It should be clearly noted that this place is closed as a cinema. It is a porno shop with videos, magazines, paraphernalia, and booths. It could have been opened anywhere. Instead it was opened inside a former movie theatre.
Yeah, that ridiculous “leg ad” was the common one used for the film in America. Antonio’s wife Maria hardly appears for a moment on the bicycle, and you really don’t see much of her legs. It also carries the implication that she is being abducted by bicycle: bicycle thief = snatcher of women. This poignant tragedy is not about that at all, of course, but sex does sell tickets.
In response to Boxofficebill:
Yes, it refers to the the M.P.A.A.’s refusal to issue a production code seal. Joseph I. Breen, vice president and chief of its production code administration sent a letter to the distributors (Mayer-Burstyn) saying that the movie would receive a “Certificate of Approval” provided that (1) the scene of the little boy [peeing] against the wall, and (2) all the interior shots in the bordello, into which the man chases the thief, were cut out of the picture. I paraphrase from article I have from the New York Times dated March 2, 1950. Burstyn fought, won, and ultimately the seal was granted.
When I first found that picture (I think on the “Images of R.I.” website) I couldn’t make out was the name was…then I went through a list of known Pawtucket theatres and finally made the connection and posted it. Yes, I agree, I’d give all the ugliplexes away for one day at a characterful theatre like this Globe.
I believe I visited this legendary theatre only once, on July 1, 1973, when the James Bond film Live and Let Die was playing. I just realized this place is number 1 on Cinema Treasures, as it may be understandably number one in many people’s affections.
Love the “climactic” finale. Is the name a double-entendre? No matter. Those ads would certainly be nice to look at. I used to clip ads too, but lost a lot of them. I plan to pop into the Fall River Library one of these weeks to peruse microfilm. Some libraries have indexing to articles and I may be able to find additional info, although R.I. theatres occupy most of my scavenging time. If I find nothing else ever on Fall River, I would really like to see photos of the Durfee.
Yes, I always thought it was tragic what happened to downtown Fall River and know that I-195 going right through the belly of the city was responsible for a good deal of it. The place exudes tristesse, if not outright catatonic depression. Tragic too that not even one of its theatres could have been saved and opened as a venue for touring Broadway shows and other entertainments, as Loew’s State (PPAC) is in Providence and the Zeiterion is in New Bedford and even the itsy-bitsy Orpheum in Foxborough. The Durfee might have suited the bill perfectly, had there not been that Godzillian rampage of civic destruction.
Here is a recent photo I took of the rear of the Strand Theatre. I took some of the front, which is now a furniture store entrance and show window, but I don’t think they are worth posting. Many decades ago, before Route 195 existed between Providence and New Bedford, I remember seeing this theatre when being driven through the city on the way to New Bedford, perhaps on the way to Lincoln Park, an amusement park near New Bedford. Perhaps Pleasant Street might have been part of Route 6? I know I saw it several times and filed it away in my memory, but I never had or found the opportunity to actually go there to see a film.
There are a couple on this site. Look above to my links, especially the postcard of June 16. There is one in the kiosk at the corner of Mathewson and Fountain Streets. The Rhode Island Historical Society may have some. The Providence Journal archives will certainly have some. The book Temples of Illusion by Roger Brett has a history under the theatre names of Emery and Carlton.
The theatre doesn’t have any real charm like the older Empire Theatre at Old Harbor and is less accessible than the Empire and is rather haphazard about promotion. There was no poster or exterior sign indicating Stealth was playing here when I went to see it. During the entire movie, the house lights were only half-dimmed, resulting in an over-bright house and creating an annoying glare on the screen. The screen had an irregular-edged black border. The sound seemed to emit from one inadequate overhead speaker. I counted approximately 175 seats in the theatre. The audience for the Sunday night movie consisted almost entirely of about 10 teenagers.
The Empire is not alone, as I erroneously asserted in my description. The Oceanwest Theatre at Champlin’s Marina also programs films during the summer season. Films are shared between the two theatres. What appears one day at the Empire will often be shown the next day at the Oceanwest. The juggling is all done by arrangement with the distributors. Something similar occurs with the theatres on Martha’s Vineyard. Management says the theatre has 300 seats. This theatre has an enormous ammount of charm and it boasts an restored antique ticket booth within the doorway.
