Harrison's Reports (1961)
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. : at the post office at Tori:, the act of March 3, 1879. EnteredHarrison'sas second-class matter January 4, 1921, NewReportsYork, New under Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by Harrison's Reports, Inc., Unitedtt ^ Stateso» $15.00ik nn New York 20, N. Y. Publisher U. S. Insular Possessions. 17.00 p g HARRISON Canada and Mexico 17.00 A Motion Picture Reviewing Service Founder Great Britain, South Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors WTNN LOEWBNTHA-L, America, Australia, Editor New Zealand, India, Europe, Asia 17.50 T ts Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Establish ed July 1, 1919 35c a Copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. Circle 7-4G22 A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM^ ADVERTISING Vol. XLIII SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 1961 No. 1 EXHIBITORS STUDY THE 1960 Deborah Kerr captured the best-actress award for FAVORITES OF THE CRITICS her portrayal of the sheepherder's wife in "The Sun- The Committee on Exceptional Films of the downers." Burt Lancaster was named best-actor for National Board of Reviaw of Motion Pictures and his role as the revival preacher, "Elmer Gantry." the New York Film Critics are but two of various On the first best-picture ballot, "Elmer Gantry" re groups who recently announced their opinions of ceived two votes and "Sunrise at Campobello," "Exo- 1960s cinematic offerings. (Continued on Bac\ Page) The National Board's Committee selected "Sons and Lovers" (Twentieth Century-Fox) as the best JACK KIRSCH motion picture of 1960. The board also chose "The The motion picture industry suffered a great loss World of Apu" (Edward Harrison) as the best for' on December 30 when Jack Kirsch died after an ope- eign film shown here during the past year and voted ration for a critical illness. Jack Cardiff the best director, for "Sons and Lovers." Exhibition and especially Allied States Association Greer Garson was named the best actress of the of Motion Picture Exhibitors, whose presidency he year for "Sunrise at Campobello" (Warner Bros.), was forced to relinquish only a few weeks ago, will while Robert Mitchum was voted the best actor, for feel the absence of a dynamic leader who felt com- "The Sundowners" (Warner Bros.) and "Home pelled two monthes ago to defy the wishes of his From the Hill" (M-G-M). Runners up in the 10 best wife and physician and to accept the helm of the picture voting were "The Alamo" (United Artists), national exhibitor's organisation, a position he had "The Sundowners," "Inherit the Wind," (United held in 1946 and 1947. Artists), "Sunrise at Campobello," "Elmer Gantry" Mr. Kirsch, who was 58, was serving his 23rd year (UA), "Home From the Hill," "The Apartment" as president of Allied Theatre Owners of Illinois, a (UA), "Wild River" (20th-Fox), and "The Dark at group whose current importance among the Na- the Top of the Stairs" (WB) tional Allied units is a tribute to his efforts. Runners'up among foreign films were "General Born in New York City on Nov. 30, 1902, Mr. della Rovere" (Continental ;reviewed in this issue); Kirsch was in the haberdashery business following "The Angry Silence" (Valiant); "Em All Right his graduation from high school. In 1930 he entered Jack" (Columbia), and "Hiroshima, Mon Amour" motion pictures as an exhibitor in Chicago. Eight (Zenith). years later he was named president of Allied of Illi- nois, largely due to his successful efforts at organizing The New York Film Critics, comprising 16 critics, theatre owners. Afterwards he also became head of representing eight daily metropolitan newspapers, the Allied Buying and Booking organization. gave a tie decision in both the best English-language He became a highly respected and forceful leader picture and the best director of the year categories, throughout Illinois, then the Midwest and at his death with "The Apartment" and "Sons and Lovers" and was one of this nation's best known exhibitor chiefs. the respective directors of these features, Billy Wilder On being advised of Mr. Kirsch's death, Mr. Abram and Jack Cardiff, capturing top honors. The voting F. Myers, former National Allied Board chairman between these two films was carried into the screen- and general counsel, and now consultant to the associ- writing competition with the original script by Mr. ation, issued the following statment Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond for "The Aparment" "Jack Kirsch was an unforgettable personality winning over the adaptation by Gavin Lambert and whose ability to express himself forcibly but in good T.E.B. Clarke of D. H. Lawrence's classic novel, humor enabled him to exercise great influence in the "Sons and Lovers," on the