Boxoffice-May.31.1971

. .
Comedian
Wtttumod Refoont
With 16 productions scheduled to start
in June, the lineup is only two under the
number charted to roll in June 1970. Ten
features from majors m\A si\ from independents
will face the cameras at this time.
For the previous month of May, a dozen
features were readj to take off.
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
The House of the Seven Gables. Producers
Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H.
Nicholson are currently selecting the cast
for this film, to be shot near London, with
Robert Fuest directing. The picture is based
on the Nathaniel Hawthorne classic, with
screenplay by Patrick Tilley, who also
worked with Fuest on AIP's first classic,
"Wuthering Heights."
COLUMBIA
Fat City. This Rastar production for
Columbia is based on Leonard Gardner's
novel about two young boxers who attempt
to use their profession to make it to the
big time, but never achieve their goal.
Ray Stark is producing, with Stacy Keach
and Jeff Bridges starring. Filming is on
location in Stockton. Calif., with John
Huston directing in his first U.S. directorial
assignment in ten years.
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
The Boy Friend. Twiggy, world-famous
fashion model, turns film star to play the
lead in Ken Russell's film of the international
hit musical. Produced and directed
by Russell from his own screen adaptation
of the Sandy Wilson musical, the picture
is a gently satirical look at the personal
lives of a group of repertory players. Former
Royal Ballet dancer Christopher Gable
co-stars, with production set to start in a
Portsmouth Theatre, 60 miles south of
London. This is the first production for
the newly amalgamated EMI-MGM Film
Productions, Ltd., and will be released
worldwide by MGM for Christmas 1971
and by MGM-EMI Films Distributors.
Ltd., in England.
Going Home. Producer-director Burt
Leonard is starring Robert Mitchum as the
father and Jan-Michael Vincent as the
young son in this Laurence R. Marcus drama
about a wife murderer whose small son
witnessed the crime. The father goes to
prison, but the son. growing older, tries
to establish a meaningful relationship with
the father. Marcus, who wrote the original
screenplay, also is directing.
By
SYD CASSYD
at the time oi the Black Death, will not be
presented as a children's tale, but rather
as m\ allcgorv, with strong contemporary
parallels. Dent) also wrote the screenplay.
20TH CENTURY-FOX
Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies
Talent scout Sam Reese is conducting a
search in quest of four youngsters to costar
in this Robert Fryer-James Creeson
production. Written for the screen b\
t laudia Ann Salter and to be directed by
John Etonian, it concerns the adventures of
a World War I ace. turned barnstormer,
with his I 1-year-old son during the 1920s.
Fryer and Cresson arc co-producing.
Inside Out. A co-production between
Arbee Productions, a Manila-based company,
and 20th-Fox. this film stars Indian
actor Dei Anand and is being shot on locations
in Tokyo, Hong Kong, the Philippines
and Saigon. The script, which deals with
opium producers and the Indian government's
efforts to destroy illegal drug traffic,
was written by producer Rolf Bayer of the
U.S. Lamberto V. Avellana of Manila is
directing.
We Pointed 'Em North. A post-Civil
War story tracing the transition to manhood
of a 16-year-old who joins a group
of cowboys on a cattle drive over the
Chisholm trail, this is the first film on
the schedule of Richards & Helmick Productions.
Paul Helmick is producing and
Dick Richards is making his directorial
debut with a screenplay by Eric Barcovici
from Richards' original story. Gary Grimes.
Raymond Guth and Billic Bush star.
WARNER BROS.
Deliverance. Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds
are co-starring in producer-director
John Boorman's film version of poet James
Dickey's best-selling first novel. Ronny Cox
and Ned Beatty also star in the film, which
is shooting at Betty's Creek in North Carolina,
several miles from the northern
Georgia back country in which the film is
localcd. Boorman and Dickey wrote the
screenplay.
Portnoy's Complaint. The contro-
\ersial Philip Roth novel is being filmed
with Richard Benjamin, Karen Black and
Lee Grant in the starring roles, Writerproduccr-director
Ernest I ehman and production
manager Richard McWhortcr
selected locations in Rome. Athens and
Israel for background shooting. Benjamin
plays the title role. Miss Black appears as
PARAMOUNT
his girl friend and Miss Grant appears as
Pied Piper of Hamlin. With score and the "Jewish mother of all time."
songs by England's pop singer, Donovan,
INDEPENDENTS
this Paramount release, being produced by
David Putnam for Sagittarius Productions,
Basic Empire Productions
goes before the cameras in Rothenburg, Ballad of Billie Blue. First project
Germany, with Jacques Demy directing.
Donovan, in his film debut, also plays the
title role, co-starring with Jack Wild and
Donald Pleasence. The story, set in 1349,
for this newly formed company, which has
budgeted $1.5 million for its first two film
productions, is this musical story of a
modern country singer, with an original
screenplay by Kent Osborne. Ralph Luce
and Robert Dix. Jason Ledger, singer-actor
from Kentucky, has been east in the title
role, with Sheir\ Bain and Sherrv Mile-s
co-starring. Osborne will direct.
Frontier Film Productions
\h 1 \i Massacre. This filmization of
the Vietnam probe is being produced in
( harles Ni/et's studios in 1 as Vegas, with
\ . ( icsar portraying an army lieutenant
and Pierre Oostm co-starring. Ni/ct directs
and produces in the All plant lor tilinmalting
in southern Nevada.
Productions
Graffitti
Flesh Gordon. Co-producers Bill
and Howard /lehm have set John How.
star ol main horror pictures, Leonard
Goodman and Jason Williams to co-star in
this comedy spoof of comic strips in the
"Flash Gordon" genre. Mike Light is directing
from the Bill Hunt screenplay.
Something to Hide. Producer Michael
Klingcr has purchased this Nicholas \lonsarrat
novel for filming, which is scheduled
to start some time this month. Alastair Reid
is writing the screenplaj m\k\ will direct.
H.M.S. Cinema 71
Everyman. Producer-director J a m e
Mathers acquired the film rights to Buck
flower's stage production of "liveryman,'"
and the cast will be taken in total from the
play which has been in theatres worldwide
for the last six years. The players, a reknown
as "Inspiration Players," and the
story concerns everyman's qualifications
for getting into heaven.
Malibu Productions
Cactus. Tom McAndrews, who started
his career at Republic Studios in 194b and
then was vice-president of the West Coast
office of Ted Bates Advertising, will produce
this western, set in 1875, as his first
independent production at a budget of
about $600,000. Using locations in New
Mexico, the original script by Terry Kingsley-Smith
will be directed by Gary' Nelson.
The drama covers a three-way conflict between
husband and wife and another voting
man. The same companj will follow this
with a comedy about a young professor,
titled "Harry Vernon at Prep."
Sir Ralph Richardson will co-star with
Shelley Winters. Mark ester and Judy
1
Cornwell in All's "Gingerbread House"
being directed in London by Curtis Harrington
for producers James H. Nicholson
and Samuel /. Arkotl
Gazzo. author ol "Hatful o\ Rain." was
signed to a featured role in the MGM
Chartofl-W inkier production. "The Gang
That Couldn't Shoot Straight." now filming
York under James doldstone's direction,
with Irwin Winkler producing and
Jerry Ohrbach. I eigh Taylor-Young and
Joe
1 tone! Standor starring
Fiynn joins Kurt Russell and Cesar Romero
in Disnev's "Now You See Him. Now You
Don't," sequel to "The Computer Wore
Tennis Shoes" Based on an original by
King, the picture reunites "Com-
Robert I
MoEveety and
director Robert Butler
BOXOFFICE :: May 31, 1971