Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 32

32. EWD 4th 64 THE HARTFORD 3rd COURANT: Wednesday. March 28. 1979 2nd a. Ti aV ft QUEENS PLAZA CINEMA Southington Movie Movie (pg) 7:15 7 and 9:15 Simsbury 'Gondoliers' it ilT -tJjs.

8f0 By GEORGE E. NICHOLS III The Simsbury Light Opera Company's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Gondoliers" abounds in beautiful music splendidly sung. Much of the' acting is admirable. But though delighted audiences will doubtless disagree, the production as a whole suffers from over-direction. William Koch's work in the last two years has been excellent.

This year, however, he gives the impression of lacking faith in the script. I do not hold with the view that operettas are so sacrosanct that everything possible must be done to retain their original staging. Nevertheless, it does behoove the director to retain the spirit of the original. The words and music of are witty and sparkling. In this production the wit is replaced by much heavy-handed humor that depends excessively on irrelevant, crowd-pleasing sight gags that spring neither from the characters nor the situation.

The most blatant example of this is James H. Martin as the Duke of Plaza Toro. Although he looks the part to very perfection, he has been allowed to play the Duke as an utter nincompoop. Even the most ludicrous of Gilbert's characters have mmf SPECIAL EASTER SUNDAY MATINEE APRIL I DOORS OPEN 11:30 DINNER 121 SHOW 1:30 CHILDREN UNDER 12 PRICE. NO EVENING PERFORMANCE GENERAL CINEMA THEATRES STARRED (IfEATURES FIRST MATINEE SHOWING ONLY NOW THRU TUESDAY "HARDCORE" Daily 6:30 9:00 2, 4:15, 6:30,9 inr NITELY 7:15 FS CASTLES (pci ss i ii datom ADMISSION .99 MOVIE MOVIE EVE.

CENTRAL THEATRE West Hartford Center Monday-Thurs. 7 pm 6:30 99 all times FOR TEENAGE DISCO INFO. Call 233-2975 BURHSIDE 1-2 580 Burniido, E. Htfd. 528-3333 99c all timet Cine 2 Animal House (R) 7 and 9:10 Cine 1 Movie Movie (PG) 7:10 and 9:00 Sunday Matinee Cine 1 Movie Movie 1:15 and 3:15 Cine 2 Animal House 1 and 3:30 CONT.

SHOWINGS P.M. JEAN DE BERG'S ULTRA EROTIC! "THE IMAGE" (X) "ANOTHER 10Vt ANOTHER PUCE" BERLIN DRIVE-IN RT. 15-BERLIN TPKE. 828-6535 7:15 "HOT WIVES" 1st SHOW REPEATED FRI. SAT.

11:00 8:30 "ONCE OVER NIGHT" 9:45 "TEENAGE DEVIATES" 1 cn ALL J.sJU TIMES NEW! FIRST RUN! "PLAY GIRLS GF MUNICH" "LOVE YOU TO DEATH" rated SHOW PEOPLE liitinii.il solution I lu- real nivslor nl C'liristie's ilis.ipiv.ir.iiKi'. tf DIHiTlN IIDH'MAM If 1 VANESSA REDGRAVE twjfi PGl 7:35 9:40 JACK LEMMON JANE FONDA MICHAEL DOUGLAS Soon you swill know tWrw- Pf i PG! 7:00 9:30 THE BEST GUV ON THE TEAM IS A GIRL. GABE KAPLAN'S HAVING A BALL! 9:30 Mark McNally shows pleasing versatility by singing, acting and drumming with equal ease. Diane Newman makes an imposing Duchess who maintains her stateli-ness even when belaboring the Duke with her capacious handbag. The entire chorus deserves high praise for its fine singing as well as some impressive dancing.

Dorothy Ben-ham has attired the cast in colorful costumes that heighten the festive atmosphere. R. Neil Wenthe has very intelligently adapted the setting to the awkward dimensions of the stage and has introduced a delightful novelty with the impressive appearance of two gondolas. William K. Erhart has managed the musical side of the production with authority, keeping his musicians and singers well in hand.

