Variety (January 1961)

FILM REVIEWS PSkiEff Wednesday, January 18, 1961 €>4» A'aked In The World ; fagno. John McSweeney Jr ;% edit _ ’ Ing punctuates the action with I good dramatic sense, and Adolph jDeutsch’s score backs it up mean¬ ingfully without intruding. Helen Another examination of the rood works of the modern call-girl. Some snappy melo¬ drama pins able-bodied Gina Lotiobrigida, hard-w o r k i n g cast and compelling title should make it fair b.o. candi¬ date, but public disenchant¬ ment with overworked theme may be factor. I Like Mike (Surprise Party) (ISRAELI) Tel Aviv. Jan. 10. GEVA-IFA production. Written and • Pnce’c *Uptrpnt enstumpc srp flattpr ? directed by Peter Frye. Screenplay, Edna . xtose s eiegant costumes are nauer shavit> based on pJay by Abaron Meged? ing to Miss Lollobrigida, who is r ’ • • ' easily flattered by clothes. Tube. One Hundred And One Balmatisns (COLOR) Metro release of Aaron Rosenberg produ< tion. Stars Gina Lollobrigida. Anthony : Francios'. Ernest Borgnine: with. I.uana 1 Pa’ ten. V.mI Kuluva. Philip Ober. .John KeMev". ' no R. Pollock Tracev R--b e:!<!. Yj!c Wexler. Rodney Bell. John G Ilaudct. Chet Stratton. Magcie Pierce. Bill > Smith. Di: ecied bv Ran' Id MacDougall. • S~re*np’-’v. b-sed on novel } bv Tom T. Ch-mries: camera (Me*roco’^M, M:i:on ICra^ner; editor. John VoS-vee"^’ Jr.: art directors. George W. • Davss. Edward Carfagno: music, Adolph De«*«eh: a' ?stant director. William SHar’*c' Bev>t,ved .rt ♦he c,’*dio, Jan. 11, *£* t=me, 163 MINS. Ci«J:e**^ C* meron Gina Lollobrigida N"ric S‘r-*+.*on _ Anthony Francio^a Pe‘e S4r-f*on ~ Bright,, wholesome family at¬ traction, especially for the kid¬ dies. Not quite in a league with Disney’s most memorable full-length cartoon efforts of bygone years, but good enough to score favorably at the b.o. music and song. Arie Levanon: camera, Leon Nissim: editor. Nelly Bogor. Rei viewed at “HOD” cinema, Tel Aviv. Run■ nine time, 110 MINS. Yaffa. Arieli . . Batya Laqcet Benjamin Arieli . Gidon Singer Yaakov . Zeev Beriinsky Tamar Arieli . . Uana Bovina Trip Arieli . Meira Shor Mike . Sevmour C4*tin Mikha . Chaim Topol Nili . . . . Geula N’uni | 12 characters . . Albert Chizkiyahu • Yvonne c rrtton Ar”": r»‘ -vclos J^-h Kebner Cobby . . . . V-r Stratton . . . Di ~a Buena vi?<a release of Wait Disney | millionaire from Texas. He comes nroduction. with voices of Rod Taylor. . to visit Israel, because his father ■T. Pot O’Mallev. Be1«' I.«u Ge’-son, Martha ni -finpv \chiTp Alike moqt Wentworth, Ben Wrieht. Cate Bauer, i UKes °vnly nioney WDlie iUIKe moa Dave Frankham. Fred Woriock. l?s* i iy admires ,horses, preferably rTopX°.^'a-Hmudoc:r^'enM^infte ! Jewish horses. He is taken from Ernest Borsrnme ' L»-na Fatten _ __ . . WOT Kn’"v» Celling. Ramsay Hill. Svlvia Marriott. | “ulS5:a: . Philvn Ober ^ueen^e Leonard. M-rjorie Bennett. Lydda airport to Tel-AviV by a . John Kellpgg ''♦fokev Mr.ga, Barbara Beaird. Mimi Gib i oah-ririvpr irhn ic ac instructive : -nev R. FrUork «-on. Sandra Abbott. Tbi.rl Ravenscroft. ( CaD “ a® „ „ J ! 11 Tracev Rrije-ts t>MI Lee, Max Smith, Bob Sevens. Paul . as any Of hlS New 10rk colleagues. Yale Wevier Wexler. M-ry Wickes. Barbara Luddy, [To escape tlie attention of a nudgRodnev Bril . I.»sa Darnel*. Helene Stanley, Don BnrI . . . ., . John G-'U-'iidet ; cinv. Dri ItoKennon, Jeanne Bruns. Di j mg girl, Mike leaves the hotel and . Chet Stratton reeled by Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamil accepts driver’s invitation to Magrie Pierce ’ »pn S. Luske. Clyde Gernnimi. Screenplay, | , _ . ... , , _ .. Bill Smith . BiU Peet. based on book by Dodie Sm;th; j Stay With his family, art