Variety (August 1959)

FILM REVIEWS Wednesday, August 5, 1959 The Big Operator (C’SCOPE) Mickey Rooney playing a bru¬ tal, crooked labor boss in a hardhitting melo; stout returns indicated. | are a lew occasions when “The | Mouse That Roared" gets over-, j smart and then some of its witty jj sallies, gimmicks, arid gags may well go over the heads of tiie pa¬ trons. But. on the .whole it. has The Tinkler Good gimmicks . used . well within horror framework. Hollywood. July 30 . v s \ ,•* ic’eas-c of Hod Dcff production: a!;efce> Rooney, Ste\e Cochran, Poren; costars Mel To; me enri :v, Robtrt Smith. Allen Ki’.km. .. L ;i Cosmo map story by Paul ,.Ci- (,■. nw'iu. W;,t;er H. Castle: mus-o.\ : \:c*\. u:: e.Lro'r. Ben lew: 1 '. Pr f v ; j \ 2 s*.' .".A Ktinsws time. 9 J: Hollywood, July 23. Columbia release of a William Castle 7 " *. . . , ", . ! production. Stars Vincent Price; . with; i keot its slight amusing idea DUD- Judith Evelyn; also, Darryl. Hickman.; . ..v • . t. • •• Patricia. Cutts. Pamela Lincoln. Philip 1 bring happily in the .realms of (’oolidge. Producer-director, William Cas-: • \TrtiicA’’- Screenplay, Robb White; camera,; .Mouse Wilfrid M. Cline:, editor, Chester W. “ ' 'fer:. music. Von Dexter.. Previewed! Academy Theatre, July .23,.’59. Run- . 80. MINS. _ , >m ChapfiC---•• •-•'Vincent Pricei Mrs. Higgins ... Judith Evelyn straightforward comedy. l -i'^c; *'- e .n Er '^ n . . .. - Steve’CoChr.Tn; L\K. U.S. audiences,- if prepared,,tO' •• **The Tinglcr” stamps producer Columbfa Triya'te 'Theatre, London, uiun-j V ? v£e ' 3a, " ie 'vjl t!‘S iJUgh both with and at themselves William. Castle as ! an imaginative; i Shi^Do^-!^..,;:. ian MacLaine ! \v«-t i vi 7.. _ r„> Da t:!t as well as at other major .and . often ingenious showman. ' The ' Pat Doyle -. —.....v., Liam Redmond j <; it 1 '-d<r. .. . j.-m .Bccku^■'j-jjjnor powers' will also find it film abounds in. hokum, camou- : T u ^u oa t S^ il l per J ame s Hayter | . "" j^uAvogot chit, satisfying, entertainment. It’s fiaged as science, and it' has been Br^ge a AtasteT eer .Geo”frey C Keen I>:i TrV"‘.'q * . .'. .7 7. Ch;;rk»s Ch nl;n Jiv a comedy U1 the old Ealiilg tradl- gimmicked to insure exploitation, '* Market Porter.' Jack MacGowrr.n ; ..-liKvmS? Hon. Overall, it's a -/highly-enter.taiih.mg" IrTd^M^h'anics 7 • ** ~ * oyal — no ' The varn concerns the Grand properly. If sold. Columbia release )uohy 'of . Grand Fenwick, the - might be one of the year's surprise Mickey Rooney Offbeat and prolonged film with some pleasant touches of originality but unlikely to make much of a stir outside of . arty houses. London. July 28. Columbia release of a Xanadu (Kevin .iroduction. Stars Ian MacLaine, , nond. Directed by Kevin Me- '. Sellers as its star, should make a : lively b.o. prospect throughout the Quie H>figlnS -- Phlhp C 0olid 0 e , T > nn Ware: editor. Jack Slade: camera. i ^ has. Wisely, been geared to . only ; Sch^fe^ I V ...