The latter should be commended for their estimable intelligibility. Reservations notwithstanding, the evening provides a rewarding outing. Audiences of all ages will find enjoyment of a high order for the ear and diversion aplenty for the eye. "The Gondoliers" continues at the Simsbury High School Friday and Saturday and April 6 and 7 at 8:15 Ji.m., with a matinee per-ormance Sunday at. 2:30 p.m.

Into Snags THE CIRCLE GAME: Michael Beck, the charismatic young lead of Paramount's notorious "The Warriors," is obviously now warring with himself. The young actor may have starred in this top-grossing film about gang violence, but off the screen he's a very shy and very devout born-again Christian. All the controversy and turbulence surrounding "The Warriors" since its release have caused Beck much concern. So much go that he very quietly dropped out of his next scheduled film, United Artists' "Small Circle of Friends," a love triangle against the backdrop of late '60s college life. Beck was supposed to join Brad David and pretty Karen Allen in the Rob Cohen production, but he's now reassessing his life and career at a religious production, but he's now reassessing his life and career at a religious retreat hidden somewhere in England.

Jameson Parker takes over for Beck in "Circle." HERE COMES THE GROOM: David Lander "Squiggy" on TV's "Laverne and Shirley" series was married without fanfare or the customary Hollywood hoopla to young Kathy Fields. She's the photographer daughter of super-agent turned not so super producer Freddie Fields With Care," Lander's co-star, Cindy Williams, is reportedly seeing a lot of that "American Gigolo" himself, Richard Gere. She met him on the Paramount lot where his movie and her series shoot. MAMIES IAIIT 1:30 IVES FROM 7 PM SAT. 6 SUN.

CONTINUOUS CERARO DAMIANO'S "SKIN FLICKS" (X) RtUBlUR" (II NEXT IN 3-D "HOT SKIN" (X) and "HARD CANDY" (X) urious moNk PROM SHAO-LlN SATURDAY MATINEE 2 PM "CALIFORNIA SUITE" "NORTH AVENUE IRREGULARS" Off ROUTE 44 ROUK 10 NORIH i aVflN TO SIMSIURf RD 71 0SSS JANE FONDA ALAN ALDA WAITER MATTHAU. SUN. 4:00 8:50 POOR RICHARD'S PUD CINEMA Golclie Flown Chevy Chase $1.50 SHOWTIMES 4:30, 6:30, 8:30 Full Liquor License 569-1622 467 Main East Htfd. 7i 9ZS tin ltd 7:15 9:30 Gabe Kaplan flSTBMJlY, 7:30 9:45 SUITE 7:00 9:00 vacation in town! TAKE ROUTES 15 14 Ii (EXIT U) 649-9333 ENDS THURS. AT VERNON PG MVMKDS STARTS-IT'S COMEDY RIOT "NORTH AVENUE IRREGULARS MANCHESTER PARKADE 649-5491; 7 St 50 UNTIL 2 30 ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT WESTFARMS ONLY "AGATHA" pc AT UA IAST ONLY "NORTH AVE.

IRREGULARS" (C) JACK LEMMON JANE FONDA MICHAEL DOUGLAS limn "kViT! CONtTI colonialI ssautnh P.MJJ 2nd BIG HIT GEO. C. SCOTT IRISH VANOEVIRE PG ART CARNEY Ii Rated PG ill Hi II tia 1 A 111 ItPrS Kaf A 'Superman' By BILLROYCE HOLLYWOOD Lawsuits are flying fast and furious between the high-powered. "Superman" cast and the epic's producers. Marlon Brando filed a breach of -contract suit against Alexander and Ilya Salkind a couple of months ago.

This time around, the producers are taking their own Man of Steel, Christopher Reeve, to court. The father-and-son producing team charged in a suit filed in New York that Reeve walked out of the still to be shot "Superman II" sequel a full two months before Part I flew into theaters last Christmas. The basis of the Salkinds' suit is a letter they received from Reeve's agent, Barry Hirsch, last October. The letter charged the producers with "material breaches" in a contract signed in January 1977 with Reeve. The "breach" is supposed to have occurred when production shut down on both "Superman and "Su duck ray Sought in Bias Suit By ANDREW KREIG The Connecticut State Employes Association, charging that the state has channeled women into low-paying clerical jobs, an nounced Tuesday it filed a back-pay suit seeking $300 million.

