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Show in London. Mr. Richard's wife had been so impressed World" and "Tom Jones", this tied-up the Hoyts circuit of
by this floral extravaganza that she suggested the newly City theatres with long-running seasons. United Artists,
renovated theatre should be named the Chelsea, in tribute whose product was released exclusively through Hoyts,
to this annual event. Sir Nonnan Rydge, himself a keen were keen to get a release for their new Billy Wilder film
traveller, agreed readily to this suggestion, and henceforth, "Irma La Douce". UA, anticipating a big success, and
was to name all his new theatres after favourite European therefore requiring a prestige "Roadshow" season of the
destinations. Hence, The Forum (Rome), Rapallo (a small film, were faced with the reality that Hoyts could not ac-
town in Italy) and Bercy (an exquisite little town in France). commodate the film for a very long time to come.

The Bercy opened with a seating capacity of 810, on Fri- "Irma La Douce" had opened a few months earlier in Syd-
day the 16th of July 1965 with the Universal feature ney to critical and public acclaim and was doing outstand-
"Strange Bedfellows" starring Rock Hudson and Gina ing business at Hoyt's Century theatre. Frustrated at the
Lollobrigida. This was a very forgettable piece-of-fluffY lack of venue to release this huge hit in Melbourne, United
type movie that Universal were churning out at this time Artists took the unprecedented step of negotiating with
in order to emulate the success of the hugely popular "Pi 1- Greater Union, in order to obtain a release of the film.
lowTalk" of 1959. By the mid 1960's, however, this genre Having no prospect of a 'hit' film to programme into their
had become stale and outdated, and therefore, it is little new tbeatre, Greater Union were willing partners to the
wonder that this opening attraction proved to be less than proposal, and thus, a deal was immediately forthcoming.
a gigantic bit. The next film in was the equally uninspir-
ing "Shenandoah" starring James Stewart. A very medio- " lnna" opened at the Bercy on Friday the 15th of October
cre western that failed to attract an audience, the Bercy 1965, and was an instant success. Justifying Sir Nonnan 's
was proving to be an unknown entity to the film-going hard ticket policy, the film ran a magnificent season of I 0
public of Melbourne. months, and the crowds kept rolling in. Undeniably, "lnna

Bercy Cinema· Interior To Projection Room (Photo: CATHS-V Collection)

Ironically, it was Hoyt's Theatres that finally established Ia Douce" was just the ticket to establish the Bercy in the
The Bercy as a "flagship" showplace. In 1965, Hoyt's were minds of Melburnians. Success can be a double-edged
screening a galaxy of hugely popular movies. With titles sword however, and during the season of this hugely popu-
such as "The Sound Of Music", "Those Magnificent Men lar film, The Bercy was placed "in limbo" in all press ad-
In Their Flying Machines", "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad vertising. Hoyts were unwilling to place a G.U. theatre

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