…and, small world, I too saw Sleeping Beauty here. It was on May 7, 1959, a matinee. That evening I went to the senior prom. I saw Ben-Hur here in July of 1960. Utterly spectacular presentation, as always during the Elmwood’s decade or so of glory.
Fascinating comments, especially since there is such a dearth of info on Fall River movie theatre history. You mention the Elmwood in Providence again, and Ben-Hur. That’s where I saw it when it came out. I went July 3, 1960.
…and I don’t know about Anne of a Thousanad Days, but Taming of the Shrew played at the R.K.O. Albee, although that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been a move-over. In fact I photographed the theatre when the marquee showed that title. Here it is. The loss of the R.K.O. Albee was the greatest theatre-tragedy in Providence, in my opinion, akin to the demolition of the Durfee in Fall River.
This place, which was located in the mall, is not to be confused with the later-built Regal Swansea Stadium 12 that is part of an entirely new set of buildings across the access road and is not within a mall.
The exterior of this theatre is a tad more appealing than many multiplexes. The corridor passage to the screening rooms is a bit narrow, and the entrance/exit area seemed congested. Seat comfort was fine. Projection and sound were good, but the screen seemed invariably set to CinemaScope ratio, with a fixed black border and no adjustable masking from any direction. I assume that standard-ratio films mean a white screen area will appear at the sides of the image, judging by the auditorium I sat in for the Scope Sky High, which the audience of adults with their kids seemed to lap up, but which, ugh, is not my kind of movie. The place is located across an access road from the Swansea Mall, which itself no longer has a cinema since the Swansea Mall 4 Cinemas closed a few years ago.
It should be clearly noted that this place is closed as a cinema. It is a porno shop with videos, magazines, paraphernalia, and booths. It could have been opened anywhere. Instead it was opened inside a former movie theatre.
Yeah, that ridiculous “leg ad” was the common one used for the film in America. Antonio’s wife Maria hardly appears for a moment on the bicycle, and you really don’t see much of her legs. It also carries the implication that she is being abducted by bicycle: bicycle thief = snatcher of women. This poignant tragedy is not about that at all, of course, but sex does sell tickets.
In response to Boxofficebill:
Yes, it refers to the the M.P.A.A.’s refusal to issue a production code seal. Joseph I. Breen, vice president and chief of its production code administration sent a letter to the distributors (Mayer-Burstyn) saying that the movie would receive a “Certificate of Approval” provided that (1) the scene of the little boy [peeing] against the wall, and (2) all the interior shots in the bordello, into which the man chases the thief, were cut out of the picture. I paraphrase from article I have from the New York Times dated March 2, 1950. Burstyn fought, won, and ultimately the seal was granted.
Idiocy that boggles the mind!
Ooops, the ads are right here.
Here are a couple of ads for The Bicycle Thief (Ladri di biciclette) at the World in 1950.
Here is an ad for Shoe Shine (Sciuscià ) from November 22, 1947.
Marialivia, I posted an old Main Street theatre called the Globe. Here it is and with a photo link.
When I first found that picture (I think on the “Images of R.I.” website) I couldn’t make out was the name was…then I went through a list of known Pawtucket theatres and finally made the connection and posted it. Yes, I agree, I’d give all the ugliplexes away for one day at a characterful theatre like this Globe.
At the Fox Hollywood on July 2, 1973, I saw Billy Jack. Only time I visited.
I believe I visited this legendary theatre only once, on July 1, 1973, when the James Bond film Live and Let Die was playing. I just realized this place is number 1 on Cinema Treasures, as it may be understandably number one in many people’s affections.
Love the “climactic” finale. Is the name a double-entendre? No matter. Those ads would certainly be nice to look at. I used to clip ads too, but lost a lot of them. I plan to pop into the Fall River Library one of these weeks to peruse microfilm. Some libraries have indexing to articles and I may be able to find additional info, although R.I. theatres occupy most of my scavenging time. If I find nothing else ever on Fall River, I would really like to see photos of the Durfee.