The group, which is Con necticut's largest state employes union, said the damages in its class action feder- alsuit represent the average extra pay female state work ers would have received in recent years. The $300 million total is approximately the amount that about 14,000 female workers would have re ceived in the last seven years if their annual wages had been $3,000 apiece high er, union officials said. State Attorney General Carl R. Ajello, whose office will defend the state, de clined comment because his office has not yet been served with the legal papers. Union officials said that about 75 percent of state jobs are in effect segregated Dy sex, ana mat women hold about 92 percent of the state government clerical jobs.

Pat Paul, a vice president in the union for clerical workers, said in a news conference, "The state has made it abundantly clear that it has no intention of instituting any significant re forms. She said the union has tried unsuccessfully for sev eral years to improve the situation for women. The plaintiffs in the suit, besides the union, are four named state employes and all others similarly situated. A judge will have to rule on whether it can go forward as a class-action suit including plaintiffs not listed by name. The union said that the four named employes were told when they applied for jobs that the easiest way for a woman to get state work was to take a typing test even though all four had more skills.

The four names plaintiffs are: Nedra C. Cramer of 121 Washington Hartford, who had been a civilian in structor in the Army before she was hired in 1956 as a clerical worker; Lillian M. Dobrutsky of 93 Rood Windsor, hired as a typist 11 years ago after having worked as a bookkeeper for a private credit union; Anto- nia Cioffan of Bridgeport, hired in 1970 as a typist when she had had an exten sive work history of private and former state employe Linda Ard of Waterbury, a college gradu ate, who was hired in 1972 although she previously had been a caseworker for the state. The suit said, "The state personnel Department did not tell Plaintiff Ard that she was overqualified for the job of typist (nor that) the state was not hiring male college graduates into such low-paying positions. The suit filed by attorney Donald C.

Pogue of Hartford seeks, besides money dam ages, a permanent injunction preventing the state from sex bias in jobs. IN OTHER TOWNS Bantam Cinema IV-Oespair730. Bristol Center Mall-Lord of the Rings 7, Force Ten From Navarone 7:15, 9:15. Canton Village Cinema Avalanche 7, 9. Enfield Cine 1, 1.

3ft 4-Chlna Syndrome 7:15, 930. Fast Break 730, 9:45 North Ave. Irregulars 7, 9. California Suite 7:40, 9:45. Clnema-Skln Flicks 2:45, 7, 9:30.

School Girl Reunion 130,130. Kensington Cinema California Suite 730, 930. Merlden Mall 1 ft 2 Heaven Can Walt 730, New Merlden Twin Same Time Next Year 7, Southington Oween Plau-Movie, Movie 7:15. Showcase Movie, Movie 7, 9. Stern College-Hardcore 630, 9.

Suffleld Village Clnema-Hce Castles 7:15. Torrlngten Parkade Same Time Next Year 7, 9, Warner Norma Rae 7, 9, Walllngford Center California Suite 730, 930. Waterburv Cinema 1, 1, 1 ft 4-Fast Break 130, 4, 7:15, 9 45. Chine Syndrome 1:30, 4, 7:15, 9:45 Norma Rae 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 730, 9.45. Same Time Next Year 1:45,4:15,7,930.

Winstea Strand Invasion of the Body Snatchers 7. Springfield Cinema X-Movie Movie 7, 9. West Springfield Shewceie Murder by Decree 2, 7:20, 9:50 Hair 2, 7:15, Syndrome 2, 7:10, 2, 7:40, 9:40 Superman I 7, Mi-Deer Hunter 1:30, 1 Same Time Next Year 2, 7:20, Break 2, 7:20, 9:40. (Schedules are published as received from the theaters. The Cetirant Is net responsible tar last-minute changes or Incomplete list Everyone on stage is kept continuously busy.

This technique has its merits, especially in animating a sizable chorus so that they do not look like a bunch of sticks set around the stage. But the unceasing hustle and bustle diffuses the focus by distracting one's attention. What should be disciplined comedy ends as rambunctious farce. As usual, the Light Opera Company is fortunate to attract singers of consistently hgh caliber whose acting is quite satisfactory for the occasion. Roger Loucks and Stephan Barnicle as the two gondoliers, one of whom may be a king, complement one another gracefully in both their acting and superior singing.