\< ith.. ik naid Dairy, i.awv. gs minutes, thus avoiding any flag- :mng time. 1 nF nW HproV «'POod^U-. P/- WUlimr with most horror films, there is considerable.room for amusement; and its presence here just adds one more tingle., Ron . The Boy and tho Bridge (BRITISH) gmg of pace. Here s a good hu Mrs . mggmsjuuun tveivn mcC1oi--> production mored, witty pie which, with.Peter pa^d Morfis. Dsrryi Hickman iS&ff Sk* Isabel (bapin ....... v.rp^tncia -Cutt? jj C reenpl^ < Sarrender—Bell! War programmer based on fact, technically good, dramatic cally poor,'but interesting be* cause of authentic Philippinef background. Hollywood, July 22. Allied. Artists release of an Edmund Goldman production.. Stars Keith . Andes. Susan Cabot; Paraluman, Nestor De Villa,. Producer. Edmund Goldman; director. • John Barnwell. . Screenplay,. Barnwell, based bn .‘’Blackburns Headhunters, book by Philip; Harkins; camera, Miguel Aecioh; editor; Hugo Grimaldi; music. Francisco Buepcamino Jr.; art: direction, Richard Abelar'do. Previewed at the studio, July 21, ’59. Running time: 85 MINS. Donald D. Blackburn , Keith Andes Delia ....----------2..‘Sasah Cabot Pilar . - -..... - .. -. . .. ' Paraluman Major. Bulao -.Nestor De ViUa 11 i: i rt t n Bill Slline,-.A'rth_. Bdh' The yarn concerns the Grand properly. If sold. Columbia release . . Lowe. Jocelyn Brit.toh Duchy 'of .. Grand, Fenwick, the - might be one of the.yeaCs surprise :cioi4 nd ^?t £ SS4?s' Leo g* rdch woild's smallest country, which re-. grossers. . . . . Publican's W'ife ... —;... Chili BbticHier . .up.ior-fts i *s , »tM(».«n..t!i6.-«»ort... • .'rnn«ier»'-is' Cb*<ii ! s'su=-;■"viiSwMS' ,'Jcev F<>tr.v.h C: a IOCiU Wine to the L.b. '>/<-“ Qessive horror film arid; his first Tourist .....Wini/rede Kingston c. r .:pjy.’Hi California-.bottles-a cheaper, infer- since'moving, his independent unit : ' : : Ji W H«»ert ior imitation Grand Fenwick .is; bn f r0 ni Allied: Artists: to Cblumbia. 1 ' " ' "'' .verge.of going broke. So the Prime Both in. tricks, and. story, it’s su- Viclo Musso Jack Stewart C'riritir.u'.r-g Mickey Rooney's ex; t ur c :or.'_~ i-ito hardboiled character- i'n.tion — previously exposed in ’ lvindnrts ' The majoP: 'gimmick,• •.labeled'. business• on ..his .own- account. He is ^ e /nnorc inanCial ^ : “Perc.epto,” is .comprised of, a ser- • producer, director, and helped in ! yu-wvuo... i..\yvj.tvi ... iiom uie winneis, • ... : ies of war surplus vibrating rhbtbrs, ; scrioting of “The Boy and the! The Last Mile” and “Baby Face! But the invasion of .by an attached .to the .undersides of the Bridge.” The pic,-w-hich is j.noffiTj Nelson” — the Albert Zugsmitli- army of 20 men with mail rinitoiTns theatre. Seats and set off at at the : cial British entry: for the Venice ‘ “tingling” K Film Fest, also got the Royal nod customers.: at its charity preem. It would be ; ill be used i pleasant, but scarcely true, to say. extensively i that the film.lives up.to its advance spread through- J drum-beating. It may serve in arty how many seats j houses, but misfires on several get it.” And ; cylinders. And. it is evident. that ’ -.....— T .- v ---w- . - • • - . . . -. - , , . ... c .vv fe — *ri-cheek filmed j McCiory has not yet obtained the ■ the Fifth Amendment, he makes;,a its inventor and his daughter-; plus prplog, tells the audience that not; experience, to put over such a slim, single slip when he denies know- the military commander of x. i everyone is susceptible to. the; offbeat film. frg one of his henchmen. Bulk of .and several cops. Grand •Fbmvic'k. ..vtmgiirig’*' forces, thus leaving ..an ' . Story, is based on ah Afnerican the fa: t-paced story unfoldment is lias won the^Ayar. It now r Decomes “ 0u t' > for fewer fnotors than seats.. yarn and was set around the , built around his trying to button tne target of the attentions of all.) -p erte p to .. its ^.