31st October 1963 - 'Lawrence da Arabia' finally premieres in Sao Paulo, 11 months after its release in the USA, on 10 December 1962. Cine Rio Branco was one of the best cinemas in the city showing 70mm productions. I remember when I saw 'Lawrence of Arabia'; it must have been on the Saturday, 1st November 1963, for I was waiting eagerly for it to open. I knew by then, I was 14 years old, when a 'blockbuster' would open. There was no such a word then... 'super-production' was de rigeur. Even though I wouldn't have the slightest idea about the subject matter and had never heard of Imperialism or neo-colonialism I was up there at the first showing of the day. Maurice Jarre's sound-track was divine and Peter O'Toole was the right actor for the part.
27 October 1963 - 'The counterfeit traitor' (O falso traidor) played for 12 weeks at Cine Rio Branco. I saw it and was deeply impressed by it. I was especially moved by the character played by Lili Palmer who enters a Catholic church to confess to a priest who turned out to be a Gestapo agent.
27 October 1963 - In the same week `Lawrence of Arabia` premiered in Sao Paulo, Charles Chaplin`s masterpiece `Limelight` (Luzes da ribalta) was back at Cine Rivoli. It had been seen originally in July 1953, at Cine Art Palacio & Cine Opera, more than 10 years back. I remember seeing it at Rivoli and having cried my eyes out.
Victor Hugo`s `The Hunchback of Notre Dame` (O corcunda de Notre Dame), was first shown in Sao Paulo in 1939, was back at Cine Atlas on Avenida Rio Branco. Seeing Charles Laughton & Maureen O`Hara was worth all the money. I loved the flick.
31st October 1963 - Have a look at what was playing in Sao Paulo on the day 'Lawrence of Arabia' opened at Cine Rio Branco: American dancer turned singer Lennie Dale is a one-man-show at Teatro de Arena; Spanish singer-actress Sarita Montiel does a recital for only one night at Teatro Record on 7 November; Dias Gomes' comedy 'Os ossos do barão' still draws crowds to Teatro Brasileiro de Comedia for the 8th consecutive month; Bibi Ferreira plays Eliza Doolittle in 'My Fair Lady' (Minha querida lady) while Edson França plays professor Henry Higgins at Teatro Paramount.