direction and production des’gn, Ken '.ndorson: editors. Donald Halliday. Roy ''t. Brewer Jr.; music, George Bruns; •■ound. Robert O. Cooki direct ;ng anima¬ tors. Milt KaM. Marc Davis. Ollie John¬ ston, Frank Thomas, : John Lounsberv; Eric Larson; layout. Basil Davidovich, enough local actors the "result is often like a British or a Hollywood film shot in uneasy circumstances. In this instance, the film was shot in Spain, which is probably so near to Mexico in spirit and terrain that it makes little difference. In Britain the stellar value is big, but elsewhere it may be du¬ bious. However,’ the Roman Cath¬ olic angle may make this one a difficult selling proposition in many markets, and obviously in the U. S. John Mills is a dedicated Roman Catholic priest who comes to the To avoid political connotations j tiny community of Quantana to this pic, called in Israel “I Like ! replace an older priest who is worn Mike,” will be marketed abroad { out from battling with the muras “Surprise Party.” Story is as | derous, marauding gang of bandits plain as apple pie, represented j led by Anacleto (Dirk Bogarde). To intimidate the newcomer, Bo¬ garde’s gang sets out on a series of murders by the alphabetical method. Thus, when somebody whose name begins with “E” is bumped off, it clearly unsettles the nerves of anybody whose mon¬ icker begins with “F.” Priest Mills, resolutely deciding to break Bogarde’s power, shows a struggle in which the two gain muI tual respect, though their religious „ . 4 . . ; opinions clash badly. The unscru Tliis family consists of a domi ; pu]ous> cynical bandit realizes, nating sister, her husband and two | though in a manner not explained daughters The mother decides to convincingly, that a local belle enhance Israeh-Amencan fnend lMylene Demongeotl is in love wilh ship. by. catching the young nlil1 ,„;tK w Not Tonight Henry . (COLOR) Hollyw ood, Jan. 13. £Iike: twenty!* son of a Jewish lionaire for her Tamar. But Tamar already has a boy friend, Mikha, a I the priest and he with her. He ! uses this knowledge to create a aireaay i situation that puts the priest in a captain n the Israeli army. And. Thp fiTm hoils UD ,. jthe party is going on, Mike is in ' atheist, that the Catholic religion is ; the Negev desert, guest of the , Pbt over by good men rather than i big i Bedouin tribe of Suleiman. They {the religion creating good men, a , Hollvwood. Jan. 12. The s^feen’s obsession w;th la¬ dies of iV-r-.-.?ite i^ prolonged in “Go Naked Tn The Wor’d,” a plod — — — d!r»rt ,»nA„nf nf -1 nail oirl’c rn I ,TcLar«*n S*ewart. Vance Gerry. Joe Hale, rKg account Of a call-girl S ro j Barnhart, Rav Aragon. Dick Ung, mantle d’sasfer. There are some ! J'nmer Jonas. A1 Zinn^n. Sammy June macnoi'D nprenn voc in fVi'o pnet 1 ^^Tllisrn* V ictor HibOUSh. Is^Ollt St^l^n.^j ma nel r nerson^iuies m tne casr, | Dnn Gr5rfifh> Brni NordH, Collin C^p j captain in uie israeu army. AUU \ mnral riilpmma The film boils ud some fl-ashv melodr-matie scenes . hell: color styling (Technicolor), Wait 1 Mike is in love with a girl-sergeant ! thS »od e provocatje title, and these | S?.*' kTSK ; in the same army, but he's seen her | “ ^ °f °* *hnj»id th° re10.*)00 a ^^ff vvrdbcr?, Eric cieworth. Art stev only on a magazine cover. aaversaries. fair boxoffiee contender. But the Cja ‘rkA Boih^>n! ’ John sibiev! | Mother uses every known device i T.it?e is exPlaine^ by Aaron Rosenberg production mav vbus Svendsen, Ted Berman. Don Lu*k. fn nrnmntp the hetrothal While decision of the bandit, a confirmed have to weather a mounting wave 1 fmbv ; Paiiwoda. Revved at the studio, 10 promote tne Detromai. wmie j of onnosPmn to the astonishmg ! Jan' 13’ ei Runnmg time, ?