40 years ago today, Goldfinger screenings almost closed Delaware theatre

12-Mar-2005 • Bond News

40 years ago today, a Delaware County theatre was facing closure after screening Goldfinger on Sundays.

"007 is beating a strategic retreat in the face of two summonses and the threat of further legal action" screamed the straplines.

Don Stott, manager of the Lansdowne Theatre, which for two successive Sundays showed "Goldfinger" in violation of a state ordinance, said he "probably would not" open again this Sunday.

At a hearing Saturday before Magistrate Robert H. Dewey, Stott and his projectionist were each fined $50 and $9 costs. When the film was shown again the next day, two more summonses were issued.

Stott, who had characterized his disregard of the ordinance as a matter of "economic survival," said his decision is a matter of conscience.

"I am not basically a law breaker," he explained. "I did it twice to get myself out of a financial hole. Well, I'm out now and the rest is gravy."

He acknowledged that it would be highly profitable for him to remain open Sunday and said the film had netted him between $400 and $500 the two previous Sundays.

"Law breaking is a bad habit to get into," he commented, "even a law like this. It's still on the books and I don't think it should be violated. If laws are bad, they should be changed."

Stott told the NEWS that he was defying the Sunday ban on film showing because of the tremendous drawing power of the James Bond thriller and the opportunity to cut his losses.

"I was right, too," he said. "This theater is going to finish in the black for the first time in some years, mainly because of Goldfinger."

Thanks to `JP` for the alert.