sixth ballot. business without causing rancor. He was a true or' The by-laws of the critic organisation's constitution ganization man, shunning cliques and factions and calls for a two-thirds majority in order to win on any insisting that all issues be resolved in the open. His of the first five ballots. A simple plurality is needed untimely death is a loss to the entire motion picture on the sixth and last poll. industry and a stunning blow to National Allied. I The French -Japanese romantic drama, "Hiroshima, was privileged to work with Jack for 25 years and Mon Amour" won an easy vitcory (third ballot) over losing close contact with him and a few others made the Italian drama, "General della Rovere" and the retirement difficult." Indian-made "The World of Apu." Harrison Reports extends its sympathy to Jack The other awards were sharply contested and re- Kirsch's family, his business associates and to Allied, quired the maximum number of canvasses. national and state. — — 2 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 7, 1961 "General della Rovere" with Vittorio de Sica, ter. A letter that the Contessa della Rovere wrote to Hannes Messemer, Sandra Milo, her husband is given to him and De Sica takes new courage and faith from the pride and devotion she Giovanna Ralli has for the General. In a last, desperate attempt to min.) (Continental, current; time, 149 use De Sica, Messemer has him placed with a group of 20 prisoners, 10 of whom are to be executed the Excellent. From Italy comes this expertly written, next day in retaliation for the assassination by the directed and performed suspense-charged drama, set in partisans of the Fascist Party leader in Milan. Fab- that country's World War II German occupation, rizio finally makes himself known to De Sica, in' and dealing with a con man who turns into a man spires the former swindler to the point that when with a conscience. There is a good amount of humor his name is called, he spurns Messemer's offer of in this lengthy English-dubbed Italo-Frcnch co- freedom in exchange for identifying Fabrizio. De production which rates among director Roberto Ros- Sica goes to his death knowing that Fabrizio has been sellinfs all-time best efforts. The acting of Vittorio saved and that he is dying a patriot. de Sica as the gambler-swindler who, to save his skin, impersonates an Italian hero general (Della Rovere) An Italian-French co-production of Zebra Film, Rome, and S.N.E. Gaumont, Paris. Morris Ergas was for the Nazis, is prizeworthy. As the German SS commander in Genoa who out-cons De Sica, German executive producer; Roberto Rossellini directed from a screenplay by Sergio Amidei, star Hannes Messemer does a brilliant job. The scenes Diego Fabri and Montanelli, incident suggested are unbelievably realistic which should impress those Indro from an by Montanelli. English subtitles by Herman who like their pictures true to life. Camerawork with G. Wein- berg. black-and-white film is brilliant: Adults. The year is 1943. The Germans occupy all of Northern Italy. In Genoa, Vittorio De Sica is busy extracting money from the families of captured "Rue de Paris" with Jean Gabin, Renee Faure, to be a colonel with Italian partisians by pretending Claude Brasseur, Marie-Jose Nat, Roger Dumas influential contacts who can help free their im- (Lopert, current; time, 90 min.) prisoned relatives. De Sica's pretty young mistress leaves him after he has pawned much of her jewelry Fine. A highly realistic, touching, humor-filled and has given her a fake sapphire. He is a gambler drama from France about an elderly widower's prob- on a losing streak. When the local German SS com- lems with his three children — a cycling champ, a mander, Hannes Messemer, discovers De Sica's prac- cover girl and a sullen, pugnacious lad whom he did tice, he forces him to do undercover work, with the not father. As the construction foreman who sees his threat of death as an alternative. The heroic General athlete son "throw" races, his beautiful daughter run della Rovere is killed by an over-zealous soldier just off with an aging tycoon and his other son expelled after he is smuggled into the occupied zone by a from school, Jean Gabin renders a magnificent per- British submarine for the purpose of contacting Fab- formance, being very human, forthright and sympa- rizio, the assumed name of an important partisan thetic. Claude Brasseur, Rober Dumas and Marie-Jose leader. Few know that the general has been killed. Nat provide talented enactments as the children. This Those that do are transferred. Messemer has De Sica art theatre attraction is extremely frank in its treat- impersonate the dead man, sending the swindler to a ment of sex. There is sufficient suspense in the com- political prison at San Vittore, where the inmates pact plot.