♦ mins. ouantitv of recent nictures glori^v. . . TVs'UevA'iniv ba^betn ’ a" banker S h°“‘ « "One Hundred^One j eaT rfee. drTnk ‘bfack 'coffee, Yin* ' Point o 1 view that is bound to rouse J “ fcf ■ w,,l Al S AS j DMons." which marks Walt and dance. Of course, Mike meets . controvet;sy J, , a " .?J. ,k,'v 1 ‘ Dimev's return to the sort of p^-od‘ Nili, the mag cover girl, alike; Mills and Bogarde have some planted the pink-cheeked g-rl-next “ 1 1 s he U most I marries Nili. Mikha weds Tamar ! excellent acting encounters though Th GiSfLSnewS tomte :»>« they aE stay in a kibbutz ! their accents, like those of many o’av th^troiv^with^thl Veil? nf ■ feature. While not as indelibly en.where people are all equal, even ; others, strike odd notes m the pa\ the trobop with the heart of ; inspired as some of 1 sons of millionaires. ; Mexican atmosphere. Mills gives gold and bank account to match. , in P^ea as some w, . . ,. , an honest intellieent performance She shares an ill-fated love affair ,h? 'tudio s most unforgettable I Story is based on a play which “n“*; Auer ^ eool cvn.ea® with Anthonv Ffinciosa rehpll:nu«s 1 an-mated endeavors of years asro, a few' years ago was quite a sue ( me ia«er is tool, ijiuiai son of a dominant selfrinade con ^ is nonetheless a painstaking crea cess at the Habima Theatre. Peter ;an^ impressive m a role that might struetion tycoon (Ernest BorsnineJ : tive effort and certainly a valuable Frye, a former New Yorker, is a jwell have^been hammed up badly. ’ MacDouealTs screen ' ancl welcome addition to the cur■ much respected legit director in ‘ ” ’ ^ pv", :r.om *t^p nove] hv the lste rent theatrical scene. Wholesome ■ Israel, and all the actors partici Tam T, Chamales) adds a novel farpil.v ^are °( this nature, espo j pating in the film are theatrical cially that bearing the “Disney people. This, makes the pic more Presents” label, is certain to have J theatrical than good cinema, considerable impact in the con * Xhe pic gets out of hand in an Old-fashione* “adults ♦nly’* burlesque peep skew trus~ lated to eeQuloid, Artistically zero, but should attract the bare-babe-oglers wherever the¬ atres cater to such whims. Hollywood, Dec. 30. Foremost Films release of. Ted Paramore-Bob Heiderich production. Stars Hank Henry; features Valkyra. Babe McDonnell, Daurine Dare, Marge Welling, Betty Blue. Joanne Berges, Genii Young, Little Jack Little; introduces Brandj/Longi with Joni Day. Doris Gohlke, Margo Gahlke, Lisa Drake. LaT>anne Francis, Shirley Sweet, Joyce Wagner. Gene Bianco, Doc Boyc-Smith. Don Mathers* Jim Eisner. Wally Johnson. Walt Hoff¬ man. MiTo Reckow, Myrin Griffin. Susan Woods. Directed by W. Merle ConnelL Screenplay, Paramo^e, Heiderich; camera (Eastman). Connell; editor, William Brown; music. Hal Borne; assistant direc¬ tor. Mike Henry. Reviewed at Monica International Theatre, Dee. 30, '60. Run¬ ning time, 7t MINS. twist and a ivw dimension to the now ela^ic story of hooked and hcoker in that father, like son. Theatres that cater to the most broad-minded of adult male clien¬ tele no doubt will generate a fairly brisk wicket response with this at¬ traction. But a pip of a peep show “Not Tonight Henry” isn’t. It’s simply unabashed sex ex machina (motion picture; machina, that is), burlesque artificially translated to celluloid for voyeuring Toms, Dieks and Harrys. ■ Vegas vaudeville’s Hank Henry and a bevy of bosom companions participate in this risque sex. ercise, which was written and pro| duced by Ted Paramore and Bob { Heiderich, directed and lensed (at an approximate average aspect ra‘ tion of 38-24-36 to 1) by W. Merle Connell. The premise