- ls Gate bridge of San Fran- ! up two union members whom he the big powers and Americahas to , jpych because of the '‘tingle" ■ cisco. It now.has been switched to; .cek direction, opens on,shoe%r . ^ "■ 4 ^^ 'oup^^^n^hirririg i,<Se ai!d !farrested after- a: brawl; mis- > dollar loan irom me AmeiiLdn s6 y nd . tracfc h e a rtbea t s and [ takenly believes that he is on a note: a man is thrown into a ce- “—: - . "r- v* ■ —r T -—- r>r ^ txica., urniguig ine min xu a naxt ^ ..muj - - - _ , by tnqk lensing. He is the; Grand ai id th#» hnn» liphf? nn at whffh ; 91 mimites. . rr'n° re^r^fble eaC roT Vm RomSvs ‘ Duchess Gloriana^ the Prime Mm-; ppint star. Vincent Price^calms the : The? first: 45 minutes ..(during : Sovvnf-lfafter^^l-Jtte/kidnaos CoCh- l?ter , a . nd als0 th ^. ha S e?s T1 S^? audience via a side, speaker and , which the youngster has not a sin-; r- r'? f dn^ahoSa^^^Unreehn^ wh ? '. the lt 'two ; hasty: gentlemen rush, down ! gle word to say) is largely devoted : Unlfits^ by coSai§ mating s aisle with, stretcher in hand to j to establishing the- bridge and its suspense, with no 1 ” ’ labor racket tactics: Mel Torrne. is set ; dm?ee; toutaT^untshirent 6 * 1 ■ n* necessary formie inm ^lo pliy .. JdSX'w«h , 'th^ U !S»le Corfaijy^ad^who f Romiev^^eomes^ through in r^al-- al ! \enacted in theiksy sitadtiflns. i makes his film debut.’Young Jan i lstic fai’ition. capturing the mood : ; mla A * C , 7 s ® a , y 7 , . ' i . ‘'Tingler'- was written by Castle's a ra ‘: required for such a character, and ! Seberg is pretty, but m ^ e ^! ass 0C iat e , Robb White, . and the ; ^rkable debut and: is both amus- Coohran makes his work cojttnt- little..impact, as the heroino : screeriplay is adeptly''' -constructed l'{®S' a hd;-occasionally mqvuig -as the ... strongly as the aroused unionist. • there -is i useful work from William to Iet the'gimmicks, sneak in U ri- • ^ oy forwftom the. bridge develops-- Mamie Van Doren, as Cochran’s ; Hartnell, David Kossoff, as the -obfrusivelv.:: '-Mbst- .'effective' '-is. '-a 5 - a •Sf rs0n ^ lt *u'*i < rf Dpt, as ; v.iie, lands excellent distaff infer-: scientist; Leo McKern, as Grand hairrajsin g seque nce in which a-i w ^f, h ^P st child.actors, audience^ est. and Jay North is okay as their i Fenwicks leader of the mX of ;blood 'blares but -ini co . nsclou s of the technical young sprout. Torme also socks position; and Macdonald Parke, as , all its rich sanguinary color amid i wheels gomg^ round, N evertheless ; over his role of one of the men a pompous American general.