They are agreeably abetted by the alluring charms of Karen Grigsby and Sally Porterfield playing their wives. The pleasures provided by this quartet are felicitously augmented by the delectable vocalizing of Samuel Reed, Elizabeth Rodie, Sheldon Baker and Lanny Wenthe. Although Job Emerson's villainous Grand Inquisitor is a bit limited in conception, he is vocally most persuasive. Among the Duke's entourage, charming Karen Johnson gives very commendable account of the Duke's daughter. As her secret lover, Sequel Runs perman II" with about two-thirds of three-fourths of the latter completed although Reeve's contract guaranteed that both films would be shot in one fell swoop.

The Salkinds are planning to rev up final production of "Superman II" sometime this July and their suit is obviously aimed at ensuring Reeve's participation. One behind-the-scenes talent who won't be participating is director Richard Donner he and the Salkinds have parted over "creative differences." The differences behind the Salkinds vs. Reeve disagreement are much more financial than creative. The actor figures the months he's spent waiting for "Superman II" to resume production have cost him something where career momentum is concerned. In the meantime, lawsuit or no lawsuit, Reeve is scheduled to face the cameras beginning May 27 in a film called "Bid Tim Return" for another producer, Ray Stark.

When Marvin testified for the last time Mitchelson picked up the same rock and asked him whether he ever picked it up on the beach and gave it to Miss Marvin. don't think I ever saw that particular rock before," Marvin said. "I did pick up rocks on the beach but not that type it's very ordinary." "Doesn't it look like a heart to you?" Mitchelson asked. "Not to me," Marvin said. Mitchelson asked the actor whether he and Miss Marvin ever went together to a "wishing tree" in Japan.

"No, we didn't go to any wishing tree. You have to write a message, in Japanese and tie it to a limb and I couldn't do that," Marvin replied. Outside the courtroom, Miss Marvin was asked whether she was glad she had gone through with the suit. "Yes, whether I win or not I think it's going to lead a number of people into thinking about going into a relationship like ours and men in particular are going to give it a good deal of thought," she said. Marvin, asked the same question, said he was glad to get it "finalized." A reporter asked him whether on second thought he might have wished he settled out of court.

"No, I would never settle out of court. To do that would acknowledge that you did something wrong," he said. Pumpernickel Pub Restaurant Elm Plaza (next to Caldor's) Enfield, Conn. (203) 745-0369 FOOD 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Fri. 1 Sat. 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday 3 p.m.

to 11 p.m. Daily Luncheon Specials An English-Irish LIQUOR Pub Style Atmosphere 4 ri i 5c vei jf munudy r.m. lu viuamsj Every Other Drink 5c Pumpernickel Nickel Hour-Every Day 3 P.M.-7 P.M. Every Other Drink St DOUGHERTY GRACE Tonight thru Saturday NO COVER NO MINIMUM GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE Michelle Marvin Finishes Testimony TONIGHT ALL CINES U.50 ACADEMY NOMINATIONS 'HEAVEN CAN WAIT" 7:30 9:30 fPPl I ACADEMY NOMINATIONS "MIDNIGHT EXPRESS" 7:00 9:20 GABE KAPLAN "FAST BREAK" 1:30 4:00 7:159:45 l1" JANE FONDA 'THE CHINA SYNDROME" 1:304:00 7:159:45 PG if SALLY FIELD "NORMA 1:153:155:15 7:301:45 I it ELLEN BURSTYN "SAME TIME NEXT YEAR" 1:45 4:157:00 9:30 IPG! MASQUERS Music by RICHARD ROOGERS Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM Book by ARTHUR LAURENTS 170 KINGSWOOD RD. WEST HARTFORD 247-9625 or 232-7808 AFTER 6:00 A MeriK' PG Hiin bull ll he best two-hour THE MARK JAM FONDA NEIL SIMON 'r CAUICRN14 I TWAIN i DoIHear.

aMtz flue Mowf Bite. VVviHI 1 I X. DltMlllDn DOVfiD UUITWIsTMEaTWatTfOOO FN!) THIiRS IT RFRI IN PC "ICI CASTLES" STARTS ALT DISNEY'S "NORTH AVENUE IRRECU1ARS" It WESTFARMS 561-0153 EARLY BIRD MATINEE PRICE tl.M T-OR SHOWS STARTING BEf-ORE 1 GABE KAPLAN'S HAVING A BALL) 'SMASHINGLY rrrrTiwc trrtiy i a. VINCENT CANBY N.Y. TIMES.

