Put it in the Calendar - WI film a hit in Malton (From Gazette & Herald)

Put it in the Calendar - WI film a hit in Malton

TELEPHONES have been ringing off the hook with movie fans wanting to book seats for a North Yorkshire cinema's latest blockbuster.

Crowds had to be turned away from the Palace Theatre, Yorkersgate, Malton, on Monday, as the cinema was a sell-out for the first time in years.

The film that drew the 142 capacity crowd was the new British feel-good film Calendar Girls, the story of the Rylstone Women's Institute, based in the Yorkshire Dales, who made a cheeky calendar to raise cash for charity. It stars Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Penelope Wilton, Annette Crosbie and Celia Imrie.

"We sold 120 tickets before we even opened the doors and there were only another 22 available at the front door. The phone was ringing red hot for bookings all day," said Jeremy Powell, who owns the cinema with his wife, Liz.

"People were very good-natured about having to go away and come back for another showing later. Many booked there and then to see the film at a later date."

Mr Powell said the response to the film had been so overwhelming that he was going to ask Twentieth Century Fox for permission to run it for another week, alongside his next billing, League Of Extraordinary Gentleman, which stars Sean Connery.

Mr Powell said that during the 15 months that he had run the cinema, business had been slow, but a series of blockbuster movies including the James Bond film, Die Another Day, and musical Chicago had boosted audience numbers. Calendar Girls will be screened until next Thursday.

Updated: 12:17 Wednesday, October 15, 2003