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Looking Back

April 1957

Step back in time to see what area movie theaters were presenting in April 1957. Film titles are linked to the Internet Movie Database.

For more information about these theaters, see Cinema Treasures or Water Winter Wonderland.

Fans of Rock Hudson and Yul Brynner had much to enjoy at the Redford. April started with a held-over run of Giant, starring Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. Next up was Brynner in his Oscar-winning Best Actor performance in the The King and I (also at the Redford in October 1956). Then came Hudson's latest movie, the drama Battle Hymn, with Martha Hyer. Brynner later co-starred with the other lead acting Oscar winner of 1956—Ingrid Bergman in Anastasia.

Also earning long runs at the Redford were the western The Big Land (Alan Ladd and Virginia Mayo) and The Girl Can't Help It, with Jayne Mansfield, Tom Ewell and Julie London (along with music from Fats Domino, Little Richard, Gene Vincent and The Platters). Children enjoyed the Easter Fun Show, which included Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955) and five Bugs Bunny cartoons. Kids also flocked to a Saturday matinee of The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946) and Fangs of the Arctic (1953, with Chinook the Wonder Dog).

In Ann Arbor, the Butterfield Theatres movie chain of the Michigan, State and recently opened Campus promoted itself with advertising like "A Shower of Hits as Bright and Fresh as Spring Itself" and "Go Modern...Go Movie! See a New 1957 Movie at Its Best in a Motion Picture Theatre!"

The Michigan had films for both ladies (Designing Woman, with Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall) and gentlemen (Men in War, starring Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray). Children enjoyed a re-release of Walt Disney's Cinderella (1950), which opened a few days after a TV version of the same story with Julie Andrews. The 30th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's famous Atlantic flight was marked by The Spirit of St. Louis, which starred Jame Stewart and was directed by Billy Wilder.

Art film in the Detroit area included the Detroit premiere at the Surf and Coronet of Gina Lollobrigida in Woman of Rome (1955). The World and Studio showed Akira Kurosawa's The Magnificent Seven (1954, now called The Seven Samurai). At the Krim, Jose Ferrer starred in The Great Man. Also on the bill were the 1956 Academy Award-nominated cartoons Magoo's Puddle Jumper (the winner), Gerald McBoing! Boing! on Planet Moo and The Jaywalker. The Temple Art Cinema hosted the midwest premiere of Golden Demon (1953). The Campus in Ann Arbor showed Diabolique (1955).

The Ten Commandments finished its fifth month at the Madison in Detroit with extra Easter Week showings at 10 a.m. to go with the daily 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. screenings.

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