iToday, only a handful i of people know what nTha China ISyndfoma' I Soon Vioa L'iII kiinut. -'7 HI pi.o!caesaiomaTDMimiCM i. Lv 71 a I MAR. 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 8 p.m. CURTAIN (SUNDAY 7:30 p.m.) LOS ANGELES (UPI) Michelle Marvin ended her $1.5 million suit against Lee Marvin Tuesday with final testimony that she loved the actor for a long time after they broke up and still kept a heart-shaped rock he gave her 12 years ago.

Testimony in the 11-week-old trial was concluded and both sides rested after Marvin examined the rock and said he never saw it before. The landmark case came to a finish except for attorneys' closing oral arguments on April 10 after testimony by more than 60 witnesses that took up of transcript and cost the County of Los Angeles an estimated $30,000. The 46-year-old supper club singer told Superior Court Judge Arthur K. Marshall that she loved the Oscar-winning actor during the six years they were together from 1964 to 1970 and denied she ever offered to get out of his life for a lump sum payment of $100,000. Her attorney, Marvin Mit-chelson, held before her on the witness stand a rock about the size of an alarm clock, with a valentine shape and a dent at the top, and asked her if she had ever seen it before.

"Yes, Lee gavev1t to me for my birthday in 1967," she said. "Did he say anything at the time?" Mitchelson asked. "He said that he gives me his heart." "Where did I find it?" asked the lawyer. "On my coffee table," she said. I IN AND NEAR HARTFORD Hartford Art Cinema Image 1, 3:45, 6:35, :30.

Anothar Love, Anothar Place 2:25, 10, 105. Atheneum Get Out Your Handkerchief 7:30, MO. Cinema Cltv-Davl of Heaven 2:30, 4:40, 7:30, 9:35 Lail Wave 2, 4, 7, 9. Great Train Robbery 2, 4:15, 7:15, MO. Norma Rae 2:15, 4:30, 7,9:20.

Clnettwo'ie Spirit of the Beehive 730. Strosi-tk MS. Celenial Furious Monk from Shao-LIn 7, 10. Tfeer Force 1:30. Webster-Play Girls of Munich Love You to Death, from 1p.m.

Avon Park I I California Suite 730, M0. Movie, Movie 7:20, M0. Twin I 4 2 Heaven Can Walt 730, M0. Weterihip Down 7:10,1 Berlin Cine 1 i 2 Ice Castlei 7:10, :10. California Suite 7:30, 9:30.

latt Hartford Burnilde I I Movie Movie 7:10, 9. Animal Cinema t-Callfornla Suite 7, 1:55. Peer Rlchardt out Plav 730, MO. Showcase Hair 1, 7:20, 9:55. Superman 7, Job 1:10, 7:40, 9:50.

Halloween 1:15, 7, 1 45, I(h30. Same Time Neil Year 12:45, 7:45. 10:05. Oeerhumer 130,1 Manchester UA Theaters East-China Syndrome 7, 9:11 North Ave. Irregulars 7, 9.

Fast Break 7:10, MS. New Brltan Palace-Skin Flicks 2:45, 7, 9:30. School Girl Reunion 130,130. Newlnften Cinema 1, 1 ft Agaiha 735, 9:40. China Syndrome 7, asl Break 7 35, 930.

Newiirten-Movie, Movie 7, 9. Venwn Cine 1 ft 2-Calllornla Suite 730, 930. The End 7:10, 9: 10. West Hartford Central Movie Movie 7. Elm I ft 2 Norma Rae 7, Id-Great Train Robbery 2:10, 7:10, Mi The Movies-China Syndrome 1015, 1230, 2:45, 5, l.X, Break IMS, 12:20, 2:25, 430, 7, 10, 12, 1:55, 3:45, 535, 735, 935, Windsor Plait-Lord of the Rings 7, MS.

RESERVATIONS: gum TMNmm ctNijmcw 1 lift tin i KOW SHOWING AT THESE THEATRES jlh movie 561-0153 at WESTFARMS ings. I kiitl i miM I 191 dii 27 BRUIN ARD ROAD i.