Good Times (Columbia Pictures) (1967)

POPULAR PAIR ee ee ee ee Sonny and Cher, the most popular young married singing couple in the country, are objects of admiration from both their young and older fans that borders on the idolatrous. The singers possess vivid personalities and project a kind of individualistic image, a fact apparent not only in their television and in-person appearances but now, also, in their first motion picture, “Good Times,’ a Columbia Pictures’ release with music at the .......... Theatre in color by De Luxe. “Kids appreciate us because everyone wants to be a little individualistic,” says Sonny. “At first we tried to be ‘different’ and found out fast that that wasn’t us,” he explains. “Then we decided to be ourselves. The kids dig this. They know we are what we are. They also know we understand them.” Their songs reflect this; the measure of their popularity with the teen generation indicates that that they have largely succeeded in doing just that. Their songs in “Good Times” include the title tune, “Trust Me,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “It’s the Little Things,” “I Got You Babe,” and “Just A Name.” Sonny and Cher, by doing what comes naturally, are the super-personification of the teen mystique. Cher designs her own clothes, which are colorful combinations of bell-bottom pants, pop tops, and ankle boots. Sonny wears low-slung pants, Tom Jones shirts, and moccasins. They both appear in bobcat fur vests and matching slack suits for concerts and TV performances. In addition to “I Got You Babe,” which established them as a top singing duo, Sonny and Cher have scored with such albums as “Cher,” “The Sonny Side of Cher” and “The Wondrous World of Sonny and Cher.” George Sanders and Norman Alden co-star in “Good Times,” which written for the screen by Tony Barrett from a story by Nicholas Hyams. Sonny Bono composed and conducted the music for the Columbia release and Steve Broidy served as executive producer. Lindsley Parsons produced and William Friedkin directed. ee ee ee Mat IA; Still No. 92) Sonny and Cher, popular song team, make their screen debuts playing multiple roles in “Good Times,'' Columbia Pictures release in color by De Luxe. Here, they appear as Sheriff Irving Ringo of Broken Elbow, Neb., and Nell Belle, the trueblue dance hall queen. They also star as themselves. Page 4 (Mat 2C; Still No. 19) Cher is an interested spectator as a monkey outplays Sonny in this scene from "Good Times,’ the Columbia Pictures release in color by De Luxe. Sonny and Cher make their film bows in the comedy, playing multiple roles and singing six of their hit tunes. George Sanders and Norman Alden co-star. (Mat 2D; Still No. 70) Sonny, as Sheriff Irving Ringo, learns nobody is on his side when it comes to his shootout with range killer Knife McBlade, not even Cher as that otherwise true-blue dance hall queen named Nell Belle. It's a scene from their debut comedy, "Good Times,'' a Columbia Pictures release in color by De Luxe. (Mat 2A; Still No. 56) That's a grapefruit Sonny is holding and that's blondewigged Cher daring him to hit her with it, in this comedy gangster scene from “Good Times,"’ new Columbia Pictures release in color by DeLuxe. The popular singing stars make their film bow in the Columbia Pictures release, playing a number of sequences spoofing some of the screen's most memorable moments. ee ee ee ee en ee ee es ee ee COLUMN ITEMS ee ee ee | Sonny and Cher play multiple roles in "Good Times," their debut motion picture. Besides appearing as themselves in the Columbia Pictures’ release in color by De Luxe, Sonny daydreams of himself as various screen heroes—Jungle Morry, sheriff Irving Ringo and private eye Johnny Pitzacatto. Cher plays four roles opposite Sonny in his comedy characterizations. In addition, during their "Trust Me’ number, Cher also is seen as a clown and a Snow White-like fairy tale heroine, while Sonny comes on as a sea captain, a magician and an Aladdinlike story book hero. * * * Although she almost never wears dresses professionally, Cher, the distaff half of Sonny and Cher, turns up in their first motion picture, "Good Times," in culottes designed to look like a skirt. In another sequence of the Columbia Pictures’ release in color by De Luxe, she reveals a breath-taking figure when she goes all out by wearing a full-length sequined sheath. * * * Singing idols Sonny and Cher have been of vast fund-raising help to the Braille Institute and the Variety Clubs. Last year the singers' concert filled the Hollywood Bowl and the proceeds were