Daily News from New York, New York • 254

SUNDAES NEWS NEW YORK'S PICTURE NEWSPAPER DRAMA -MOVIES -TV RADIO-YOU CAN DO IT TRAVEL-RESORTS New York 17, N.Y., Sunday. December 24, 1961 (ht. 1981 Ncwi Syndicate Co. Inc. 0 SECTDOKI By KATE CAMERON DEBORAH KERR may win a medal for the longest acting role on the screen this year.

In the 20th Century-Fox production of "The Innocents," the star is on screen for 95 of the picture's 99 minutes of running time. She nracticallv monopolizes the screen during the course of the film, lor even though there are other piaye rs in me case, iney are neany an AiiJ rsJ mm within her view as the dramatic story uniolds. "The Innocents" will have a dual New York opening at the Criterion Theatre and the 72d St. Playhouse on Christmas Day. Made in England for Fox by Jack Clayton, the picture is a dramatization of the famous ghost story by Henry James, "The Turn of the Screw." i It was presented on Broadway a few years ago as a stage play under the title of "The Inno- cents." In the film.

Miss Kerr plays the role of the governess who is left in charge of two small chil-, aren; ineir lives appear 10 ner 10 be in jeopardy. Her efforts to combat an evil force that she finds difficult to define lead to a number of eerie scenes and some suspenseful adventures into the world of the spirit. Michael Redgrave's Rote Although Michael Redgrave's name is listed on the cast sheet immediately below that of Deborah Kerr, he plays a very small role in the film, appearing only in the opening sequence. I learned this when I queried the i producer office about the scarcity of Redgrave pictures among the stills of the film's various scenes. Importantly cast with Deborah Kerr are Megs Jenkins i till i hi i 1 x-iiny narfiirmapn I who are destined for stardom, according to Clayton.

The producer made a brief stop in New York last week on his way back to England from Hollywood, where the picture had its American premiere. He is particularly sold on the merits of 11-year-old Pamela Franklin, and he is grooming her for important roles in forthcoming productions. She is making her film debut in "The Innocents." The other young star-to-be is Martin Stephens, 12, who made his debut when he was 5 in "The Divided Heart" and has since appeared in "Another Time, Another Place" and "Village of the Damned." Coworkers Again When Deborah Kerr made her motion picture debut in the adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play "Major Barbara" in 1940, Jack Clayton acted as second assistant director on the set. But not until Clayton asked Deborah to play the leading role in Travel News For John Hughes' "Wheels. Keels Wings" please turn to main section of the Sunday News.

his latest picture did the twain work together again, Clayton began his cinema ca- reer in a minor capacity in 1955. His film work came to full flower in 1959 with the release I of "Room at the Top," an inter- esting social document which he directed for the Wolff Brothers i of England. He had directed an award-winning short film, "The Bespoke Overcoat." and he was on the production staffs of "Moulin Rouge," "Beat the and "I Am a Camera." Since completing "Room at the Top," Clayton says he has turned down directorial jobs' on a num ber of British and American films because most of them were based on stories similar to John Braine's "Room at the Top" and he wanted to do something entirely different. Script From Novel He took time out until something worth-while came along. Last year he learned that 20th Century-Fox owned the Tights to the "The Innocents." "I had always yearned to put the Henry James story 'The Turn of the Screw' onto the screen," he said, "and after a few conversations with 20th executives, I was signed by the studio to produce and direct the picture for them in England." William Archibald, who had dramatized the James story for the stage, worked with Truman Capote on the screen adaptation.

Disregarding the stage script, the collaborators wrote their screen play from the novel, but retained Archibald's title for the film. Capote was no stranger to Clayton because they had worked together in Italy. Capote was the script writer on "Beat the Devil" and Clayton was assistant to director John Huston. Deborah Kerr star to the film dranutiuBoa of Henry James' fasaoas ghost story, "The Tara of the Screw." The movie is titled "The Innocents. as was the stare play presented Broadway a few year ago.

The film opens tomorrow at the Criterion Theatre and the 72d St. Playhouse. According to Clayton, Deborah' Kerr considers the role of the governess in "The Innocents heri most challenging assignment. Now bear in mind that she has received awards for her work in such films as "The King and "Tea and Sympathy," "Heaven Knows. Mr.

Allison," "Separate Tables," "The Sundowners" and "From Here to Eternity." My first sight of Deborah was during World War II, when she played the title role in a delight- This Week's Openings MONO Criterion and 72d St- Playhouse "The Innocents," Kerr. Tl'ESDA Carnegie Hall Cinema "Odd Obsession." Kyo. THURSDAY Capitol and Trans-Lux St. "The Roman Spring of irs. Stone," Leigh-Beatty.

FRIDAY Casino "Hoch Klingt IVr Radetzkymarsrh. Mat. ful British comedy made by Launder and UUliat called lne Adventuress. Young Pamela Franklin will be seen on the screen in 1962 in "The Lion," which Samuel G. Engel is producing for 20th Cen- i tury-Fox with Jack Cardiff di-! recting.

The picture is being made on location in East Africa. 1 with William Holden. Trevor Howard and Capuchine in the co-starring roles. Michael Redgrave, who represents the children's uncle and guardian in the early scenes of "The Innocents." is currently appearing on Broadway as the husband in the Graham Greene comedy, "The Complaisant Lover." UOI. LOWING the opening of I "1 The Innocents' tomorrow.

Edward Harrison will present a new Japanese film drama railed "Odd Obsession," which will have its American premiere at the Carnegie Hall Cinema on Tuesday. Dec. 26. The picture stems from a well- known novel. "The Kev" bv Junichiro Tanitiki.

one of Japan's leading literary lights, An English translation of the novel has been published by Alfred Knopf. The film was one the prize-winners at the i Cannes Film Festival, for it "daring and plastic qualities." It was directed by Kon Ichikawa. who had won prizes for his direc- tion of "The Harp of Burma." which won the Silver Lion award at the Venice Film Festival, and his "Fires of the Plains." named jthe best film of 1W1 at the Lo- 'carno Festival. I "Odd Obsession" was produced 3 Mm by Masairhi Nagata. who- work on the productions of "Gate of Hell and "Rashomon" is famii.ar to American filmgoers.

productions received critical acclaim and were supported by the public in this country. Another Nagata Film The new Japanese offering in been photographed in color and Cinemascope by Japan's oiitst'id- in? cameraman Kazuo gawa wh a was resporu-ibie fr the fine photogi (graphic on "Rahonion. Machiko Kyo, who fdayed the femiiine loads in "(iate of He'." and "Kashomon." will fx- een as the glamorous wife of an Japanee businessman of Kyoto in Obsession. She is the reiirnir.g beauty of the Toyo film ttuilies and has been for the past 10 years. Besides hi many JaiaiiFse fiims.

she appeared with Brando in "Tre Teahouse of the August Moor." f-r which she traveled to Cal'forii it1 1 -in. A Japanese psychological film drama, "Odd Obsession," opening Tuesday at the Carnegie Hall Cinema, costars Machiko Kyo (center) Tatsaya Nakadai (left) and Jnnko Kano..