The Montreal Star du lieu suivant : Montreal, Quebec, Canada • 80

25 New Films 9 Wacky Musical Satire palace BYE BYE BIRDIE A Kohlmar-Sidney production produced by Fred Kohlmar directed by George Sidney from a screenplay ky Irving Brecher based on the legiter with book by Michael Stewart and with the following cast: aeie DcLeva Albert Pcterees Kia McAfaa Mama Halt FeakaAv CaaraA BirAie EC Salllvaa Mr McAfaa Mre McAfaa Cicada Faielc Janet Leifk Dick Vaa Dyke Aaa-Marcrat Mauraca Stapleton Bobby ByAell Jaaaa Paaraaa Sallivaa Paal Lynda Mary La Rocha Michael Evaaa )i chart Paica Oracary Martaa Bryaa Raaaall Miltaa froma Baa Aatar Trady Aawa Cyril Dalavaati Freak Alhartaaa Raadoteh Mr Maude Ballet Maaaaar Urmia Mr NaMitt Merer between these two aggressive women In fine contrast Is the freshness and vitality of Ann-Margret as the girl who will receive last Uss although there are some moments when she looks 23 instead of sweet sixteen The movie takes a few well directed pokes at North American heroes and hero worship Each of the many characters gets his chance to shine They all do to make "Bye Bye a line piece of entertainment Michael Feiner -1 Dick Van Dyke and Janet Leigh in Bye Birdie at the Palace A Frothy Farce From France Jekyll and Hyde Role C' ttl O' 4o Olft I such names as Francoise Bossy and Martine Carroll The story is slight A group of shady characters put out of work by government control of their former means of support decides to break into a new racket counterfeiting These people having no previous experience in the field decide to call in an expert the Old Man Gabin He sets about immediately to organize a team of slobs into a smooth-working machine The members of the ensemble gather in an abandoned bordello to arrange their coup They work with the precision of a SNOWDON THE COUNTERFEITERS OF -PARIS A Gilles Grangier film presented by Jacques Bar based on the novel by Albert Simoneu with adaptation by Simoneu Michel Audiard and Gilles Gran-tier and with the following cast: Thv Boas Jtu Gabia 1 Chariea BaraarA Bliar Lea Oiaatta Lcclarc Lucaa Dalpetra Robert Maarlce Biraud Marti aa Carroll Franck Villard Franca! aa Koaar Clara OanaarA Heinrich Gretlar Swiss timepiece with the inspiration of a French chef Aa the action unrolls- lines become more and more tangled until at the end you cannot believe that the game can be pulled off and yet you keep hoping until 1 the very last frame It is the manner of the doing rather than the actions themselves that distinguish this film from a thousand lesser products of its kind This Is not a picture to stir belly-laughs but I suspect you will be chuckling all the way through The pace once established never the tension never relents The director has wisely entwined several threads of plot line and when he is relaxing one he is pulling on the others The acting is superb' Everything in the film is understated a joy to watch The English subtitles are better than but you will enjoy the film still more if you can catch the occasional punch line in French Some things are more easily said than written out This picture cannot be recommended too highly for anyone who enjoys a frothy comedy Jacob Sisleind -nVE BYE BIRDIE" i a gay I musical sometimes farcical sometimes mildly satirical sometimes merely entertaining but most of the time fun to watch Things are carried along by a wacky story Conrad Birdie an Elvis-type idol has been drafted but he is to make his last civilian appearance on the Ed Sullivan show singing a ditty called JjOn Last Kiss" bestowing it off a selected member of his fan club The whole gimmick is the idea of the secretary-fiancee of a struggling songwriter composer of the numlier Birdie will sing She hopes that his financial success will lead to their marriage The group is rounded out by the sweet young thing Birdie is to kiss her family and recently acquired steady and the super-possessive mother The cast is without exception excellent Janet I-eigh sparkles as the sharp career girl whose objective is to trap her man Maureen Stapleton who plays Mias main rival is devastating with a caricature of a mother hanging on to her son Dick Van Dyke is quietly amusing as he treads the path I IKE most Jerry Lewis films -i "The Nutty is all Lewis It is directed and written by him in partnership with Bill Richmond Lewis is 'rist in a dual role that of a MAk accident prone chemistry professor and a handsome strong and obnoxious type known as Buddy Love Professor Kelp concocts a formula tiiat turns him into a' cocky lady-killer and thus enables him to lead a Jekyll and Hyde existence but with the Jerry Letets reene rm 4 is one of the most delightful French films to have come this way in many a moon It stars Jean Gabin that inimitable master of French farce and has among its featured players happily when the true identity of Buddy Love is disclosed at the college prom Jerry Lewis fans will 'undoubtedly rave over their antics in Nutty Professor but personally I was not greatly amused For me the best parts were those involving the other members in the cast The explosion in the opening scene is good and Del Moore shows himself a fine comedian as Dr War-field in his interview with Buddy Love Stella Stevens is highly attractive as the student admirer and while she really has little to do but register varying reactions to the emoting of Lewis she does it well and though a simpler makeup would have been better she makes an ideal romantic partner for the comedian Kathleen Freeman Howard Morris and El via All-man head a good supporting east though few of them get much chance when Lewis is on the screen and that is about all the time Nutty Professor" is attractively mounted much of it was shot at Arizona State lithe Technicolor tints show off everything to advantage and the photography is first rate But i in the long run appreciation of the film will depend entirely on liking of Jerry Lewis So if he bores you pass this up CAPITOL THE NUTTY An Ernest Glucksman production directed by Jerry Lewis from a screenplay by Lewis and Bill Richmond based on a story by Jerry Lewis and with the follow-' ing cast: Pro Julias Rely) 1 BuSdy Lave Jerry Lems Stella Parly Stella Steveaa Dr Hamiae Warfield Del Mem Millie Leean Katblaan Froaaaon expected drawback in that the transformation wears off However as Buddy Love he has all the ladies swooning over him when he sits down at the piano and croons Old Black and he is also able to express his feelings towards Stella Purdy one of his students As the professor he Is too bashful to say what is in his mind but though Stella is intrigued by the Buddy Love character the professor who wins her heart and so all ends the Case For ISLAND" would seem to be a story about a fifteen-year-old boy who is wrung through a aeries of problems and then pushed onto the road to manhood' Arturo idolizes his peripatetic father his only living parent when the film begins But his relationship to a seventeen-year-old wife his father brings home and the discovery of his father's male playmate shakes Arturo into a more realistic assessment of his idol In particular and life in generaL Arturo should be the dominant character in the film but he is placed in such superficial -situations which are given no time to develop that the shadow the Couch LITTLE CINEMA PLACE VILLE MARIE ISLAND A TJf-Carlo Ponti production directed by Damiaao Damiani from a creenplay by Elsa Marengo Damiani and Cesare Zavattini and with the following cast: Wilhelm SesiaalA Imu Naacicta Meenmam Vaoaf Ac Maigret Lvici Giuliani Oabrielia (-lagiolll of making normal adjustments to life The father is the one who has the real problems and as the film perhaps unknowingly brings this out It creates two paths of development which in being presented get in each way and weaken the picture In any case Arturo the Valty Profereor Cmpiiot of his absent father begins to dominate Arturo is simply engaging in the not-too-interesting process tral figure is not given the depth needed to make the film effec- tive i MONT RIAL STAS fmta 1 1SS Wl it ee I tMI id 20 i.