donated by Sonny and Cher to the Braille Institute. In London, the singers performed at two sold-out concerts in aid of the Variety Clubs' sponsored charities. In Paris, the London concert was duplicated. The singers plan to make regular annual appearances in behalf of these charities. * * * Scenes in ''Good Times'' showing the singing team of Sonny and Cher at home were filmed just there, at the couple's home in Encino, Cal. While they play themeselves in the Columbia Pictures release in color by De Luxe, their pet Yorkshire pup Scunji was too young for an acting role. His part is played by a trained three-year-old Yorky named Darby. * * * A standing Western town movie set, which saw such famous personalities as Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, John Slaughter and others recreated, was turned into Broken Elbow, Neb., for comedy scenes in ''Good Times," the Columbia Pictures release which marks the screen debut of Sonny and Cher. Sonny plays the remarkably inept Sheriff Irving Ringo in the comedy sequence. Cher appears as Nell Belle, the true-blue dance hall queen, wearing culottes designed to look like a skirt. In addition to his sheriff's costume, Sonny wears six bowls of chili dumped on him by a trouble-maker. * * * George Sanders is a villain to end all villains in "Good Times,"' the Columbia Pictures release starring Sonny and Cher in their screen debut. He plays Mr. Mordicus, a cynical movie tycoon who wants the singing team to star in one of his films. He also plays, in Sonny's comedy daydreams of himself as a film star, Knife McBlade, range killer whom Sonny, as Sheriff Irving Ringo, can't outgun; leader of an African ivory-hunting safari Sonny, as Jungle Morry the ape-man, fails to stop; and Mr. Zaruthian, the crime king whom Sonny, as private eye Johnny Pitzacatto, is unable to outwit, outfight, outshoot or outbomb! THE CAST Sonny and Cher ......... Themselves Mondieuet ga: 6.5... George Sanders Watrentsicoss 4458 Norman Alden TE soe Gia, ss + 4 Larry Duran Tough Hombre ...... Kelly Thordsen Capt ice sosks Russe se, segs Lennie Weinrib Brandonccsese.e ven. nee Peter Robbins Edy Williams Mordicus’ Girls ... China Lee Diane Haggerty yeucenmant. st sissies eta James Flavin Sollee cc tae eee Phil Arnold RIG seaciescisee shicice aed Hank Worden IBFOPPICLOR cee tks. «eis Morris Buchanan Telegmmpher 6.0 653... Charles Smith GANG'S FOI Geis ioe seh se areas John Cliff Wrestlers: 2.62% acs. ; ides eae Reddlenziss. 0.8 secs Richard Collier Old imerwy.e.ccrk Howard Wright Bartender sic state hoes ges Joe Devlin Deputy oiieee cca Mike Kopach a, a ‘a (Not for Publication) Sonny and Cher are young, happily married and a sensational successful singing team with millions of fans in America and Europe. Cher is content with their way of life, but Sonny insists on accepting a screen offer made by Mr. Mordicus, the film tycoon. Sonny daydreams of himself as: e Sheriff Irving Ringo, the Western hero so incompetent that bad men leave town rather than disgrace themselve by tangling with him. Cher plays Nell Belle, the true-blue dance hall queen, and Mr. Mordicus is a look-alike for gunman Knife McBlade. Not even Nell Belle will help Sheriff Ringo in the final shootout. e Jungle Morry, who was raised by apes and whom the jungle animals cordially detest. because his ape-yells hurt their ears and his stupidity hurts their intelligence. Cher is Jungle Morry’s tree-top mate, who has made their arboreal home a luxurious penthouse apartment, and Mr. Mordicus the villainous leader of an ivory-hunting safari whose depradations Jungle Morry is hilariously unable to prevent. e Johnny Pitzacotta, private eye determined to smash Zaruthian the crime king who looks like Mr. Mordicus. Cher plays a gangster’s moll and a sultry songstress in a cabaret where Johnny shoots it out with Zaruthian’s cohorts led by Warren, Mr. Mordicus’ aide—never hitting a gangster, but managing to kill the customers! Sonny finds himself at odds with Cher, who thinks he made a mistake signing the contract with Mr. Mordicus ... at odds with Mr. Mordicus, who wants the stars to appear in a horribly-contrived, and _ horriblyancient, melodrama ... and at odds with himself—even in his own day,dreams, Sonny realizes, he is hilariously inept as an actor. Finally, he tells Mr. Mordicus he will never make the picture even if he and Cher, in breaking their contract, can never again perform in public. Convinced, the film tycoon tears up the contract, permitting Sonny and Cher to continue singing their way through life. Running Time: 91 Minutes