A Man Could Get Killed (Universal Pictures) (1966)

4 Stars In Laugh Thriller (Advance) A cinema funfest, with more laughs than a convention of comics, Universal’s zesty spy-thriller spoof, “A Man Could Get Killed,” Garner, Melina Mercouri, Sandra Dee and Tony Franciosa are the co-stars who make up two romantic duos involved in the intriguing spice of the world’s spy center, Lisbon, and Portugal’s seacoast, photographed in Technicolor. Garner essays another of his outstanding comedy roles opposite the uninhibited Greek beauty, Miss Mercouri, who tops her performances in “Never on Sunday” and “Topkapi.” In ‘A Man Could Get Killed,” to give moviegoers a double-dose of love and romance, Miss Dee sheds her teenage ways and blossoms forth as a wowsome woman of the world opposite Franciosa who emerges as a splendid comedian. The story is about an American bank representative who gets mixed up with a bedroom-eyed European temptress, an anythingfor-a-buck opportunist, and the year’s kookiest set of villians. In the telling, there are more plot twists than an O. Henry anthology. Backing the star quartet, are Robert Coote, Roland Culver, Gregoire Aslan, Cecil Parker and Dulcie Gray; and an international collection of villains who add a Keystone-Koppish touch to the many —and varied—chases with hilarious results. J. Garner, In Spy-Comedy (Advance) James Garner, whose skyrocketing success as one of Hollywood’s most popular romantic leading men has literally turned him into.a corporation, stepped out of a Rome sound stage, where interior scenes for Universal’s “A Man Could Get Killed” were being filmed, and watched a group of Italian cowboys working. “Never thought I’d have to go to Rome to get mixed up with cowboys again,” Garner mused. It was back in 1959 that Garner, riding the video range as the star of “Maverick,” made a big move to get away from TV westerns and into something more stimulating. He had featured more comedy than heroics in TV’s “Maverick,” and his first smash hit on the big screen was in a comedy with Doris Day, “The Thrill of It All.” His current assignment in “A Man Could Get Killed” coming Po ag A a Wear meiee Omens Si Theatre, is a cloak-and-dagger tale of smuggling and espionage in Lisbon, but it’s more of an out-and-out comedy than anything else. It’s photographed in Technicolor. Kaempfert Scores 1st Film (Advance) Bert Kaempfert, Germany’s foremost composer-arranger-conductor whose instrumental records are No. 1 in sales in this country, was lured to Hollywood for the first time by Universal as the composer and conductor of his original musical score for “A Man Could Get Killed,” starring James Garner, Melina Mercouri, Sandra Dee and Tony Franciosa. The cloak-and-dagger comedy, photographed in Technicolor, comes RE ete or oe LOSURe Yee eee ae Theatre. “A Man Could Get Killed” is the first American picture for which Kaempfert has composed a score. Melina Never In Hollywood (Advance) Melina Mercouri, who has become a screen favorite in American films without ever acting on a Hollywood sound stage, vows she is not anti-Hollywood. “I have never worked in Hollywood because nobody has offered me a role I wanted to play there,”’ says Melina. “I will go wherever the roles take me, including Hollywood. And that in spite of the fact I think the working hours in Hollywood are barbaric. Who can look beautiful, exciting, sexy at nine o’clock in the morning?” The fabulous, free-talking Greek star is now starring with Americans James Garner, Sandra Dee and Tony Franciosa in Universal’s cloak-and-dagger com. edy, “A Man Could Get Killed,” Coming: 2 ee... to: the -.....:. oetee sheets le Theatre. The entire film was made in Europe, with Technicolor photography in Lisbon and in Rome. 9 Years Produces Changes (Current) Five years can produce great changes, and nobody knows this more vividly than Hollywood screen actress Sandra Dee. Sandra went to Rome to complete her co-starring role with James Garner, Melina Mercouri and Tony Franciosa in Universal’s