Yes, I always thought it was tragic what happened to downtown Fall River and know that I-195 going right through the belly of the city was responsible for a good deal of it. The place exudes tristesse, if not outright catatonic depression. Tragic too that not even one of its theatres could have been saved and opened as a venue for touring Broadway shows and other entertainments, as Loew’s State (PPAC) is in Providence and the Zeiterion is in New Bedford and even the itsy-bitsy Orpheum in Foxborough. The Durfee might have suited the bill perfectly, had there not been that Godzillian rampage of civic destruction.
Here is a recent photo I took of the rear of the Strand Theatre. I took some of the front, which is now a furniture store entrance and show window, but I don’t think they are worth posting. Many decades ago, before Route 195 existed between Providence and New Bedford, I remember seeing this theatre when being driven through the city on the way to New Bedford, perhaps on the way to Lincoln Park, an amusement park near New Bedford. Perhaps Pleasant Street might have been part of Route 6? I know I saw it several times and filed it away in my memory, but I never had or found the opportunity to actually go there to see a film.
Roland, you mention the Globe a few times. I posted it on Cinema Treasures along with a photo I found. It’s here.
Here is a photo of the Globe Theatre from early in the 1900s.
There are a couple on this site. Look above to my links, especially the postcard of June 16. There is one in the kiosk at the corner of Mathewson and Fountain Streets. The Rhode Island Historical Society may have some. The Providence Journal archives will certainly have some. The book Temples of Illusion by Roger Brett has a history under the theatre names of Emery and Carlton.
The theatre doesn’t have any real charm like the older Empire Theatre at Old Harbor and is less accessible than the Empire and is rather haphazard about promotion. There was no poster or exterior sign indicating Stealth was playing here when I went to see it. During the entire movie, the house lights were only half-dimmed, resulting in an over-bright house and creating an annoying glare on the screen. The screen had an irregular-edged black border. The sound seemed to emit from one inadequate overhead speaker. I counted approximately 175 seats in the theatre. The audience for the Sunday night movie consisted almost entirely of about 10 teenagers.
The Empire is not alone, as I erroneously asserted in my description. The Oceanwest Theatre at Champlin’s Marina also programs films during the summer season. Films are shared between the two theatres. What appears one day at the Empire will often be shown the next day at the Oceanwest. The juggling is all done by arrangement with the distributors. Something similar occurs with the theatres on Martha’s Vineyard. Management says the theatre has 300 seats. This theatre has an enormous ammount of charm and it boasts an restored antique ticket booth within the doorway.
Illicit Love is the 1949 Italian film Ho sognato il paradiso, released in the U.S. in 1952 with another title: Streets of Sorrow.
The theatre on Brightman Street was the Royal, a.k.a. Pastime, and it is posted here.
…and, small world, I too saw Sleeping Beauty here. It was on May 7, 1959, a matinee. That evening I went to the senior prom. I saw Ben-Hur here in July of 1960. Utterly spectacular presentation, as always during the Elmwood’s decade or so of glory.
Fascinating comments, especially since there is such a dearth of info on Fall River movie theatre history. You mention the Elmwood in Providence again, and Ben-Hur. That’s where I saw it when it came out. I went July 3, 1960.
…and I don’t know about Anne of a Thousanad Days, but Taming of the Shrew played at the R.K.O. Albee, although that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been a move-over. In fact I photographed the theatre when the marquee showed that title. Here it is. The loss of the R.K.O. Albee was the greatest theatre-tragedy in Providence, in my opinion, akin to the demolition of the Durfee in Fall River.
Dick, you mention Somerset. I recently photographed what’s left of the Somerset Theatre. If you remember that at all, here is its page.
This place, which was located in the mall, is not to be confused with the later-built Regal Swansea Stadium 12 that is part of an entirely new set of buildings across the access road and is not within a mall.
The exterior of this theatre is a tad more appealing than many multiplexes. The corridor passage to the screening rooms is a bit narrow, and the entrance/exit area seemed congested. Seat comfort was fine. Projection and sound were good, but the screen seemed invariably set to CinemaScope ratio, with a fixed black border and no adjustable masking from any direction. I assume that standard-ratio films mean a white screen area will appear at the sides of the image, judging by the auditorium I sat in for the Scope Sky High, which the audience of adults with their kids seemed to lap up, but which, ugh, is not my kind of movie. The place is located across an access road from the Swansea Mall, which itself no longer has a cinema since the Swansea Mall 4 Cinemas closed a few years ago.