is that a ; matriarchal society has developed, (with the male of the species rele! gated to the role of mere procrea: tor. By way of demonstrating the point, Henry assumes the identi¬ ties of various, heroic figures such as Napoleon and Samson, only to be dominated in each case by a ‘ woman. | The “plot” is a poor, generally humorless excuse for regular dis¬ plays of chest cleavage and bare iderrierres, mostly in skinny-dipped 1 Eastman color. Bulk of the activity ; is of the no-dialog variety, accom¬ panied by a tedious narration [stuffed with puns and. plays-on• words. Tube. has shared intimaVe“relat:ons with ! te^norary market. S’ unnecessarily long, "symbolic" se j alcoholic middleaged henchman of the girl. When the lad. incredibly j There are some adults for whom quenee. And the storv never quite ' Bogarde are among those who give naive, finally becomes aware that 10^ i— count ’em— 101 dalmations is ; recovers. excellent support to the mam trio naive, finally becomes aware that his woman has racked up con^id about 101 dalmations too many. .. — ,,ww . uwmwu v* vvn t.4 j Acting is good nsrtlv beesus^ (jf erable sexual mileage, he flies into . hut even the most hardened dog ! expert directing. .Baity a Lancet, \ Ott° Heller’s Iensing takes full a rage, but soon repents and makes ‘ matlc pooch-detester would likely [starring as t^e mother makes the advantage of some colorful back ---- ^ bv c^r»i naccaffoe (n:^ of a tw0.dimensiDnal part. ! grounds, Roger Cherrill’s editing is All. „,.4> _ 1 _ _ X _ j. ! „b-oxr ->n A Dhilin Croon’t mnoc fit c ' ud with her, onlv to have her end i be amused bv several passages in it all by leaping from an Acaoulco * this stoiY Bil1 Pept’s ^reen y?rn, balcony in a supreme, unselfish i based on the book by Dodie Sm*th. gesture to save him from a life of 's London and concerned matrimonial embarrassment and 1 with the efforts of Blighty’s foursuspicion. Most of the basic D 1 le?ped population to rescue 99 dogsues, however, remain unresolved naPPp(} pups^rom the clutches of at the elim?x. : OT1e Cruella De VilTe. a chi*c un-to The character Miss Lollobrigida da<e Personification of the e^ssic is playing lacks depth. She brines , 'viteh. The concerted effort is sucto it her exciting sensual beautv, | ^e^^ful thanks to a canine sleuthing and this is a most desirable addi : network (“Twilieht Bark”) that tion, but the character never comes makes Scotland Yard an amateur into focus. Franciosa gives an earn outf,t bv comparison. Cruella winds est, virile performance, but there ' UP in the dT0^house. and for the are moments when his unrelentin « ' p?p?’ eve.r7 Ias* syrupy-sweet one Albert Chizkiyahu makes a tour de j okay and Philip Green’s music fits force, playing in a dozen different j happily and unobtrusively into the character roles, depicting various ] film. “The Singer Not The Song” Israeli “types.” Mike is played has its faults, but mainly it probelievably by a young American,.. vides smooth, intelligent entertain intensity begins to grow' disconcert¬ ing and uncomfortable for the of them, it’s arf-arf ever after. Film purportedly is the S4.QOO. spectator. _Emoting honors belong ! «» *£ to Ernest Borgnine, who creates a work by some 300 artists under the astute generalship of art director S^eab1e'c°Seif TT* And . the„grf son and directors Wolfgang KeithnLvert n o , : <‘"man’ Hamilton S. Luske and R't P?' l cl-vde Geronimi. It benefits from . attractive^ by the vocal vemtilitv of Luana patten. Others who make ; ter of “vojce' Seymour Gitin, who in private. line happens to be a student of the^ ology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Lapid. The Singer \'of The