Stark Theatre, only film house open here, was completely destroyed in an early-morning fire Tuesday (10) which leveled the century-old Harte Block. Total loss was estimated as high as $750,000. Jules Perlmutter, of Albany, had been operating the 950-seater, on lease. Bennington has another mo¬ tion picture house the Harte, but extensive renovations would prob¬ ably be necessary to put rit into operation. The late Chris Buckley, one-time a major exhibitor in Albany, con¬ ducted the General Stark for years. Subsequently, his widow, Mrs. Margaret Buckley, ran the theatre. JOHNSTON’S DAUAS SPIEE Theatres Hit If New Wage Law In Minnesota St. Paul, March 10. Minnesota theatres will be af¬ fected adversely pocketbookwise if the state legislature passes a labor- sponsored bill which would estab¬ lish a statewide $1.25-an-hour min¬ imum wage law. Hearings on the measure now are being held by the house of representative’s labor committee. Present law ^allows minimum wages to be set' for women and minors in specific industries with the rate varying according to pop¬ ulation. Ip three recent orders gov¬ erning laundries, retail stores and amusement places rates ranged up to 85c ■ an hour in metropolitan areas. Proposed law would set the $1.25 floor for both men and women workers and a 75f minimum for workers under 21. Many neighborhood houses and small-town theatres employ young people part time for trivial sti¬ pends which, their owners aver, under present conditions, is all that they can afford. One of the measure’s opponents declared that the showhouses and retail grocery stores in his community will have to discharge such help if the 75c minimum is established. • Even tickettakers at leading the¬ atres in the state's larger cities now receive much less than $1.25 an hour. Many are old age pen- sioneers who would become Ineli¬ gible for their pensions if their earnings exceeded $1,200 per annum. Women of Picture Biz Hear Him On May 13 LOEW’S PIRACY SUIT ON CARTOON SUBJECTS Loew’s Inc. last week filed an infringement suit in N.Y. Federal Court against Cinepix Inc., Cinema-Vue Corp., Morris Kleiner- man and Joseph P. Smith. It’s charged that the defendants wrong¬ fully distributed some 16 film car¬ toon short subjects exclusively owned by the plaintiff. Suit claims that the defendants conspired to make positive prints of the cartoons and distribute them without a license. Originally pro¬ duced between 1934 and 1937, sub¬ jects include such titles as “The Discontented Canary” and “The Early Bird and the Worm.” Loew’s asks an injunction to stop further distribution of the films. Also sought is payment of dam¬ ages sustained of not less than $250 for each alleged infringement. Dallas, March 10. Eric Johnston, Motion Picture Assn, of America prexy, will be principal speaker May 13 at the new Sheraton-Dallas Hotel when the WOMPI (Women of the Motion Picture Industry) celebrates its seventh anniversary. Program will be a salute to the film industry centered here, citing Dallas’ place in the Hollywood scene and Holly¬ wood’s effect here. WOMPI program chairman Grace Folsom has as co-chairmen: from exhibition R. J. O’Donnell, v.' p.-general manager of Interstate Theatres, and Kyle Rorex, exec di¬ rector of Texas COMPO; from dis¬ tribution Bill Williams, 20th-Fox; branch manager; Paul Short, Na- equipped for stereophonic sound, tional Screen Service district ’ Opening film hasn’t been finally manager. negotiated, King said. New Washington First-Run Washington. March IQ. New downtown first-run motion picture theatre is expected to open March 28. A 602-seater, it will spe¬ cialize in long runs, according to its president, Donald King. It will be called the' Town. King, who is associated with lo¬ cal private investors in the project, - is supervising a $75,000 refurbish¬ ing and redecoration job on a building formerly housing the Pix Theatre which has moved. Seats will be 36 inches apart, with “the widest aisles in town,” King said. A 35-foot screen is or¬ dered, and the theatre will be