^^ the remaining black/arid whites ! jWf MacLaine s performance is a Rooney is out to get, and Ray Din- Among tne highlight scenes are the when things are on the move — ! fin e tribute to the. jjatience of di-, ton is properly irienaeing as 'the arrival of t:he^ token army in de-: gi mm icked or otherwise^-White’s^^ rector McCIory and it’s a pity that goon whom Robney refuses to ack- serted. N.Y, and the abduction of J n e7dir^ ^ he ha s. let technique get in the way;v nowledse. In brief roles, ilim '■ the hostages. The sight of the com- tion <^ of human emotion. Of .the other; Backus: Jackie Coogan and Law- pletely deserted city is an , awe- 0 ‘-beebme eSIssivilv Performers, ’ Liam Redmond . does ! - ' ' " some one and owes considerably to : a workmanlike job as the kid’s * rerrce Dobkin stand out. f: some one ana-owes cousiuerauiy ,iu ••talkv” and until • ihii'' wiirf'-tnn • i- a ' •wo.rKmanince.. jod.. -as •• xnc Kia s Film is given top backing ini all Jack -Arnold’s direction, and re- - ^ eilt s bS^ ^n^re Sr father and James Hayter. Geoffrey, technical departments, including markable artwork and lensing. ! one obvious Vontrivance ; Keen, Arthur Lowe. and. Bill Shine V.’ulter H. Castle's camera v;jo:*k.; Other moments that supply . ,, ' ,, Y ' '.also have their.moments; Whit. The 3(oase That Roared (BRITISH-COLOR) li wumi Jiuzducui .« ■ i_- -l ■ ■ »«““} cucua. xvui au sutL-ebb- ; iwhile Sellers is continuously sea- wjnch ^ Tl i s Malcolm Arnold’s music sick) and an hilarious chase scene *5® i which leans to ;the celestial-choir with, the Q-bomb liable to explode > : mood and ^ often highly obtrusive, anytime. . i tlk handlmg of j McCIory is likely to become a con- [ Witty credit titlcs^designed by lhe : P IC T, figMT ? In^British - ^fllms i Maurice Binder Which sei the film Based on the. real-life adventure of a U.S. Army lieutOriant who. or- gariized Filipino headhunters, into a guerrilla outfit during, the Jap¬ anese occupation, “S-urrcndei*—;• Hell!’’ despite, an inept, screen¬ play, is; an interesting war pro¬ grammer because c f its subject and the fact that it was flurried ehlire’y on location in the Philippines. . There; are some exploitable ad possibilities in a number of scenes: lovely Filipino actress Paraluman washing down muscular Keith Andes in a shovver stall; Paraluriian in. various stages of disheyelirient as > result of brushes With the Japanese' conquerors; realistic bat¬ tle scenes; headhunters; Andes and Susan Cabot in a hayloft, and the like. Preoccupied With these scenes: the script rambles, from episode to episode, loosely tracing Lt. Donald D. . Blackburn’s (portrayed by Andes) flight from the Japanese, . his. reluctant acceptance .of 'the. leadership of erviliari resistance in a mountain ••village,'-his strategic retreat to headhunter .territory in the interior, his capture of certain Filipino provinces: and his eventual assistance in- Geri. MacArthur’s in- vasionMt also sketches a brief ro¬ mance with Miss Cabot and a iriore extended one with Miss Paraluriian. The . principals do. well enough . within the limits of the script. Which is . shot With ; cliches, unin¬ spired speeches, silly dialog and two-diiriehsional characterizations; e g., the Japanese are hissing cari¬ catures which audiences' haven’t, believed in several years. The saving grace is that execu¬ tive producers Paul. Schriebman . and Newton P. Jacobs and producer . Edmund Goldman have succeeded in getting a lot of production value on the_screen: there are numerous ■ Filipino street . scenes, interiors, jungle scenes arid vistas of land¬ scapes beautifully photographed in high key by Filipino