Won., S#pt. 29, 1975 Film Review New York Film Festival Gets Just for Variety Royal Flash (British—Period Action By ARMY ARCHERD Comedy—DeLuxe Color) OH To A Rocky Start With Twentieth Century-Fox releate, produced by GOOD MORNING: "Every actor should get the chance to work David V Picker, Demi O'Dell Stan Malcolm Mc• with Marlon Brando," volunteers Jack Nicholson, who just costar- Dowell, Alan Bales, Florinda Balkan, Oliver Reed ^Conversation' Screening Directed by Richard Letter Screenplay, George red with him in "Missouri Breaks." "He is the greatest actor. It was MacDonald Fraier, bated on his novel; camera By ADDISON VERRILL easy working with him and the movie will be something very unus• (DeLuxe Color), Geoffrey Uruworth; second unit camera, Peter MacDonald; editor, John Victor ual." Jack admits he and Warren Beatty hoped to make something Smith; muiic. Ken Thome; production design, New York, Sept. 28 — The 13th New York Film Festival laid a unusual with "The Fortune." "I did it because that, too, was adven• Terence Marsh; art direction, Alan Tomkins, sound, mighty egg with Friday night (26) opening at Lincoln Center's Avery Gerry Humphreays, Simon Koye. assistant direc• Fisher Hall. Despite upbeat ticket sales for the entire event, a new turous — but the 'finesse' just didn't work. I'm sad — I had the best tor, Vincent Winter Reviewed at 20th Fox Studios, participation I've ever had in a film on that one, also, the best LA., Sept 23, 1975 MPAA Rating: PG Running streamlined opening night procedure and even a break in the eight- part" . . . Jack is awaiting word from Brando to star in his (Nichol• time: 98 mm. day run of soggy weather to lift the spirits, fest was fouled in its own Flashman Malcolm McDowell choice of Luchino Visconti's "Conversation Piece" as the first night son's) "Moontrap," to be directed by Nicholson. "I prefer not to Rudi von Sternberg Alan Bates act," he says. What happens to hopes of Bob Evans and Bob Towne Lola Montei Florinda Balkan attraction. It proved an unmitigated disaster, the very word stressed to star Nicholson in a second pic with "Chinatown" character, Har• Otto von Bismarck Oliver Reed by the Times and Post critics. Duchess Irmu Britt Ekland ry Gittes? ... He will do a two-scene role as a labor organizer in Kraft si em Lionel Jeffries But first the good news. With band Dino De Laurentiis in L.A. "The Last Tycoon." Nicholson recommended Sam Spiegel cast Hen• de Gautet Tom Bell what most agree is an especial• It was fortunate that none of ry King as — the director — in the Elia Kazan-directed epic about Sopten Joss Ackland ly interesting slate of films this the "Conversation Piece" prin• Hansen Christopher Cazenove year, the festival is in no box- Hollywood . . . Gary Grant has his attorneys investigating suits vs. Old Roue ' Roy Kinnear cipals were present. Visconti's office difficulty. Ticket malem People mag and the Associated Press, the former for printing he has Mr. Greig Alastair Sim turgid, badly postsynched (in Headmaster Michael Hordern have been brisk and the major• English) and depressingly pre• false teeth. "I want to get into court and open my mouth," said ity of performances were sold tentious feature sparked au• Grant. And the AP suit involves their quotes from a Red Book yarn "Royal Flash" Is a royal pain. out well before the official open• dience giggles about a half hour (which Grant claims doesn't exist), saying he never loved any of his Richard Lester's formula period ing. into its two-hour-plus running wives. The wire service yarn brought him a flood of international comedy style, as enduring as it A happy change in the open• time. The giggles swelled to fone calls, sezze — none from his ex-wives. Grant recently won $10,- is not particularly endearing, ing night procedure came this roars of laughter and by the time 000 from Esquire for printing his head on a fake body, he gave the achieves its customary levels of year with the streamlinging of Lancaster uttered the line, dough to charity . . . Last week, after the MGM board meet on the pointless, posturing, cutesy silli• the usually interminable "wel• "Things have turned out far lot, Grant was invited by Frank Rosenfelt and Dan Melnick to visit ness. Malcolm McDowell heads comes" from fest officials and worse than I could have im• the cast as author scrlpter agined, " the house was rife with the giant carousel set of "Logan's Run." When Grant started to reps of N.Y. City government. George MacDonald Eraser's With some bad press notices for derision. leave the set, the 400 extras broke into applause. He still has no plans bohemlan Victorian military this performance at the fest last Walk-Outs to return to acting. officer. David V. Picker and year, Film Society of Lincoln Denis O'Dell produced at There were numerous walk• * * * Center prez Martin E. Segal this outs in the sold-out house and the Twickenham Studios and on year opted not to participate on Bing Crosby's guest on his Christmas show this year will be Fred German locations. Trimmed a film's conclusion was greeted stage, leaving the official fest with boos and catcalls, the likes Astaire, with whom he waxed an album in London. The Crosby clan, couple of reels for the domestic welcome to Film Society Chair• as usual, will also be on hand for the Yule show — this year on market from its London version, of which haven't been heard at a man William F. May, who kept fest opening night in some time. CBS . . . John Amos, whose contract negotiations delayed his start the 20th Fox release lacks the it mercifully brief. on "Good Times," has been out of the last two segs — because the intangibles that put over the It can be argued that any film For the first time in many by a director of Visconti's sta• story lines didn't involve him, we're told . . . Jimmy Komack nab• "Musketeer" plx, so outlook seems uneven. years, the fest administration ture deserves a fest slot, bed Tony Orlando to play a Freddie Prinze look-alike guestint in did not extend an invitation to especially one without a U.S. dis- "Chico And The Man." How about a reciprocal visit by Freddie to McDowell, fleeing a bordello the New York Mayor's office to trib, but the choice of Tony's show as his look-alike? . . . Raquel Welch gets a giant $25,- raid, falls in with Florinda take part in one of the city's big "Conversation Piece" for open• 000 as guestar on McLean Stevenson's NBC spec on which she'll sing Bolkan, playing Lola Montez, in cultural happenings. ing night was especially poor "I Feel Like Making Love," the tune nixed by CBS from her Cher turn alienating Oliver Reed's May's speech of welcome was judgment. guestint . . . Sonny and Cher's attorney's had their 23d court session Otto von Bismarck. The latter, brief and to the point as he in• Festival opening was fol• with Judge Mario Clinco Friday (26) . . . Burt Reynolds, directing with accomplice Alan Bates and troduced fest director Richard lowed by the usual party at the Mike Douglas In the latter': dramatic bow. '"Gator," foned from 8a- hit-men Lionel Jeffries and Tom Roud after the screening of New York State Theatre. Fest Bell, force McDowell to imper• Frank Mouris' short film, runs through Oct. 12, when Fran- vannah, Ga., to report Douglas is terrif playing a Governor who sonate a Prussian nobleman for "Coney." would be President. Anyone we know? . . . Linda (Mrs. By) Wein- cola Truffaut'a "The Story Of purposes of marriage to duch• Roud apologized that no one Adele H ' closes the event. traub wrote "The Family Tree," a half-hour sitcom with music. Mo- ess Britt Ekland. Complex politi• connected with the opening night town's Berry Gordy dug it and now ABC is developing it with 'em as cal, sexual and survival pic was present. That situation a series. Proud husband Sy W. retired from showbiz in 1969 after sel• strategies lurch the plot forward had sparked plenty of back• Two Juves Signed For ling his "Tarzan" pix . . . Jack Carter played a burlesk comic-mur• through its distressing 98 stairs hustling in the days im• derer in "Ellery Queen" last week and is an agent in this week's minutes. mediately preceding the open• Disney's 'Matecumbe' "Cannon" guestarring Joan Fontaine . . . Orson Welles is out of "The Films like "Tom Jones," "The