Song (BRITISH— COLOR) Good performances by John Mills and Dirk Bogarde keep together a loosely-knit but holding drama with religious theme plus trimmings; Catho¬ lic problems may make ex¬ ploitation tricky. London, Jan. 10. Rank release of a Roy Baker Produc¬ tion. Stars Dirk Bogarde. John Mills, Mylene Demongeot. Directed by Roy Baker. Screenplay by Nigel Balchin from Erskine Lindrop's novel: camera, eller; editor. Roger Cherrill; music. a huge ros • lnnoe'PTnnc „„„ TOn, ^ , ter of “voice” talents (see above , *,reT KuIuva* cred’ts). Background artwork by £"dry Pnilip Ober and John Kellogg s ■npmn«;tAr Hainh Wniott An 2“?. Hl . . . — . — • MacDoueall’c srrp*»rmlav h a e; Iv iJCElPster' Hulett, An j Phihp Green. At Odeon, Leicester Square, .uacuougau s screenplay nas thonv R»zzo and Bill Lavne is 'ex 1 London. Running time, 132 mins. some shan>, sizzling , up-to-date ■ j ceotional. as is the subtly-shaded i FaThi^Keogh . Dirjobn° Mm* verbal exchanges, particularly m [color styling of Walt Pereeoy. Ani |r.ocba Ke°®, "Myiene DemoS the superior early portion of the ; mation. both character and effects, | Pobce^CaptW .Laure?o^nNBeSy film. But the jam thins out and ; are effective. Editing by Donald Father Gomez . ! Leslie French grows so interminable in the latter , Halliday and Roy M Brewer Jr ^esidtnte . Eric ^Pohimann stages that the spectator finds himi is sound and smooth, music by De°Cortinei' Roger d5o self losing interest in the conflict. ] George Bruns (as orchestrated by K;11, Brown . . „ TPhiliP As director, MacDougall has era : Franklyn Mark-*) a fitting comple Pablo SnceVynl beilished his writing effort with i ment to the action. There are three , 2ona Mdnan • • • . Jacqueline Evans _ _ _ i.. j _ : _ , . , , , . . I Pcpe . . Lee Montague Serafina Di Leo ment. Rich.. The Private Lives Of Adam & Eve (COLOR) Revised version of the Gardes of Eden farce-fantasy “con¬ demned” last year by Legion Of Decency. Generally harm¬ less, as adjusted, bnt also rag¬ ged and tasteless. Cast and controversy may stir np some initial *b.o. reaction. To«ebez Pas Aux Blondes (Lay-Off Blondes) (FRENCH) Paris, Jan. 10. CFF release of Robert De Nesle pro¬ duction. Stars Philippe Clay, Dario Moreno; features. Maria Riquelme, Jsny Clair. Anne Carrere. Directed by Maurice Cloche. Screenplay. Cloche from the book by Carter Brown; camera. Jacques Hercanton; editor. Fanchette Mazin. At Biar¬ ritz. . Paris. Running time. 95 MINS. A1 . Philippe Clay Alexis . Dario Moreno Pickpocket . . . Jany Clair Secretary . . Maria Riquelme DrusiUa . . Anne Carrere Exteriors of this detective tale were done in Los Angeles and it is billed as the Yank-type actioner that does away with subtitles. Re¬ sultant quickie lacks Yank bounce, tautness and progression. Tale of call girl murders seems strictly for grind or sexploitation. A cadaverous ladies’ man detec¬ tive, played by gaunt, little sym¬ pathetic singer Philippe Clay, does his share of scotch drinking, loving and killing as he unravels the mur¬ ders of some call girls by a pro¬ curer who hides behind a funeral . . . . . . . . . . . .parlor front. mafic touches, but in his zeal to nrominent of which is “Cruella De j, i Direction is static and *unimagin pack a pictorial v.alrop he is also Ville,” which sounds infectious As a dialectic discussion hinged ative, French interiors hardly guilty of failing to curb a tendency , enough on first hearing to attain ! on the Roman Catholic religion, , match the real Yank exteriors in toward some ove Iy-tiieatrical his ! considerable popularity beyond the : this can only be accepted as flip feeling. There are some undraped trionics. Emotional flareups occur realm of the film. Tube. pant. As a romantic drama, it must i lookers, plenty of corpses and a so frequently that one beings to ^ . . . .'