cinematog¬ rapher Miguel Accion;. there are large...numbers of Filipino extras; headhunter backgrounds are exotic and interesting and there’s a touch of spectacle as a result of,.' using these elements. Francisco Buencaminp. Jr.’s score is sometirnes inappropriate (violins'. during staff conferences) and: sometimes just right (oboes and weird flutes backgrounding a head¬ hunter festival). It’s funny td hear headhunters = apparently sirigihg “Fight or Die;” song by Constant- cio de : Guzriian and: Charles Martin, as if they weire the Vale glee . Club. But editor . Hugo Grimaldi’s fre¬ quent use of lap dissolves, taste¬ fully inserted, enhances the film,. Most pleasant surprise is that the . film; although made almost entirely in the Philippines,- is! completely up to HollyWood technical stand¬ ards; Glen. Lively spoof with Peter Sellers ; Mauris Biiider Which'seklheTilm I, ! ^ nd though this effort misfires it playing three roles. This gobd- \ a ff on the right satirical note with I tl Cas ^ Ie assembled a good Cast for f is an honorable attempt at getting humored satire on world po- | a ne at spoof on the Columbia^tiiese sort of doings. Price a ppe ar s • away froin routine fare. Rich; litics and diplomacy should trademark and in-the-mood music : . n an 5’ ^ provide ready business from . bv Edwin Astley both help Walter f?!i nd S J1 ®t “ aII y bad after all, roost audiences. jj | Shenson’s Open Road production ; lef yust no end. Rich. London, July )28. Columbia release of an Open j: Road 7 {Walter Sher.son) production Stars ! Peter : Fellers. Jean Seberg, William Hartnell. -, Directed by Jack Arnold. Screenplay, i Rotter MacDougall, Stanley Mann, 1 from i novel by Leonard Wibberle.v: camera. ; John Wtlcox; editor, Raymond Poulton: : mu^ic, Edwin Astley. At Odeon. Marble A’-vh. Londcn, July 13. Running time, _ _ _ _ «'t». • . . ' WtontK . alia, 'feeling. . P h i li p .j EMki., . .. Eleonora Rossi-Pt-aao’ K'.ksn. ... David Kossoff ti me> 90 MINS, CnnliAd* oe f!;6i.rlfnend... . .. Pascale Roberts Asi Era Pancho Villa (This Was Pancho Villa) (MEXICAN—COLOR) Mexico City, July 28. the right, loopholes in his actions and personality. Judith Evelyn is excellent as the deaf- riiute, speak¬ ing with her hands and her eyes, ;_J -^. t 1 - J —’ i auction, oiars naymona nouieau. tieonor; ana fine performances also- are - Rossl-Draga, Jeah-Claude Pascal; featurei- turned in by Darryl Hickman -as ‘ noger Hanin. Paseale Roberta: Directed Face's assistant and .Patricia Cults j S&genta^^^^ Guy Le Frle (The (Coin) (FRENCH) Paris, July 28. % T nited Artists release of -GIL-IAL 'pro¬ duction. Stars Raymond Rouleau,^Eleonora Bobbikinsi (BRITISH-’SCOPE) Max Bygraves, Shirley. Jonea and an appealing moppet in a coriiedy with songs which has to struggle to keep ticking.. VieXXCU t>Uiv ^O. i . j . 7 . . -.— 1 laucL, I. 1 UH 1 C, L<tuiei<f, 4 Rodrimiec Productions release Stars ' aS "18- Wandering .Wife. Pamela I Roger FelloUs; editor. Fanchette Matin. Pedro Armendariz, Carlos Lopez Mocte- Lincoln, as Miss . Cults* : yOunger' ^ a ” S ‘ znma. Maria Elena Maraues. Written and -.cic^r- ie . « Williams ^Raymonj Rmileau V,,U .. Roper . _....... Tobbley .. Pedro . ... Renter F v r Annoar.e* r S-: ppet VS. Se<-reti!iy if Deft OTT-.