Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 29

(Eliicago (Tribune FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1970 Section 2 1 Mm Ms If I it ml ,14 It ST. Ji: mf v. ill i i I- v. irmM mr pi JLJ to the Walt Disney classic, "Sleeping Beauty," a re-issue playing in the Adam Rbarke stars in "The Losers." He's a motorcycle gang leader drafted for a mission in Cambodia. Charlton Heston and Miko Mayama are in "The Hawaiians," which makes the Clark a first-run theater again.

This week-end Chicago has films for all tastes, ranging from this rough one, "Two Mules for Sister Sara," starring Shirley Mac-Laine jg'jwf wm if Vi XX 4" 1 4 wwyroy; flftSSfl fipVmt Bm IN i 1 A jwfwSS i I ifeU! W4 Wit SjSSW atwiJi juudiMAk iWKaA feMvW( nisvxBW 'Catch-22' Something for everyone NEW MOVIES DOWNTOWN "Catch-22" Artists "The Strawberry Statement. "The Hawaiians" Clark plus UA Cinema 150 and Edens II outlyingl "Myra Breckinridge" State Lake "Milky Way" "Two Mules for Sister Sara" Oriental "Rider on the Rain" Playboy "The Losers" McVickers AT OUTLYING THEATERS "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" theaters; see ads "Sleeping Beauty Reissue of Disney classic "Bloody Mama" "Barquero" First Run li TRIBUNE MINI-REVIEW Confused and disappointing a "CATCH-ZZ" Product by John CIUr tnt Mitti RidMhsH, dlrtttt by Mikt Nictioli, scrttnuu, by Buck Henry, bast on mnl by JompIi Helltr, photographed by Dnid Watkii, Paramount reiees it the United Artiiti theater. Rated iMrieni under 17 admitted only with in adult tuardlan. THS CAST Capt. Yossarian Alan Arkin Col.

Cithcart i Martin Salsam Maior Danbv Richard Beniami Capt. Nately Art Garfunkel Dr. Daneeka Jack Gilford Meior Maior Bob Newhart Chaplain Tappman Parkini Nurse Ducket! Paula Prentiss LI. Dobbs Martin Sheen Mill Minderbindor Jo Voiiht Gen. Dreedlo Orson Wellel Huntrr Joe Soth Aim Capt.

Orr Reberl Balabaa '1 1 AFTER TWO V1EWINGS, I am still surprised by the number of mistakes basic errors in "Catch-22," Director Mike Nichols long awaited treatment of Joseph Heller's wickedly funny-bitter novel of the closed system that is an army and a war. The errors reflect confusion between Buck Henry's screenplay, Nichols' direction, and the production team of John Calley and Martin Ransohoff. Henry's screenplay replaces social issues with walk-on symbols; Calley, Ransohoff, and Nichols share responsibility for a confused directorial concept which allows low comedy to interfere with the serious, surreal nature of "the catch" itself; and Nichols has chosen to include long sequences which add neither humor, character development nor dramatic tension. Because of these errors, the would-be creative film's flashbacks, flashforwards, and repetitive sequences appear as unnecessary chrome, rather than integral parts of the design as message. The opening few minutes are solid.

Silent titles define the landscape of a World War II air corps base on a small island in the Mediterranean. Alan Arkin is Capt. Aram Yossarian, a sane man in an insane asylum known as the 201st bombardment group. Yossarian says he doesn't want to fly anymore because he is insane. But, a doctor argues, a soldier would have to be crazy to want to fly, so Yossarian.

must be sane. The circle is complete. And that's "catch-22." There are many circles in the film including its grand design. Another circle is the soldier-in-white, a hospital patient completely covered with bandages two bottles feed and drain him. When one of them is empty, two nurses matter-of-factly switch them, completing the circle, continuing the system.

It's an ugly thought, but for Heller it describes the unthinking mentality that builds and continues to build armaments and empires. When Nichols 'focuses on these systems "Catch-22" sparkles. The force that carries us thru Heller's movie was Yos-sarian's perceptions while in combat with "the catch." The other characters are not important in the movie, but Nichols and Henry chose to make them so, and could not do otherwise after big names had been cast in their parts. Thus, the film has grown out of control, 1 Spelling champ Charlie Brown and the whole Peanuts gang star in their first full-length feature, "A Boy Named Charlie Brown," at seven Chicago area theaters. and spends too much time accommodating a huge cast which includes: a deceitful commanding officer Martin Balsam and his sycophant aide screen writer Henry, Milo Minderbender Jon Voight who buys and sells everything from Yossarian's parachute to the unit's base, an oafish general Orson Welles, of course, and a chaplain Anthony Perkins who doesn't want to be called "father." Nichols should have eliminated these characters and brought Yossarian's combat, with the catch into his head where it -belongs a much "smaller" film.

The film's technical credits, photography, and special effects are uniformly outstanding. Of the huge supporting cast, Dick Benjamin, Bob Newhart, and Jack Gilford are the best. Arkin isn't given enough to do. The few times be is called upon to react to numbing horror when wounded in the cockpit of the plane and when attending a badly wounded: friend he is fine. The test of the film's power must be our reaction to the final scene when Arkin learns that someone has beaten the catch.

Exultant, he leaps toward freedom from a hospital window. Nichols accentuates the leap by replaying it, but this' technical trick won't do. Heller's memorable character has been the casualty of forces more powerful than an insane social system a cluttered script and confused direction. Mi "Rider on the Rain" comes to town with critical acclaim as a topnotch suspense story without the blood-and-guts technique. Ms i 1 vv 1 Bruce Davison assures Kim Darby he cares as much for college revolution as he does for her in "The Strawberry Statement," premiere attraction at the new Shangri-La theater on State street.

Gene Siskel WEEXI-ErTlD WEEK-END RECOMMENDS none of these movies-we never recommend anything before seeing tho "A Boy Named Charlie Brown," "Sleeping' Beauty" and others probably are "right" for the audiences for which they are intended. This page is devoted to new film openings only because such a remarkable number of movies are involved. For those whose interests go beyond cinema escape, Swing-, ing Things on the next page provides an ample choice of things to do this "week-end. But one entertainer a giant, a living legend, and other well-deserved cliches is in Chicago and should not be missed by anyone who likes piano artistry and good food. He's George Shearing and he's at London House these nights.

Catch him if 41 y-, 1 i 1 -s' h. you can. Larry, Townsend Natcly Arthur Garfunkel and Yossarian Alan Arkin consider the number of missions that must be flown before Stateside rotation. The controversial rated "Myra Breckinridge" stars Raqucl Welch (above with John Huston as Buck, Loner and Mae West..