ing. Director Visconti was work• Producer Bill Anderson has Big Bus," the pact didn't work out. Too bad — whatta wild role! And Paleface." "Rugglea Of Red ing in Europe and his health signed Johnny Dor an, 13, and they had already made his pajamas . . . Anne and Kirk Douglas Gap," etc. all managed would probably not have al• Billy Attmore, 10, for the juve lowed him to make the trip any• weekended at the LBJ ranch where he was on an arts panel. He'll be somehow to combine some leads in Walt Disney Prods.' way. Topliner Burt Lancaster "Treasure Of Matecumbe." Pic in Houston Nov. 1 to m.c. the bow of the Summit, an $18,000,000 en• physical visual comedic elements along with was off on location and Silvana stars Peter Ustinov and is tertainment-sports arena. dramaturgy that worked. Mangano would not leave hus• directed by Vincent McEveety. * * * "Royal Flash," however, is For the first time, the Lettermen have booked an opening act — virtual prototype Lester: often and she's Playboy's singing doll Barbi Benton, who bows with em at lavish and/or bizarre sets which Valley Forge . . . Playgirl's October centerspread, Steve Bond, is in make dramatically tiny the Pine-Thomas' "Cat Murkill And The Silks'* — with people placed in them; a sight- Who's Where threads . . . Claudia Lapidus, here for brother-in-law Ted Lapi- gag situation; some broadly dtis' shoppe-opening in BevHills, stopped in Van Cleef & Arpels and drawn reaction shots; some run• Hal Brown, v.p. in charge of Debbie Reynolds to Sparks ning and jumping. sales and distribution for Amer• engagement at the Nugget made a sizeable contribution to our local economy . . . The Max Circus Room. It might work if Lester let it all ican International Television Factors debuted Stephen B., a perfume by award-winning designer Inc., to N.Y. for meetings. Pierre Cassette in from N.Y. Stephen Burrows with a BevHills Hotel sweet-smelling hang out, but paradoxically, he seems reluctant to do so, and the Marilyn J. Tenser, exec Robert Wagner on concertour soiree . . . Lisa Kirk's talk session with Dinah Shore tomorrow re• of the southwest. sulted in Kirk talking a series of her own . . . John Vivyan is making result is nearly always over• producer, George M. Josephs, produced, underplayed, and at g.s.m., Don Foster, western divi• Mark Lenard in from N.Y. good progress in intensive care at UCLA following a heart at• best worth a smile or mild sion manager of Crown Inter• Ron Warmoth in from tack . . . Howard Morris checked out of Century City Hospital after chuckle. national Pictures, to New Missoula, Mont. tests for a viral infection . . . Dorothy Malone was welcomed back to The players are as competent Orleans NATO convention. Al Ross to N.Y. town with a party at the West wood Bratskellar ... At Gladstone's, as the film allows, and their Ronald Kass, Sagittarius En• Philip Abbott to Detroit. Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton lobster'd with Herb Alport and Lani work in other films is proof of tertainment proxy, in from N.Y., Harry Bernsen to Houston, Hall. their talent. Production credits Montreal. New Orleans, N.Y., Toronto, are standard. Murf. Hannah Russell, prexy of Chi. Harrison Music Corp. to N.Y., BernNadette Stanis to Chi. Corwin, Tushinsky Get Paris, London. Hurray Olson to N.Y., Providence, R.I. Tent 25 Veep Stripes Howard Keel to St. Paul to (Trade Mark Registered) star in the revue, "Gene Kelly's Richard O'Brien to Gotham. Bruce C. Corwin, Metropoli• Salute To Broadway." Budd Friedman in from N.Y. Copyright '1970 by Daily Variety, Ltd. tan Theatres Corp. proxy, and Founded 1933 by Sime Silverman Fred Tushinsky, senior veep of Syd Silverman, President sales and marketing for Super- NEW SUBSCRIBER! MOVING! scope, have been named vice Published Dally Except Saturday. Sunday and Holiday with a Special Edition the laat week in October by Dally Variety Ltd . 1400 N Cahuenga Boulevard. Hollywood. Califor• presidents of Variety Club of nia — 90028 Telephone (213) 469-1141 Telex #974-281 Southern California Tent 25, reports proxy Milton I. Moritz. 1400 N. 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