Technicolor cloak-and-dagger comedy, “A Man Could Get alled,”” now :alt: (HE.s:.2.2 er... Theatre. It marks Sandra’s first visit there since 1960. The last time in Rome was to co-star in Universal’s ‘Come September” with Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida and Bobby Darin. Much more important, it was the start of a whirlwind romance with Darin that culminated in marriage on December 1 of that year. “I was 18 years old and Rome was the most romantic place in the world,’’ Sandra confessed. “It still is, of course, but it was not for me this time because Bobby wasn’t along. “T’ve just about made up my mind never to accept a film role that involves an overseas location — unless, naturally, Bobby does the film with me.” Franciosa In Odd Dual Role (Advance) Tony Franciosa tossed away the black cheroot he was using as a movie prop and traded it for a cigarette, plopped down in a canvas chair emblazoned with his name, and took a long look at the magnificent villa gardens in the center of Portugal’s capital where Technicolor filming on Universal’s “A Man Could Get Killed” was progressing. “It’s all quite crazy,” he began. “Here I am in Lisbon, playing a dual role in a motion picture without changing my makeup, wardrobe or identity. In a business where everyone lays claim to some sort of record or another, this one must belong to me.” What Tony was saying is quite true. It’s in “A Man Could Get Killed,” in which he co-stars with James Garner, Melina Mercouri Tony’s fun in this latest cloakand-dagger spoof centers around his single-image dual role. In earlier scenes, he is known as “Steve Antonio” and his rich, full Portuguese accent belies his ancestry. Later, after he has been unmasked, he switches to his American personality, complete with GI slang. To show this, the screen writer switches his script identity to ‘‘Antonio-Steve.” BERT KAEMPFERT'S MUSICAL SCORE MAKES A GREAT SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FROM DECCA FOR STRONG PROMO HELP! COOPERATION WITH BOTH THE DECCA DISTRIBUTOR AND RECORD SALES OUTLETS IN YOUR AREA WILL PRODUCE MAXIMUM MUTUAL BENEFITS The man whose instrumental records are No. 1 in sales, Bert Kaempfert, was brought to Hollywood from Germany to compose and conduct an original musical score for “A MAN COULD GET KILLED.” DECCA RECORDS, for whom the world famous artist records, has prepared and colorfully packaged a SOUNDTRACK ALBUM OF THE MUSICAL SCORE, and is backing it with an intensive promotion campaign with emphasis on Disc Jockeys and record store dealers. Plan your selling program to tie in with this promotion. Supply additional material to record shops and departments to beef up their Decca Records displays for this album such as stills, cards and poster accessories. Exchange lobby and screen plugs for playdate notices in their stores. Use the music from your album on the theatre PA system, and promote DJ plays. For further information, contact MR. LEONARD SALIDOR, Decca Records, Inc. 445 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022 TV SPOTS FREE! For Strong-Selling In-The-Home MESSAGES Quick-hitting sales pitches that will capture both the eyes and ears of the viewers and bring them to see “A MAN COULD GET KILLED.” Available in COLOR and in Black-andWhite, in the selection are spots to appeal to every type of TEASER TRAILER FREE—and in FULL COLOR. Packed with humor and romance from the picture, it presents strong advance selling on your screen and cross-plugging houses. Order it NOW from your local UNIVERSAL FILM EXCHANGE. viewer. Indicate Color or B&W and order now from National Exploitation Director, Universal Pictures, 445 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022 TV TELOP or SLIDE An important part of your visual ad campaign. Order direct from QQ TITLE CARD CO., 247 West 46th St., New York, RADIO SPOT Transcription Varied Sales Messages to cover every need are included on this FREE “A MAN COULD GET KILLED” radio spot transscription. There’s a length