^a Mr:i:r;.n Ci Tie*, tnr ( -»v;rd ('rptain C > - rd ?d Of! iter V s. P< ];< em-*n Te’i-.-^cre Operator 1 ? Ar : ,h; w .,i'. r : Coolidge, as the mute’s , husband,! Bob ! € . n , i often; seems unfittingly; cold, a . Roger Hanin This, is vet another Pancho quality that, at film’s' end, turns! The influence of “Rififi” is still Villa film blog With this one tend- , out to be the rfjght one. ' apparent in this pic. This brie is ing to whitewash, the Centaur of i . The technical side of “Tingler” ; about how a couple of gangs William Hartnell Timr>thv Bateson Monty jl.rndis Hamid Kra«*et' Len McK,-rn .Colin Gordon _ _ _ »X a< ''4u4ri5! wriris. -ibe North as a simple, noble man is quite .well done, ftiost pSrtiCr - fight" .oveV^some'bnait diamonds^ . George; Mar«o; at ht-afl although brusque and vio- ularly Vop...Dexter’s , musical score. Film . is - too moralistic, and its I:,i ' ha lSSv -lent, in his reactions., . Photography by Wilfrid M. Cline, | familiar plot, and; lagging action . . Stuart'S m'-rc Pedro Armendariz is at home .in . actdirection by Philp. Bennett,! and charactefizatipris. slant this *‘ Kt B^ l y:!!“v this one, but laurels really go to editing, by - Chester W. Schaeffer primarily for the home market. Movis iviiuers Carlos ‘Lcriez Mpctezum'a-'as'liiV'-first' and sound by Harry Mills are | A young!man, with a demanding n n ; r-*: l^utenaht.; Colonel Fierro. Maria • first-fate^Only the. creature i'tselt: girl, gets dragged into this fight Biir ri'iv.vrds Llenea Marques flickers, weakly in appears improperly molded, look- Ibnly to be saved by. the love of an- _ |: ; * female role. Strictly run-of-the- ing unimaginatively more like an ' other girl and the gang’s destnic- Scrccn satire can be a« r;Kv as nitii' prograiri'far^.iji- color!- '• - v;- : extended lobster than the embodi-! tion bf each other,.Acting, direction « fcanana-.^kin cn a sidewalk.! There i Eiiiil. I ment pf. fear. But, ,as is the case and .technical are. par.:. Mosk. - London, July 28. . 20th-Fox . (Oscar Brpdney) production apd release. Stars Max Bygraves, Shirley : Jones. Directed by Robert- Day. Screen*. j»lay, Oscar Brbdney; camera, Geoffrey FaitbfuU; editor, Rainh Kamplen; Stanley Hawkes; music. Philip Green; At- Rialto, • - -London. Running time, 90 MINS. Benjamin Barnaby . Betty Barnaby Bobbikins '... .....:.. Lydia . Valerie. -....'... .. Dr. Phillips Luke... Gregory Mason . Max Bygraves ...; Shirley Jones. — Steven Stocker- .. Billie Whitelaw . Barbara Shelley. Colin . Gordon . Charles TingweR . Lionel.Jeffries _Jason Crandall.Charles Carson Jock Fleming. .... Rupert Davies Nurse. ,........ 1. .. .. .......Noel.Hoqd ......;... ... . . David. Lodge- ....... Murray Kash; v:Arnold Diamond ...... Charles Lloyd-Pack ; , Hargreave . ! .ToTinson- ; LeFairge _ ; Stebbins ... j Rogers ... ! Cavendish .......... j Admiral- :.. .. ! Naval Petty Officer.. !. .Sailor Joe .. : Sailor Jones _ . Bill Nagy . . .7 Trevor : Reid .-- ' John Welsh.. . - .Michael Ripper . .... Ronald Fraser .7- John Downing Army <’• pi; I Despite its. coy title, the stellar, i duo of Max Bygraves and'Shirley ! Jones, plus the emotional havoc ! which an appealing moppet invari¬ ably creates among feriirrie - audi- I; . (Continued on page!20)