*>.■» 1..* **-. wince in anticipation of violence. The screenplay is loaded with dec¬ larations of love;' 'but the charac¬ ters have a peculiar way of exhibit¬ ing it with a shove, a slap or an Hollywood, Jan. 1L Universal release of Red Doff produce tion. Stars Mickey Rooney, Mamie Van Doren, Fay Spain, Marty Milner. Cecil Kellaway. Tuesday Weld. Paul Anka: with . Ziva Rodann. Theona Bryant, June Wilkinson, Phillips Fallon, Barbara Walden, Toni Covington. Nancy Root. Donna ■ Lynne, Sharon Wllev, Miki Kato, Andrea Smith. Buni Bacon. Stella Garcia. Directed by Albert Zugsmith, Rooney. Screenplay. Robert Hill: camera (Spectacolor), Phil | Lathrop; editor. Eddie Broussard; art dij rectors, Alexander Golitzen. Richard Rie¬ del; music. Van Alexander: sound. Wal¬ den O. Watson, Frank Wilkinson: as¬ sistant directors. Phil Bowle«. Carl Beringer. Reviewed at Hawaii Theatre, Jan. IT. *61. Running tlme. H MINS. Nick Lewis (DeviD . Mickey Rooney Evie Simms (Eve) . Mamie Van Doren Lil Lewis (Lilith). . . . Fay Spain i Hal Senders . . Mel Torme I Ad Simms (Adam) . Marty Milner { Doc Bayles .... Cecil KelTaway | Vangie Harper . Tuesday Weld l Pinkie Parker . . . Paul Anka Passions Ziva Rodann . Th* Devil's F-miliars . . Theona Bryant, i June Wilkinson. Phillipa Fallon, Barbara Walden, Toni Covington, Satan's Sinners Nancy Root, Donna Lynne. Sharon Wiley, Miki Kato. Andrea Smith, Bunl Bacon,. Stella Garcia — She agreed that is it glossy, but telegraphed unmasking of the mur Milton Skolsky's New Status ‘ over-contrived. Yet, somehow, the!derer Technical credits are below m:u„ r,..,....? ^ , ' n.. 'wr Mosfc. Mi’ton Skolskv. a member of the : thesping of the two principals. United Artists ad department for .John Mills and Dirk Bogarde, pre10 years, has been promoted to j vent'; the screen version of Audrey the post of pressbook editor. Be i Erskine Lindrop’s novel from fallout-and-out slug. The lack of com fore joining UA. Skolskv worked ■ ing between these two spacious mimication is frightening. ; on pressbooks and advertising pro | schools. In fact, the overall effect There is some exceptionally in. motion at Warner Bros, and Eagle is compelling. Roy Baker, who protimate camera work by Milton Lion. duced and directed, has done so Krasne • and attractive artwork by; He’s a brother of Hollywood : with obvious affection for the yarn. George W. Davis *nd Edward Car I columnist Sidney Skolsky. j But because he has failed to use par. UA Elevates Carnow Rawaru “Hy ’ Carnow. United Artists pressbook editor, has been promoted to assistant advertising manager. David Chasman is ad manager. Carnow joined UA in 1948 As presumably adjusted, “The Private Lives Of Adam & Eve” • is a tasteless, if har’rnless farce, ; bulk of which is devoted to a j dream sequence burlesque of Gen[ esis. In view of the sacred nature j of the topic spoofed, and the : trouble same subject once got Mae West into the original choice of vehicle was ill-advised, a dubious decision borne out by the reaction of the Catholic Legion of Decency : about a year ago, just as the Alrbert Zugsmith production was hit:ting the market (Lesion branded J the picture with a C-Condemned; rating, terming it “blasphemous and sacreligious.” following which ;U and Zugsmith hastily recalled 1 150 prints for some judicious snip¬ ping and alterations!. ! In Its revised state, the film, an j obvious parody, is less morally objectionable than artistically j chaotic. While not particularly ad: visable for attendance by impresi (Continued on page 20)