for every ad budget and programming. Request it from RADIO DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSAL N.Y. 10036 PICTURES, UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF. wit weecome RADIO INTERVIEWS ste)? With JAMES GARNER and MELINA MERCOURI Two interesting stars who make interesting conversation in the open-end interviews almost assure acceptance by the radio stations of your city. This serves as a strong, NO COST addition to your campaign on “A MAN COULD GET KILLED.” Furnished complete with cue sheet and questions for use by your local announcer, disc jockey or radio reporter. Order this FREE OPEN-END RADIO INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION from RADIO DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSAL PICTURES, UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF. Live COLOR STILLS A brilliant set of TWELVE 8x10 FULL COLOR scene stills present the comedy and fun in “A MAN COULD GET KILLED.” Use in lobby, theatre front, store and other displays. Order the LIVE COLOR SCENE STILLS from your local NATIONAL SCREEN SERVICE BRANCH. production credits Wm. Beddoes......JAMES GARNER Aurora-Celeste MELINA MERCOURI Amy Franklin.......... SANDRA DEE Steve-Antonio TONY FRANCIOSA Hatton-Jones...... ROBERT COOTE Dr. Mathieson ROLAND CULVER Florian............ GREGOIRE ASLAN Sir H. Frazier......CECIL PARKER Mrs. Mathieson......DULCIE GRAY Produced by Robert Arthur; Directed by Ronald Neame and Cliff Owen; Screenplay by Richard Breen and T. E. B. Clarke; Based on the novel “‘Diamonds for Danger’ by David Esdaile Walker; Associate Producer, Ernest Wehmeyer; Director of Photography, Gabor Pogany; Art Director, John De Cuir; Set Decorations, Giuseppe Chevalier; Sound, Waldon O. Watson, William Russell; Unit Production Manager, Gilbert Kurland; Film Editor, Alma Macrorie; Assistant Directors, Douglas Green, Robert Fiz; Miss Dee’s Wardrobe by Jean Louis; Miss Mercouri’s Wardrobe by Dimitri Kritsos; Music by Bert Kaempfert; Music Supervision by Joseph Gershenson. BANNER ACCESSORIES All manufactured by National Flag and Display Company, available are DeLuxe Fluorescent Sectional Valances, 3-piece Streamers, Wall Banners and Usher Badges. Order from your NATIONAL SCREEN SERVICE BRANCH. In Canada, order from Consolidated. Theatre Service. WOMEN’S PAGE FEATURES—PHOTO AND STORY LAYOUTS FREE— TO PLANT IN YOUR PRESS Melina Mercouri and Sandra Dee are featured in special articles for women’s pages. Miss Mercouri asks “IS YOUR TELEPHONE VOICE CHARMING?” and tells how to improve it. Miss Dee offers tips on ‘BEAUTIFUL HANDS . . . YOUR FOIL FOR LOVELY RINGS.” Each is illustrated. Order—they’re FREE—from Exploitation Dept., Universal Pictures, 445 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022. TRAVEL TIE-UPS—Tourist Agency Displays “A MAN COULD GET KILLED” photographed all its exteriors in Portugal. Arrange for colorful window displays at travel and airline agencies using the live color scene stills and augment with travel posters. TEASER DEVICE—For Snipes of Street Stencil Using the legend, “Please, Be Careful. A MAN COULD GET KILLED!” make up a stencil for use on heavily travelled sidewalk corners, with the local Safety Council cooperation, if possible. LIVE RADIO COPY ANNOUNCER: “A MAN COULD GET KILLED . . . but, ah, what a way to die! Take James Garner, Melina Mercouri, Sandra Dee and Tony Franciosa and put them all together in Universal's A MAN COULD GET KILLED ... and in Technicolor . . . and you've got the funniest and wildest adventure romance of the year! Melina Mercouri, that Never-On-Sunday bombshell, breaks all the rules from larceny to love as she and her pals pull a multi-million dollar diamond caper that’s a gem of delight! Never has the intrigue business been so intriguing . . . the love business so lovely . . . and the action so action-ful! Be sure to see James Garner, Melina Mercouri, Sandra Dee and Tony Franciosa in A MAN COULD GET KILLED . . . it’s an explosive entertainment experience!”